August holiday princessing?

[Fatkins]

Anyone up for this please?

We are planning a holiday (though haven't actually booked anything yet) in August school holidays. I am in need of much princessing 😬.

My plan is:

• healthy eating; plenty of fruit, veg, wholefoods, lots of water. As my name would suggest, I am a bit of a fatkins at the mo , so losing a few lbs would be a good idea.
• minimum of four days a week with no or .
• lots of water.
• less caffeine.
• yoga every day, including two - three classes.
• less screen time, except kindle, which doesn't have the 'bad' light.
• exfoliate daily.
• file feet daily.
• paint toes weekly.
• buff and file finger nails a few times a week.
• use gradual tan lotion stuff.
• curly girl method for hair and also speak to wonderful hairdresser about growing hair without it going to pieces.
• wardrobe clear out and reorganise.
• ask about teeth whitening at dentist.

I'm sure there are more, but that's all I can think of for now!

Would love some company .

PS: apologies if there is one of these on the go already!

Welcome Saturn !

Well done on weight losses tea and sandraoh! That's fab!

Thanks dinosaurs. My wardrobe is an ongoing project really. My dream is to open my wardrobe and feel as is I can wear anything I like out of it! The problem is of course that every time I get it how I want it, my body changes shape for one reason or another! I was pregnant twice and bfing in between. I partly blame that for weight gain actually, as I developed a monstrous appetite feeding my very hungry youngest DC. But I didn't gain weight all last year as I was bfing all year. I stopped at Christmas and I have BALLOONED! It is my fault really as I just love eating 😁.

I am back on the slimfast today after a successful day yesterday.

Yoga class tonight (woo)! I did another hour's dvd last night too. A Tara Lee one. Was good. Did the plough again. Came eye to eye with my enormous mum tum again 😂😬.

If I can shift some of this weight, I'm imagining yoga will be easier as I'll have more space to move and twist.

Damnit! I keep forgetting to oil pull and I've already had my shake. Think it has to be on an empty stomach... I might do it anyway.

Another early-ish night planned tonight. I've also booked in with my hairdresser to have a tidy up and discuss growing it out a bit.

@Lanaa let me know how you get on with him. I'm sure you'll notice a difference. I feel your pain, felt like I was plucking them every day. I was super conscious of them.

@troppibambini I used one my HASK, it is a charcoal one with citrus oil. While it was on the mask felt promising, but afterwards my hair was dry and brittle! Had to add my trusty old Dove one and sit (on MN) for another 30mins. Not impressed. Will be giving the other sachet that i have to my little sister.

To be honest the best hair masks that I have ever used making my hair advert worthy have been the Pantene 3 minute mask and the L'Oréal Elvive restore. My hair is very thirsty and loves regular treatments. I'm just a bit too lazy you really don't have to spend loads in my experience.

tea

I've just started using co-wash and conditioner instead of shampoo and it seems to be working quite well for my thirsty hair! I'm trying to do curly girl method so I can hopefully grow my hair a bit longer. In the past, the minute it gets past my chin it falls to pieces.

Tea I use a Hask hair mask, but I use the coconut and monoi one (which smells amazing!!) and its excellent on my bleached hair. I've just switched to using L'Oreal extraordinary oil conditioner though and I find I don't need hair masks with that as it makes my hair unbelievably glossy and soft.
I've been stopped in the street and asked how I get my hair so glossy twice in the last week

Oh crap Catkins are you supposed to do the oil pulling in an empty stomach? I just do it whenever is convenient, and the brush my teeth straight after.

I do find that if I rub my toothpaste onto the fronts of my teeth with a finger, and then leave for a minute before brushing it makes them instantly whiter. I've been using the Colegate optic white one which is great even for DH's sensitive teeth.

Fatkins sorry! Stupid autocorrect.

I am psyching myself up to starting the Tretinoin. Well, I need to get it from the pharmacy first. Must do that tomorrow.
My Dr called my last night to remind me to use sunscreen everyday so that it doesn't negate the effects of the Tret and so that I don't end up with chemical burns presumably.
For the last few months I've had perfect skin for the first time ever, so I'm bracing myself for any purging/peeling/snake skin side effects and reminding myself its worth it in the long run

Well done everyone on the weight loss too! I'm down half a dress size, I don't tend to weigh myself as that's a slippery slope for me, but its such a great feeling to have looser clothes

I can always tell when I'm losing weight as the backs of my upper arms feel weirdly taught, almost like I've faintly pulled muscles. Does anyone else get this?

Oh no, I can't say that I've ever had the arm thing dinosaurs... I know what you mean re weighing. I can go to one extreme or the other sometimes. Good plan to avoid that 👍.

I read online you're meant to do it on an empty stomach, but if you're seeing benefits anyway, it can't be that bad to do it some other time of the day! I will do it this evening. Mornings here are bonkers, so it's really unlikely I'll get time to do it every morning.

All going fine here. I'm slimfasting away. Feeling fairly positive about it as it might give me a bit of a kick start. Planning a healthier, homemade version of a chicken burger for dinner. I'm going to eat with DCs and then go to yoga. Either straight to bed or maybe a small glass of wine with DH depending on how I feel.

Hope everyone else is having a good day !

What gradual tan are people using?

I've been using the Dove visible glow (in the pic) for the last few days. But today my husband walked in and said I'm looking very orange!

Any recommendations for a less tango one?

Oh no! I've always heard good things about the Dove one, but I can't use it as it brings me out in as rash for some reason.

I am using the Garnier summer body one. DH did call me "bronzed Fatkins" the other day... Is that a polite way of saying orange maybe 😂?

For those looking for hair masks, I really rate the Philip Kingsley Elastisizer which makes my hair feel so much stronger and healthier!

To be honest I think they all end up looking pretty orange on anyone who's naturally very pale.

Was out with friends today and someone got an awful shot of me looking like a tango oompa-loompa. See photo below

Lol love that photo Saturn. I think it's just the light. You still look rather fab! You have great arms .

I've woken up with a bit of a headache. Slimfast hangover 😂? I don't think I drank enough water yesterday, so am making sure I don't do that today. Also need to make sure I keep on top of the suncream! I'm conscious of wrinkles these days and I am not built to tan, except by bottle.

Had a lovely yoga class last night and have another booked for tomorrow morning.

I hope everyone is looking forward to weekend . I flipping am! It can't come soon enough 🤪😂.

What is everyone up to, princess wise or otherwise, over the weekend? We have lunch out at some vegan friends tomorrow, so looking forward to some fairly healthy food and catch up in the sun . It's meant to be HOT here in the SE England tomorrow.

Joining.
I have 4lbs in 4 weeks to lose.
I started my tooth whitening yesterday.
I have a protein treatment to do on my hair next week.
I'm on tretinoin so being careful with regular factor 50 applications.
I'm also going to start using a weighted hula hoop today in an attempt to look toned in my rather sporty bikini.

Joining! I’m going away to Florida in November so I’ve got a bit of time. I’m on keto and I need to stick to it. Regular nail polishing, hair removal, hairdresser, tan lotion and lash extensions are on the cards.

My skin is playing up at the moment so I need to baby it. Suspect I have mild Rosacea but I don’t want the hassle of the doc at the moment. Any recommendations?

Love this thread!

Welcome loobrush and writersblock !

I have one of those weighted hula hoops, but I ended up with horrible bruising on my hips when I used it for a few days! Loobrush do you know what I might have done wrong? I loved hula hoops when I was little and thought it would be such a fun exercise to do in front of the tv, so quite disappointed it didn't work for me.

Keto is so great for weight loss writersblock.

If there was a keto ready meal service I would definitely buy it as I never have time to make meals for myself! Slimfast is good for that, but less tasty and I do get hungry in the afternoons. I allegedly have lost 2lbs (DEFINITELY water) since I started on Wednesday though, so I'm ploughing on. The one normal meal a day thing does get me through actually. It's not so bad and good lord do I need it at the mo !

But that keto ready meal plan might be a goer. Dragon's Den here I come 😂.

Oh writersblock I have rosacea! Sorry, I missed that bit!

So, everyone is different and you'll need to play around with things a bit to see what your triggers are. For me, it's stress, hormonal changes (periods and hormonal contraception) and red wine. As well as avoiding these things I have a good (for me) skincare regime. I use a hydrating face wash, then I do The Ordinary pigmentation regime. If you look on their website it tells you there what to use. I've found it brilliant and not too £££££.

One of their products is Azelaic Acid. I was prescribed that while bfing as I had a really bad flare up and they couldn't give me antibiotics due to bfing. So it definitely is meant to work iyswim.

Thanks @EatenByDinosaurs . I'll be sure to sniff out that one by L'Oréal ASAP!

@Fatkins my scalp gives me hell for leather when I use the curly girl method. But maybe it's time to give it another try. Thanks for the reminder.

@NotPennysBoat Yes I have the Philip Kingsley pre-shampoo treatment, and it is the bees knees! It's the one with the pump head that you use as a pre shampoo mask. It's finishing and I am sad!

It's probably time to admit that I am on the product junkies thread too. So, this could end badly....... for my bathroom cupboard.

@ReturnofSaturn you look lovely and happy in that photo.

Can anyone recommend a lash extension type. I dont want to look like some daft mum trying to look like a towie cast member but need help in that area!

sandraoh I'm far from an expert, but have had lash extensions a few times.

Once was a full, 'glamour' set (pre DCs in my twenties). The second was a half set quite recently and then a natural looking, full set more recently still. I noticed a huge difference between salons and therapists, so I would go somewhere upmarket or where they are especially good at lashes. The therapist should be able to do a more natural set for you. I absolutely loved mine and my very chic London based friends who would never wear falsies complimented them a lot and said they genuinely wouldn't have known it was anything other than amazing mascara.

The only problem for me was the maintenance, but I would 100% get them again (the natural full set) for a shortish holiday or one off event, where I wouldn't have to bother with maintenance.

Btw these were all 'classic' lashes. I was tempted by russian lashes as I thought they would be more comfortable, but the therapist said they tend to only use those for a less natural look.

Feeling down again today about my hair. It's so bad. It used to be so long down my back until earlier this year I stupidly got it all cut off into a short pixie with shaved sides

So now obviously I'll be growing it out but the sides look so bad being shorter than the top and I'm starting to look like I have a mullet.

I've been wearing headbands and stuff but it just looks so bad.

Look how long it used to be

But Saturn your hair looks totally fine in that previous photo! And it will grow back again .

I'm a big believer in trying new dramatic haircuts and damning the consequences. If you never tried you'd never know! It's the one area of my life where I'm always prepared to take a risk.

Mind you, I recently had basically a mullet which I absolutely did NOT request or sign up for. at former hairdresser. So I definitely sympathise.

I am trying to grow out a reasonably short cut now, (the only possible fix for the mullet), which I actually love, but which requires too much maintenance for me. So I'm planning to grow it to either just above or just below shoulder length and having it in some sort of bob. So any head band recommendations would be gratefully received for the dreaded 'in between' phase. I bet that's where you are now and in a month or two it will look so much better.

Yes Fatkins I do totally agree.

I had it cut short as I had dyed it black as in jet black and I wanted to go back blonde, which was never gonna happen unless I lost a lot of the length!
Had it initially cut to shoulder length but then thought what the hell, I've never had short hair so let's give it a try.

Always been like that though, always end up wanting the opposite of what I've got.

Thanks for the eyelash tips!