Slightly overweight caterpillar (Princessing for those too old to be a princess...) ...

[Karcheer]

dreams of being a butterfly...

In my 20s and 30s I knew who I was (City girl) had regular treatments and looked pretty good even if I do say so myself.

Since I turned 40 (im 47 now) i've lost my identify, and to be honest I just don't bother anymore. The last year (lockdowns) have caused me to be even worse.
If i look at myself I don't even recognise who I am...

I'm 100% fed up with myself.

Is there a princess thread at the moment?

If not anyone else want to join me on a Caterpillar to Butterfly journey?

So far i've booked in highlights and a trim, pedicure, manicure, waxing, facial, massage - all spread over the next 6 weeks.
I've a PT session booked for Wednesday.
I'm trying to keep (falling a bit) to Exante.

I've ordered 3 bras in various sizes as i've no clue what size I am anymore.

I need to sort out clothes, make up etc

Who is in on our journey of self discovery (haha!) ?

Can I join? 44 year old caterpillar, usually scrawny but have put some weight on of late so trousers require a dance to get them on, and they won't button. I have a big age gap with my kids so I have a toddler and an older one at secondary. I'm sick of going out to work having marshalled them both into clothes and breakfast, when I have no lunch and have only eaten half a piece of toast. A few years ago I got into eyeliner and it looked fab. I'd love to have time to do my face paint in a morning but right now I'm glad to get washed and dressed.

I came into work this morning and planned work food for the next month so my intact when I get paid at the weekend is more rice cakes and fruit and less crisps and Haribo, so I'll start with food and eye make up. Just had my hair cut although I have no time to style it, but small steps.

God knows when I'll manage the body hair; that requires time in the shower without small person pulling away the curtain or her older sib asking whether I want to hear the new character names they've made up for their drawing. I'd love some time in the house on my own.

@Imnotbent, I won't have you say you're a slug. We've all carried a lot over the past year, so overloaded butterfly, or catterpillar with real potential, but never a slug.

@TipseyTorvey since I started the day with a blueberry muffin there is a lot of room for improvement...
Next week I’m going to follow your 3 week plan!

Being back in the office is really helping me to get into a routine with all this. Mind you, I've only been back for 2 days, ask me again on Friday and you might get a different answer...

I am wearing make-up, dressing in suitable clothes for a (casual) office, blowdrying and straightening my hair every morning and sticking to what I'm meant to be eating. I even repainted my nails last night as I'd chipped a couple sorting out my desk/monitor etc.

Managed to go for a walk at lunchtime too with one of my colleagues too, which was nice. So much more motivated to go for a walk and chat than go by myself from home.

I'm 60 this year.
I had a 'good' first lockdown - ate sensibly, daily exercise - and ended up lifhtwr, slimmer and fitter.
Since Christmas? Not so good.
I'm back where I was but more tired.
I need to get a grip again.
Thank you for this thread and the inspiration.

I was 52 last week and currently feel everyday of it. Put the fitbit on to charge earlier. Need to lose at least 1/2 stone preferably more but really need to get fitter. I sprained my ankle badly last July and never really got my activity mojo back. Haircut 2 weeks tomorrow so thats a step in the right direction. Will RTFT later and catch up

So I have booked eyebrow appointment, but cannot be seen until May 1.

Have been good food wise again today, but will probably need an early night. I have also been reading a chapter of my book before sleep, rather than using screens. Didn't get time to exercise today

@Scarby9, I am 55 and lost two stone last year, but have put back on 10 lbs since January - it's a slippery slope. Good luck.

Its so hard to drop the weight in your 50s! Especially when life is so dull, pretty much the only thing to do is eat!

Thanks so much for this thread, hit the nail on the head for how I am feeling. Bookmarking to check in later. I'm 41 want to lose four stone !!! And sort skin hair clothes etc out. Good luck to all in the caterpillar challenge!

Two days of wearing jeans again (jeans, not even actual fitted trousers or a dress!!) Has made me realise how out of shape I am and its really quite depressing. I think I was OK at Christmas but the lockdown since boxing day has hit me badly. No exercise at all, barely left the house all winter to be honest and looking at my reflection I feel and look really bad. I've been hiding it behind baggy sweatshirts and tracksuits but I need to confront it and do something!

@Campervan69 , I know, I am eating so much less than before, but I keep every pound, and lose nothing. And no energy. Well, I wore make up today, and my students looked happier to see me on the screen😊

Hello soon to be butterflies , May I join please ? 10. Pounds gain since Christmas . Nice pre lockdown clothes don’t fit .
Have lived in sweats , now only they fit .

Facial booked ... pedicure done

@Karcheer

How are people tackling the bad diet thing? I start the day well and end up eating chocolate and crisps by the bucket load!

Two things. I've accepted what I need to eat. So three meals. Cereal and fruit juice for breakfast. Sandwich or soup, and there must be a vegetable in there somewhere. Proper evening meal usually fish, rice and vegetables, vegetable pizza or some kind of salad. One bag of crisps for the salt (I dislike it in food). One sweet thing because life has to be worth living! Apart from that if I'm hungry I choose fruit or vegetables. I always make sure I have tinned fruit in case I run out of fresh. Usually have large tomatoes and cucumber hanging around either of which I'll happily eat on their own.

I'm part French and found an interesting article called "French Girls Don't Get Fat" about overhauling your life.

I forgot to mention my aims which is lose a few pounds, do yoga daily and spend less time on Mumsnet!

Starting small here. This week I have successfully skipped brekkie and ate healthy lunch and dinners. Also avoided alcohol, so calorie intake is much lower.

Yesterday I did Bodypump, Group Fight and a long walk, around 17k steps. I was so exhausted that I was in bed by 8.30.

A PP has inspired me to get up now and do a Bodybalance session, then I will look to book an eyelash and brow tint. Today I need to give my hands some serious tlc, after overhauling the garden they are very, very neglected.

Small victories here yesterday, largely stuck to my diet, drank a lot more water/herbal tea than usual and gave myself a pedicure. Treated myself to a face mask as well whilst DH was at the gym. Skin is so soft this morning.

Amber I read French Women don't get fat years ago. Then I spoke to my real French friends and found out the truth. French women rarely eat breakfast, they say croissants are for children. They have a black coffee. They walk everywhere. They never snack. Every meal is eaten sitting down with cutlery. If they feel their clothes getting tight they skip dinner when not eating out and just have a yoghurt. They never binge drink like me, and by that they say 1 or 2 glasses is enough. They'd never go out with their female friends and guzzle a bottle each. They think me quite debauched 😂.

Morning Caterpillars!

I went to the Gym last night and it was such a wrench going I was yawning away before I went and was in two minds, but kicked myself up the bum and got down there and felt really good about it afterwards!

Today i'm getting my hair done!!! I'm really considering keeping it longer, not sure what to do...

I still haven't tackled the food and water drinking thing - I have the perfect excuse that I can't really use the kitchen during the day as the painter is in there (social distancing).

I had a shower after the gym yesterday and just rough dried my hair, went to bed and woke up with it looking lovely - really felt like the butterfly gods were shining down on me - so I haven't brushed it haha!!

I had m hair cut and coloured yesterday, I'm still wearing it a lot longer than before lockdown 1 and everyone says it suits me. So nice to have the dry ends gone. I'm certainly going running this evening, now on week 4 of C to 5K. The only failure was wimping out of 6pm outdoor pilates on Monday when I got offered a cancellation. I'm quite excited about new clothes but I will wait for the sales for big purchases as everythimg seems to expensive this year.

I took the big step today of shaving my legs, fancy new blade and everything! If only they were nicely toned I could show them off!

Well done everyone! I dug out some old jeans, they are tight but I'm wearing them anyway and its putting me off eating so much crap today. Had fruit for breakfast and herbal tea, salad for lunch now. Baby steps but I feel like I should celebrate them anyway

Just caught up with the whole thread! Hello caterpillars.
So back at work this week so much less snacking. I’ve lost one of the three lbs I gained over the Easter weekend which is good. Had salad yesterday for lunch but was running late this morning so just grabbed a breakfast bar and some fruit. So tonight I’m going to make sure I’ve made my lunch for tomorrow before going to bed. For dinners we have subscribed to Hello Fresh so healthy home cooked meals should hopefully help. Going to limit myself to one chocolate bar a week, on a Friday evening.
Have also been too tired to follow skin care routine the last 2 nights so must get back on to that.
Going forward though, I am going to restart wearing contact lenses so need to make an optician appointment to get them going again. Also attempting a no spend May in order to save up and treat myself to a new wardrobe for when I loose some weight (I’m a little and often spender). For the last 18months I’ve been wanting to leave my job but feel kinda stuck, however I have decided to take the plunge and have signed up to retrain as an accountant which is something I’ve always wanted to do so mentally I am in a very good place with myself and looking positively towards the future.

Ohh this sounds like the place for me, 38year old overweight frizzy haired caterpillar here, with no idea where to start. Just know I need to change and get myself sorted. Having health issues meaning I can't work and I can't do much exercise but I think a lot would be better if I lost weight, got healthier etc but feel so stuck in a rut and overwhelmed. I want to do something completely different with my job and life, being off has made me realise I was just surviving day to day and being ill has made me realise I don't want to go back to that, I want to change everything and retrain now but everytime I try I sabotage myself by telling myself I can't do it, is 38 to old to start again from scratch career wise and lifestyle wise I guess, I don't know where to start!

@Greenpictureframe I’m almost 37 and I am starting retraining. It is never too late!
Are you able to go out for a short walk? I find that is a good place to start as fresh air really helps me feel better.

Eyebrow tint done
Found some naice toiletries in my holiday bag and thought Hell just use them so they're in the bathroom.

Decided this year I'm going to make An Effort for summer .
Last year I worked through Lockdown so sweating away in PPE then coming home to whatever was on offer in the supermarkets was tough going .
Hopefully this year will be a bit easier (even though I'm a year older )