Please help me feel good in 2025, lost my way completely!

[45andfeelinghappy]

Going into 2025, overweight (need to lose 5 stone), unfit, two inch white/grey roots, puffy and old. Size 18/20. Wrinkly. No beauty treatments/. Live in leggings and no makeup. shop on primark/ supermarkets. Have had trauma, grief and mental health to deal with.

am 44 and have money to throw at this. Please help me with a plan to enter 2025 as close to below as possible!

swishy hair, look fresh, slim and healthy, shop in arket and maxmara type places.

feel happy fit and confident.

is a year doable to do this? Want to book some appts, make plans for early jan hence posting now!

Of course you can! I’d have 2 goals running concurrently: the long term goal to lose weight, feel better and look better. But also work on feeling better and looking better in the short term too, so don’t fall into the trap of thinking you won’t buy nice clothes/book a PT until you reach a certain weight. I’d book a hair appointment first because that will make you feel great instantly. Then work on the diet and fitness, treat yourself to a facial and new clothes monthly if you can to keep yourself going. It might take a while to find a healthy way of living that suits you, but if you have money to throw at this try what you can and do treat yourself for trying your best. Good luck!

If you have the money to throw at it then start on Mounjaro. I lost 4 stone this summer so a similar amount to what you want to lose, it was quite easy and I have altered my eating habits and so far the weight is staying off.

New haircut with regular trims is a great idea, I agree, do this first.

New clothes, I have got quite addicted to Vinted. Sold all my old stuff and bought good quality replacements. Only difficulty with this is working out your new size. It's quite a lot of fun sorting out your new wardrobe!

Good luck!

I’d find a supportive personal trainer to help you devise a workable diet and exercise plan. Maybe also consider a Pilates or yoga class that supports mental health as well.
Ask for recommendations for a good hairdresser who can give you a low maintenance easy to style hair makeover.

Clothes wise it depends upon your style but getting some good basics but not spending too much if your shape and size is likely to change.

2025 can be your year, good luck.

Get a good retinol, possibly Medik8 crystal retinal, and good SPF 50. Dermatica or Skin+Me do prescription tretinoin. These will give your skin a glow and it happens quite quickly. Start off gentle on the retinol or tret, whichever you choose. SPF50 every day and something gentle to clean it off at night. If your hair and skin look better you'll feel better even if you still have weight to lose.

I always think it's a great sign of my mental health being much improved when interest in appearance returns.

Start with hair and beauty. Book into a good hair salon, ask a friend with good hair where they go. You’ll need to go every 6-8 weeks so book your next appointment at the end of the current one iyswim.

Beauty routine will depend on your skin type. Get your brows shaped in a good salon. Make up wise, head to your nearest Chanel counter and buy foundation, lip gloss or lipstick and a mascara.

Clothes wise, step away from the Primark leggings! If you’re going to lose weight there’s no point spending a fortune now but you can buy some lovely smarter basics somewhere like M&S/Uniqlo.

Agree with others that having your hair done and putting on some makeup, jewellery, perfume are so quick and relatively inexpensive things that will make you feel better instantly. It’s easier to build more deep habit change (eg diet and exercise) when you feel you’ve already made progress.

Fantastic!
Firstly, Mounjaro as you sound like your bmi will give you access.
Walk every day and find yoga or similar.
If you are looking for an online class, I recommend Donna Noble, who is based in London but does online classes for plus size beginners. She wrote a book recently about yoga being for everyone and a friend of mine does her curvesome yoga classes.
Hairdresser and set up a regular appointment.
Decide on what beauty support you want?
I have laminated brows, lash lifts and nails semi regularly.
I also have facials, Lumi pro and have started Botox.
Get an achievable skincare routine in place. If you are using prescription tretinoin and daily spf then you don't need to spend a huge amount on extras. A moisturiser like Cerave is good value. Add in vit c serum in the morning.
Learn about what colours and styles suit you - lots of resources online and start hunting on Vinted and eBay to build your new wardrobe.
You'll see results really quickly which will help keep you motivated.

Get your hair done and start booking the next appointment when you leave. Take your hairdressers advice on colour, but don't be scared to embrace the grey if your hairs like mine and simply doesn't take colour well. Nothing better than a head of healthy strong hair even if it's grey (like mine). Get your eyebrows tidied up, no need for the more expensive eyebrow stuff at first until you feel ready for this.

Facials are nice, but at least start a simple routine of cleansing and moisturising if you don't already. Nails if you want them, looking groomed makes a big difference to how you feel.
Get some half decent exercise outfits organised and a good pair of trainers.

Consider mounjaro injections, no personal experience here but obviously there are many success stories with this.
If you haven't got one already, buy a tape measure and check your own measurements against that of anything you buy. Vinted/ebay are brilliant, but by getting bust/waist/hip measurements before you buy on brands you're not familiar with helps cut down on useless purchases. My own bust measurement is 44" and I can be anything from a size 16-22 on top! Very frustrating.

I'd recommend Pilates, but do some one on one sessions first before going into group classes. I found it great for destressing.
Also step away from the leggings outside of exercising, I think elasticated waists are the work of the devil for allowing weight gain to creep up on you! I like M&S jeans especially the lift and shape ones.

Finally what I would say is that if you have a lot of stress going on in your life it can be very difficult to lose weight however hard you try or you lose it agonisingly slowly. But of course every pound counts so don't give up! A pound a week adds up to over 3 1/2 stone in a year! Good luck!

U have described me 5-6 months ago. Add in operation on my lower back for slipped discs and bulging discs top of back. On tramadol and codeine every day. 49 yrs old. 13.9 stone
Started Mounjaro.
Best thing I have ever done. Down 31/2 stone, went from 18-20 to currently 12-14.
Could never lose weight ever apart from few pound here n there. Mounjaro has honest to god changed my life. I'm happy with how I look for first time since early teens, off tramadol for first time in 10 years. Back pain eased off. Fitting in clothes I love. My mood, my general outlook on life so much better. I'm loving life. It really is a miracle drug for me. My blood pressure is now normal.
If u have the money, (or even if u don't, find it) and I totally recommend it. Speak to ur GP.

First of all, can I just say that looking after oneself when all that is going on - it's not top priority, no matter what the internet says about 'taking care of yourself'. Utter Tripe. I'm glad to hear that you're ready to show that you're after the battle <3 Nothing like a good do-over to reinforce ones happiness.

I was in a similar boat... I would suggest good research.

I found a really good aesthetic practitioner and I had face threads, a bit of filler and a bit of botox. I'm in the NW and they had an offer on and it was about £600. I'm 53 btw, so you aren't probably ready for threads atm!

Researched and found a good hairdresser and although I have vivid purple and magenta hair, it's how I want it.

Get a good stylist - find somewhere that does personal styling and flick through magazines to find looks you like to show them.

I recently bought a rowing machine because like you, I need to lose weight and tone up and this is the only form of exercise I actually like and I'm joining slimming world in the NY.

If I could I'd get the fat taken off my tum with freezing, but looks like I'll have to do it the old fashioned way of eating less, moving more. Sadly. :D