Anyone interested in a glow-up support thread for tips and accountability?

[MrsWhites]

Is anyone interested in a glow up support thread? I thought it might be nice to have somewhere to keep me accountable, share tips and things to avoid etc.

Glow up can be for any reason, summer, anti-aging, wedding etc?

I’m just about to turn 42, always looked young but in the past few years I have noticed age creeping up on me. I need to lose a bit of weight, need to improve tone and texture of my arms and legs. My face is dull and suffers with open pores so lots to work on for me 😂

Would love to hear from anyone else looking to work on their appearance too 👋

I haven’t really exercised this week, it’s just been too busy so other than dog walking and a class on Monday I have done nothing, I will try and run tomorrow and lift my weights over the weekend. Does anyone else find they see hundreds of videos with really good looking without ideas and then never actually do any of them?! Maybe it’s over saturation. I feel like i just need a really straightforward set of exercises. We are building a home gym in our garden so I had better get my mojo or it will be a very expensive waste of money!

Today I did gleam strips. I had missed a day, they look a lot better now after 5 goes. The other bonus is I don’t fancy eating anything after using them so no evening snacks!

I also went for acupuncture. I go every month to help with Bell’s palsy, but actually I just like going, it hurts a lot sometimes, she put them in the side of my nose and in my hand today and they were clearing joining up some nerves because I was getting all sorts of weird twitching pains!

my weekend glow up plans include- colour my hair and try to scrunch/curl rather than straighten as an experiment, put a load of stuff on vinted and get my summer things out and try a few bits on. I think I am bigger than last summer so I might find nothing fits me 😢

thanks @thenewaveragebear1983 I'll take a look. I've screenshotted in case of censorship 😂

I’m joking this thread to give myself accountability. Have college reunion in July so want to glow up. Have been using the streaks app to remind me of my daily/ weekly habits

@Perzival I’ve tried the Biodance and Medicube collagen masks and I’ve liked both of them. I found the Medicube ones easier to apply (biodance were sliding around a bit) and they turned clear faster. My skin looked hydrated and glowy after both. Give them a try!
I’ve not done much exercise this week just daily walking. DH is taking the children out tomorrow morning so I’m planning to do a workout video and have an “everything shower” while I have the house to myself!

I've done a workout this morning, about an hour of cardio, mix of step, running and generally dancing like a clown in the garden 😂

I weighed myself when I woke up and have lost 0 lb so that's nice

I think I'm focussed more on weight loss than the glow up now but I'm hoping my braces will be off in the next month and that should make me feel much better about myself!

I have been lurking, but I should really join you all.
I have found a skincare routine I'm enjoying right now, and I'm currently playing about with makeup. I'm to a point where I don't want much on at all, but I have dark circles under my eyes (super thin skin), so I have to use concealer or risk getting asked if I'm tired by every other person I see that day. I'm trying a new eye cream that seems promising.
I've come to the conclusion that I'm really wanting to get away from using powder (it's been flaking off and looks hideous), and have a matte setting spray, but I still ended up with a shiny forehead today. It's frustrating!

Anyway, I use self tanner, teeth whitening strips, get my roots done every 6 weeks etc.
I mainly need to work on internal changes.
I need more sleep (I don't get enough every night, maybe 6-6 1/2 hours each night), and exercise is hard for me to get back into.
I even have a spin bike and weights (bench etc) at home, and still don't make time for it 🤦‍♀️. Does anyone have any ideas? I feel like I'm so busy that when I have an hour to relax, I sit and do nothing (scroll on mn), instead of a workout.

@BloomingHazel I feel the same about powder. I rarely wear foundation now. I either wear tinted moisturiser or nothing on my skin now except under eye concealer as I have always had dark circles. I've been using collagen and my skin feels clearer. I'm liking that glowy look and I also find I don't get an oily t zone if I don't have make up on my skin. I think I mentioned above the jones road miracle balms give a lovely glow.

With exercise, it can be really hard to fit it in. The ways I do it are firstly to plan at the start of the week when I'll have time which is often before work if I'm working from home or in an evening otherwise, I would do 20 minutes or half an hour if you don't have time for an hour and if it's something like a spin bike you could watch tv or something while on it?

@BloomingHazel I’m a runner and that’s always my preferred activity, I like to go a few times a week. I’m lucky that in my new job I can go at lunchtime once or twice a week, then do a longer on on the weekend. I joined an outdoor physical fitness group which I absolutely love, I book one class a week that I can commit to and maybe squeeze in another one. I have a dog which helps get the steps in as she gets a few miles every day. The strength training and yoga stuff is what I would like to do more of and I just don’t make time for it, I know when I do it I love it, but gosh the thought of getting those dumbells out for ten minutes is just so overwhelming sometimes 🤣 I do like following a YouTube video , Caroline Girvan is good but there are loads

I’ve booked profilo for Tuesday and maybe a bit of filler for my marionette lines

I was given a sample of Retinol from DD (I'd bought her some Revitalash , this was a free gift), I will give it a try but the full size is £115 !!!

So unless I get ID Checked at the supermarket , I won't invest that kind of money , I can find a much more affordable product .
I have a couple of pesky lines on my forehead above my eyebrow ( expression lines . I wear a mask at work so my eyes have to do the smiling . I'm not a Highwayman BTW)

Fringe might be worth another go .

I felt uber naff today despite having much nicer teeth, coloured hair and great skin! My reason is I'm such an apple shape plus terrible posture. So im like a 16 size top but my belly is just awful. I even tried on a size 20 and it still looked unflattering. So I thought i really need to stand up straighter, and also lose weight. But feels such an uphill struggle.

Hi all. Also been on and off lurking and thought I’d emerge to say hello. I’m 48 (soon to be 49) and feel 88 going on 89! I’ve had some autoimmune stuff going on the past few years and the fatigue, brain fog and joint pain plus the meandering frustrating diagnosis journey is really getting me down. Over the years I had built up some healthy habits (running etc) that I really miss. Now I feel like I’m just deteriorating on every front. I’ve been comfort eating and drinking a bit too much booze - neither help internal state OR external appearance! So…It’s six weeks to my birthday and I’m going to try for some structured actions to pep me up a bit by then. I’d love to have lost a little of the weight that’s crept on, been a bit more consistent at exercising within my limits, and done some gentle, positive things to take care of myself, honour the body I have and feel just a little better in it. If I can hit 49 feeling like 59, or even just 69 that will be a massive win in circs!

Welcome Jewel.

I've mastered my blow dry for professional looking shiny hair ✨️. I'm growing out a bob to long hair, it's at the annoying above shoulder stage. As I wfh, I never used to bother with ny hair, just up in a bun. It's wavy, thick, coarse and can take hours to dry naturally. Now I've nailed a blowdry hot brush to give bouncy curls, my hair looks fab all the time.

Ladies I have been very much neglecting this thread (and my glow up), work involved GCSE’s so I am up to my eyes at the moment and I’ve used that as an excuse to be lazy with my skincare and my diet! I lost 4lbs and I’ve put 3lb back on!

This week I am putting in a skincare order for the pink peptide range from Medicare. Hopefully that will inspire me to stay on track with that, just need something to keep my diet on track too!

I desperately need to colour my hair but I can’t be bothered 🤣 although my root spray ran out this morning so I will need to as they are totally white coming through.
I’m still going with my gleam strips, overall I think they look a bit whiter but they are by no means white.

I’ve done well this year so far with my trying not to buy loads, especially clothing. But I am actually getting to the stage where I think I need to! I have a little bit of fun money left from my redundancy and a £45 next voucher which I want to use on some swimwear before I go away. I’ve sold a few bits on vinted and have about £36 in my vinted pot as well. My plan this weekend is to try everything on, work out some nice outfits and work out what I need (it’s usually always tops, I am so fussy with them)

I was brought up being nagged to suck my tummy in and pull my shoulders back. From probably the age of 10. May have given me some weight/ body issues thanks mum, but years on (I'm 42 now) I'm always sucking my tummy in. It does help. My posture isn't terrible either because of it.

@Chocolatecoffeecup & @thenewaveragebear1983 thank you for your response!
When I get on the spin bike I usually do a YouTube video, 20 minutes, but if you include the 10 minute cool down stretches, getting changed, finding the video, it's an hour! I do need to just get on and do it though, even though it'll be after dinner and shortly before bed. No more excuses! Same with yoga and weights.

I will have to look into collagen and the miracle balm, although maybe a cheaper brand!
I'm also looking into the mushroom powder, but there's so many out there!

@BloomingHazel I have something called Rib flare, it’s quite pronounced and can be painful, the chiropractor said it was caused or made worse by constantly sucking my tummy in. She did once show me a sort of core hold rather than just a ‘suck it in’ movement which was really good for posture.

@jewelsandbinoculars a friend of mine has a mass of autoimmune conditions and she is having so much positive response from the Zoe plan, she bought the programme but from what I can tell it seems to be a whole foods, plant heavy diet. Honestly, she is like a different person and so much more mobile and generally less inflamed and tired.

I've had no chocolate , sweets,ice-cream, cake or crisps for the last 3 weeks . It was tough to begin with but I do feel it's made a difference .
I have a holiday in June so want to improve myself .
My skin is better I am being more diligent
I plan to buy some retinol cream to have a try out .
Dentist appointment booked
Need to book hair appointment

I'm taking my Nutrition Geeks vitamins and loads of water .
Overnight oats
anytime I want something sweet I have an apple and peanut butter .

Of course on holiday it'll go <pfft> but I'll be doing loads of walking

@BloomingHazel I think I saw Revolution may have done some alternative or dupe to the jokes road miracle balms. They are not cheap but I wear it most days either over make up or alone and love the glow!

I've also read that you should take collagen with vitamin c to enable your body to use it properly. I've been taking it with berocca, which was just because it mixed well rather than because I knew vit c would help, and it seems to be working for me.

@thenewaveragebear1983 I've recently come across rib flare in my journey to fix my diastase recti. I read that the constant sucking in we do is not good for the pelvic floor as we need to learn to relax our pelvic floor as holding that all the time can be bad too. So much to think about!

@70isaLimitNotaTarget Well done that's fantastic. I have improved my diet but just cannot cut out the sugary snacks!

Things are going well diet wise. It's slow but steady, I've lost 5 lb in total. I am desperate for my cut and colour at the end of the month. One got cancelled and it has been 20 weeks. On the plus side what is coming through is pure white, like my Dad, so I can see myself growing it out one day.

I've added chia water into my supplement regime twice a day and am really feeling quite well. I've also ordered some biotin and bovine collagen chews, I already take marine collagen. I'm thinking of adding the ordinary hair serum into the mix too, as I seem to been widening at the parting. It might just be because the hair is currently very white.

Chocolate seems to be my nemesis, I do well all day and then lapse in the early evening. I am concentrating on low carbs and higher protein for the rest of the day.

A 5lb loss is really good @Neuronimo !

I weighed myself this morning and I weigh the same for three weeks running but my fat has gone down v slightly and my skeletal muscle has gone up slightly suggesting I have lost a bit of fat and built some muscle? Maybe? Slightly?'

I take collagen and read today it's beneficial to take it with vitamin c. I've been taking mine with Berocca and I wonder whether that is why I'm noticing results after a month.

@Chocolate, I was like that for absolutely months, so I'm not sure what has shifted. Maybe coming off HRT finally this week. I've had a foot injury, but must tackle exercise next. Surely it is muscle gain for you.

Thanks for the tip re the vitamin C, I do have some in, but will take it at the same time as the collagen!

@Chocolatecoffeecup maybe it’s all related, I had mild DR after my third giant baby decided to lie transverse and diagonal for 7 long months 🙄 then while I’d always had pronounced ribs, I think just sitting badly, possibly with a weak core, just seemed to force it outwards. I was so swollen and painful when I finally went to the chiropractor, she said she could see the swelling through my clothes