High Maintenance on a low budget, Anyone going to join me?

[starbear]

I'm fed up of being out of shape, scruffy Mummy. From this week I'm going to watch less Telly get more exercise in and start looking groomed. Any scruffy bugger want to join me. I plan to be a Diva by summer.
I'm sitting here in a Fleece, green 'Tu' Sainsbury's old t-shirt, men's Gap jeans and brown flat trainer type thing, eyebrows need doing and hair needs cutting. Time to change. Anyone want to join a support group?

Well I overslept this morning! Made it to yoga with DS but looked a bit of a shambles

He's down for a nap now and I really need to go and do something useful (housework!!) but can't be arsed......

Jumbs, don't worry just jump back on aboard when you feel like it, or the skin on your hands crack, or other hotel guests assume your the cleaner I've got to say without losing weight or toning up I feel like a sack of potatoes, a sack of potatoes with earrings and make-up mind you!
Jammy You have got to tell me how you lost 13lbs in 4 week pretty please.
I would love to walk over a field to get to a friend's house, on the other hand I love living in the city too (I have to win the lottery! to have both)
Still didn't do sit-up this morning didn't sleep well again due my feet hurting from work yesterday.
I've got some time to myself tonight haven't figured what I'm going to do. I think I'm going to do some house work and see if the Gym has spaces for DS in a class & I can do some exercise (instead of MN)

Not a lot to say starbear. I've eaten healthily (but haven't gone hungry), drunk plenty of water - I have made a water only rule during the day when I am at home (drink herbal tea or water at work 2 days per week), and exercised. Not very glamourous is it?

But I've had 3 good meals every day (apart from the day of the stomach bug of course), and have had morning and afternoon snacks (fruit) and sometimes a late night snack (toast) too. I've been out for a chinese buffet dinner with a friend, cooked 2 special dinners at home (valentines and DH's birthday) and had a lovely restaurant lunch out (also for DH's birthday), so it hasn't been grim. I've even had some wine! But I read labels, weigh/measure food (was to find I had been eating nearly 3 times the recommended portion of cereal in the mornings) and (roughly) calorie count. Oh and I am learning to stop eating when I am full.

And for the exercise I now go the gym once or twice a week, swim once a week, do yoga or pilates 2 or 3 times a week and walk between 1 and 4 miles (almost) every day.

Your right Jammy need to keep an eye on what I put in my gob without really thinking about it. I've got another cycling lesson on Sunday so I'm hoping in the near future I can cycle to and from work safely will improve my fitness. I already walk a huge amount, to the point I have sore feet at night!

Jammy you are doing so well with the exercise!

I did get my arse off the chair and go and do some housework, about an hour and a half, much better than sitting down thinking about cake!
I have handcreamed lots today, and I've just done my nails with Rouge Noir. Must go and take off my mascara and go to bed. Going to do a full pilates routine in the morning and then some Wiifit.

Boots have got an offer on Sanctuary producst - spend £10 and get a free gift set (set of 4 body lotions/souffles/creams) So I bought the salt body scrub which I wanted anyway and something cheap to get the free gift

Oh! I need to take care of my skin more since I've been wearing make-up and cleansing I've noticed open pores and little spots. It doesn't pay to look to closely!
Spent the day gardening with DS which should get me brownie points with DH & should have used up some calories!
Back and feet are going to ache so I'm going to get some smellies (can't get to Boots today but will pop in soon for the offers) & have a lovely soak tonight. Hands are dry but nails are intact as DS did the digging.

Fab thread, Jammy pointed us on her PN thread over (Jammy, BTW, who is on fire with her make-over/health drive )

My top suggestions are:
Lipfinity (Max Factor I think). Costs about a tenner, but really does last all day)
Invest in a Braun Silk Epil. About £70, but you will recoup it on pots of wax and hair remover. Get one that does your face if you are a hairy trucker like me . Takes a few minutes and hair grows back finer. I have finally got rid of the wiry 'tash hairs It is honestly the best birthday present DP has ever bought me.
A pumice stone in the shower. Give your heels a quick once over every day and by the summer your feet will be lovely.

And the £12 M&S jeans are brilliant. No more blueberries down my back-crack (thanks DD2!)

Aw, shucks Foxy .

My £12 M&S jeans arrived today Have only tried them on briefly but they look good and are v.v.comfy And (can't believe I've done this, let alone am admitting it ) along with the jeans I ordered some HUGE (almost up to my boobs ) hold-everything-in pants. My god, I know I'm wearing them (so prob something for a special occasion rather than everyday wear) but they have the desired effect - a skirt I have which looks rather lumpy round the tum normally looks quite smooth with these monster pants on. But I daren't daren't daren't let DH know I've got them . And I ordered some slinky pants too which I WILL be showing DH (Sorry if TMI, but he's been away nearly a week....)

OK, so wardrobe is improving a little, and I've just done a long pilates workout (thighs feel like they are on fire atm) so am about to go relax in the bath. I think that'll do for today.

Ooooh, my tin of lip balm has got its lid screwed on tight so I can't get into it. Over recent years I've used Vaseline, Badger lip balm and Lush lip balm and have been happy with them all in their own way but don't feel that I must get one over the others. Before I go out and make a purchase tomorrow anyone like to share any recommendations? I don't like lipstick on me so lip balm is a must as far as I'm concerned.

Hi everyone, Jammy Blistex Intensive Moisturiser at night and Nivea pearl & Shine it has a little colour which I like.
Lovely bath and face mask last night did the trick no arches and pains & clean skin today.
Circuits this morning then a walk in the park with friends so exercise going well.
Going to look at the thread about open pores and get the recommended products to help my skin.
Going to up the ante though as I want to look good for Easter when I plan to DIY dye the grey bits of my hair and get a haircut, black dress and go out with DH looking Good.
Just a comment, I do think Mrs Obama looks good and not impossible to copy. What do you think?

Afternoon all

I've not been on this thread for about a week so I was very impressed with all the exercising that's going on! I've only managed 1 hour of pilates all week (my 1st ever class) so I'm not too impressed with myself. I need to find some classes where I can take DS, the only class that I know of is a block-booked class that runs for 8 wks at a time.
On a better note, I have a facial booked for tomorrow. It was a christmas present off DP's parents & I'm really looking forward to it. 1hr 20 mins of total me me me

Happy March to you all & keep up the good work

Starbear, I think Michelle Obama looks great, I'd love to read the issue of US Vogue with her on the cover. She's clever too, has a handsome husband & beautiful children. I can't really be 'cause my DP is good looking & DS is gorgeous, it's just me letting the side down
I don't really know much about Mrs O but for the 1st time that I can remember, I see somebody in the publc eye that I think I can look up to.

Nezzi, how did you find the pilates? I have one of the body control pilates DVDs and think it's great. Solves the class problem too, I just pop it in the player

Thanks for the link Jammy, which one do you have?

I have a double edition one, Body control pilates and the weekly workout on one disc. It's got 1 x hour and quarter and 3 x 25 min workouts on it. Or the long one says you can do the 20 min warm up everyday and notice the benefits. I used to do that and it did give me better core strength.

Jammy & Nezzi do you both have the DVD for Pilates from the same company?
I might jump on the band wagon as the classes are always on the wronge day and time for me.
Cycling lesson today went very well. No other details to report

I have this one

I might go for that & Lynne Robinson has grey hair, fab! Is that they one that made your thighs, 'feel like they are on fire'?
The bloke at circuits keeps shouting 'If it's hurting, it's working' I know he's right.
I also know the difference between damaging pain and muscles working. I do, really, I just now have to apply it.

DH calls her BadgerWoman!

Yes, I had walked 4 hard miles that day and then did the hour-and-a-quarter workout, concentrating really hard on it, and boy did my legs ache afterwards!

SHould have done some tonight, but instead sat on sofa worrying about whether DD has chickenpox (was v spotty at bedtime), wishing DH could be home tonight instead of tomorrow and eating chocolate

Hi Everyone - lots of beautifying been done by everyone this weekend it looks like!

We've been away to stay with friends and eaten far too much, but went on a hike for a couple of hours which was fab and is definitely the furthest I've walked (especially up and down hills etc) since my section so feeling quite proud of myself. Also did a monster pilates/Wiifit session on Friday morning before we went.

I'm getting into the habit of sorting my nails now, just done them while I watched some telly so they are looking good ready to start the week again.

So the things on the list this week are:
Hair cut on Thursday - yay!! I may even get a fringe.....
Start looking after toenails as well as fingernails.
Add a 10 min session of stretching from pilates routine before bed each night.
I need to have another wardrobe audit and sort out some new outfits. There are several things in there that I'm just not wearing.

How's everyone doing this week?

Hi alibaba. Not a lot happening here. Keeping up the (now 2nd nature ) routine of removing makeup, cleansing face properly, and using moisturiser at night, and quick cleanse, moisturise and make up in the morning, so that's good. And nails are getting regularly filed and buffed, and hand cream is getting used, so that's good too. But not a lot else the past few days. Didn't get to exercise really at weekend (other than a bit of walking) as DH was away so I couldn't gym & swim, and never quite got round to pampering baths, just quick ones. But been to the gym this morning, and just ordered one of the Davina exercise DVDs from Amazon so I'll have an alternative next time DH is away.

I'm considering ordering one of those DVDs but I'm not sure I would use it. I've bought these things in the past and they've ended up dusty!
I've found a Sure Start exercise class that has a creche so I'm going to give that a go this week. Free exercise & free creche, perfect!

Had a facial on Monday too, also free as it was a Christmas pressie
Absolutely fab, they should be on the NHS along with a 4 hr per week baby sitting service (is it true that this happens in France?)

Ooooh, facial, lovely. And I am hoping my new DVD doesn't just end up as a dust magnet. Time will tell I guess. I did think long and hard before buying it though, for that very reason.