January Starters - Thread 11!

[meatyryvita]

Come on in losers!

@Polkadotdash I got given a training plan and then got tested to see if I was getting stronger. Being quite competitive, it made me focus on it and I was chuffed that it was working. The reason I stopped going was because I've realised after having 3 kids that I can't bear the thought anyone officially examining me like that, and was dreading it. I do need to restart the exercises though - but my goodness, it's a lot of work.

The list of exercises she gave me was endless. It’s probably 12 different t things to be done three times a day. I haven’t got the time for that! And if no one is going to check in with me, how will I know if what I’ve done is right? Plus I have the memory capacity of a goldfish so I will never remember what I’m supposed to be doing. I dunno. It wasn’t what I thought I would get to help me sort out the issues I’ve been left with post op.

You must join @2025istheyeari and I. Shall we tempt you with links ???

I wrote all the below this morning but thought I’d lost the post.

@PenelopePoweringOn good work breaking into the 12! By the way, I’m slowly working my way through two punnets of those lovely M&S figs - fave dish so far: Chia and oats soaked overnight in coconut milk replacement, dash of honey and vanilla. Add sliced fig and toasted flaked almonds with a dollop of Greek yog when ready to eat.

@BlueLimes I have Bang & Olufsen noise cancelling headphones. Great big over ear ones so people know I can’t hear them. Needed them for the office as we’re still on video calls all day in an open plan. I often put them on for my commute without any music/podcasts specifically to drown out the world.

@2025istheyeari so close with your 2 1/2 lbs!! @BreezyPeer you too!

Did anyone listen to The Guardian podcast a couple of days ago about what happens when you stop WLI?

@Zempy Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 🎂
@HeidiLite I am so looking forward to Christmas outfit shopping this year and having Christmas Dinner at a posh restaurant means I can go full dress, maybe sparkles, maybe velvet, maybe both! ( or neither!)
That dress is gorgeous 😍
@MJalltheway I've never bought a beauty advent calendar either. This might be the year! I am trying lots of new things so why not?
@Jins genuinely jealous about about your half board hotel - sounds glorious! Looking forward to hearing what your DH has forgotten 🤣
@Polkadotdash I am not jealous about any sort of physio 😅 disappointing that it didn't seem to be effective either with no follow up

I will update over the next couple of days about the dating. Its going well in a 'I'm completely new to this' sort of way. I may have some specimens for judging fairly soon 🤣🤣🤣

@Polkadotdash I'm impressed that you got post-op physio from the NHS (sorry it was rubbish!) - I had absolutely zero aftercare after I was discharged, not even a phone call. 'Just get in touch when something isn't right', is what I was told 🙄
If you can, I can not recommend going to a private physio enough - there are ones that specialise in women's health. I went to my usual one who is very good, and it was absolutely worth the money. She gave me such great input/feedback and guided me back to exercising. I was really struggling with starting working again and sitting at my desk, and the advice I got from her allowed me to be able to work - I was considering getting another sick note initially, it was so brutal.

Well, the scales have moved down - by 300 g 😂Hey-ho, it's better than nothing!

@Zempy happy Birthday!🎂

I am here for advent calendar chat. I get the M&S one some years and enjoy but I may splash out a bit more. Issue is it will only be a bit bit a lot.

I have far too much stuff around from the Liberty beauty boxes, definitely don’t need an advent calendar as well. I do love getting lovely samples, just don’t use them fast enough.

Oh @Polkadotdash that’s rubbish, hope you manage to get some support.

I only discovered beauty advents last year, quite into my skincare and it’s a really reasonable way of getting to try lots of nice things at a decent price ( and having something to open every day is a treat!!). Def join us @HeidiLite@myladyjane and anyone else!!!

No news on jobs here, harrumph, I need to know now!! @HeidiLite hope you hear soon too. That dress is gorgeous too, buy it!! 😈

Thanks for link to podcast @DGonMJ will listen tomorrow, although I’m slightly nervous about coming off I have to be honest!!l love the sound of your fig recipes toon

exciting news on dating @BreezyPeer , look forward to hearing more when you’re ready!

@jins, have the best time!

For £100-£150 Boots is worth a look or Elle.

https://www.boots.com/boots-24-day-premium-beauty-advent-calendar-10372153

https://www.hearstmagazines.co.uk/elle-beauty-advent-calendar-9#close-contents

Elle has £21 off at the moment.

But if a more generous budget - Sephora, John Lewis, Liberty, SpaceNK are all very good.

Agree with @2025istheyeari - good ways to try to new things and if you can get overt the initial outlay - good value for what you actually get.

Ohhh @BlueLimes I quite like the Elle one. haven’t decided on my budget yet (but for various reasons I have a bit of ‘treat’ money coming my way.

i am irrationally annoyed - dd1s boyfriend mother keeps trying to ‘get a look’ at her and demanding that he ends their dates early. They are 16 and pretty reasonably well behaved for 16 year olds and we are talking about after school trips to Costa. They’ve only been going out a couple of weeks. Mum got upset apparently because he was late home after he walked dd home once even though dd told him not to (I know right, what a sweetie), blamed dd and is now checking up on her. Honestly, am genuinely pissed off that a woman is blaming a girl for male behaviour and judging her without knowing her and on the length of her skirt (spoiler: v short). What kind of narrative is that for teens. Soz, rant over…..

Elle is very tempting @myladyjane

oh she sounds very annoying, and really she needs to loosen the reigns a bit at 16 and be a bit rational.
oh the skirt lengths…
DD persuaded MIL to hem her skirt and I’m surprised she’s not been told off it that’s short (when she takes the waist band up to make it even shorter!).

I normally buy the Look Fantastic calendar which is very good value.

We started getting a LF and GlossyBox subscription box in the dark days of COVID lockdowns and ended up with a box full of things we never use, so I eventually stopped them.

I'll probably buy it again as I use Elemis, Espa and Medik8 products which are still included, DD and her best mate will take the rest. I get first dibs as I literally want three things out of it! It is definitely not as generous as it was though. But for £105 it is still a bargain.

Our travel bags are very well stocked. 😅

I resisted the dress right now but I did get this top. www.stories.com/en-ww/product/draped-asymmetric-t-shirt-burgundy-1263716005/

Was at the same department store today where I almost cried last year. None of the clothes in 'my size', meaning the size I kept insisting I was, fitted. Even when I told myself that this brand must fit small and tried bigger ones, they looked horrible. Like I was trying to dress a wine barrel. What a depressing day that was.

@myladyjane wow this brings back memories! When I was 16, I was dating this boy whose parents couldn't stand me. He lived in the city, I was from the countryside, so I guess parents thought that I will immediately get pregnant and ruin their baby boy's life. They were obsessed with education and money, how you need to study hard so you can get a good job and earn loads. I was clearly not good enough.
I occasionally think about sending them a copy of my diplomas and pay check with a note: Big mistake. Huge. 😂

@PenelopePoweringOn look fantastic is also tempting and it has the full size Aveda leave in conditioner.

@HeidiLite. Probably outing myself here, but DD worked for &Other Stories for a few years. I got some AMAZING clothes. All Vinted off now obviously.

I love the top and the dress. Burgundy is a fantastic colour.

I have had a lovely 60th. Back from tapas. Lots of booze. Up for work in the morning sadly.

I might actually go for Yesstyle advent calendar, I love Korean stuff. https://beauty-detective.com/yesstyle-beauty-advent-calendar-2025/

@DGonMJ I just listened to that podcast. How did it make you feel! I am filled with a sense of foreboding, but also frustration. I don't feel their reporting was fair - they had one person's story, that's it. They warned of the dangers of not changing habits - and the stats for the number of people who put the weight back on was terrifying. Basically everyone within 10 months. But. And I say but. I do wonder how many people are not changing their habits, exercising, continuing as they were. There was talk of going back to eating normally - surely, it's impossible to do that. Eating 'normally' got us all here in the first place. Anyway, I'm (currently) in the privileged position that if I need to come back on it, I can. But I'm determined to prove the stats wrong. I never want to go back.

Rant over.

@BlueLimes @PenelopePoweringOn the Look Fantastic calendar does look fantastic 😀
Can I ask a newbie question? The 'grooming' calendar . . . Is that for men? Looks like a lot of stuff my 16 year old DS would like

@Zempy Happy Birthday and welcome to the best age yet 😁

@cloudjumper ohhhhh that sounds like me with the office chair. It’s killing me to sit at my desk and I’ve got a professional chair as well. It’s hurting my hips, my back, my rib cage. I was at the point today of telling my boss I need to go back on sick leave. What advice/treatment did you get from the private physio?
And it’s bloody awful that you only get a pelvic floor physio if you complain. I think it’s because I have been moaning at the hospital for check ups that I got one. I’ve probably got a mark on file that says ‘entitled middle aged woman’ on it. I was just not having the zero follow up after having an internal organ removed.

Morning all!

Forgotten items - favourite T shirt, sensitive toothpaste, non steroidal tablets. Not too bad but the week is young.

Im up early to get an early breakfast as we’re off to Gozo to meet my friend. She reminded me it’s almost exactly 50 years since we met. Seems impossible really until I look in the mirror.

Morning losers! A hugely busy weekend with DD hitting a milestone birthday and all the shenanigans that go with that - exhausting!

Felt out of sorts on Tuesday but powered through my work day only to wake up on Wednesday feeling like death. Feeling a wee bit better today but not much! I was due to attend a huge event last night, had my tickets and was all excited but had to sell the tickets due to being unwell - boo!

Just done my check in and I’ve finally hit a BMI of 25 🎉. Likely due to me having eaten naff all yesterday but still, I’ll take it.

SW 15.10 (30th Jan)
CW 11.6
GW 9.10

Glad you’re feeling better @Zempy . Have fun in Malta @Jins (I was giggling at your husband’s shenanigans). Best of luck with the online dating @BreezyPeer. @Zempy similar to your experience, DD works at a high end women’s shop and the discounts are insane! It’s lovely to buy clothes that fit me now (and will withstand me dropping a clothes size).

Have a lovely day losers!

Morning!!

Yes intended for males but there’s often products anyone could use 😊

I think they are both good value.

happy birthday to little Ryvita!