January 2025 Starters - Maintenance, Progressing and Avoiding Traumatic 💩

[meatyryvita]

Hit me up losers!

We have agreed to only buy for kids, makes life a lot easier. Also my mum, while she has many fine qualities, is the worst gift giver. Every Xmas I would look at the presents and wonder that has she actually..met me? 😁
So now it's kids only (including adult nieces and nephews, who luckily prefer cash).
DD just appeared with her list:
Ugg boots, slippers, clothes, money, kitten, trip to Japan. Very modest.😜

I tend to go for experiences, consumables or upgrades present wise. My mum really doesn’t want things so she always gets theatre tickets, beauty products and chocolate (she’s got Korean sheet masks this year). I asked for a dressing gown for my birthday so dh got me a really nice one rather than the 20 quid from the supermarket one I had before and I’ve worn it heaps more. I have two presents to go now but it is a point of pride that I’m done in November then dh wraps them.

urgh. I don’t fancy starting the week yet.

@HeidiLite will she get the kitten?

Morning all! I’m back from a fabulous stay in York. Couldn’t check posts while I was away as I had very poor signal in the van and when I was out and about i discovered my phone battery was on the way out.

In terms of accountability I did pretty well. Lunch in Pizza Hut nearly finished me off as the small GF pizza proved to be too much and the kopparburg strawberry and lime cider repeated on me for 48 hours. I actually felt repulsed by the idea of food - I think it was the smell of the Xmas market, but managed two florentines from Betty’s.

The treasure trail was great fun, it was a shame we left the printed sheets at home though. Treasurer’s house was shut on Friday and it was so busy on Saturday that we left and had a look at Towton Battlefield instead. Fabulous food in the pub which was very GF friendly. I just wish I could have managed more than just soup 🤣

I’m expecting a gain despite eating fairly sensibly and not very much because that’s how I roll. Suppression is still very high considering I jabbed 5.8mg on Thursday. Will almost certainly drop down to 5mg again for the next jab.

Have a great week all - I’m off to catch up

morning losers!
@myladyjane honestly not sure I have bandwidth for another pet, we already have 2 large dogs, one large demanding cat and a hamster. Although one pet more or less with this menagerie wouldn't make much of a difference..
I'm waiting for a cat distribution system to allocate us one though - if we find a stray, see a local family giving kittens away or similar. People are quite good at fixing their cats though, so not that many random moggy kittens around, and shelters have only old cats, usually way harder to introduce to existing pets.

Hi everyone

Been absent a bit here too, last week was more interviews ( pulled out as the job was much more in the detail than I like or am good at and not at all what was advertised!), a Bicester Village trip and a weekend in Rome, got back late last night. Fab times, so many steps and Italian food means a 3 pound gain this morning, obviously not but you know! We’ve got no food in the house but thankfully some soup and chilli in the freezer so nutritious lunch and dinner sorted!

Well done on reaching goal @Ireolu
🎉

Hope everyone had a great weekend, I’ll catch up on the news this morning!

@2025istheyeari I love Rome so much and I'm sure it was totally worth any weight gain!

I ate too much over the weekend again. Am a little conflicted though now, I can relly see how much more muscle gains I get when I eat more, which I absolutely love. Just have to find the right balance so it doesn't turn into excess fat instead.
And a couple of days of restricted calories wouldn't hurt - work Xmas party this Friday and I want some decent photos this time - not like last year's, where I looked like a sausage wrapped in velvet.

God I am struggling to get moving I really am. I had a good nights sleep as well. I have managed to get up and shower and am dressed and downstairs. But I ate too much yesterday- not actual calories but I ate beyond being full a bit. Food was relatively healthy/not too shite but I should have stopped a few mouthfuls before I did so today I feel bloated, tummy a bit funny and a bit light headed. Typical ‘not listened to my body’ stuff. Fool that I am.

on the plus side, my hair seems to have settled. Still way less than I had but the shedding seems to be back to fairly normal levels and my temples seem to be a bit thicker. Don’t know if it is the biotin, the pumpkin seed oil or a bit more protein or all together. It’s not the same as it was but i am not fretting quite so much.

@BlueLimes I bought a delightful sounding Chestnuts and Cashmere Bamford candle for someone yesterday from Space NK and missed that! I try to limit myself to a £500 pot for the gifts for extended family I need to buy because otherwise it gets crazy. That does mean that I'm limited/can't buy things like experience tickets which cost more than I want to spend, so I go for (small) nice consumables generally and always buy at this time of year so I get more present for my cash!

I always get present finding fatigue when I am struggling to find things, but absolutely love Christmas and our gift giving on the day.

Very bored with my weight loss journey this week but ploughing on.

@PenelopesProteinPackedParty i love a candle and that one sounds gorgeous.

Good ti hear about the hair @myladyjane are you taking capsules?

my DD would love a kitten too - I can feel myself wavering.

@PenelopesProteinPackedParty we must plod - it is tedious though.

@Jins love a florentine and they’re probably not too bad calorie wise

@2025istheyeari how lovely to have a weekend away. What did you get at a Bicester?

I’m not sure what to get MIL - she must be so bored of a l’occitane set and a book. I did wonder about a Liberty hot water bottle?

@BlueLimes the Diptyque solid perfumes are a really lovely gift if your MIL would like that sort of thing, they are in a black (I am sure it is glass, it is cold and I don't think it is metal) container and you can buy refills. SpaceNK have them.

I bought myself a Liberty anniversary mug yesterday! Tbf I did buy two gifts for other people but I do seem to be acquiring a healthy number of things for me.

I have an evil plan, I want DD to apply to another school, I think similar to grammar schools in the UK. Very strict and academic. She doesn't want to, as at the moment, it's all about friends and things. But I think she would love it there.
She is, however, extremely stubborn and strong willed and there is literally no way I can force her to do anything she doesn't want to do. But, maybe I can bribe her with the kitten.

I’ve been looking at the mugs - they’re v nice.

I’d love a Diptyque perfume but I don’t think it’s her kind of thing- that’s not say I won’t purchase one <for me >.

I’m all fir bribery @HeidiLite

I would never get bored of this!

Liberty hot water bottles are gorgeous, lovely gift!!
the candle sounds lovely @PenelopesProteinPackedParty, I love Bamford. I must not buy any more beauty related things!! We’re away at Christmas and have agreed that we’ll have another weekend away with our best friends next year as joint Christmas and birthday celebrations. All the ‘kids’ we buy for are older now and would like money. Ds is debating what he’d like; hoping he decides this week! Very few presents to buy which is nice and takes the pressure off!

Rome is gorgeous isn’t it @HeidiLite, worth the pounds! I love the bribery idea 🤣.
@BlueLimesnot much! A nice pair of adidas red gazelles though for £45! Some Ugg slippers and birko clogs for DS. I nearly bought a Lauren coat ( mainly because it was a 10🤣), but decided against it as 45% polyester. It was crazy even on a Thursday!

I’m desperate for a couple of kittens. Tabby boys preferably. I have named them. However, their acquisition will have to be delayed while I do some more extensive travelling.

My tail bone is all hard and knobbly. I don’t like it. It’s never been like this before despite me previously being slimmer. When I was slim before, I still had an arse but flat stomach and smaller boobs (much) so it’s a fat distribution issue.

@Zempy I know what you mean, at some point I was really contemplating carrying a pillow around to sit on. But glute exercises with heavier weights have helped a bit.

I'd like to get another red cat, all other pets (except for hamster) are orange, so at least all the hair would be the same colour.

I'd definitely vote for kittens for all, I'm a slight cat-obsessive. I have three, all different colours to make sure hair shows up on all clothes 🤨

Amazed by how many of you are done or nearly done with Christmas shopping already! My birthday is this week so I generally wait until after that to even start thinking about Christmas.
I am all for self-buying presents though, I usually get myself a nice birthday pressie each year 😁 Haven't got anything yet for this year, hmm will have to give it some thought and get ordering!

We will probably get a kitten at some point, we usually have 2-3 cats, and 2 is no more trouble than 1. But i do want to make use of the blackmail opportunity. Honestly, DD is just so stubborn it's impossible to get her to do anything she doesn't want to. (DH keeps looking at me and pointedly asking that wonder where she got that trait from, no idea what he means).
I used to be one of those smug parents who didn't understand how you can't just make your child to behave - sure, DS would sometimes whine and complain, but he would eventually comply. All down to my superior parenting, obviously.
DD was sent to teach me humility.

@MJalltheway I have finished my Christmas present buying and wrapped everything 😇

@zempy AND wrapped?! That’s next level organisation. Impressive. I aim to be at least fully bought by this weekend, with tree and decs up. Fully wrapped by the first week of Dec, I historically do the wrapping while eating mini mince pies and drinking mulled wine. However last year I stopped drinking and this year I’m not sure how many mince pies I’ll want to eat!

We need to order 13yo DS’s present, waiting to see if it goes on discount this Black Friday. Then I just have my DBs (no idea) and DSIL (getting her a JLP hamper).

Today the MJ stopped me overeating at a work event. I’d already had a couple of sliders and a couple of canapés and then tried a bowl of fried food - couldn’t eat the fried food, just tasted unpleasant. Glad it’s still working.

Morning Mes cheries. Nothing exciting to report here except I look a bit glam today. Rare indeed but I have gone tonal but with a mix of textures and a cheeky hint of leopard print.

Rising panic at the thought of all the people who are fully organised for Christmas - kudos to you greater beings. I’m hoping it will influence me to get going.

I decided to get a colour analysis as I’ve never had one and am buying a few smaller clothes. Went with Style Me Happy as recommended elsewhere on Mumsnet. Apparently I’m a true spring which seems to mostly involve dressing like a children’s TV presenter. I also joined the Facebook page but I’m not sure I can cope - it’s quite a weird vibe with people talking about not being ‘allowed’ to wear certain colours and some truly hideous clothes being shown off.

Hiya!

Ooh sounds v glam @myladyjane, I love a bit of leopard! Any particular occasion or fancied showing off your new wardrobe/ svelteness? bet you feel brilliant!

@Aimingdown, I used the same company who told me I’m a true autumn but I completely disagree, those colours really don’t lift me!! I couldn’t bear the Facebook group either 🫣, your description made me laugh! I think I’m a true spring and I do love brights but also leopard, navy, and I actually wear black although ‘I’m not allowed’🤣 . I say wear what makes you happy, and if the brights don’t, then don’t wear them ( or wear them in small doses/ as accessories).

@Zempyomg you are so organised, wow, go you! Hope that means you have lots of time for nice Christmassy activities?

@DGonMJthats pretty organised too! Great that MJ still working all these months later isn’t it. I can’t believe we’re nearly at our MJ birthdays!!

2 of the Rome pounds have gone so only another 1 1/2. I’d then really like to lose 2 1/2 more before we head off to Thailand and Vietnam for Christmas but not sure that’ll happen. I’m feeling bleurgh today, think I have DS cold so I’m wrapped up in my pyjamas in front of the fire and don’t intend to move!