Fall Fabulousness-a thread for a healthier lifestyle and feeling good about ourselves

[FaultybutFabulous]

It's Autumn (sort of) and the children are back to school this next week and the school run will once again provide me with some me time and exercise.
For me it's the start of treating myself much better, for non-scale victories and learning to love myself more.

I use my Fitbit and walk several miles a day on the school run and this is my main exercise. I've put weight on over the summer holidays from not doing that walk 5 days a week. I feel uncomfortable and unhappy with myself. Not just because of my weight but I feel lacking in energy and generally a bit blergh.

My plan for Autumn is fairly simple and I hope others will join me in celebrating how fabulous we really are and how we are not defined by the numbers on the scale or how tight or indeed loose our jeans are. We are more than that and need to appreciate ourselves far more.

My rough outline is:

A healthier breakfast eg porridge with a banana and syrup (because I'm a sugar fiend)

More homemade foods and less ultra processed foods except in emergencies

Taking off my make up at night and doing the old 3 step skin care routine. I don't wear much make up but I look less dead in the mornings if I remove it and my eyes are less puffy.

A weekly face mask

Looking after my feet by moisturising them with the industrial strength eczema cream I have. I clock up about 40 miles a week and my feet show it.

Making time for myself every night to read a couple of chapters of a book

Lights out no later than 11pm

Weekly tv night with my eldest and a movie with my youngest

Taking a multivitamin daily because I get less food cravings that way

Taking time each day to appreciate the positives

Using my gym ball daily to work on my core strength

Not obsess about calories or what I eat but learn to enjoy my food and not give it good or bad attributes. It's just food to give my body the nutrients it needs.

Practice the language I'm trying to learn daily

There's probably more but that's the general idea. The hope is that I will naturally lose some weight by doing this but that is not the main focus.

Would any one like to join me and share their autumn plan if you have one?

This sounds wonderful, I would love to join you!

Your plans are inspiring. I've struggled this year to maintain healthy habits so I think initially rather than setting out specific goals I will just aim to do more to look after myself mentally and physically, and try to log any successes.

Thank you for providing a place to focus on such a positive thing.

Back to school tomorrow means for me a lot less me time as I'm back to work in my classroom. But it means I'm much more active than when I'm being lazy in the holidays, and much more in routine, including with foods.

I joined SW during the break 4 weeks ago in an effort to lose weight instead of gaining during August.

I'm following the SW plan, but also aiming to cut out any evening eating. I already don't snack in the day as it's not something that most people do at work. I will take salad and fruit only and avoid the cakes and biscuits for birthdays in the staff room.

I will get my 10k steps in and will do at least 2 dance-fitness classes a week.

I have a few weekends away with DD2 on uni visits which will involve not being able to cook light meals so I need to be careful there.

But my first motivation - apart from wanting to just lose as much as possible asap - is our Oct half term trip abroad.

I was 14.3 when I started and have lost 6.5lb so far. I am aiming for 11stone. Ideally 12-something by the holiday.

I have started a diet. fish veg and so on today. Feeling good. Long way to go. Thanks for the thread. need to feel better. I do love autumm

Welcome!
I used to do a loose version of 16:8 intermittent fasting but fell off the wagon. I intend to get back on now. We usually eat around 5pm and then I don't eat until breakfast at 7am. We might eat earlier in the winter as I plan on figuring out how to slow cook soup on the ninja foodi. That way it's ready when we get in around 4pm and we can eat straight away. I've put oats and milk in a jug in the fridge ready for the porridge tomorrow morning.

Great idea for a thread! Some of my tips…

Can I add in drinking plenty of water- but drinking water with purpose though so having at least 2.5-3 litres per day. Start your day with a pint of water- You’ll feel immensely different.

Invest in a cuticle oil to help keep nails looking healthy, use a nail brush to scrub them in the shower.

Use a glycolic toner in the evenings every other night after double cleansing.

Brush teeth and mouth wash as last thing before bed.

Take a hair skin and nails multivitamin

Reduce alcohol intake to the bare minimum (1 or 2 glasses per week max)

Take off and clean with an old toothbrush and fairy liquid your rings, necklaces and bracelets to add sparkle

Empty out and sort your handbag

Reduce the snacking

Good ideas there, thank you. I don't drink alcohol except on very rare occasions. The last time was Christmas. I drink water mainly but have tea in the morning. I don't drink fizzy drinks either.

68.58kg as a starting point this morning. Let's see where being healthier gets me by half term. I've got my porridge with banana and syrup so that's a better start to the day. Fitbit is charged and ready to go,

Leave your phone downstairs when you go to bed so you have time to read a book.

I'm with you on the weight loss thing - I'm feeling very clumpy.

Could I suggest smaller portions and eating more protein to keep fuller? So with the porridge could you add Greek yoghurt for protein and some fruit for sweetness? Syrup will send your insulin levels rising.

Strength training is good for weight loss. Ditch the scales too and go by clothes looseness and fit.

Great thread and thanks for starting it.

I'm also learning a language for fun and am moving my wardrobe in the direction of autumn colours because these look best on me.

Sounds like you get tons of exercise OP!

A good idea but I can't do that as I'm on call for my disabled mum. I'm her carer. I don't have a landline and would not like to be upstairs without a phone. And how would I go on mumsnet?? 😁 I'm reading the new Robert Galbraith and read a few chapters a night.
I'm going to pump up my gym ball today because it's deflated a fair bit. I bounce whilst I watch tv if I get chance during the day. I'm a carer for my mum and don't drive. She lives over a mile away from me and it's a mile of hill. After dropped ds at school I'll be walking up there. It's about 2.5 miles from the school. I've treated myself to a pair of boots for autumn and winter and hope they are more hard wearing than my usual trainers. I'd worn them out in 8 months with all the walking I do. For now I'll be doing the school run in my walking sandals though as the weather is still nice.

Here's to the start of a fantastically fabulous autumn term! 🍁🍂

Sorry repeated myself there. Caffeine hasn't hit yet😂

I've decreased the amount of syrup but used semi skimmed milk instead of skimmed as it keeps me fuller for longer. I can't stand semi skimmed otherwise. Skimmed milk is what I've had since being a child so I have it in tea and no sugar. Sometimes I add chia seeds to the porridge but I'd rather not.

Sounds like a great start! Lovely to be out walking this time of year. Though we are likely to have thunder over the next few days 😬

Yes, the thunderstorm in the night was impressive albeit short-lived. I love a good storm.

Thank you for this thread, just what I need! I have put on weight this year and have been drinking lots over the holidays. Time for a change.

Alcohol and bread at the weekends/holidays only. Porridge or oat cakes and fruit for breakfast, soups and salads for lunches, normal dinners. No snacking. Drink lots of water.

Gym/swim at least twice a week. Maybe I will try to find a class. At least 10k steps a day on Fitbit.

Go up to bed at 10pm on weeknights so I have time to read. Daily crossword or other puzzle. Start Duolingo again.

Take vitamins. Look after my feet. Get a haircut. Buy new underwear.

Between Easter and breaking up in July I lost 10lbs. I changed my swimming routine to early mornings so I now go at 6.30am before breakfast. I swim 500m four mornings a week. For breakfast I eat two weetabix, a banana, a protein yoghurt, a glass of fresh orange juice and a coffee. Then I take DD to school which is at the bottom of a hill so I would do a ten minute power walk back up to home.

My weight stagnated during the first four weeks of the holidays and then put couple of lbs back on during the last two weeks (all inclusive holiday).

My DC go back to school on Weds so am now looking forward to get back into the routine. I normally have a sandwich and salad for lunch Mon-Sat but I going to try cutting out bread and have an omelette and salad each day instead, see if that helps.

I’ve also just bought a weighted hula hoop so I’m going to hula hoop each evening (it’s been years since I last hooped so I’m going to practice until I get the knack of it again and then do some routines with it - there are plenty on YouTube) and hopefully it’ll take a few inches off my waist.

I already give my feet a weekly foot spa and do my toe nails so carry in with that, but I really need to pay more attention to my hands and remember to moisture them more. I also like the idea of using cuticle oil more often.

The morning swims sound lovely @DrunkenKoala! Wish I could do that but we all leave for work and school at 7.40, so wouldn't have time.

I have just ordered new underwear online, so I can check that off my list 😁

I'd love to swim too but no time. I'm not far off 10,000 steps and just back from the school run. I'm going to make some lentil soup today.

Some great plans there. I love lentil soup, I'm planning to make some tomorrow.

My youngest starts school next week, I only work 4 days so will have a whole day every week all to myself 😊 I intend to spend a lot of it at my allotment. It's hard work so will help with the moving more thing.

Food for today.
B: Shreddies and an apple
L: Poached eggs on toast
D: chilli and rice. The chilli is 50% lentils and beans and 50% lean mince.

Great thread!
My plan is very similar to yours op though I've just got the first Robert Galbraith book so I want to work my way through those over autumn and winter.
I'm with you on the skincare, weekly mask and eating less processed food.
Exercise - I walk a lot but want to get out more on my bike and do some home workouts.
I need to menu plan and have a daily chore list as I've increased my hours at work and am doing 4 days now. I just about muddled through last year so this year, I need to be more organised.
Today's task is to menu plan for the next 2 weeks and to sort out the living room.

I've made lentil soup, loads of mashed potato to freeze in portions for my mashed potato monster Dd, and a big pot of marinara sauce for pizza and pasta. I put it in freezer bags in amounts suitable for pizza or pasta and then use the library method of stacking to make the most of the freezer space. Because the bags lie thin and flat they are very quick to defrost whenever needed.I need to tidy the freezer now to fit it all in.

Wow, impressive organisation!
Batch cooking is on my list of things I plan to achieve on my Monday off.

Great thread- hopping on. I've been on a 30 month chocolate and wine fuelled covid pity party for one (until recently lived in a country in various degrees of lockdown from Jan 2020 - it was not fun - then moved back to UK solo with DC and just been in an admin tailspin since then). Gained a tonne of weight and just feel ugh. New school year- new habits.

• Be in bed by 10 and lights out 10:30.Need to be up at 6 and really need my sleep
• Exercise every day. Currently trying to build my running back up to a good 10k (used to be an ultra marathoner but lost my mojo). Weights at least twice a week.
• Eat meals. Don't just feed the kids healthy stuff and then hoover wine and snacks.
• Drink 2L water.

I meal planned and shopped today for the first time in months and another added bonus is that it's saved me loads of money. I'm aiming to have enough leftovers from each dinner Mon-Thurs that it does me and DH for lunch the next day. That wasn't my original plan yesterday, but I think it will stop me falling back on a Tesco meal deal when I am starving at lunchtime. As well as bread, I also need to cut back on my Diet Coke and McCoy's crisps habit.

Food not great today but I am under my calorie allowance, have eaten more healthily and have walked 22,000 steps and I'm happy with that.