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?

Morning everyone. I must say I was sadder than I expected to be, given her age and increasing frailty. Thought I was emotionally prepared, but really wasn't. Shed a few tears when the BBC announced it and had to have a wine to toast her life, obviously........

Got out for a great 12k hike along the coast this morning. This afternoon I need to move a load of boxes from my garage as door being replaced on Monday. For first time in 8 years I'll have a fully functioning garage door- been literally cranking the handle since we bought the house as the door never quite got to the top of the to do list.

Been very good on the exercise/ steps front this week. Diet hasn't been great but could've been worse.

I am feeling pleased with myself tonight. Normally I snack while reading in bed at night and I've stuck to my vague intermittent fasting so far this week so nothing to eat after dinner around 5pm. I am around 46,000 steps ahead on the fitbit workweek hustle and I'm hoping to see a loss on the scales tomorrow. I have felt hungry between meals especially around 10-11am yet I have a good breakfast. Maybe I should have a larger portion of porridge or add chia seeds.

It's nice to not have to get up early tomorrow but I have a busy weekend ahead and hope to keep my steps up.

It's been a positive week although it feels wrong to say that with the death of the Queen.

Good work @FaultybutFabulous 👏🏻

Small steps here.

Still having a banana and peanut butter to break my fast and then two meals in my 8-9 hour window. It's a bit of a shock to the system following constantly eating being pregnant...

Have a good weekend all.

67.2kg this morning. That's 2.7kg down since Monday. It's a good incentive to keep going. Non scale victories are: lots of walking (50 miles so far this week), healthier food, no eating after dinner at 5pm, healthy snacks rather than chocolate, crisps or biscuits, and earlier nights.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Sadness in our house too about the Queen. King just sounds weird I think he'll always be Charles.

Anyway I've fallen off the wagon big time. Sick of my eating atm tbh.

Don't worry, we will pop by and pick you back up again

How is your weekend going? I've been helping my mum today and tomorrow I'm having a sort out the garden day along with lots of baking with the apples and damsons I have stolen from neighbours foraged. I've just been thinking how much my appetite has shrunk this week. It's really odd after being so hungry all the time. Perhaps it is because I've reached a point of being very uncomfortable with my weight and also because I've lost weight quickly this week and it's a great boost to keep going. I've lost 6 pounds since Monday and I'm stunned. A pound a day is crazy but most of it will be water I know along with all the miles I've walked compared to over the summer.

I've moved up to number one in my current league on Duolingo so that's my best non-scale victory for this week.

Thanks Fab. Tomorrow is another day.

I need a plan, A-Team style 😎

Dd wanted homemade pizza, garlic bread and chips for dinner. I skipped lunch so I didn't disappoint her by not having any. I had half of what I would normally have had but think I'll see an increase on the scales tomorrow due to water retention from the salt levels.

When do you weigh (if you weigh)? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Not at all? I find if I don't weigh daily then my weight creeps up. It requires constant vigilance sadly.

Morning all. Here's to a fabulous week. After tomorrow we have some lovely sunny weather coming here and the school run will be cool but sunny in the morning but warm and sunny in the afternoon. I'm 3kg down in the last week which I'm amazed by.

Non scale victories today will be getting out of the door on time 🙄

I did a face mask last night and filed my feet and tidied the garden yesterday.

l am well practiced at self care, as a lone parent its important l take care of myself, so l already do alot of what you have listed. I like all of the seasons, in Autumn l spend time preparing my garden for winter and l really slow down in winter, as a reflection of that particular season, l mirror nature. Deep rest is required. l watch a lovely lady on youtube called The Cottage Fairy who lives a very peaceful way of life and in one of her videos she does what she calls "wintering" and its quite useful and nice to watch.

@Moonface123 it's hard going isn't it. I'm a lone parent to ds. Dd sees her dad once or twice a m

Try again.
Once or twice a month and he does nothing except take her to McDonald's for tea. No parenting at all. It sounds like you have a good routine in place.

I'm sticking to my shower at night routine and am being more careful with skincare.

10.5 miles walked today and I'm happy with that. It poured down on the afternoon walk home from school and we were soaked. I like the rain though. It's therapeutic walking in the rain. Unless you have somewhere to be that is. Getting soaked on the morning school run is never good because then I have to get changed and warm up. In the afternoon it's a good excuse to get pjs on.

My Christmas shopping is coming along with a few items bought.

How is everyone on this very wet Monday?

10.5 miles is good going @FaultybutFabulous (!)

I ate too much yesterday, started off well but snacking got in the way.

Trying again today and got a walk with babies and buggies this afternoon so that's positive.

I AM HUNGRY! Time of the month approaching if the pain and hunger is anything to go by. A joy as always.

Hello, would like to join in if that's ok :) I developed CFS/ME a couple of years ago and haven't been able to move or exercise much. I worked with a physiotherapist to increase from being pretty much house bound to managing work, most normal activities and about 4000 steps a day, so I'm doing a lot better at the minute but could really do with losing some weight and looking after myself a bit more! I'm down 16lbs so far, with 20lbs to go to my first goal (I have more to lose than that but I'm trying to break it down into chunks so it feels less overwhelming)

As an added bonus, I'm finally in a position to try for a second child, so want to be as healthy as possible to cope with pregnancy!

Goals

• 5+ portions of fruit and veg a day, eat them with every meal
• Gradually increase steps to 5000 a day (I still have to be very careful with this)
• Gentle swim once a week
• Proper skincare routine and flossing teeth before bed
• Wearing actual outfits when out and about instead of whatever is clean and convenient

@riotlady that's an amazing loss, well done! It's hard to do things when you're not 100% so that's extra impressive.

I have irritated my bad back by bouncing on my gym ball for an hour last night. Today I've got the day off and I'm going to sit with a hot water bottle on my back and drink tea and watch tv for an hour. I've won this weeks fitbit bingo and I'm going to have a rest for once.

Sounds like a plan @riotlady and fab news on your loss so far!

Went back to the gym today and did a class, felt good to feel the burn. Not so much when climbing the stairs now though. 😫 😂

Thanks @feliznavidad2 and @FaultybutFabulous :)

Made black bean salsa and guacamole and had them for lunch with some brown rice and sugar snap peas, so good and have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow.

Steps a bit low today as I’ve been stuck in training on teams all day but hoping to get out for a little walk tomorrow

Only 8 miles today but tomorrow will be back up to normal I think. Ive eaten too many lentil chips and watched tv for some of the day and baked a sticky ginger cake. I resisted eating any except for the bits on the knife when I cut dc a slice. Once I start I'd eat about 4 squares of it so best not to start.

Please can I join? Just leaving for work but will think of goals later.

Hi @TabithaTittlemouse and welcome!

I'm wearing my new boots today and embracing autumn in a dress. I'm wondering what to have for dinner tonight.

Hi @TabithaTittlemouse 👋🏻

What did you decide upon @FaultybutFabulous ?

We're having a Keralan Prawn Curry from one of the Rukmini roasting tin recipe book series.

I'm still deciding. I'm really tired and can't be bothered cooking anything.
Double Gloucester on some baguette and some lentil chips. With strawberries and raspberries for dessert.