My 2024 ‘overhaul my life’ thread

[thenewaveragebear1983]

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/4695746-i-need-to-lose-23lbs-in-2023-and-overhaul-my-life

last year I did a big life overhaul and thought I’d do the same in 2024 to keep me on track. Feel free to comment or join in!

stuff that went well

• i did lose weight, I was 153lbs at my last weigh in so I lost 17lbs although I think my post Xmas weigh in will see a few of those returning
• i got a new job
• I got my puppy 🐶
• I got put on hrt for my anxiety and my mental health is a lot better
• I climbed snowdon, ran 950kms and did 60 gym classes

Goals for 2024

• continue with slimming world. I have 3 weighs left on my countdown, and I will then buy another. My aim is to get any Xmas gain off before this countdown ends, then average 1lb a week in my next one. I’d then be 10st - I think that’s my target.
• Dry January, leading to 100 days dry. I really want to give up drinking both for my weight and my health
• Self care routine- I need to get some sort of skincare/ grooming routine in place
• my dog has put paid to my gym classes as I cannot get to the morning classes now, so while I am walking a lot, I’m not doing any strength stuff so I am going to build in a home workout schedule, starting small.
• I enjoy my job, I want to do some training and consider where I can go within the company
• i have some cardio issues and thyroid issues, I want to consider coming off HRT and pursuing a diagnosis for this.
• Snowdon really gave me the wanderlust and I want to do more
• I need to get some friends. I have realised this Christmas that I actually don’t have anyone, I’m so very lonely and I don’t really know why I don’t have anyone. So I want to find hobbies/other ways to meet people and socialise. (Need to give this some thought)

Sounds like you're doing well @TerroristToddler - I haven't managed to open a book yet.

I weighed in and my gain over the two weeks is 6.5lbs 😮
actually, I had feared worse so I’m going to take that, but it’s a big gain that could take me a long time to lose again so I’m going to channel that into motivation and get on it.

Tomorrow my food is all planned and I’ve got a really nice steak and homemade chips to compensate for not drinking. I’m also looking forward to drier, albeit much colder, weather. Me and puppy are tired of wet muddy walks.

i’m being better with my skincare, I had some nice Liz Earle for Xmas so I’ve managed that most mornings and have worn make up as well even when wfh. My hairdye arrived today so I will colour my hair this weekend. I am running tomorrow morning and then will try to do a long one on Sunday morning.

as for other goals, I am planning to clear another bag of clothes for charity and try to throw out a few things as well. My deep clean this weekend is our bedroom. We have three pictures that have been waiting to be hung for 18 months so I want to get them up!

I’m doing ok with not spending as well. I do think ‘oooh I need….’ But I’ve just been making a note on my phone rather than impulse buying and most things I’ve talked myself out of. One thing I’ve not really made much change to is my phone usage, however.

@TerroristToddler that app sounds good, is it one you have to pay for?
I used to run a lot, then last year injury and a weird issue with my heart pretty much stopped me other than a very slow 5km every now and then. I’d love to get my fitness back up but everytime I get on a roll, I then get injured, or life gets in the way.

You might get a whoosh @thenewaveragebear1983 after a couple of days of healthy eating. That usually happens for me after a period of indulgence.

I ticked off a job on my list - I had some jewellery that was in a terrible tangle, and I've just sat and untangled it all. Now tomorrow, I just need to try and clean it all (tarnished silver).

Fingers crossed 🤞 I can’t see how that can all be true weight gain as while I did eat a lot, I don’t think I ate 6.5lbs worth!

anyway, todays food is sorted. Menu planned for the weekend, lots of jobs to keep me busy, lots of steps with the dog. I’m working today and I will squeeze a run in this morning, the weather has turned drier and colder here which is my favourite running weather so I’m going to do a 5km today and then hopefully a 14-16km tomorrow or Sunday.

Join a walking group. I did in May and it’s been brilliant. Lots of exercise in the beautiful countryside and more importantly lots of new local friends. It’s women only, we walk 3 x a week and often that involves pub, cafes etc. So have to avoid eating the calories I’ve lost walking but I would recommend a walking club to anyone.

@Zanatdy that sounds great. Currently my walking group consists of me and my dog 🐕! Although it is nice when you’re out to have chats with other doggy folk. I heard about a ‘bark park’ group where you can turn up and it’s a secure field and the dogs can just hang out together, I might try it when it’s a bit less muddy.

slept really well last night, so well that I still felt tired when I woke at 8.30. That’s a decent lie in for me, I’m up at 6am usually every day. Took the dog out and have started deep cleaning my bedroom, so dusty and lots of cobwebs 😳

it’s so nice to see some sunshine, even if it’s 2* , just the light on my face improves my mood no end.

I’ve not had the best first week but I’ve been on annual leave and with work/study being so hectic I felt I really needed to take the time to relax or I could seriously struggle over the next few weeks

I think I need to reset already as have done a bit of exercise this week but not much and haven’t been for a run yet

i have a food shop being delivered and have order things for healthy meals and no chocolate

I may check in more regularly to see if that gives me more accountability

we have plans that involve a takeaway tonight and tomorrow I’m going out for a meal so will do my reset from Monday and will then check in each day

You are doing so well.

I feel like I haven't got off the ground. Had a big work project this week and DH is getting over flu so I have hardly left the house, just wading through work - no long walks, no diet started, though have been eating more healthily.

On the plus side, I've stuck to Dry Jan and cleared all Christmas decs, replaced with lots of planted daffs, hyacinths and white cyclamen in bowls to bring the spring into the house. And read 2.5 of my Christmas books. Also booked a set of 6 pilates sessions.

But I need to get myself in gear

I had a really productive day today. Nice walk with the dog, I then did a deep clean on my bedroom, (vacuumed everywhere, chucked loads out, flipped the mattress!), I went out and got some cheap fleeces to protect my sofa from the dog, washed the dog beds, and went into the loft and chucked out a huge bag of clothes for charity (as part of my one bag a week mission!) - phew! Busy day!

my food has been really good and I still have a little dairy milk and my hifi bar for later. I didn’t manage a run but I did walk the dog twice and I’ve done 17k steps.

I will try to have a more leisurely day tomorrow, kids football in the morning, then I will run, then I need to colour my hair as my grey roots are horrendous!

Good work @thenewaveragebear1983 I don't get as much done today as I'd hoped, due to a mid afternoon nap, but did get out for a big walk, took the Christmas decs down and sorted some stuff to return to shops tomorrow, so not too bad.

Sounds pretty productive @OwlWeiwei !

I hope as going to start a book tonight, but I'm almost too tired to read so hoping for an early night instead.

My mini goals this week:

• run x 2
• early night x 2 (9.30)
• keep up my skin care
• Ring the doctor- I need my HRT rx as I’m running out on weds, I need my results of my last two thyroid tests so I can find out what they mean, and I need an appointment with my actual doctor which seems to be an impossible ask right now.

my clear out mission next weekend is books and games. We have SO many in the loft. I am also going to sort through some bigger pieces of furniture, vintage things I’ve collected from boot sales and marketplace over the years that I’m never realistically going to use.

I came up with quite a comprehensive plan of relocating various pieces of furniture to make better use of it and sort out our storage, hopefully not spending too much money and sorting out a few of the niggles in this house. I find that kind of thing really exciting, dh hates it, hates it when I start getting ‘ideas’ and moving things about. So next weekend I might move the first thing, a big sideboard off the landing downstairs to the hall.

anyway, I’ve had a great first week, I feel really motivated, and am starting to feel the benefits of not drinking and getting better quality sleep.

it’s great to hear your doing so well @thenewaveragebear1983

we have been doing some renovations and have lost a cupboard when changing the upstairs layout so need to be more careful storage wise and only keep what we need

not a bad day for me, first day back in the office so a long day but I prepped lunch of roasted veg and chicken with broccoli and a bit of rice plus some soya yogurt with raspberries and nuts to take with me then had spaghetti bolognese when I got home this evening. Probably more mozzarella than I should have had on the evening meal but still all homemade

i had a dance session with youngest ds on just dance on the switch for 40 minutes afterwards to burn some of the mozzarella off

i am working from home tomorrow so weather dependent I will try and get out for my first run of the year

I will also weigh myself tomorrow morning and consider it my starting weight. I am hoping to try and lose 1lb a week from here on in

Sounds great @thenewaveragebear1983 ! Good luck with getting out for a run tomorrow @G40NEW

Had a really busy weekend so not much overhauling going on, but I did tidy up my fitness wear drawer (perhaps should have done that before I bought a new pair of leggings yesterday 🙄) and my main ambition for this week is to write up a huge to do list with DH so we can properly focus on what needs done. DH does more than his fair share at home, but the mental load falls with me so I end up deciding what should happen when, and I've realised I find it overwhelming and stressful, so some team work needed.

I have been keeping up with my evening skincare routine since 1 Jan, so that's a win!

Morning!
yesterday I coloured my hair- woohoo! My hair is entirely grey now (it’s genetic, dm and gran were Snow White by age 45) but I dye it black so my roots really show.

its my office day today which is always my most hectic day of the week, dc go back to school finally and everything is starting to get back to normal.

I’ve spent a disproportionate amount of time looking for a sideboard or suitable drawer unit to make a kitchen storage/worktop, but actually I like projects and I enjoy having a task in mind. When I see what I want I will know, and it’s kinda fun scouring the net for the perfect one.

I’m at the stage of detox where I feel utterly knackered, my sleep is improving but I need more of it! I had night sweats last night, I really do need to see my gp about my HRT as gradually it is becoming less effective- I don’t know if that’s because it’s not actually what I need, or if I need a stronger dose. But yes, a fairly restless night as I kept waking up feeling the sweats, throwing off covers, then feeling frozen.

You have achieved a lot, and it is completely admirable and impressive. I would also suggest working on accepting yourself. You are enough, just as you are. Look at all the stuff you are already doing. You are pretty fucking ace, right?

If you make no changes at all or don't achieve any of this you are also fine. It seems perhaps a counterproductive idea but once I stopped thinking I had to do continual self-improvement I did actually achieve more things as I was doing it out of kindness to myself, and listening to what I needed rather than flogging my guts out, punishing myself and worrying about what I ought to be doing.

Good luck with it all ❤

Can I join in pls?

I lost around 20lbs using the Team RH app at the end of 2021. Going to use the same strategy to get into the best shape of my life during the year I turn 50.

Non-exercise activity is a daily struggle because I work entirely remote in a deskbound job. So, instead of watching Netflix on the sofa, this month I will be taking my iPad to the gym in the evenings and watching it on the treadmill.

Aside from that, I’ll be tracking using MFP with a calorie limit.

Going to make the daily habits the goal rather than the weight loss and hope that I lose a few pounds as a byproduct.

I lost 1.5lb this week, I would have liked more but I don’t think I deserved it tbh. I have been very hormonal this week, incredibly tired and maybe it was a little false start. I am really determined to get on it properly this week and this is the optimum week for weight loss in my cycle so I’m totally on it (from tomorrow 😜)

I’ve done a lot of life admin this week- sorted my prescription, arranged my blood test results to be sent, took the dc for a haircut. I’m going this weekend to look for a kitchen sideboard as part of a project, and I’m going to clear books and kids toys for my charity bag this weekend. I’ve run a few times and today I did a few kms at 12km/hr which is a great pace for me.

house looks like we’re losing a game of jumanji but 🤷‍♀️ can’t win them all….

I was feeling really burned out so today I have had a really nice day for Me! Went for a lovely walk with the dog, then I went to a second hand furniture warehouse and chose a sideboard for my kitchen which I’m really pleased with and will be a job off my list (get more storage and more worktop space). The sun was shining so I went for a run, beautiful crisp winter afternoon. I reckon I could have run in shorts and a vest, it was beautiful. Then came back, had a really nice shower, used my salt scrub. I’ve done my bag for charity, this week I’ve sorted a huge bag for life of books, and I’ve done my deep clean- the utility room.
so all in all, I feel that’s been a very productive day! Not drinking is really good for me!

I've not been very productive this week - but had a lot of social things which got in the way. I did very today, when I really could have squeezed in some exercise and some overhauling!

However, I have been keeping on top of my skincare regime, calorie counting, and unusually for a Sat night at home, I don't have a glass of wine in my hand!!

Sounds like a great day @thenewaveragebear1983 !

This week has gone well, I’ve had some good days and bad days on plan but I think I’ve ended up at 100 syns across the week, which is great. I feel really tired though and I haven’t t had time to run.
I lost Sunday as my cat went missing and didn’t get my long run in.
I still need to make a drs appt, need to join the queue tomorrow to try to get one with her. She’s very elusive.
It’s more than halfway though dry January, I feel like I have a bit more energy and I am sleeping better, but I as always just need more sleep.
my task for this weekend is to put my new sideboard into the kitchen and my deep clean will be my kitchen
my charity bag will be more books and toys from the loft
I also have a few bigger items in the loft which I will try to get to the charity shop on Saturday afternoon

i need to book a haircut, it’s nearly a year since I had a trim! Will do that for one Saturday in Feb once I get paid.

Sounds like it’s going well! Still finding this thread inspiring and positive, than you

Bit of a development yesterday, health wise. I phoned the gp and ended up having an appointment with a nurse practitioner. Every time a new person looks at my notes they see something totally obvious that’s been missed…. So this time it’s ferritin. My ferritin is 35 on the last bloods, which is on the lowish end of normal (range is 10-300), but it has dropped from over 90. And, yep, the symptoms are all my long list of symptoms…. Hair loss, tiredness, brain fog, palpitations, breathlessness…. So here we go again, another load of tests, but maybe just maybe this might be a breakthrough. And at least with this even if my results do come back ok, I can take a decent iron supplement and boost myself a bit. So I feel positive about it, I think, although annoyed that it’s another thing they’ve missed for 18 months. She had also put me on the list for a mirena coil to help my heavy periods and (if it is) my low iron/ferritin levels.