Preparing for 2025 glow up!

[snowlady4]

Hope this is a suitable place to post this..do move it if not.
I know we've not even had our indulgent christmas and new year yet.. but I'm so looking forward to a 2025 reset!
My main goal (as usual,) will be to lose a bit of weight.
But, beyond that, I really want to take control of making myself feel good.
Weight loss is part of it for me..
But I also just want to have better nutrition and develop some better habits for skincare and fashion etc
I'd also like to do some small things that will improve how I feel overall.. read more, make more time for hobbies, cut back on alcohol and processed crap, meditate/pray more, clear out the house a bit, be better financially...
Loads of things to focus on really.
For now, I'm not going to get worried about the weight loss.. that can wait until new year, but I am going to really increase my water and fruit/veg intake. I go through phases where I'm brilliant at this- and I really do notice it makes me feel better- I think it's all about developing habits and keeping them!
Anybody feel like joinging me on my quest to be feeling fab next year?

@Daffodilpup Healthy lunches and breakfasts are a great start.

If you haven't tried it, I would introduce Intermittent Fasting, even 4-5 days a week - aiming to eat in an 8-10 hour window. I've friends who've lost the weight by just doing this, and not much more. For people it works for it really works! So it's worth finding out. I combined it with healthy eating and calorie counting and lost 4 stone and it's the easiest way of losing weight I've ever tried.

Some people start by just not eating after 8pm....

My body blast class was hard, glad it was only 30 minutes! 😅

Don't think I've done badly with food today, think my macros are a bit better balanced today.

Also, today is day 260 of me walking a minimum of 8000 steps 🥳 chuffed with that.

How's everyone getting on?

@ThisNewPinkFox ooh where are you off to? I'm also on holiday in May so we are on the same path!
I want to lose around a stone!

Great starts/progress all round, well done.

I have a list of treats I reward myself with for every 5kg I loose;
5kg 3pk gym socks & hoodie✔️
10kg Full body scrub✔️
15kg Manicure and pedicure
20kg Spa weekend
25kg Sweaty Betty gym set (hoping my current one will be too big by then)
30kg New gym trainers

I am inspired by you all to ditch clothes that are done/too big/don’t make me happy etc and have been replacing basics as I go but only basics as want to enjoy looking for new things when I reach my goal.

@OatFlatWhiteForMePlease those are great rewards and you've inspired me to come up with something similar!

@OatFlatWhiteForMePlease that’s a really fun way to stay motivated and has inspired me too 😊

I would like to lose 5 stone but first aim is to lose 7lbs and then I will treat myself to a pedicure. First day of healthy eating has gone ok so far!

@OatFlatWhiteForMePlease I love the treat idea! But I think I might have them more often.. maybe every 1/2 stone...
My final treat for target weight is going to be my first tattoo!!

Morning, how are the lists coming along @Webbb, @StreathamLocal2023 and @Sunflowers098?
I decided to make my treats every 5k because with 30kg/5st give or take to use I lost weight relatively quickly to begin with and felt 6 ‘rewards’ felt enough. If I had 3st to use I would have definitely gone every half stone 🤣. I have regular cut/colour appointments, facials, gel nails etc so aimed for things that felt a little more special and have put a complete ban on buying anything new to wear except for essential basics until I am at my goal. The money I am saving on clothes shopping is being set aside to spend at the end.

How does everyone set out their week? I weigh in on a Friday morning and count my ‘week’ as Saturday to Friday. Three gym sessions in this week so far and back to sleeping better after the festivities. I was so lethargic yesterday, assume sugar finally departing!

Morning. I've been out for a frosty walk before work, am at my desk all day today. Then zumba later 🙂
I did an under eye mask last night and do feel like my eyes seem brighter today.

I'm averaging around 1500 calories so far and find it ok, I'm not hungry or missing snacks / biscuits.

Yes, I see "weigh day" as Fri or Sat @OatFlatWhiteForMePlease .. and plan for the week on Fri or Sat...

How about we post on here our objectives for the coming week - including treats! - on a Friday/Saturday? I'd love to be on everyone's journey with them week by week... as well as people popping in to update us all as they feel triumphant (or want support!!)

My year's going great so far, but think I can be more ambitious from Fri/Sat... I hit my coccyx hard just after Christmas and it's only easing off now...

I weigh every Sunday morning and start my week then :) this is what I've been doing since I began on Sep 1st and it's working for me.

Every Sunday we go out for lunch with DW's grandma so I have whatever I want including pudding, consider that my weekly treat and then rein it in for the rest of the week.

I plan the following days food every night, that really helps me.

That’s a great idea @Webbb, I like having a plan and sharing definitely helps. I plan the next days food each night too.

Lets try that again 🫣

That’s a great idea*@loveyouradvice@Webbb.

Thanks for asking @OatFlatWhiteForMePlease and also agree with @loveyouradvice that sharing is very helpful! and a treat every so often is motivating!

my list is:

• colour my hair (esp now the Greys are showing)
• Try LVL lashes
• Have a mani/pedi

I have a holiday in April and June booked so would like to buy a new bag to take as a reward for being consistent with healthier habits! I really like your idea @OatFlatWhiteForMePlease saving money for clothes or something special.

similar to a lot of people here, I will try and weigh myself once a week! So far I seem to have lost 4lbs 😊
I really like hearing how everyone’s getting on each week too!

I’ve been trying to batch cook healthy meals and freeze as I can be really lazy during the week so just want to heat stuff up 😂

this week I’ve made for lunch/dinner:

Thai sweet potato and carrot soup
Lentil ragu (instead of normal beef mince!) to have with courgetti
veggie chilli con carne
breakfast bagel with chicken sausages
guacamole (to have with breakfast bagel or with some veg as a snack!)

Breakfast:
Overnight oats
Smoothies

happy to share recipes!

It's lovely to read these posts of everyone doing so well so far.

I've been to the gym twice this week and today is my rest day. I'm suffering from doms today really badly. My thighs hurt so much when I crouch or even sit on the toilet!!! Shows how underused my thigh muscles are.

I've got a hiit class tomorrow night and will also do a 5k run tomorrow lunchtime that is on my marathon plan then back to the gym on Friday for a full body workout before the weekend and my long run on Sunday.

I've been eating well too and upping my protein which I'm finding is keeping me full so my snacking is non-existent.

I'm enjoying seeing what you're all treating yourself to. I'm going to buy some new gym trainers at the end of the month once I've proved to myself I can be consistent. I also need a running backpack for a half marathon I'm doing in early Feb.

I've got such high hopes for this year.

My weigh in is Wednesday ( don't know why) am today I'm down 8.8 kg or 1 stone 5.5 lbs depending on your measurement preference! Since 6th November when I started. 😀😀

That's amazing! Well done 👏

Well done that's brilliant!!

@Hawkerslife @ItalianChineseIndianMexican thanks! Onwards and downwards!

Awesome start to the year guys!
I am about to sit and write my intentions and meal plan for next week.

Brilliant progress.. good for you, you must be thrilled with that

@Sunflowers098 Wow that's phenomenal - especially over Christmas!!

I'm just chuffed to have got thru Christmas and New Year and be back to the same weight!!

Planning my next week too - gently upping the exercise is top of my list - not so easy with a sore coccyx after falling at Christmas and ME.

But here goes - and it is fun!

I'm going to dance to 1-3 tracks in the kitchen everyday and go up and down the stairs at home more - at least 10 times a day.... on top of my current 7,000 steps a day.

And while I dance I'll think of all of you glowing up - such an inspiring thread!!

Morning everyone. Hope you've had a good week.

I got complimented on my complexion yesterday 😊

I'm going to have Saturday as my weigh in day. I last weighed myself at the gym before Christmas and suspect I put on some pounds (damn the Christmas cheese and pate!) So hoping I'll be the same as I was pre-christmas, not expecting to have lost.

Been put for a walk this morning and hoping to get out at lunchtime. Quite enjoying tracking my food intake and seeing the breakdown. I'm averaging 1500cal a day, so hope that translates to some weightless.

Enjoying reading what you're all up to 🙂

Well done to everyone keeping to their glow up goals.
I've had a mixed week. I still haven't started my work out regime as I've been exhausted due to insomnia.
But on the plus side, I've managed to stay off the alcohol and I've been eating much healthier and meeting my 100g daily protein goal.
I've also started using my kegel 8 machine again and I've been making an effort to put on a bit of makeup every day. I've managed to figure out a routine I can do in under 10 mins and it's amazing how much better i feel just knowing I look slightly more presentable!
My crest whitening strips arrived yesterday so I'm going to start them this evening (I hate the feel of them on my teeth so kind of dreading it).
And finally, I ordered a couple of necklaces online last night after being inspired by a poster on here who said she wanted to wear earrings more. They're not solid gold as that's out of my price range, but they're gold filled which is a big improvement on the primark/new look stuff I usually buy that lasts a handful of wears. I've decided to start slowly building a collection of decent stuff that will hopefully last a good few years. Next on my list is a pair of pearl studs that I can wear every day.

Sorry for the essay and hope it's a good weekend for everyone😊

I've just secured a place on a 6 weeks ladies who lift programme at my gym. Starts next Tuesday. Really looking forward to that 💪