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?

How is everyone getting on? This week has flown by! I break up today for a week off (hot tub and some sea air needed!)

Been sticking with calorie counting and exercise. Although I bailed on zumba last night as the instructor was ill and I don't like the cover instructor's music. So did some gym weight work.

Hope everyone is getting on well 🙏

I've just seen someone I've not seen since before Christmas and she said I've lost weight! Woop. Marking that as a win 💪

@VenusStarr well done that's definitely a win!

I braved the scales yesterday and I've lost 5lbs since NYD, and definitely felt like my belly isn't as rounded but today I just feel really heavy and bloated! Not going to stand on the scales for another week or so as I don't want to get disheartened! I've got another 2 stone to lose so it's not going to be done in a few weeks, but I am pleased with overall progress so far.

Been doing a swim a few times a week - I'm up to a mile as standard now which is 64 lengths, which I'm really pleased with and it's a good calorie burn. Going to the gym sometimes to supplement days I don't want to swim and get my hair wet! However now the snow has gone I'm probably going to replace gym sessions with a good walk as I prefer it and the calorie burn is similar to what I do in the gym, but it's easier and fresher air.

Been off the booze since NYE so I've noticed a brighter complexion. Also been using a nice natural moisturiser after swims which I never bothered with before.

Over the next week I'm going to give myself a pedicure and re-dye my hair (greys are starting to come in!).

Also been spending the evenings on my new knitting hobby and going to bed earlier. Definitely been sleeping better and longer too!

How's everyone else getting on?

Thought I'd share this in case anyone else is deathly pale but finds fake tan scary - I bought the st tropez facial tanning mist from Amazon and spritzed it on my face, neck and chest before bed last night (after skincare). Really impressed when I looked in the mirror this morning, it gives a very natural glow, definitely not OTT orange. I also feel it improved my skin texture as well. Defo going to be part of my winter routine.

Glow up moment of today definitely was not eating too many mini mince pies left over from Christmas 😑 looking forward to a slightly more thoughtful and healthy weekend ahead.

Would love to know what people are up to this weekend to put a spring in their step? We have a play date on Sunday morning but that's literally it and I feel like I should have planned something extra in.

This weekend I'm going to make omelettes for breakfast and set the table and have orange juice and nice coffee (instead of DH getting his own cereal half an hour before I grab a bit of toast and don't even sit down with it! )
Then we're going to take the dog out somewhere nice. And gym session in the afternoon and after a quick lounge in the sauna.
Got to work Sunday unfortunately!

It's weigh in day, 1lb off this week! Slow and steady. I didn't manage to get out for a walk as work was hectic, but I did still do my 8000 steps.
Dh is grumpy because I bought thin crumpets for breakfast 😅 just trying to make small changes.

I'm off to my favourite zumba class this morning. I'll do some weights after. We're away next week so no working out, but I'll still do my steps and monitor my food.

This year is going well - I've been dancing for 10 minutes every day, upped the number of flights of stairs I go up each day and am just 1lb off goal weight, having lost 2 stone 13lbs....

Next part of glow up is a massive wardrobe sort - keeping out the clothes I love wearing (and knowing what Ive got!!) and putting the rest in the attic, sorted well so I can easily find stuff. I'm not going to throw stuff out yet - I want to get much fitter and more toned this year, and then review everything in 12 months or so, when I'm more used to the "new me".

@loveyouradvice wow that's amazing! How long did it take you to lose that? That's what I'm aiming for too and unsure what a realistic time frame is. How did you do it?

I've just finished my swim, did another mile which I'm pleased with. Home now to catch up on some work (self employed) and hoping to squeeze in a walk later, but we'll see.

Sounds like everyone's having really healthy weekends with plenty of exercise. All I've got planned as a night out tonight where I know for a fact I'll end up having a few glasses of wine😬
I have been pretty good on the alcohol front for the past 2 weeks though. Unfortunately the only difference I've seen is not being able to sleep at night but I'm enjoying feeling clearer headed.

Plan for next week is to continue eating in a calorie deficit but make better food choices as I've just been picking at stuff all week. And I NEED to start my exercise routine on Monday. I'm sick of putting it off and if I start now there's a chance of looking quite a bit fitter by Summer🤞

I've also just started getting back into makeup after years of only wearing it when I'm going out. I've been having fun trying out different lip combos and have found 3 looks I like. I've been really enjoying it (Yes, I am that sad).

@gettinghealthy ... quite a while - I started in April so 9 months, with a bit of yoyoing during that time. As you can imagine I set a much shorter time frame as my initial goal. Now that doesnt feel like it matters at all, it just feels good to have got here.

I think set whatever time frame feels realistic to you - and accept that it may change. It's the regular eating that makes the difference!

For me - and it's the first time Ive found a way of eating that really works - I've used intermittent fasting. I'm now doing 16:8 but while losing weight I would have one or two days with just a short eating window of 1-5 hours, and around a 1000 calories. I've also focussed on lots of protein and vegetables, with dark chocolate and nuts as my regular treats.

I love eating in this structure, and that its so flexible - so some days over christmas I ate in a 12 hour window, or if having supper with friends it can be 9 or 10 hours typically, I dont let myself get too hungry and just start eating when feels right - in this cold weather its been quite early, in the summer it was often 12 or 1 pm.

@loveyouradvice thank you that's very helpful. I'm now out of the mindset of wanting and expecting a drastic change quickly, I now accept this isn't going to happen and tbh 9 months sounds great! In my mind I have an internal timeframe of a stone off before I finish my masters in mid April, which I think sounds doable? It's a very demanding course so I need to make sure that whatever I'm doing is sustainable, which I think it is.

@VenusStarr that's great! Well done! Another lb closer to goal.

Thank you @gettinghealthy I'm chuffed as I definitely put on weight over Christmas, so I'm 1lb less than my pre-christmas weigh in.

I went on the gym scales and it measures body fat etc. I've actually brought it down to 34.5% from 37.5% before Christmas. I know that is high but I'm seeing progress. Plus my strength is improving. My biological age is now 38 from 47 before Christmas (I'm 41). So that's made my day.

I've just had eggs, avocado and a protein bagel for lunch, it was really nice 😋

Well done on your swim @gettinghealthy

That's very inspiring @loveyouradvice 👏

@VenusStarr how do you know your biological age? Does the machine tell you that too? There isn't anything like that at our gym but wondering if there is in a boots or something

@gettinghealthy yeh, so it's scales and you hold some sensors and scans you.
It's also linked to some egym equipment. So I've done some strengths tests today and it records those and works it all out.

Good evening, I joined this thread a few weeks ago but unfortunately my glow up has really not gone well or even started yet. I've been really unwell over Christmas and am still signed off work although I am hoping to go back on Wednesday on a phased return. I've done no exercise, eaten loads and have barely got dressed most days! I'm feeling a lot better now so for the next few days I'm really focussing on my food, drinking loads of water, taking my vitamins and getting lots of sleep.

@thenewaveragebear1983 These things happen - the knack is just to get back on it when you can! It sounds like you've got some good gentle plans for starting your glow up as you recover - Good luck!

@gettinghealthy A stone off by the end of your Masters sounds great - the first stone is always the easiest! And the other good thing about giving yourself time is you'll find out what does (and doesn't) work for you Good luck! Especially with the Masters

@VenusStarr that sounds great! There's nothing like that at my pokey little local gym 😂 I had a look at the fat % scales for at home but they're a bit expensive and I'm not confident they'd be overly accurate, so I think I'll just trundle along as I am.

@loveyouradvice thank you. It's been a long time coming (I'm 33) but it's another step closer to officially qualifying in my field. Trying to keep graduation in mind to have a decent amount off as well to keep me motivated. It's in June and I'll be really proud of myself if I get that far, so I want to be happy with the photos and not cringe everytime I look at them just thinking how awful I look especially standing next to all the slim twentysomethings

Well it turns out I've had scales that do your body fat percentage for 5 years 😂 went on Amazon to have another look and was about to purchase some that weren't expensive and turns out I already have them!

Body fat % is 32% so in the high end of high which is not a surprise

Scales can't accurately measure body fat, you need callipers for that.

I've done my three gym sessions this week, got my steps in with a cleaning marathon yesterday. Had a bath and a face mask. Am about to go and titivate myself and go out.

@NigelHarmansNewWife yes I did question the reliability of course, but as a general indication it's ok I think. Will be interesting to see if the numbers change over the coming months

I'm the same @gettinghealthy I'm not looking to become a body builder or anything, but it's making me more conscious of what I'm eating and trying to be more focused on protein intake. The results give a broad indication and I can already see progress, so it's motivating me.

Hope everyone's had a good weekend. We're away next week, so need to get my bag packed!

The reason protein is so important is because if you lose a lot of weight rapidly you risk losing muscle mass. Fat is about the last thing the body lets go of.

Hi everyone!

Last week I did my 3 gym sessions, a Circuits class and I did an 8 mile run this morning. I've also got my first PT session on Wednesday evening so excited for that.

I've been getting lots of protein in and cutting out all refined sugars for 2 weeks now. I'm actually feeling so good and I'm not sure whether it's a coincidence or not but this week I've felt much more clear-headed and focused.

Going to paint my nails in a bit and probably get an early night.

It's so lovely hearing what you've all been up to.