Frump to Fab 2017 - A Whole New World

lessonlearned wrote: »

Indie .....thanks for the book recommendation. Have read it cover to cover. Lots of Aha ( no not the pOP group although i think they are fab :rotfl:) adrenal book arrived today so will read through that then go through both books with a notepad.

I definitely think I will take the "natural" approach as far as possible. I react so badly to most drugs, either that or they simply don't work the way they are supposed to. (I'm just plain weird.....:rotfl:)

I've got nothing to lose me and everything to gain. I would much rather tackle the root cause than merely mask symptoms. The goal is optimum health and longevity bearing in mind the watch word "vitality".

Indie.....I agree you have come a long way in your journey and have made fantastic progress. I aim to follow in your footsteps.:D

Glad to hear the book is proving enlightening. I agree with the approach of tackling the root cause wherever possible. The doctor was determined to have my Dad on all sorts of tablets for high blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol and he hates taking drugs, so when the doctor said these issues were due to his lifestyle he just decided to drop the drugs which were having some nasty side effects and tackle his lifestyle instead - less sugar and more exercise. I was proud of him and rather glad he wasn't taking statins any more as nothing I've read makes me think they are a good idea for anyone that hasn't had serious heart trouble already.

I remember being so in love with A-ha when I was a teenager.. although I had such low self esteem that I had a crush on the least attractive member of the group - not even in my day dreams could I imagine Morten Harkett swooning over me in my NHS pink specs and head gear plus train track braces. Thank goodness I've come a way since then.

Although having said that I let a rude lingerie fitting assistant in M&S who made a very personal and not complementary comment about my breasts and advised me that I had gone UP a bra size despite losing weight really upset me tonight. I found myself wondering if I should have a bust lift and feeling gloomy about dating again... before I gave myself a damn good talking to that is!

I had the sense to walk out and not buy anything there... marched from Marble Arch up to the branch between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road and got better service there. When I told the assistant what the other one had said she looked horrified and apologised on behalf of M&S. And yes, I was a size smaller as a result of my weight loss, not bigger. Who'd have guessed eh?! I made myself feel better on the way home googling stories about poor bra fitting services - sounds like there are plenty of badly trained people out there and my experience of being told the wrong size is rather common, if not the more personal comment. I might make a visit to Bravissimo at some point instead - last time I went there they were pretty good and I was at my fattest then so if they didn't make me feel bad then I doubt they would now.

City v country is an interesting debate. I love hiking and really enjoy day trips to the seaside, but I am not sure I could picture myself living anywhere other than the city now. I like the idea of when retired Air BnB-ing somewhere by the sea for a few weeks in the summer, but for the winter especially, being near all the museums and galleries (so many of which are free) in London seems far more appealing. Especially if they still give free bus passes out to pensioners by then - would make for a very cheap afternoon out.

lessonlearned wrote: »

Indie.....interesting thoughts about renting at the seaside in the summer. I just missed out on some friends selling their caravan on the south coast. It would have made a fabulous bolt hole both for myself and the boys.

I have been having similar ideas about renting for an extended holiday but probably I think I would go for somewhere warm in the winter. A small apartment on a long lease (can be as little as 3 months) Is surprisingly affordable. And somewhere like say Spain or Portugal is only a short flight so would be ideal for winter mini breaks for the boys to visit.

My niece has spent the last couple of winters having extended holidays in Malta, renting a small apartment for three months. She loves it.

It's definitely something to think about.

I shall be escaping the winter next year because of my Amazon trip but after that I would like to take extended winter holidays somewhere warm.

Definitely fancy becoming a "snowbird". :rotfl:

Yes, spending more time away in the British winter also has its appeal, far easier to stay active somewhere that is sunny than our typical grey and soggy days. Have to admit that hadn't occured to me, but not like I've started seriously planning for retirement just yet a while, though I should review my finances a bit more carefully so I can afford to do so one day.

I make it sound like I am silly with my money - between me and the company 20% of my pay is going into my pension now, but I still kick myself for the few years when I was at my old company and didn't pay in myself when the company would have matched my contribution - giving up free money is daft and I did start saving more during my time there.

maman wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your nasty experience with the bra fitter indie . Glad you got it sorted in the end. Well done for persisting.:T
I was pleased to go up and down sizes when I lost weight. For years I'd worn a 36B and at my heaviest was 38D. Delighted to end up at 34D so kept the cup size but lost on the back. Just goes to show how important to be fitted properly.

I think part of the reason I settled so well when I moved to live with DH is because the city I live in now is so similar to where I was brought up. I remember hearing that M&S classified it as seaside/industrial when it came to stock. So a big city by the sea with plenty of countryside nearby. What's not to like!

I do have a little regret that I've never got to work or live in London but I visit often as I'm less than an hour away.

Love the idea of renting in the sun LL and I really loved Malta. There's so much to see and do there, all on one small island with excellent public transport.

Yes, a good fitting bra makes such a difference. I did better picking one out for myself. The rude fitter brought in some dreadful thing in pink and lilac floral that must have been lingering in a sale bin that she wanted to get rid of. I ended up getting a couple of nude coloured "youthful lift" range - one padded t shirt and one non padded. I think I will need to go back and get something different at some point too as they are smooth lace and I think might show through some things, but they do give a nice shape and I am afraid having been overweight for years there's nothing bar surgery that's going to make them look perky without a good bra - somewhat damaged the skin over the years. I was an F when I was 40 after all.

I was adamant when I was younger that I DIDN'T want to live in London - even a couple of years before I moved here. Funny how things change over time. To be honest the main thing I love about it for all the facilities is the people. In London there are more women that don't have children and it's therefore easier to find friends who enjoy the same freedom as me. Most of my friends from when I first left university got married in their late twenties and had children early thirties and their weekends are occupied with ferrying them around to all their activities and I am lucky if I can get a couple of hours with them when I am in the area, and even then its more likely to happen if I go on a weekday and catch them when the children are at school.

I think from what you've said I can guess which seaside city you live in, and it's one I go to with and to visit friends from one of my holidays, and yes, a nice area and if I had to leave London would be an option I would consider. Others would be the Bristol / Bath area - have friends down there and still have sentimental memories of Bath as a student there.

Malta I would like to visit some day - and want to go to Mdina to visit the glass factory, have a little collection of vintage Mdina glass but it's too expensive to import from there - postage costs almost the same as anything you buy which I just resent.

Right, better get going, got a parcel to pick up at the post office which I think might be some new tops I've ordered and want to collect so I have the option of wearing over the weekend.

Today is dress down Friday so I will be wearing jeans for work. Got to work out what top to wear of my newer ones - the older ones are doing zip for my figure now and I need to do a bit of a tidy up at the weekend and put the larger ones aside so I can space out the new ones and not shove them in and crumple up everything as soon as it is ironed!

Have a fab Friday all x