Frugal Frump to Fab/Winter Solstice

maman

:wave:

I did manage to read the posts yesterday but had no time to chat.

Well done willow on buying the new underwear. I think it makes such a difference to how you feel as well as the obvious trimmer shape. The last new bra I bought was last Christmas so I should go again and get measured for a smaller size.

I so understand the colour thing! I used to be dressed in black from head to toe, I think it was a cover up/be anonymous thing. I am still toying with the idea of getting my colours 'done' but meantime I'm experimenting. For example, I've got a green jumper & pashmina, a purple jumper, a bright red cardigan, 2 bright pink tops.... but I bought them all from the CS. My theory was I could always recycle them if I felt too self-conscious. Instead of that I've grown to love them and they're wardrobe staples and for just a few pounds!

That being said I am desperate for a pair of smart, black, 'work' trousers as I've gone from having 6/7 pairs to none! Some went to CS, some to bin. I've been lucky in Tesco in the past but they've got nothing much locally. Any recommendations?

Molly, I'm toying with the mineral make up thing too. I'd love to be able to try some first. Let us know how you get on. Meantime I'm going to experiment with blending my own tinted moisturiser. What I plan to do is get myself made up when I'm not going anywhere. I'm so terrified of looking mask-like with foundation all settling into my er...laughter lines that I just play safe and wear a bit of bronzer. So, Asda won't know what's hit them tomorrow:rotfl:

I'm off to sort an early lunch for me as I've got a couple of meetings this afternoon.

Back later!

Bitsy_Beans

Maman you can buy tester pots from Lily Lolo but there is a smallish postal charge on top.

lessonlearned

Hello Ladies

Time for the big push

It's roughly 7 weeks to go ...............

You can do a lot in 7 weeks. If you lose just 1lb per week you'll have lost half a stone - ok might not sound a lot but you'll feel better for it.

Throw in some extra exercises and you might be able to push that up to 2 lb per week, which would make it a stone.

If you are really pushed for time then just concentrate on those "core" exercises.

50 mini sit ups a day will easily whittle away a couple of inches off your waistline. They cost nothing, you don't have to go to the gym - you can even do them whilst watching TV.

So ladies - here's your homework - now don't moan I haven't given you any homework for weeks.:rotfl:

10 minutes a day for those sit ups - don't try to do them all at once. Split them up and do them throughout the day.

Protect your back, if you don't have an exercise mat, then a duvet on the floor is fine, or even do them on the bed.

WW WI today - another 1lb off - slowly getting there.:D

Well done on the undies Willow - need to do the same myself soon, especially a couple of bras.

Maman - what a great idea about trying the colourful CS tops - that's is actually much cheaper than getting your colours done. Or you could just borrow my very rude sister.:rotfl: Actually Bitsy's idea of getting a friend to help is a good idea too.

I had mine done years ago - it was a free - a prize in a competition. I could do with some advice again though. Now that my hair is white I'm very uncertain about what suits me - hence the disaster with the grey. I looked up some places that do colours and they are rather expensive - I was quoted £180 which included a make up lesson which I don't really need.

Re the black trousers - I noticed Sainsbury's have 25% of their TU clothing range this weekend - till Monday.

Hope you feel a bit better soon Molly and that you get your B12 shot. I'm feeling quite "fishy" too at the moment. I think sometimes your body does tell you what it needs.

Anyway better get cracking - going to do a freezer/fridge/cupboard inventory whilst I put the shopping away. I've also got a mountain of paperwork.:(

SS paperwork drives me round the bend. Which reminds me Lolly - hope you got on ok with Social Services.

Time to go - bye for now x

lolly101

Hey Everyone :j

Mrs W - Your raspberry nails sound lovely! I missed the food hospital, but it's on Vision replay so have just watched the bit about Diabetes. I wish I hadn't It was so awful looking at those advanced stage neuropathy pictures. We've been told that as DS1 was diagnosed so young (Type 1, age 4), he could start to experience the complications in his early 20's :eek:. Hopefully he won't, but it's still a really scary thought.

Callisto - Well done on your assignment mark! :T:T:T

Ll - Yes, the SS meeting went very well thank you, better than expected in fact... they didn't turn up! :rotfl: DS2's SW is leaving/has left and we've been allocated a new one, so I think it must have been a lack of communication. A bit annoyed that I wasted time cleaning and tidying that I could have spent on my assignment, but glad that it is done as the house does look a lot better for it!

Well, I've fallen behind with my fab homework already , will make up for it tomorrow. Not done sit ups for years! I have been starting to exercise more lately though, and am actually wanting to do it!!! I bought this step for the Wii board last week http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003JH84HC which is great as I like the Wii free step programme (you can watch TV while you're doing it ) but it never really felt like I was getting a decent workout before.

Right, I need sleep! Speak to you all soon

Callisto

I went for a doctor appointment this morning and I ended up crying and doctor saying I have depression, when I went for a completely different reason! Doctor said she would make me an appointment to see a counsellor, and that I should consider anti depressants. I am a bit shocked about it, but at least now I know why I feel like I have been wading through treacle for the last few months!

Lolly - Thanks, how is your study going?

Molly - Hope you are feeling better soon.

Lessonlearned - Well done on your weight loss. The homework is great timing! I was only talking about fitness with OH earlier and he gave me a copy of an army fitness manual to read and make a fitness plan from. The book says you can use your own body weight for strength training, and it is very focused on sit ups, press ups and pull ups. I will start with the fitness assessment and see how many sit ups I can do tomorrow. I already know I can't do proper press ups or pull ups as I don't really have much upper body strength, but there are tips for starting off and building up to this.

I agree about the colours. When I am feeling less confident, I head straight for the dark/black clothes. To brighten up my outfits, I wear a brighter top under a black cardigan or wear a scarf for some colour. I do have a red blouse, which I haven't worked up the confidence to wear yet!

floss2

:grouphug: Callisto, don't fret about the meds, treat them as a crutch that is needed to help you through your "treacle" patch.

Take care, love Floss xx

bratz81

Maman - hope you don't mind me asking but what size are you? Because I have two pairs of black trousers I never wear and would happily post them over to you if you wanted. Even if they just did you for a while til you got something you liked.
One is black with a red pinstripe and I've never workn them. Size 16 and too big for me. The others are plain black and size 14, though a bit roomy.

Or if anyone else wants them let me know. I was thinking of throwing them on eBay but I'd rather they go to someone I 'know' if you get me

fedupandskint

A disappointing 1lb weight loss this week and a happier 1" lost from my waist and another half inch from my calf coming to a total of 15" all over from May

Still have 4lbs to go to get to target weight so I'll be increasing the exercise again now I have recovered from the virus, including a lot of walking and see if I can shift these final few pounds. Need to stay better on track with the kcal allowance as have gone over most days this week.Had a think how to do it and will cut out the bread rolls I've been having with my soup at lunch time which will give back between 100-300kcal to get back under the daily allowance.

Thought I'd have lost a bit more as my clothes feel much looser this week - but hey, maybe its going to come off in a couple of weeks time!

podperson

Morning all,

Mrs W - glad you're feeling motivated, sounds like you're doing great. Am quite jealous of the raspberry nails, really need to redo mine and must buy some new polish remover tonight, got some from co-op and it is the most awful thing I've ever used in my life! Ended up tipping half the bottle over my nails and scrubbing them for half an hour to get it off and then they had a funny colour so just painted straight over the top of them again Didn't see the Food Hospital, will have a look for at on demand or something, sounds interesting.

Callisto - yay on your assignment :j am getting there with mine, am actually very lucky as it was officially due in yesterday but my tutor said to us that since we have a tutorial this weekend and he's marking for another course as well then he's not going to pick up these assignments until Monday morning so as long as it's in by Sunday night that's ok with him. Anyway, am about 200 words short and need to do some tweaking but am feeling slightly less panicked then I was earlier in the week! Please don't worry about being on anti-depressants for a little while just to pick you up a bit, sounds like your doctor is very on-the-ball - I remember going to my old one years ago actually saying I felt depressed and she basically told me to 'snap out of it' :mad:

Molly - don't worry about one bad day - at least all the Halloween stuff should be gone now Hope your makeup turns out nice, if so get it hidden then it doesn't mysteriously vanish :rotfl:

Maman - I totally agree with the charity shop thing, I love that I'm so much more likely to buy something a bit different if I'm only paying a few pounds for it and I'm finding some things that I wouldn't normally get but that I find I really love. Not sure on the blacks pants, maybe Matalan. Would say avoid the Asda basics range, got 2 pairs there now and they're definately not the best quality, could do with replacing mine and only had them a few months.

LL - yay on the weight loss :jdefinately getting there and slow and steady means it'll stay off! Shall see if I can squeeze in some situps this week. Must get back on the exercise, have been shockingly lazy the last few weeks.

Anyway, done very little fabness this week but have been working on my assignment for have a slight excuse Was trying to do my hair last night and realised I'd run out of conditioner, OH, bless him, went to the shop for me to get some but am not too impressed with it - V05 as well not one of the 'happy shopper' type ones. OH has asked some friends round tonight for a few drinks, tbh am not looking forward to it, feeling really tired today and am meant to be going to a tutorial tomorrow morning so don't want to be up too late. Hopefully will feel a bit more energetic later!

Hope everyone has a good day x

pink_poppy

Hello everyone

Forgot to post yesterday ~ must be my age!!

Have been sticking with the healthy eating & exercise regime ~ another 18 minutes brisk walk today. Did more yesterday but I was a bit slower as had shopping to carry.

LL, well done on the lb off
I saw some aspirin yesterday for the facemask but wasn't sure whether to get them because it said it had a coating on them (think it was to protect the stomach if you were actually taking them but can't remember what it said ~ might have been enteric??). Do you think they would be ok for the facemask or should I be looking for some others without the coating??

Hugs to Callisto ~ hope you feel better about things very soon

Well done sparkles on the lb off & the inches lost overall ~ you must be so pleased. Weight loss does tend to slow down the nearer you get to target ~ very frustrating.

Hope everyone else is doing ok ~ good luck with assignments, paperwork, meetings etc.

See you later.