Frump to Fab - Summer Solstice Sizzler

fedupandskint

"So ladies - as the Solstice beckons - one final push this weekend. Dig deep, find the strength, you are stronger than you know. "

LL - Could not have put it better myself (again!).

Let me summarise the past year for me. It took me from this time last year with the weightloss to here now almost at a size 8 skirt - some fit great and some are a little snug and still deciding on whether to keep them or now.

I discovered this thread somewhere on route to the winter solstice and it has been such a help in these ways;

Wearing what I have in the wardrobe and not saving everything for 'best'. Wear what I own and wear it and enjoy how I look regardless.
Also increasing regular face masks and always continuing the usual skincare routines
Making time for plenty of exercise
Wearing the make up and jewellry I own too
Enjoying the outdoors and the fresh air for free

Remembering its my life and I'll enjoy it and say goodbye to the days when life was completely different to how I feel now because of how I used to feel. It feels like a different person now and the last 2yrs have been a big step forward for me, the last year has been the biggest leap forward and now I feel the best I have for a long long time. Believe me that is not completely connected to the weightloss either!

So dig deep and stick at it, you will get there and things will change if you want them to.

WelshWoofer

fedupandskint wrote: »

Wearing what I have in the wardrobe and not saving everything for 'best'. Wear what I own and wear it and enjoy how I look regardless.
Also increasing regular face masks and always continuing the usual skincare routines
Making time for plenty of exercise
Wearing the make up and jewellry I own too
Enjoying the outdoors and the fresh air for free

Do you know, I do these things now too and never used to - thank you for reminding me.

I meant to ask - what are you studying? Don't forget that towards your fabbing project! Self improvement counts too.

Hewie29

Gosh what a day!!

My mum called this morning to tell me my dad had a suspected heart attack, his 4th. He had been taken to hospital but she didn't know if he was being moved to a more heart dedicated hospital, but would find out later.

My mum doesn't drive so I said that I would take her where ever she needed to go. Cue a lot of re-arranging the day, daughter needed picking up from school, her friend coming over needed to be cancelled and a food delivery needed signing for, cue father-inlaw to the rescue and he happily stepped in and did the school run. Hubby managed to change his hours so was home for 4.30. Which meant I could take my time with mum and dad and not have to rush her visiting and being worried about bein stuck in friday evening traffic.

Anyway thankfully dad stayed in the hospital which is nearer to us, and when we visited he looked better than the both of us, Sat in his chair fully clothed, hopefully will be out on monday if all is well.

So now instead of a surprise 70th party for dad on sunday we will be visiting him in hospital and save the party for when he is better.

Just makes me realise that I have to really look after myself and get serious with exercise and healthy eating.

Hope everyones day has been good and not too wet and that the weekend is restful and fab xxx

WelshWoofer

lessonlearned wrote: »

Having said that I do think our appearance, our health and our well being are the cornerstone and the early building blocks from where we start our journey. That's why I keep banging on about a bit of TLC, grooming and dressing well, exercise and healthy eating.

If you want to change your lives you need to start somewhere and taking care of yourself is a good place to start.

This is so true - just the little changes made me feel better about myself and gave me the boost to be brave and do something about my social life. Anyone that knew me thought I was confident, outgoing and sociable but didn't really know that I sat in the house waiting for something exciting to happen.
Just looking better and feeling better allows you to gain that little bit of an ego boost to be able to put yourself forward and take a few small risks.

I am now a happy person - no I'm not thin (but not fat either), I'm 40 but not in bad nick, I have a job I love and have been promoted, money is adequate (not flush but not penniless), my home is clean, well presented and nicely decorated (the garden leaves a lot to be desired though), I've managed to change the car and I have some nice new friends and a busy diary. My ex husband would not recognise me! (and a good job too, don't want to bump into him any time soon:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:)

All thanks to you ladies and your support and friendship without which I'd probably still be wallowing;). xxxx


ETA - our posts crossed Hewie - hope your dad is ok. x

adelight

I think this thread has been a case of "one step forward two steps back" for me, but not for lack of trying. I will most definitely be back for the next thread and much more successful.

mooloo hope you have a wonderful time in cornwall

fedupandskint

WW - Studying a part time masters at the moment. About to finish the end of the 2nd taught year before the final year part time which is the dreaded dissertation start, do and complete year

Logging off now to watch the footie in bed before an early start to get ready for the loft insulation first thing which has been brought forward from next week

evilsquid1603

Hewie29 - i hope your dad feels better soon!

lessonlearned

Hewie29 wrote: »

Gosh what a day!!


My mum doesn't drive so I said that I would take her where ever she needed to go. Cue a lot of re-arranging the day, daughter needed picking up from school, her friend coming over needed to be cancelled and a food delivery needed signing for, cue father-inlaw to the rescue and he happily stepped in and did the school run. Hubby managed to change his hours so was home for 4.30. Which meant I could take my time with mum and dad and not have to rush her visiting and being worried about bein stuck in friday evening traffic.

So sorry to hear about your dad - hope he continues to mend and improve.

I've highlighted your comments re the re-arranging and organising. What a lovely family you have - all supporting each other and helping out in a time of crisis. It's what it's all about.

Take care of yourself Hewie - you are going to be stretched for a while.

lessonlearned

adelight wrote: »

I think this thread has been a case of "one step forward two steps back" for me, but not for lack of trying. I will most definitely be back for the next thread and much more successful.

mooloo hope you have a wonderful time in cornwall

Doesn't matter because the overall direction is still forwards........

Have a great holiday Mooloo.

Love the "I Will" mantra - just goes to show the power of NLP - Neuro Linguistic Programming - very potent magic.!!!

lessonlearned

mugwump79 wrote: »

Ive never felt good about myself, never put myself first, like most of us I am sure, I am the one looking after, taking care of everyone else.

I've been thinking about your comment and trying to find some words of wisdom.:rotfl:

I think it was PP who suggested that - in addition to the TLC, grooming etc you could perhaps try doing something either new that takes your fancy or something that you used to enjoy but have let lapse.

I think that's a great idea.

TBH I think that for most of us "Putting Ourselves First" - will never happen. Most of us wouldn't feel comfortable with this - it just doesn't sit right with our roles as wives, mothers, daughters, grandmothers or whatever. Putting others first is what most women do, every day - even the single ones look after their friends and colleagues.

I don't think it's actually necessary to put ourselves first - as long as we put ourselves somewhere on that to do list. We just need to beg, borrow or steal a bit of time for ourselves now and again.

!!!!!! - don't give up looking after everyone - just make sure that you do have some time for you otherwise you will over-reach yourself, get tired and stressed and maybe even start to feel slightly resentful.

Today I took a day off - no hospital or nursing home visits. I could have gone racing round but at last I've finally learned the value of pacing myself. It did me good to just take time out. A year ago I probably wouldn't have done that, I would have just carried on and on until I'd driven myself into the ground.

This next bit makes me sound like a right "do-gooder" Lady Bountiful/Mother Theresa figure - believe me I'm not, far from it. I'm not that altruistic.:rotfl:

However, one thing I've found is that helping others, looking after their needs, making them feel loved and cherished somehow makes me feel good too.

And you know what they say ...........What goes around comes around. It'll be our turn to be helpless one day.

We need to teach our young ones how to look after the aged, sick and infirm - they need to learn from our example.