Frump to Fab - Summer Solstice Sizzler

the_cat

Willow92 wrote: »

Ugh. Worn pyjamas for the past 2 days but I'm going out tomorrow and I'm going to have to wear my scruffy (and too small!!!!) trackie bums coz I've got some walking to do. I want to wear my tights but they fall down if I walk more than a few metres and I won't have time to stop and hoick them up all the time. It's either a long top with tights or scruffy tshirt with trackie bums. Even if I bought a dress I'd have to wear tights! Jeans and trousers just don't fit me right so what else? Oh and I look ridiculous in skirts.

I find an extra pair of knickers worn on top of the tights holds them up in place. Not exactly sexy but does the job!

SAVVYJADE

Morning all,

Yesterday had my eyebrows waxed and tinted and my lashes tinted, so feeling good for that! Still struggling to juggle full time job, college and assignment at the mo, I other than the mentioned fabbing I haven't been doing much at all! Roll on when the assignment is handed in!

Even though not been doing much extra fabbing I'm till sticking to new skin care routine of cleansing, toning, serum and moisturiser!

Have a good day all!

X

lessonlearned

Good morning ladies

Wow some lovely posts this morning, sitting here in my decidedly unfab but cosy dressing gown, drinking my coffee. Had a lovely long lie in - well 8.30 is a lie in for me. A relatively easy day for me.

A nice bathe and some fabbing, meet mum & dad for lunch - its their 63rd wedding anniversary, then visit OH this evening. Just a few phone calls re SS this morning - no forms today :j:j:j

My house is shockingly untidy but I have contacted all the relevant bodies to get all the disabled equipment shifted so that will help, then I can get cracking. I did have a few pangs after I had made the calls - it does make everything seem so final. Once all his mobility aids have gone then there will be no turning back. TBH there's no turning back anyway but I guess you understand what I mean.

Mugwamp :T:T:T On your weight loss, that is a fantastic start.

Preparedathome - So glad you managed to get to both SW & WI. Sounds like you will make new friends easily and that there will be some fun times ahead.

Carmen I agree it feels like spring is in the air. Now I know that winter probably isn't done with us just yet but it really is so nice to see the days lengthen and brighten. Yesterday, when I was pottering about in the garden the birds were singing away and it was lovely - a real foretaste of what is to come.

Because I was always so busy looking after OH last year I felt that I missed out a bit last summer. Often the weather was perfect for a spot of gardening but too cold for OH. For that reason I would stay indoors to keep him company when really I was itching to get outside. This year I definitely intend to get out more. Went to physio yesterday and she strongly advised me to start walking to help strengthen and loosen my back.

I looked at my food journal yesterday - I don't think I will have lost any weight this week - will find out tomorrow. I noticed that the snacks were a lot healthier. I have substituted fruit or a couple of crackers and some cheese for cakes and biscuits, and eating more veg. Still need to get the wheat intake down and start adding some salads. Still it's a start, and am determined to start exercising again now that my back is a little easier.

Anyway off to make those phone calls and start fabbing.

Have a grrrrrrrreat day - yes I'm old enough to remember Tony the Tiger. :rotfl:

First a couple more "C's".

lessonlearned

Rummer wrote: »

Concealer

This is a key product for any makeup bag!

As a lady with dark eye circles, regardless of how well rested I am or how much water I have drunk, I would not be without my concealer! A wee slick of Touche eclat stops me looking like the undead

Thanks Rummer, good one. I agree concealer can hide a multitude of sins!!!

Calm

Achieving this might take some work:rotfl: It certainly will for me.

We all flap about at times. My anti-calm triggers are losing my glasses, keys and mislaying my purse. I try to keep them in the same place so that I know where they are but often fail miserably.

This year I'm determined to get organised and put systems in place so that I'm not forever flapping around in a last minute panic. No more headless chicken.

My new mantra will have to be. Calm is good, Stress is bad. - No more chest pains - please.

I shall declutter all my "rammel" as my dad would call it - clean and tidy my house and my life and then I will reside in an "oasis of calm".

No more clutter, no more mess, no more not being able to find anything. For good this time.;)

Contentment

I've been thinking about this one a lot recently.

I asked OH if he was happy in the nursing home (given that it was hardly the retirement we had dreamed about) and his answer was "happy enough".

He asked me how I felt and my answer was that whilst I doubt that I could ever be truly happy with what has happened, I felt that I had finally come to terms with it and that we could arrange things in such a way, visits and shared time etc - that I could live a contented life.

I think contentment as a way of living is often underrated. Everyone seems to strive for perfection, being the best at all times, and always searching for the ultimate Holy Grail - blissful happiness.

Often such striving does just the opposite - it makes us unhappy, stressed and resentful. In our low moments we may think that everyone else is having a much better time of things than we are - a more exciting Christmas, more rewarding careers, fancier holidays, more and better sex, more money - whatever.

Deep down we know realistically that that is probably not true - it's just us falling victim to the "grass is always greener" syndrome.

Why run ourselves ragged striving for the impossible. No-one can live in a state of euphoric blissful happiness and perfection - it would simply be far too exhausting. :rotfl:

Contentment is just fine.

Tomorrow C is for cellulite - all tips, "cures" welcome.

evilsquid1603

bratz81 wrote: »

Callisto - there is an instructor called Rodney Yee who I think is fab. He's good at being slow enough for beginners but not so slow you're bored, and his voice is very soothing. I used to have one of his DVDs where you had a DVD for morning and one for evening, am/pm yoga I think it was called.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/M-P-M-Yoga-DVD/dp/B00007JME6/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1326268387&sr=1-2

I would recommend any DVD by a company called Gaiam, they always have good instructors and a lot of DVDs for beginners.

i learnt yoga from a Geri Halliwell video yonks ago :rotfl:

well done !!!!!!!

lessonlearned wrote: »

Tomorrow C is for cellulite - all tips, "cures" welcome.

dry body brushing!

podperson

Morning all,

LL - I love Michael McIntyre too and met John Bishop last year - the festival was on and just ran into him on the street. Really lovely guy, was happy to chat and signed an autograph for my brother (was quite funny cause my brother is called Jordan so he wrote 'your t!ts look bigger on tv' :rotfl:). Also went to a Writer's Workshop where Sarah Millicant was one of the panellists, had always thought she was funny but she was also really inspiring - had had her work turned down by people for years but never gave up on it.

Joan - well done on the bargins. If you struggle with foundation type cosmetics maybe have a play with doing just eyes for now? I quite rarely wear foundation but like to have my eyes done and a slick of lipstick/gloss.

Bitsy - I'm just building up on the accessories gradually. Got a couple of scarves in Primark for a few quid, have a vinatgey style seller on Amazon I like so got a few long necklaces from there, etc.

Rummer - well done on starting the shred! It is torture at first but I found it gives such good results and it does get a little better after the first few days (not easy by any means but not quite feeling like you're dying!).

Callisto - I do think it's a bit of Jan blues and yes definately assignment stress! Feeling a little snowed under at the moment, think I must have sounded tired on the phone to my mum as well as she kept asking if I was ok and was I overdoing it Better ring her back later in the week and try and sound more cheerful I think, don't like her to worry.

Lizzie - hope doggy's ok, would agree with getting a second opinion before having an op done -and another vet might suggest a bioposy straight away. Guessing you don't have insurance on him, maybe try PDSA or something if it's going to be expensive? Also well done on not letting the ex-friend get to you, completely agree that she's the one who's lost out so not worth bothering about.

Prepareathome - well done on making it SW and WI - sounds like you got on great

Findingmyway - of course being single can be fun If you're feeling a little alone though could you arrange something fun to do with friends?

!!!!!!, evilsquid, Sparkles - yay on the weight loss :j

Carmen - lovely post, think I really must get out this weekend, has been quite nice this week but most I've seen of is out of the office window as dark by the time I leave and was stuck in all weekend doing assignment. (fingers crossed I've not doomed us all to torrential rain by saying that )

I think the C's are interesting today, could definately do with being more calm, have just been looking at a thread on here about mediation and mindfulness and think it's something I might look into more. I am well aware I tend to get myself much too wound up about things. It's strange but OH has had a lot of problems in the past with anxiety disorders and if he is panicking over something I'm usually perfectly calm and can sort it all out - but if it's for myself I find it so much harder to do that. Contentment is a tricky one for me - I find it hard to be content because I'm not happy with how my life is at the moment. I do sometimes wonder whether I'm just being unreasonable and should accept things but then I'm not ready to do that just yet. I would like to think I'm not striving for the impossible -but I suppose we will see


Anyway, was back to choir last night which was nice. We're on three hour not two hour rehearsals though for at least the next few months which is a little hard work, especially as I have to go straight from work - makes it a rather long day. Did enjoy it though, I do think it's true about endorphins being released by singing as I always tend to feel happier and more positive after. Some people may remember (amidst my random babblings) that I said before that it was always the way that when I'm focused and positive he's really down and negative and vice versa. So while I said I'm feeling really unmotivated he's currently really positive and doing lots of work! Need to try and pull myself out of the slump, am going to try and get some writing done tonight which will hopefully help.

Hope everyone has a good day x

maman

Lovely, positive posts here this morning. You did brilliantly last night prepareathome. I'm seriously thinking about WI too. I enjoy crafty things but also have enjoyed the social side of SW. I've met women I wouldn't normally come across as the majority of friends I've made over the years have started off as colleagues. I thought WI might be the same.

Good on you lizzie, putting that 'friend' in her place. I'm quite an easy-going sort but I know how to be cool (in the icy sense;)) when someone displeases me. I'm not rude or uncivil, just say as little as possible. I had an occasion at the weekend when someone told me they were engaged and (without boring you with all the details) I know it's a big mistake or more accurately, the timing's a big mistake. I think I was supposed to gush over the ring, ask about plans etc. I just said 'Oh, you're engaged' in a deadpan voice and changed the subject. If any wedding comes of it, I'll have to think seriously how I approach that (DH's brother so rather difficult). What they choose to do isn't my business, but I couldn't pretend to be pleased. Excuse that ramble:o

I find any under-eye make up difficult. Even when I've had it done at a counter it seems to settle into my er...'laughter lines':rotfl:which I think makes me look worse. Any tips for application, product or whatever?

I really liked the paisley pencil skirt on the website mentioned yesterday so could well be treating myself very soon! I really like the way this model has it with opaques and a black top. Not a very good picture, it's on the Warehouse website. Also feel a trip round CSs needed soon (brilliant weightloss !!!!!!)


I liked the sound of your jumper bratz and it's great that it's real vintage. Lots of retro looking jumpers around at the moment, esp with sort of geometric patterns on them.

As for contentment, I have very good lfe but I do seem to lurch a bit between feeling really happy and a bit down. Fortunately, it's mostly the former so I just have to find ways of cheering myself up if needed. Fresh air usually works but sometimes I need motivating to get out there. It's generally about acheiving something when I've previously felt a bit out of control or under-acheiving. I suppose we're back to LL's elephant thing! Strangely, I'd never heard that expression before, the only elephant I knew was the one in the room that you don't talk about. Great thing about this thread is that we do talk, about all sorts!!:)

I've done some paperwork this morning and a few phone calls and after lunch I plan to get on with some stuff around the house. Except for minimal fabbing, resolutions seem to have come to a bit of a standstill.

Back later.

LameWolf

Rummer wrote: »

Concealer

This is a key product for any makeup bag!

As a lady with dark eye circles, regardless of how well rested I am or how much water I have drunk, I would not be without my concealer! A wee slick of Touche eclat stops me looking like the undead

*Nods vigorously* Absolutely vital if you have the lupus butterfly rash!:eek:

Carmen wrote: »

Good morning all,
I am really struggling with catch up posts. I am ploughing my way through and realised I could not remember what belongs to who and who belongs to what meanwhile so many posts added daily :eek: Sooo, I have decide to just post daily and I will get to know all the 'newbies' as we trundle along

Don't worry; I think all of us perhaps get a tad confused about who said what sometimes. I certainly do!:o

Talking of which.... I think it was Bitsy suggested a magnifying shaving mirror for doing make-up if you have poor eyesight; well, I found one that has X5 magnification on Amazon for £2.99 - and as I have some Amazon vouchers, I can have it for free!:money: So that's just been ordered.:o Hope I don't get too much of a scare when I look at myself in it!:rotfl:

Skymist

LOVE your post LL and TOTALLY agree with what you say!! The butterfly of happiness is indeed well nigh impossible to keep a constant hold of!


Another c, for me, is remaining constantly curious about life.... this is what keeps me going, even with very little social day-to-day interreaction. Watching the birds darting about, seeing Mother Natures' daily display of often magnificent cloud formations, plants coming into bud, weather events such as the gales that have lately been blowing about...all this stuff takes hold of my thoughts and imagination and lifts my spirits, instead of just letting my mind concentrate on my isolation, and gives me the contentment that LL was talking about. Of course the interweb is just brimming with stuff too, and I love it!!! Don't know how I would have managed if I'd retired 20-30 years ago...probably gone off my head with just reading even more books than I already have, and had the telly on constantly for company!!!

And, if we aren't already doing it, then starting to cherish oneself is, I think, vitally important too!

I'm soo happy for all you lovelies (!!!!!!,evilsquid, Sparkles...and anyone else that I've missed, 'cos of how many ladies there are on here now!!!), that have managed to "release" some weight...read recently that if you keep the the term weightloss as part of your vocabulary, then your mind will fight against your body in parting with your excess poundage, 'cos what do you do when you loose something? You go looking for it/replace it, and seemingly that is the way our minds think and work...they don't want to LOOSE something which has been gained for whatever reason, especially if if was for self-protection!!!! So, maybe try telling yourself that you want to release you extra/excess poundage instead... a bit new-age-y, but hey, what have you got to loose (LOL), and if it works.....!

Findingmyway...I'm a single lady too...have been since my OH died 3 years ago, along with several friends too....and know EXACTLY what you mean by "....missing having someone to give me a hug and curl up to on the sofa. But YES it IS "ok to be single, and at times, actually quite fun"...and I'm sure as we move towards the Summer Solstice, away from these long cold dark days of winter, you'll start to feel that way too!! X

LW...I'm finding your handling of what life's chucked at you amazing, :A and you come over as a VERY positive lady, with great strength of mind!! I wish you well, and hope that you adapt to your meds really quickly so that you can move your focus away from just suffering with pain and therefore feeling down and depressed...you are a SURVIVOR!! X

lizzie157 wrote: »

did have a blip yesterday saw an ex -friend who greeted me with " haven't seen you for ages". ( she ignored txts and effectively just dropped me for no apparent reason)

Same happened to me...funnily enough her name is lizzie!!!.....and this was after 30 years of "friendship"!!! Not a word of explanation!! But two years on, and I "ain't missing her" at all!!!!

Sorry to have taken up so much of you time, reading my ramblings!! I don't post much ( thank goodness, huh? LOL), but read daily...and you are ALL so inspiring, and a great help to me personally. Thanks for being "here"!

S X

adelight

lizzie well done for not letting it get you down.

cellulite woman's mortal enemy- or mine at least :rotfl:
circulation- poor circulation and removal of fluids and toxins is a major contributor to cellulite, so try dry body brushing, exfoliating loofah mitts and knuckle massage to get the blood flowing. Be rough!
caffeine don't drink it, wash with it! Massage coffee granules into the skin with firm circular motions then rinse off.
exercise- whilst you can't spot reduce fat, exercise will lead to overall fat loss which will lead to a reduction in cellulite. Building muscle will also help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Building muscle on the lower body is really easy, just grab something heavy and squat, lunge and jump your way to a firmer thighs
here's a good article on using aromatherapy to increase circulation and reduce cellulite http://www.anniesremedy.com/remedy_use138.php