Frump to Fab 2017 - A Whole New World

Arkers

Hello,

Hope you don't mind, but may I join your fabbing group. I know a few of you from other threads, hello Maman hope you don't mind me hanging onto your coat tails again! However, having read the previous thread, I would like to try and locate my inner fab.

I have lost weight over the last 18 months, and other then the Christmas excess am managing to keep it at bay for the time being. I have also tried to improve my health and well being by moderating my drinking and increasing my exercise. However, I'm not great at prepping myself with a CBA attitude to clothes, makeup and hair. I'm not very "kind" to myself when it comes to pampering and I'd like to try a bit harder. I think that this thread would help me make a bit more of an effort.

Hopefully I can be inspired by all your tips and advice.

Arkers x

indiepanda

greenbee wrote: »

Indie - I've been looking for walking/yoga/pilates type holidays, and I know you've done some of these things, so do you have any recommendations? I'm put off a lot of them as they either involve long flights (I get enough of those with work, although to be fair it means my flights would be free on points) or charge silly amounts as a single person supplement.

Sorry to hear about your Dad, Greenbee.

Some recommendations for holidays:-

I went to Kaliyoga in Italy last autumn - there is also one in Spain. The one in Spain offers some weeks that are hill walking and yoga. In their Italy retreat they had one smaller room for singles (though up a slightly awkward spiral staircase - cosy once you got there) or if you don't mind sharing, they will pair you up with another lady. The yoga teaching was amazing and the food was really lovely - almost all vegan.

http://kaliyoga.com/

I have been to Juicy Mountain in Turkey three times - that's Jason Vale's retreat. They have a couple of single rooms and then there's the option of a tent (it's glamping rather than camping - have a proper bed etc.). Plenty of yoga and a short-ish walk every day (I count anything where you are out without needing a meal as shortish - they're an hour or two). I have to admit, I am a bit jumpy about going to Turkey after recent events. However, they have a branch in Portugal too, similar set up, bit more luxurious.

http://www.juicymountain.com/
http://www.juicyoasis.com/

Not a cheap option, but Flavours holidays trips are at least single supplement free, they have a few different venues in Italy where they do their Pilates trips. You eat very well on these trips and there's plenty of wine available - which you wouldn't see at Kaliyoga or on the juice retreats, so not one to lose weight asily on. I adore Italy and I stayed in the resort in Sicily from which we did some trips out to some stunning old towns and even did Pilates on Inspector Montalbano's beach (which would only mean something if you are a fan of the show like me).
https://www.flavoursholidays.co.uk/pilates-holidays/

For pure walking trips, Exodus is the company my friends and I have used the most outside of our social club. They don't offer single rooms as standard, but will pair you up with someone of the same sex, can get single rooms for a supplement but can't remember how expensive as the trip I did I shared a room.

https://www.exodus.co.uk/

I do most of my hiking through my social club, so unless you wanted to join the club that wouldn't be that economical an option for you. However, if you wanted to do other things with them it's worth considering. I belong to the London branch but there are branches in Edinburgh, South West & South Wales, Thames Valley, Manchester, Yorkshire, East and West Midlands. The hiking trips are shared between the different groups. Usually 3 weeks overseas a year and then numerous weekends away. Single supplement is usually £20 per night or you can share with someone of the same sex.

http://www.spiceuk.com/groups#.WGlWSPmLQ_M

I am planning to try some walking with meet up groups this year too - my social club is slightly older than me and though I don't mind how old my friends are, boyfriends tend to be my age or younger. Plus my hiking chums are scattered over the country and it would be nice to have some friends for day walks locally. Though I am starting out with a day walk with one of them at the end of the month, there are a few London meet up groups that do a number of overseas trips and some of them include yoga as well as hiking. Not sure if you are based near London but I can let you know how I get on with them if you are.

Oh, and one other yoga option I tried a number of years ago:-
This is in a little village in Italy but they will collect you from the local station which was easy to get to by train from the airport. In those days it was a smaller group than Kaliyoga but it was still very enjoyable and am still in touch with the girl I shared a house with. They do have single supplements but it wasn't too expensive when I went.
https://www.sunflowerretreats.com/casperia/

Hope that gives you a few good options to choose from.

I ended up napping some of the afternoon as I expected, took me three attempts to watch all of the Graham Norton I had recorded.

But I still had the energy to make myself some carrot and coriander soup which was lovely. I do need to learn some new soup recipes too this year - bit inclined to repeat the same one as it's so simple and easy to get the ingredients even in our tiny local co-op. Have got a book of recipes to use with my soup maker although some need adaptation as they have milk, cream or yoghurt in.

greenbee

Thanks Indie. Gives me something to think about, and an idea of budget. Italy would probably be sensible as I could work on my Italian at the same time

lessonlearned

Greenbee....so sorry to hear about your dad. I have been wondering how things are. Take care my dear.

LoLo

Hi, long timer lurker coming out of the dark. I am not very kind to myself but have decided I need to start now and hopefully this will improve my confidence which is at an all time low. I have today started with exercising (started this a while back but figured i wanted to start the year as I mean to go on). I've put make up on, perfume and done my hair today too. I have just finished painting my nails and just need to work on my clothes as I dress like a slob.

I really like the idea of having a theme rather than lots of resolutions. My theme is going to be together as even though I am in a long term relationship I feel we have lost our way and are more separate than together.

I'm hoping by posting on here it will keep me inspired and motivated.

chanie

my fabbing tips

For any newbies, here are my frugal fabbing tips, which I have learned from the wise fabbing ladies on this thread.

Drink plenty of water. It will improve your skin and overall health.
I keep a bottle on my desk at work and sip throughout the day.

Do little but often. Don't think you have to do everything at once. I try and do one or two things at a time, e.g. I may file me feet one night and paint them another night. Once you get into a good routine, it becomes easier to get back into it when you don't have time.

Use multi purpose products. I have a jar of coconut oil and I use it for oil pulling (G00gle it), as a hair treatment, on my feet etc.

In order to save time, try doing a few things at once. I will put on a face mask and pop on this thread whilst letting it do its magic.

Make up. If you aren't used to wearing it, keep it natural. I think a tinted moisturiser and tinted lip balm is a great start.

I hope this helps anyone who doesn't know where to start.

AlwaysAllie

I'm another "on/off" lurker for a number of years. A new year seems as good a time as any to delurk.

I'm not very good at looking after myself, much better at looking after everyone else. Work creates some stress and working at home for part of the time makes it too easy to 'slob'!

I'm actually not too bad at wearing perfume most days and have been trying to wear make up more often (practically non existent in the summer months).

No specific goals right now but a declaration on here that I need to try and do better.

Looking forward to the year ahead.

AA.

scottish_lassy

I'd like to join pls. I have energy just now as on holiday from work but may be more of a lurker when I'm back in the throws of work. I have a few perfumes that I have been saving for best - maybe the best is now. Will start wearing them tomorrow.

I am also single so have become lax in some areas ie no-one sees my legs in winter so the razor has had minimal use!!!! That will change now as I have signed up for a weekly zumba class so aim to have smooth, moisturized, tanned legs (at least from knee down) while I waft my perfume around the class.

DD265

I was on this thread for a while a (couple?) of years ago, so I remember some of you. I look forward to getting to know everybody :wave:

I'm very aware that I do the bare minimum when it comes to looking after myself. I know what I want to be doing but I don't prioritise the time to do it as I have a long commute/work full time and tend to just blob in the evenings. I got engaged back in April and we're getting married in 15 months so I have ample time to get some routines in place.

For January, I want to:
- get back into the routine of going to the gym 5x a week to lift weights
- complete a 6 day mindfulness challenge (done it before, this is a refresher)
- complete a 10 day meditation course
- get "blue dots" on my WeightWatchers app 7x a week
- clean my teeth 2x a day (I can be so lazy with this and I know it's bad)

I'm not committing to anything else new as I think that would be overload! The rest I'm just going to carry on as I am, and any other positive changes are bonuses

Happy new year all :beer:

LoLo

DD265 wrote: »

I was on this thread for a while a (couple?) of years ago, so I remember some of you. I look forward to getting to know everybody :wave:

I'm very aware that I do the bare minimum when it comes to looking after myself. I know what I want to be doing but I don't prioritise the time to do it as I have a long commute/work full time and tend to just blob in the evenings. I got engaged back in April and we're getting married in 15 months so I have ample time to get some routines in place.

For January, I want to:
- get back into the routine of going to the gym 5x a week to lift weights
- complete a 6 day mindfulness challenge (done it before, this is a refresher)
- complete a 10 day meditation course
- get "blue dots" on my WeightWatchers app 7x a week
- clean my teeth 2x a day (I can be so lazy with this and I know it's bad)

I'm not committing to anything else new as I think that would be overload! The rest I'm just going to carry on as I am, and any other positive changes are bonuses

Happy new year all :beer:

Hi, happy new year. Can you tell me more about the mindful challenge and the meditation course. Are these things that are online? I've been thinking about meditating and mindfulness for a while but never got round to looking into it properly.