Frump to Fab 2017 - A Whole New World

LaineyT

shanks77 wrote: »

Hi Lainey could you please let me know more about the bamboo socks as not heard of them before. Thanks in advance.
Hope everyone else is well and has a good weekend. I am in Glasgow with a friend so just enjoying the break away xx

Hey Shanks, they were recommended to me by a friend as something warmer than cotton to layer up when wearing my yard boots, I picked up some from Seasalt and have been hooked ever since. That was several years ago and I still have the original socks as they seem a lot harder wearing than cotton, wick away moisture in the summer but keep feet toasty in winter, can you tell I'm a convert
HTH

lessonlearned

Hello ladies......

Sorry to say I've really crashed today, woke up feeling dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, feeling really rough ((blood sugar far too low) so just resting and taking it easy (cuddling the cat), eating small snacks every hour or so to stabilise.

Indie. I have been reading the thyroid book you recommended and the adrenal book that was also recommended as its companion. Both have been very enlightening and extremely helpful.

Not sure how helpful my new doctor will be (I'm not very confident, in fact I was thinking about changing surgeries but thought I would wait until I move anyway). I really think I need to see an endocrine specialist so I'll see how I go with the GP and if she's not very forthcoming I'll just ask for a referral. If she is obtuse then I'll just pay privately. I'm not going to mess about.

I really miss my old GP, ........the good ones shouldn't be allowed to retire.:rotfl: This one is sort of ok and means well enough but that's about it. She messed around for nearly 6 months last time and I got so exasperated with her not listening to me and just reaching fir her prescription pad saying 'oh well just try this" that I ended up paying to see a nutritionist myself in the end.

Anyhoo......I must give you the latest on "sistergate" :rotfl:

She has sent me a text, offering an olive branch. (I knew she would if I played it cool). I have suggested meeting for a coffee (neutral ground).

I am happy enough to resume "diplomatic relations" but I shall keep things light and breezy and not allow things to get too involved. That might make me sound a bit cold hearted and rather calculating but I think it's the best way forward. I don't mean to be callous but I can't keep bailing her out and sorting out her problems for her. She's 54 fgs.......

I never wanted our relationship to break down and I don't want to sever all ties so I think keeping it light and pleasant is the best I can aim for. I cannot let her cause me that level of pain ever again. I am still paying the price in terms of my current poor health.

However I do feel that If I don't at least try and build a few fences I won't be doing either of us any favours. I won't get better very quickly, I will only delay the healing process and she will be miserable without her "big sister" in her life.

I firmly believe that our physical health is very closely linked to our emotions. I know that is definitely the case for me, I have to have everything in balance and harmony or I get sick. So......for my own sake I mustn't let old emotional hurts fester away. I need to resolve the issues at hand so I can work for a good recovery asap.

There's only so much stress the human body can take and I have pushed my body too hard for far too long.

My old GP warned me as long ago as 2010, before my husband went into care but I kept going. (Didn't gave a lot of choice :rotfl:).

So yes now I am perhaps being a bit selfish and a bit more calculating but I reason if I don't protect myself then who will.....certainly not my sister, she has demonstrated that clearly enough.

Indie......i had to laugh at a vision of you locking yourself out whilst half undressed. Just the sort of thing I do when I'm being a bit absent minded.

Re "bragate". Try not too get to upset over your boobs heading south......I'm afraid it does happen, especially to those of us who are generously endowed. I too have thought about uplift surgery. As you say we can cheat with a good bra but it's what happens when we disrobe.

My husband didn't care but I can see how nervous you might feel about getting naked with a new partner. (I know I would be embarrassed now if I met someone new, not that I need worry - it's highly unlikely).

Perhaps you should wait until you reach your target weight and see how you feel then. But yes if you feel surgery would be your best bet then why not. You are still a young woman, your body should cope well with surgery. Just make sure you choose a good surgeon.

lessonlearned

Re boobs. I had a friend who was flat chested so she cheated with wonderbras.

Apparently one night, as she disrobed in front of her husband, for a laugh he said in broad Derbyshire dialect. "Ey up me duck, keep thee wonderbra on so I can pretend you've got t@ts".

Cheeky beggar. :rotfl:

(She wasn't offended).

sukeyboo

Just out of a nice hot bath, I know it's not good for my skin but can't bear to have a 'warm' bath

Have used the last of my Espa restorative body oil which I loved and it is £33 for a new one :eek: - good job it was pay day on Friday :T - I think I will treat myself to a new bottle.

Nails have been painted so feeling quite pampered. I am going to settle down this evening with a magazine to read - the new issue of 'Slimming World' & a glass (or two) of Sauvignon Blanc (Maman will appreciate this )

savingfortomorrow

i have been working so hard this last few weeks and am so tired and bone weary. But it has been very interesting.

I am behind on all my chores and have so much laundry to catch up on. I have tired daily to put on a good face and appearance. I have been getting a lot of muscle aches and feel that restarting pilatates would be worthwhile.

My nose is flaring up with roscea and inflammation is very present. I have reduced the convenience food and caused the local take away to issue a profit warning. Yet, dietary changes like more salads, less sugar and increasing herbal and fruit teas all take ages to take some effect. I am trying daily to be a better version of myself.

My plan for this quarter, I like the old concept of quarters of epipany, easter, midsummer and michealmas, as it feels more like i did not miss spring and I always loved the development and learning achieved in michealmas term of uni, many years ago. So i want to get the skin sorted and arrange the right treatment for what is not going away. I know a lot of people have flare ups at this time of year.

I want to keep my own head clear of all politics and leave all the internal office politics at the door and not get involved in any of it. I have recently seen so many terrible effects of it and just realize all the energy people spend on it is wasted so i am going to do my job and not deal with any of it in the places i visit. It is shocking how some managers create negative and terrible cultures of intimidation and fear. I try to build people up but other managers are plain bad.

maman

sukeyboo wrote: »

I am going to settle down this evening with a magazine to read - the new issue of 'Slimming World' & a glass (or two) of Sauvignon Blanc (Maman will appreciate this )

:rotfl::rotfl:Love it sukey! Nothing like imbibing syns while reading the SW magazine.


Sorry to hear that the profits are plummeting at the take away sft. The healthy eating will pay off in the end, stick with it.


I took some new bamboo socks on holiday and they were amazing. So soft and comfortable and (despite hard water) they've stayed soft after washing. Mine were from TKMaxx.


I suppose it's good that your sister has been in touch LL but I think all I'd do is establish friendly relations with the occasional coffee, boast about your boys and leave it there. To me, it was worth letting her have whatever money she gained for you to draw a line (I think they call it full and final settlement in a divorce). Any energy you have you need to give to your DSs and most importantly yourself. I'm concerned that she'll expect everything to go back to 'normal' which is leaning on you for support. You don't need that. Lecture over.:o


It's glorious here. Lovely weather makes such a difference to my mood.:)

sukeyboo

Thanks Indie for the sizing advice - I will definitely order the small size now.

What a beautiful day it was today - I hope it stays like this for a while.

LL - I think your approach to the 'sister' situation is just right - keep your distance but be polite. You need to look after yourself first & foremost.

Take care all

indiepanda

lessonlearned wrote: »

Indie. I have been reading the thyroid book you recommended and the adrenal book that was also recommended as its companion. Both have been very enlightening and extremely helpful.

Not sure how helpful my new doctor will be (I'm not very confident, in fact I was thinking about changing surgeries but thought I would wait until I move anyway). I really think I need to see an endocrine specialist so I'll see how I go with the GP and if she's not very forthcoming I'll just ask for a referral. If she is obtuse then I'll just pay privately. I'm not going to mess about.

I firmly believe that our physical health is very closely linked to our emotions. I know that is definitely the case for me, I have to have everything in balance and harmony or I get sick. So......for my own sake I mustn't let old emotional hurts fester away. I need to resolve the issues at hand so I can work for a good recovery asap.

There's only so much stress the human body can take and I have pushed my body too hard for far too long.

My old GP warned me as long ago as 2010, before my husband went into care but I kept going. (Didn't gave a lot of choice :rotfl:).

So yes now I am perhaps being a bit selfish and a bit more calculating but I reason if I don't protect myself then who will.....certainly not my sister, she has demonstrated that clearly enough.

Indie......i had to laugh at a vision of you locking yourself out whilst half undressed. Just the sort of thing I do when I'm being a bit absent minded.

Re "bragate". Try not too get to upset over your boobs heading south......I'm afraid it does happen, especially to those of us who are generously endowed. I too have thought about uplift surgery. As you say we can cheat with a good bra but it's what happens when we disrobe.

My husband didn't care but I can see how nervous you might feel about getting naked with a new partner. (I know I would be embarrassed now if I met someone new, not that I need worry - it's highly unlikely).

Perhaps you should wait until you reach your target weight and see how you feel then. But yes if you feel surgery would be your best bet then why not. You are still a young woman, your body should cope well with surgery. Just make sure you choose a good surgeon.

Glad to hear the books are helpful. I have to confess I have limited faith in the NHS when it comes to chronic conditions that aren't life threatening. The training they get is so limited in terms of things like nutrition and in general they seem to be focused on mending you when you are really broken, not keeping everyone in tip top health. I know my sister had years of being given hydracortisone cream for eczema, one trip to an alternative practioner and a suggestion of dairy intolerance later and she was on the way to much improved skin. The doctor wasn't treating the root of the problem at all.

I totally agree with the notion that our physical health and emotions are linked. My food intolerances are far worse when I am stressed. If in a good place I can have an ice cream and suffer no noticeable ill effects, but when I was going through a severely stressful time in 2012 I would get stabbing pains in my stomach within minutes and diarrhea shortly afterwards. Back in 2007/8 I also suffered from alopecia due to stress at work - and again, it was an alternative practioner I turned to for help after the doctor could only offer a steroid cream.

So I think you are absolutely right to put yourself first now, you've had a very stressful time one way and another but now is your time to look after yourself.

I wouldn't dream of anything surgical till I've got to a weight where I would be happy to stop and even then I'd like to see where I get to with some firming cream and exercises to perk up the chest muscles underneath first to see if that helps.

I did get to something of a milestone on the weight loss today. I don't know if younger people think in metric, but I always weigh in stones and so am used to thinking of my typical weight as being X stone something, X being 13. I first tipped over that on holiday to NZ back in 2003 and though I had been down to about 12st 7lbs about 4 times since at various points, mostly I'd been over 13, and in 2012 when I was going through that stressful year I tipped over 14. Anyway, this morning the scales just tipped down under 12 for the first time since that holiday. It really was only just - 11st 13.8lbs, but all the same just seeing the 11 at the front was something of a result and spurs me on.

sukeyboo wrote: »

Nails have been painted so feeling quite pampered. I am going to settle down this evening with a magazine to read - the new issue of 'Slimming World' & a glass (or two) of Sauvignon Blanc (Maman will appreciate this )

:rotfl: I've done very similar - reading Women's Health whilst eating crisps, chocolate etc.

indiepanda

Had another quite busy weekend. Met my friend for lunch Saturday and then we had a potter round the shops afterwards. She took me round Liberty's fashion department and I have to admit it made me feel quite good about the fact I don't really have the cash for designer gear - I think I saw one dress that I liked and that was about it - most of it was either boring or weird. I saw far more things I liked in the Oasis just up the road and left with a couple of tops and a pair of trousers - and joys, the tops were size 12 and the trousers 14. The 16 trousers I got there in a similar style last summer are getting loose round the waist now. I came home and ordered a couple more pairs in different colours - so got the navy in store and ordered khaki which they didn't have in my size and a colour they didn't have in the shops called "mid neutral" - looked like a warm shade anyway so should be ok. I also ordered a top that I had tried on in the shops and thought it made my shoulders look a bit wide - but it was a 14 and I switched to 12s after trying that one and forgot to pick up a 12 to try in that style so hopefully it will work.

Yesterday I went down to the Ashford Outlet centre in hunt of jeans. I was planning to buy some in Tommy Hilfiger as I've got some from there that are really nice and soft which I bought back in late 2015, but they only had really faded wash options in my size and I wanted some darker ones. So, next stop Levi's - which I used to wear as a student but hadn't found any that fit for ages and had given up and become an M&S girl for decades. I ended up getting a couple of pairs of their slimming skinnies, one in a dark wash and one in a mid blue. I need to take them to the dry cleaners to get them taken up as they are 32s and I am more like 29, but they didn't seem to sell 30s. I didn't even need their largest size. I have to admit the ones I bought look a touch snug on the waist to me and I would have bought the ones an inch larger on the waist, but the girls in the shop said they tend to give within a couple of hours of wearing and you should buy the smallest ones you can get into. Plus given I am still losing weight, buying slightly small is no bad thing as they should still flatter in a month where some of my jeans aren't doing anything for me. I tend to wear tops that come to mid hip anyway so the fact the jeans give a little muffin top when first on shouldn't actually show either.

Anyway, with all this shopping I think I am set for now, aside of needing some t shirt bras. M&S don't seem to have any that are the right shape so I am going to book myself into Bravissimo to get them fitted by people who are a bit more skilled and sensitive.

The friend I met on Saturday, plus the friend I saw last Monday and a work friend I bumped into last week have all commented on how well I am looking - skin looking luminous and whites of eyes very clear. It's good to have that feedback from people that don't see me every day, it's harder for me to spot changes like that when they happen gradually. I am actually feeling a bit tired as am just packing in a bit too much. I could have done with getting eight hours sleep Saturday and Sunday night and managed more like 6 to 7 - woken up by the daylight in the morning as I had my velux window opened. Think I am going to have to forgo reading books in bed and go to sleep with my eye mask on - it's better for my hayfever as well as meaning I can sleep a bit later. Am going to switch to my lighter weight duvet too so I might be able to sleep with the window closed which would help too.

I didn't get that much useful done yesterday as within an hour of getting back from the outlet centre I went to the pub with my friends and we were out for about 6 hours. Indulged in one v small glass of red wine with my roast and otherwise had my soda water and lime. Still not really missing the drink and it definitely helps restrain my appetite as well as saving me from the rotten hangovers.

So, today is my day to get organised for the week ahead as it's another busy one. Tonight I will go to Ceroc and I may go on Wednesday too. Then on Thursday I have 42nd Street which one of the friends I met yesterday had taken his mum to last weekend and they loved it. Friday is dinner with a friend local to East Dulwich. I have a facial later today so that gives me a deadline to aim for in getting things done. Just hoping my Oasis order doesn't come too late in the day - though I could probably nip out and my neighbour take it in as she usually does - the joys of having shared exterior front door and a neighbour that works from home.

At least next weekend is fairly quiet at the moment, just planning to do the pub quiz on Sunday night and have booked for yoga on Saturday morning. I need to pack for my Easter weekend away - busy the week before Easter including the Thursday night and want to be away early on good Friday so need to be ready to just dump the bags in the car and go in the morning or I will forget something vital like my hiking boots!

My diary is a bit more sane after Easter and I need to keep it that way, so many nights out means I am too tired in the morning to do exercise before work and I want to tone up more now. Aim for a couple of nights at home during the week at least so I can be in bed early and get up and work out in the morning have prepared my lunch the previous day.

Anyway, those chores aren't going to do themselves so I had better get moving, have a great week fabbers xx

Ellsbel

Love reading your posts Indie, especially lately as your happiness and confidence shine through and it's very inspiring:)
For what it's worth, I definitely wouldn't be considering surgery on the basis of a comment from a shop assistant who was probably having a bad day and looking to make herself feel better by putting someone else down! Concentrate on all that's good and all you've achieved and forget that snippy comment - she's very very lucky that you didn't report her.
LL I agree that you have to focus on you and what makes you feel peaceful in yourself. I tend to agree with Maman in hoping that Sis doesn't bank on going back to what she had with you before, though; in a sense she's coming across like a naughty child who knows that she'll get away with her bad behaviour! Sorry if I'm overstepping the mark there.
I've had a busy weekend as I stepped in to keep an eye on an elderly relative whilst their carers went away for a couple of days break. It was no problem at all; it just involved a fair amount of driving back and forth. I managed to fit in going to the gym though and everything is always easier when the sun is shining.
Today I'm going to go to gym again and also take a look at what classes are on offer. As it's still bright and sunny I'm going to throw the windows open for a while and have a bit of a spring clean.
I got tickets for a couple of shows yesterday - both are for next month and I'm aiming to get myself a new outfit in a smaller size for when I go:) I ordered some new tops for the warmer weather yesterday, too - all in a smaller size; hope they fit!
Have a good day all.