Frump to Fab 2018 - Fabulous Dahhhhlings

lucywillow

Good Morning Ladies,

Pouring down with rain here in London. Quite chilly too. As I don't have anywhere particular I have to be today & housework etc. is more or less up to date I'm going to use the time to read Dr Chatterjee's 4 Pillar Plan that I bought a couple of months ago after seeing it recommended on this thread ( by Indiepanda I believe).

Sugarbaby Hope your review is dealt with promptly. I find your resilience to life's difficulties inspirational. I myself need to follow your lead as all too often I let a minor setback derail me.

On the fabbing front I'm doing OK. Booked a hair appointment last Friday with a pricier salon than I usually use. My regular hairdresser left a couple of years ago and since then I've not really found anyone I'm happy with. My hair is the one thing that makes me feel fab or drab depending on the cut.I bit the bullet & thankfully it's the best cut I've ever had. Not only that but the salon is in a beautiful old building with beams and there was a really relaxed and friendly atmosphere. A lot of salons in London you feel like you're not quite good enough to darken their doors unless you've had a makeover first!:rotfl:
Also bought a new pedometer too keep track of my step count but I wont be testing that until the deluge eases off!

Hope the weather cheers up for the Easter half term as I'm hoping to take my 13 yr old DD on a few days out. I don't drive so I need to check whether there is major engineering works on the railways before we decide where to go.

Hope everyone has a great day. Stay cosy!

moneyistooshorttomention

Been reading along with this recently. See LL - I do listen to you sometimes:rotfl:

My eye has definitely "gone off the ball" since moving here. So much time/effort had to be devoted to renovating the house and the workmen here are such (ie even the locals fall round the floor laughing at the thought of the local workmen here ever being reliable:cool:) that it's all taken much more time/effort than it should have done and distracted from My Life.

House now finished - finally! So back to My Life in full swing.

I can tell I've become more unfit since the move - courtesy of all the times I decided to go for a walk and couldnt (because of either workmen or the weather here). So I think that's priority.

I've found the Leslie Sansone power walking videos on YouTube - and, fortunately, she's done quite a few:). So for those days where the weather is too offputting/or I don't have the time to "go for a walk" as such = I shall do one of hers. Been doing it for a few days now daily (on non-walk days) and already taken myself up from doing a "1 mile one" to doing a "2 mile one". So the plan is to ensure I have at least either:
- a 2 mile power walk video and at least 1 mile walking to/from daily things I'm doing

OR
- a 3 mile power walk video

OR
- a walk per se (of around 5 miles)

That way - I should get in the 10,000 steps daily.

I thought I'd give myself a few days to get into the swing of that/do last bits of house titivating and then add in trying that Japanese Long Breathing I can see there on YouTube. It's supposed to have caused the founder of it to lose 2 stones weight he needed to lose in 7 weeks without any other alteration to his life. Well - at, say, 10 minutes a day for that = it should be worth giving it a go and see if it works. Has anyone on here tried it?

For a change from power walking videos - I made a note of dance fit videos on YouTube (by POPSUGAR Fitness). They also seem to have quite a few - and I could do with learning some new dance moves.

Also taken note of the yoga videos mentioned on this thread - Yoga with Adriene.

So the plan is to work my way up to:
- daily walking of some description or other
and
- daily yoga session
and
- daily Japanese breathing (either until it's worked or I've decided it doesn't work for people - whichever comes first)

Food has had quite a revamp and am temporarily changed from healthy vegetarian to super-healthy "veering on vegan" as well to lose that extra 2 stone.

***********

A question here re height shrinkage as one gets older:
I know I've lost a bit of height (darn it). I was fine with being 5'4" that I used to be. I suspect I'm now shorter - as I've had to take up my jeans by 1" and then take them up again another 1". So that's 2" I've probably lost and it must be off my legs then.

If I've lost height off my legs - then, presumably, I won't also have lost it off my midriff area? - and I should expect to be able to get my normal waist size back again once those surplus 2 stones have gone??

I'm supposed to be 36-26-36 and weigh 8.5 stones (as I'm medium build). Thankfully - I made a note of my size and weight back when I was correct size/weight - so I do at least know what I should be.

So - the question is:
- If people have lost height off their leg lengths - then do they also lose height off their middle area?
- If so - would it mean the waist being bigger than it should be (ie even at correct weight?

EDIT; I've long wondered too whether I should adjust my "proper weight figure" downwards from 8stone, 7 lbs to 7 stone 13 lbs (ie knock off 8 lbs weight for being 2" shorter - as it's 4 lbs extra weight per extra inch of height that indicates what weight one should be). Yep - I use the old height/weight tables - as I've noticed people allow themselves to be 1stone - 2 stone heavier in the 2010's and guess the reason for that is going by BMI instead.

lessonlearned

Good morning lovely ladies

Sashy ....ouch to the finger, hope it heals soon.

Lucy....I am with you on the hair. It really can make or break how fab I feel. I really need to get mine sorted, alas I cannot seem to find a hairdresser I am happy with either. The search continues......:rotfl:

Well I have no idea what is wrong with me but I feel dreadful again. Actually that is not strictly true, I know I have fibro, issues with my adrenals and my thyroid etc. Sometimes I feel ok (just) and then days like today I just feel wiped out.

I read the thread about vitamin B12 with interest. Googled (yes I know Dr Google is dangerous :rotfl:) and it transpires I have every single symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency.

That makes sense because I spent 10 years taking stomach medication which suppresses stomach acid......apparently we cannot absorb vitamin B12 without stomach acid. Catch 22.That explains an awful lot.

I WILL get better.

Fabwise.....I treated myself to some new make up from Kiko. I do like their stuff, it seems to suit my skin and it is moderately priced.

I also bought myself a new Fitbit watch gizmo. My old one broke. I rang the manufacturer and they wanted £70 to fix it. My new one which has more features cost less than £70. A sign of the times when it is cheaper to buy a new watch than repair one. Madness. No wonder we have become such a throw-away society.

It is a bit chilly here too, although I really need to try and manage a short walk, even if it is just 10 minutes. Gentle walking does help my knee and it also helps me control my sugar levels. So even if it is cold I need to make the effort.

lessonlearned

Hi Money......glad you have joined us.

You ask an interesting question about height loss.

My understanding is that it is largely down to natural shrinkage of the spine, more properly the cartiledge in between the spinal discs, so therefore it is our mid section which is likely to be the cause of shrinkage, not the legs. To my knowledge the legs do not get shorter.

Also as we get older our muscles can shrink, often due to inactivity.

This is why yoga, Taichi and Pilates are so good for us. Not only do they strengthen the core.....ie the middle section of the body, they also keep the muscles flexible. Pilates in particular elongates the muscles and so will help mitigate muscle shrinkage and stiffening. A stiff muscle is a short muscle.

I know I bang on about posture. But good posture can really help slow down shrinkage. I have mentioned this before but my father was an ex military man. Right until the end he had a soldiers bearing and stood tall and straight. He was 90 when he died and had probably only lost about 1 inch from his 6ft height.

My FIL by comparison was originally around 5ft 9 and is now less than 5 Feet. He is 96 now. I noticed he started shrinking in his 70s. I think this was down to his largely sedentary lifestyle, whereas my father remained active most of his life, walking, gardening and diy. .

Exercise is key......walking is great because it is weight bearing so will help keep bones strong. Dancing has the same effect. So ideally our exercise should include both weight bearing and stretching, as well as cardio.

So whilst some shrinking is perhaps inevitable as we age I think we can slow it down through exercise, good posture and just remaining active. Supplements such as fish oils, calcium, vitamin d can also help us wage war against the ravages of time. Glucosomaine can also help maintain healthy cartiledge.

Money.....a word of warning about strict vegan and vegetarian diets. You can deplete your Vit B12 levels if you are not careful, perhaps a supplement might be beneficial.

moneyistooshorttomention

Thanks LL - I do take a Vit B12 supplement and kelp and Vitamin D Complex - so I think I'm covered.

Wow! - about 9" shrinkage:eek::eek: That is a lot. I had assumed it was a uniform amount for everyone and that we all lost a uniform, say, 3" - 4". I didn't realise this variability thing came into it. So - that's useful new info to have for me.

I am trying to get my posture right too - I've been quite horrified at a couple of recent sideways on glances. So I'm working on getting that back to normal too.

maman

Ouch! That was really bad luck getting an infected finger sashy. Hope it clears up very soon.:)


I have shellac on my nails oneday. The way it lasts is absolutely amazing. I had mine done 3 weeks ago and other than a bit of new growth they still look great. I have them done in one of those cheap and cheerful Vietnamese nail bars so it costs about £20.


moneyistooshorttomention (Wow! that's a mouthful. May I call you MM?), thanks for the tips on the youtube videos. Both interest me so I'll have a look when I can.


I finished a book yesterday. It was a bit of chick lit not worthy of recommendation but I'm pleased I made myself finish it. I'm hopeless at reading for pleasure unless I'm sitting on a sunlounger! I've just got one book left (passed on to me) but after Easter I really must hit the CS and start choosing some for summer. I particularly like historical fiction (especially Georgian or Victorian) or Travel Fiction (i.e. like Victoria Hislop type), Aga Saga type books or many Irish authors of the Maeve Binchy or more recent style to relax with. Any recommendations I'd be pleased to hear.:)


lucy, it's not just engineering works but I believe that there might be railway strikes over Easter too.:( I'm going to Brighton and although car parking charges are ridiculous I'm not risking going by train.


I've noticed that Kiko have a shop in Brighton LL so I'm going to take a look. If I'm extravagant I'll blame you!! :DI definitely need eye cream. I was going to save some money by going to Body Shop but I'm undecided.


Off out for supper and then to the theatre later. It'll make up for the meal postponed for one of the snow days. It's clearing up here now but a bit colder than yesterday. I might stick to black jeans and one of my new Red Herring jumpers.

Floss

Maman I like Cathy Kelly, Patricia Scanlan and Marcia Willett, also Erica James, Millie Johnson, Sheila O'Flanagan & Marian Keyes.

lessonlearned

Yes shrinkage can vary.....my Belgian Aunt was initially around 5ft 3in and quite - er hem - Bonny. She is now 90. She is now probably around 4ft 6 and is positively skeletal. She is like a tiny little bird. She looks like a gust of wind would finish her off. She is currently in hospital (again) and I think this is probably it. I doubt she will see another winter.

Yes, work on the posture. It really is important, if only to avoid the dreaded dowagers hump. :eek: I know I nag you all on this one.....

I watched a programme about the Queen last night. Now I realise that she has all the benefits of a private physician on tap but she is remarkably fit. Just a slight curvature of the upper torso and a bit of a forward jut to the head so obviously some stiffness there but not really a hump. I know she was always small but there does not appear to be a lot of shrinkage and she moves well. Prince Phillip has shrunk a lot recently and seems to be frail these days.

moneyistooshorttomention

Yes - I've noticed the change in her over the years.

Imo she used to be very attractive/slim/etc and I'd seen the extra weight and stooped posture and that is quite depressing (as one thinks "If - with all her money etc - she has gone like that = how do we avoid it with our much lower incomes?"

Maybe I ought to make a permanent note of those women that look a LOT younger than they are - ie because their appearance hasn't changed for the worse in the slightest in 20 years plus. Try not to think "Well - none of them are British - so maybe they've got different genes that are causing them to stay looking so good?" and remember my distinct suspicions that we are one of the nations where a high proportion of us "let ourselves go" as we get older.

It is astonishing/horrifying to hear just how many in my agegroup talk about "WHEN I get less able to manage/health not so good/etc" and I'm there mentally changing the word "when" to "if". Honestly - anyone would think it's inevitable for everyone the way the average British person talks once they get to this agegroup...

There are some things (with the best will in the world) that come along and "throw a curveball" - but it isn't inevitable...

lessonlearned

I actually think the queen is in good nick. Not a Hollywood beauty of course but strong and healthy, which is really what counts. YEs she has been accused of being a bit matronly at times but She is natural and comfortable in her skin. I always thought that Nancy Reagan, whilst well preserved, did actually look a bit artificial and freakishly young.

I think a little weight and a slightly rounded back are perfectly ok for a woman her age. She walks unaided and other than some stiffness in the neck she seems to move well. According to the programme she still rides horses........ brave lady.

And unlike the great Hollywood stars and beauties, Jane Fonda, Racquel Welch, Sophia Loren etc, dear old Lillibet has not had plastic surgery. So, when we look at pictures of movie stars, society women and rich europhiles who seem to hold back the years with ease never forget that they have often been helped by an army of aestheticians, nutritionists and personal trainers.

Do not be fooled - even the likes of our own home grown timeless beauties such as Helen Mirren and Joanna Lumley and every mans sweetheart, Felicity Kendall have all had a little help here and there. Nothing wrong with that. But it is perhaps better not to measure ourselves against such perfection.

Re weight......I genuinely think that it is a mistake to try and capture the weight we were in our youth. I think we can be too thin. A little padding fills out the wrinkles......:rotfl: as Joan Collins says sometimes it is better to carry a little extra weight on the body so that our faces do not look too drawn and gaunt.

Plus there is a bonus to having a little extra poundage. As we age and become more susceptible to infections, flu and pneumonia it takes a little longer to bounce back from illness. At such times a little extra does give a fighting edge.

Just my opinion of course.