Frump to Fab 2019 - Here We Go Again

maman

Welcome jules:wave:
I've been with the thread ever since LL started it and I feel so much better for it. You can't hope to tackle everything at once but what matters is that you do something, anything and use that achievement to spur you to the next step.

Joining the thread is a good first step.

Sounds like you've had a rough time of it lately but you can move forward and you're right that asking for help is the right way to go. You seem to have a good network of friends and family plus professionals so take advantage of whatever you can. I don't know if you're a list person but sometimes writing things down can help or even just posting on here. Try to achieve something every day and build on it. It could be as simple as a walk round the block or to the post box or to buy some milk. Getting out is good.

Well done on finishing the hard work in the dining room LL . Although woodwork is more fiddly it's less back breaking.

I'm unfamiliar with FIRE but I'm all for being savvy with money. I think one of the most important things is to recognise the difference between wants and needs.

I don't know of any actual offers on the Clarins beauty flash balm as I've managed to get mine 'free'. Every Mothers Day and Christmas there are gift sets available which are really good value. The gift sets cost the same as the serum and the beauty flash balm and a lip gloss come with it. I think there's also an extra points offer on at Boots this weekend too so that's the best value I'm aware of.

We've booked flights to go to Amsterdam for a few days at the end of the month so that's something to look forward to.

We're out for dinner tonight. I still don't think I'm ready for a jumper so may wear my wrap dress with a long sleeved top and leggings underneath and make up.

Wednesday2000

I started seriously reading about FIRE when my husband was ill with cancer. Luckily, thanks to this forum I decided to start overpaying our mortgage years ago and we were able to pay off our mortgage 10 years early.

I thought that if my husband had to lose his job due to cancer we could always move out of London and downsize to a flat, or even move to a much cheaper area and probably not have to downsize at all.

He has a very good pension from his job so he wants to be retired in about 5 years time, when he is 53 and I will be in my late forties.

We really need to get back on it though as we have been spending so much in the past year!:D:p

jules81 wrote: »

All I NEED to not obsess. I dont want to trigger anyone so I wont put numbers but been eating xxx cal and end up binging on xxxxx cal then purging. It's got to stop. I am going to order a book called overcome binge eating what the therapist reccomend-actual you know I might go in the city with mum mum. Something I haven't done for ages-I get v panicky and get it from waterstones ( was a £4 cheaper than Amazon with delivery) mum would like a coffee too. Plus would be a few steps.

I have heard of that book, it's meant to be good.xxx

maman wrote: »

We've booked flights to go to Amsterdam for a few days at the end of the month so that's something to look forward to.

Oh, fun!:)

jules81

Reading through all your posts I've got a lot to learn. A lot

1685 cals today. So a healthy amount. Feels good to not restrict or binge

Xxx

maman

jules81 wrote: »

Reading through all your posts I've got a lot to learn. A lot

But we didn't learn it all at once.:) I find it best to start one thing at a time and then when it's a habit, start something else as well then gradually build up a routine. I'm not saying I never slip (note to self, I haven't put foot cream on for a few days) but I have the basics that I do every singe day like my serum, moisturiser and eye cream and cleaning my teeth (like the hygienist taught me) and then other things that come with a pamper session. Clothes take longer but a cull of the wardrobe is always a good starting point.

jules81 wrote: »

1685 cals today. So a healthy amount. Feels good to not restrict or binge

Xxx

Well done.:T

I don't know if anyone saw the Lose a stone for Christmas programme. I watched it on catch up.
https://www.channel5.com/show/lose-a-stone-for-christmas-and-fit-into-your-party-frock/

It was mostly (GP monitored) crash diets to kick start weightloss but there was one young woman who mainly cut out added sugars and cooked from scratch. I think that was the most sustainable but the rubbish they ate beforehand was unbelievable. When did people start eating so many take aways?:eek:

I'm not sure if they deliberately made Ruth Langford look frumpy but I thought she did. It was possibly so she could empathise with the others but she had the drabbest of beige blouses on and very mumsy looking jeans that weren't flattering at all.

We had a good evening out for dinner with friends last night. In the end I wore my Zara maxi dress with the black layers underneath and felt good. I was tempted to wear my long, black suede boots but decided it wasn't yet cold enough.

I've been very lazy with shoes in the past few months more so since sandal weather stopped. All I seem to wear are my fake Skechers and occasionally black suede ballet pumps if I'm dressing up a bit.

Part of the problem was that the podiatrist advised me to wear orthotic insoles and I'm very limited to which shoes they will fit but while I'll wear them if I'm walking a lot I must try and wear others for 'car to bar' type occasions. I have several pairs of boots so I need to try them on again.

lessonlearned

I have dug my knee length boots out today .....first time since last winter. Winter is definitely on its way, Very cold here. I'm getting my new windows fitted on 21st November, looking forward to it. House should be much cosier.

Have a bit of dilemma. Car playing up and the garage can't look at it till 19th. I am going to conduct an experiment, see how I do without it for 11 days. Then see if it's worth shelling out more money to get it fixed again or whether I should just sell it.

I only do around 2k miles a year so tbh I don't really "need" a car, there are good transport links, I have a free bus pass and the occasional taxis wont break the bank. I now really loathe driving. I was never a keen motorist anyway, it has always been a chore but just lately my dislike of driving has got worse, I find it quite stressful at times. So for 2 pins I'd cheerfully never get behind the wheel again.

I won't make a decision just yet. I'll see how it goes.

Had a lovely afternoon with a friend, she made me a coconut cake, she's a fab baker. :rotfl:

Acupuncture this morning. Knee feeling much better these days.

I did start to watch that programme but because it seemed to be mainly about crash diets I didnt watch it all. I though Ruth looked a bit beige and bland....most unlike her.as you say maybe it was deliberate so as not to initimidate the other ladies.

I agree about takeaways......and how many people seem to eat out so regularly......not nice restaurants but fast food eateries. Our city and our surburbs are rammed with them. They do a roaring trade.

And I know this sounds outrageously snobby but oh dear I can still never get over how many people roam the streets stuffing their faces with junk food.......

I had it drilled into me that it was "common" :rotfl: to eat in the street, by both my parents and my school. Woe betide you if a prefect caught you.

Joan Collins once made a remake about how it was always fat people who ate in the street. Maybe she had a point, maybe there is a link between mindlessly grazing and being overweight.

One of the best dietary pieces of advice seems to be to actually sit down properly and pay attention to what you are eating because it helps you register that you have eaten iyswim.

I know if I eat on the go I never really feel satisfied and then I will pick and nibble because I still feel hungry.

maman

Good to hear from you LL . I've just been listening to the news about floods coming to your neck of the woods and hope it's just your poor shrubs that suffer.:(

We've definitely cut down on car use. When I gave up working full time we decided to see whether we still needed two cars. As they were parked behind each other in the drive, we noticed that we just took the one at the back and my car was used about 3 times in 6 months. So we got rid of one and resolved that if one of us was daft enough to get another full-time job:eek: then we could easily buy another.

This hasn't happened. We use public transport around the city and easily share the car when we need to go further afield. We couldn't manage without though as we have friends all over the county (particularly me as I didn't work locally) and often meet up in pubs and restaurants in villages which would be difficult to do without a car.

Because we live close to the University we have a choice of just about every takeaway known to man in our area. We have a Chinese about twice a year and I haven't even had fish and chips for ages. I love chips but I make my own. What mostly puts me off is that I know I won't stay slim eating junk but I can't believe how much money is wasted too. I don't particularly like pizza but I know they're far better value in the supermarket than from Domino's or wherever.

I read about a new Helen Mirren film called (I think) The Good Liar about an Internet dating con man. It looks interesting. Have you seen it sugarbaby ?

lessonlearned

I watched the local news earlier, it's pretty bad further north of the county. Apparently a months worth of rain in a day. And of course the rain has to go somewhere. So far the River Derwent is ok but the ground is saturated. And the local farmers can't plant anything, so it's not just me and my spring bulbs. :rotfl:

Touch wood, since the course of river was altered we haven't had major flooding for decades now but the city was often regularly flooded. I can remember serious flooding in the 60s and early 70s.

My eldest son lives in the city centre, near the river and there is currently a major programme under way to further strengthen flood defences. Not sure how far advanced the work is, its a major project. Sometimes, on our walks, I take my grandson to watch "the diggers" (Excavators). Like most little boys he loves them. :rotfl:

Hopefully both my sons house and the rest of city centre should be ok. There is some low lying land dotted round the outskirts, especially to the west (where the river flows in) but there are several designated flood plains which have never been built on or farmed, just used for summer grazing. They are often under water in the winter but so far they do seem to have been successful at containing excess water.

When I was house hunting I was tempted by a sweet little cottage in one of the villages on the south side......until I checked with the environment agency....... It is a gorgeous village but it sits at the confluence of three rivers:eek: that area is notorious for flooding. I passed on that one.

Apparently it's been a particularly wet autumn. Not sure if it can be attributed to global warming - it's still too early to say really. One wet autumn isn't really enough to establish a true picture. It could be nature just rebalancing because for the last couple of years we havent had enough rain and the reservoirs were seriously depleted. I went to Carsington Water in August and I had never seen the water levels so low. I didn't go but apparently Lady Bower was the same.

Apparently we get a respite over the weekend but more rain on the way next week. So who knows ......

I'm looking forward to "The Good Liar". I also fancy "The Aeronaut".

Just checked the website......they have closed the floodgates and shut off some roads.......

chanie

I hope everyone is safe if there is flooding.

We are a two car family. We could probably just about cope with 1 car, but our lives are stressful enough as it is and having two cars takes a lot of pressure off. When the children no longer need taxiing around as much, I’d definitely consider going down to one car.

Using some of my birthday money, I bought a new purse from eBay, which arrived today (saving £60). It’s smaller than my current purse, but I have culled a lot of unused storecards and downloaded others to apps. My handbag feels so much lighter and more spacious.

Wednesday2000

maman wrote: »

But we didn't learn it all at once.:) I find it best to start one thing at a time and then when it's a habit, start something else as well then gradually build up a routine.

I totally agree with Maman .

I am a tomboy at heart so I have had to take the advice of the gorgeous women on here.:A

I tried redoing my wardrobe, trying to shape up and lose some weight and then doing things likes pampering. Bubble baths, body lotions, feet cream etc... All nice things as we all deserve this for ourselves.xxx

Wednesday2000

chanie wrote: »

I hope everyone is safe if there is flooding.

Oh yes, of course.:grouphug: