Frump to Fab 2024

FreetodoasIlike

@helensbiggestfan I’ve been searching a while for silk tops and I do think you’re right in trying to buy vintage. I landed lucky with my connection with the dress agency but alas that has now gone. 

Good luck with your dental appointment. I go next week to see the hygienist and the mid-March to see the implant consultant to see I’d they have knitted with the bone - fingers crossed. This is the first time I have had a bone graft - my other six implants were fine. It’s just amazing what they can do these days. Years ago, we would have had to wear dentures. Not that there’s anything wrong with dentures, but I had to wear a front plate for several months and I was so happy and grateful to get rid of it.

thepurplepixie

@FreetodoasIlike My GS loves my airfryer.  I'm thinking of buying him to take to uni in September.  Not a 2 drawer like mine just a smaller one.  I've got a set of racks for mine with skewers and he makes all sorts of kebabs so I think I need to include  a set of those as well.

FreetodoasIlike

Hi @thepurplepixie My OH’s grandson turned 18 last week and hopefully will go to Uni in September. I only have a very small air fryer, but when he visited just before his birthday, he loved it. Your racks sound SO interesting. Would they be suitable for a small air fryer? May I ask, where did you get them from?

FreetodoasIlike

@Makingabobor2 Thank you so much for sending me the useful exercise link. It is well worth checking out. This looks just what I need to get myself started.

Makingabobor2

FreetodoasIlike said:

@Makingabobor2 Thank you so much for sending me the useful exercise link. It is well worth checking out. This looks just what I need to get myself started.

Hope you find it useful. I was unsure to start with, but after the first month I thought it was well worth it, as if I went out a class it would cost me about £5 a time, but for £15 I can do as much as I like. Also, no one can see you, so you can be in your PJs, or whatever you like and do the classes whenever suits you. If you start one and don't  like it, you can try a different one. She is such a lovely motivational lady as well, and from what I can gather, most of her group are of more "mature years", which is why I fit in so well...lol

helensbiggestfan

Good Morning Lovely Ladies.  

How are we all, still fabbing I hope.😉.  

Well I have now completed my 30 day caffeine free challenge. So how was it, was it worth it and will I make this a permanent change.  

First the withdrawal process.  It took longer and was more difficult than I had anticipated.  I knew i would have headaches, stomach cramps etc but there were some unexpected symptoms that took me by surprise.  The first few days were horrendous, especially day 3.  The headaches were ferocious, nausea, flu like symptoms,  exhaustion.  It was only my sheer bloody mindedness and obstinacy that kept me going.  Then on week 2 I developed a productive cough and masses of catarrh. Nasty.  Obviously the body's way of cleansing itself. Thankfully all withdrawal symptoms have now ceased.  I constantly listened to you tube videos by both medics and ex caffeine addicts for inspiration and motivation. I think that helped me stay on track.  

Now the good stuff.  

I am sleeping really well, at least 7 hrs straight.  I know it's good quality sleep because I'm dreaming again so obviously getting some deep sleep. I don't think I've slept properly in years.  I now wake up feeling alert and refreshed.  Previously, whilst drinking caffeine, I would wake up feeling tired, "hungover" and I couldn't begin to function without my first cup of coffee. Worst still I drank it on an empty stomach, which obviously didn't help my IBS.  My IBS flare ups are now less frequent and are usually caused by over indulgence on wheat.  GERD is so much better too. 

I no longer wake up feeling anxious.  I no longer have mild anxiety induced heart palpitations, I haven't had a costochondria incident in the last 3 weeks.  I wake up feeling serene and content. I am calmer and less prone to stress. The science bit........caffeine increases the production of cortisol, the stress hormone.  

I have had far fewer headaches and even seem to be experiencing slightly less muscle and joint pain.   Hopefully that will continue to improve.  My skin seems clearer,  has a better colour and I look less tired and haggard.  Reducing sugar has also contributed to my skin looking better.  

So all in  all I would say the experiment has been a success. 😁. I wont say I will never drink regular caffeinated coffee ever again, however it will be an occasional treat rather than a regular daily occurrence, probably restricted to when I go somewhere and caffeine free isn't an option.  

So now it's time for my next challenge........shift that 2.5 stones and start exercising properly.  My target is 1 stone at least by my birthday (July) and then take it from there.  It starts today.  My air fryer has arrived so I need to get to grips with that today.  

I have booked a hair appt for tomorrow, hopefully that will give me a boost and lessen the "bag lady" look.  I am determined to do this. I really want to lose half a stone before the weather warms up.  I don't want to go into spring wearing layers of clothes to hide my body. I have some lovely clothes which I can't wear and I'm sick of wearing the same old baggy, oversized shapeless unflattering garments because they are the only things which fit me.  

So it's ....onwards and upwards, remembering the elephant and the power of the compound effect.  

The butterfly will emerge from the chrysalis.......😂.  

Wednesday2000

helensbiggestfan said:

 I haven't had a costochondria incident in the last 3 weeks.  

I just had a flare up of that the other weekend when I was out at a family party, very annoying. I don't drink coffee that much at all so I have no idea what triggered it. I'm glad you are feeling better off caffeine. it definitely seems like a very positive change for you.

helensbiggestfan

Wednesday. .  They aren't pleasant at all are they.  

Having bragged about not having one for a while I've just had a mild attack this afternoon.  Serves me right, lol.  No coffee but did have some pasta, but not wheat based. It was a pea based one.  Sometimes you just can't figure out the reason.  Didn't enjoy the pasta and ended up chucking most of it away. Lol. Wont bother again,  I bought several non wheat varieties to try, so far not very impressed.  

Went to a chazza this morning.  Picked up a gorgeous dark blue velvet Next jacket and a flower print satin kimono style dressing gown.  Bargains.  

Makingabobor2

Hope you're feeling ok now

Ypu must live in a very affluent area. The CSs round here seem to be rubbish and I have to go a lot further to towns miles away to get any nice stuff. 

helensbiggestfan

It's easing off now thanks. Took a soluable asprin and just resting.  

Re todays chazza........not an especially affluent area as such, just a nice average suburb where I currently live. Lol. 

 I do find that charity shops vary so much, even when they are part of the same chain.  I think you need to visit them regularly because the good stuff does get snapped up very quickly.  

I know the standard advice is to stick to the more affluent areas to find really nice clothes, especially if you want designer labels but I seem to find some of my best buys in some of the less affluent areas too.  

 I've picked up some lovely things from a less than salubrious neighbourhood a couple of miles away.  (I'm being polite in my description of the area.😂). Let's just say I wouldn't visit alone after dark.......There are about 4 charity shops there and I've been astounded at some of the things I've found.  A lot of the stuff is rubbish but i have been lucky to find some really high quality vintage items from there. There seems to be two distinct demographics there  There are older people who have lived there decades, since when the area was not quite so run down and who obviously bought really good quality clothes. Then there are the younger set who tend to favour cheap fast fashion and fake designer labels so their donations tend to be much lower quality. A lot of it really is only fit for recycling but I guess the charity shops there just have to try and sell as much as they can.  

And who am I to judge.  The younger ones probably think my taste in vintage and classic styling is old fashioned and boring.....

For most of last year I bought very little because i thought a lot of the stock was just high priced tat but maybe that's just me being snobbish. Ha ha. . It's only the last couple of weeks that I've struck lucky and found things that I've really liked.  I also  think they have been forced to review their pricing policy due to the economy.  I am seeing a lot more reductions and sale rails.  

As you know we are now officially in recession but I think people have been struggling for a while now and even charity shops have been struggling so they have been forced to cut their prices.  

The blue velvet jacket was £5, reduced from £10 so I was well chuffed.  😁