Look Good, Feel Good

I don't know if anyone else would be interested in a thread like this..?

A few of us are losing weight or getting fitter and I am having a bit of an image change - changing my style and focusing on making a little bit more effort so I wondered if anyone else would be interested in logging the improvements their making to themselves? A little bit like the motivation thread but for ourselves rather than our homes. Please feel free to join in.

In the past week to get the ball rolling I have -

got rid of some clothes I never wear and a pair of jeans that I used to love but are now too small and would taunt me from my wardrobe and make me feel depressed every time I saw them!

had my hair cut.

bought a new top and a new dress. Both casual enough to wear day to day but also nice enough for nipping out for coffee or something like that.

bought a new shower gel rather than sharing Dan's.

This week I might buy a hair colour for a bit of a change

I think hair colour is great. I dont get rid of things that are too small i leave them there and hope i can get into them lol.

Yeah, I used to do that but I found that seeing the small stuff there was just making me feel bad yet not motivating me to do anything about it so they had to go! They came to represent something really negative to me which is just a ridiculous set of things to project onto an item of clothing . I've been wearing dresses and skirts all weekend and it feels great. I think I'm going to do that more often.

I told AlecEiffel that I had just got some new tops, as everything else was so scruffy or too small. THat really felt better. I'm a wig wearer, just got some new ones, a while ago, but they need a bit of alteration. My old ones were really scruffy as well, trying to just wear them at home now. Got one of them fixed up so it fits better, now need to do the others.

Also want to colour what's left of my natural hair, so it doesn't show a bit of salt and pepper round the edge Will also make an attempt to tint my lashes and brows before my holiday. Nails get done (by me, with Shellac) once a fortnight or so, will need doing in a day or two and before we go away.

It's easy to be lazy about these things!

Hi PI,

You're right, it is easy to get lazy. It's like a bit of a gradual slide too so you don't really notice then one day there you are!

I don't wear make up or nail varnish or anything like that but I do look after my skin, shape my nails and all that stuff so that's ok, couple pay a little more attention to my nails though so I'll add that to my list of things to focus on. And I must remember to put some body lotion on when I've had a shower. I'll concentrate on those two things for this week.

I love having my hair dyed dark, but it's annoying because when my hair is dyed, the natural curl falls out and I end up with frizzy, annoying hair instead of my nice tumbly curls... so I have to choose, natural colour (not bad but gets boring) and my lovely curls, or nice interesting colour and hard to deal with frizz. and yes, this is a temporary dye not even a permenant one!

I sometimes use makeup basically so I don't get so many "are you ok?" comments. I'm very, very pale and my lips are often white or slightly purple due to a minor heart thing, so on the days I look like a zombie I tend to put a little lipstain and blush on!!! nobody notices it's not natural, and I feel better.... and for the natural effect, I am willing to pay for good lipstains. my favorite is bourjois.

the past few weeks though, I've just not made any effort.

Well I've managed to grow nails , not really tried it just happened , never had nails I've always had peeling and thin nails and given up trying to grow them, I've now got to get a file thingy to shape them seems a bit odd at 45 not knowing what to do with them.

Ikwym flibsey, I am super pale too! It was very useful when I was goth - saved on white face powder, lol.

Dolly - have you changed your diet or anything that your nails have grown? My nails are nice now, they used to split and peel all the time, but I still keep them short as I'm not all that good at shaping them, so short and neat is good enough for me. I do like seeing other people with beautiful long nails though. There's a shop assistant in the town who has the most gorgeous designs on her nails, she must spend a lot of time on them.

Forgot to ask - where do you buy your clothes and shoes from? Is it mainly from clothes swaps/charity shops/car boots/make them yourself or do you buy stuff from other places in the main? If so which shops are your favourites?

Not changed my diet alec, it all seems a bit odd, noticed a change in Sept so would of thought a change of diet or whatever would of been months back due to the growth rate from the base.

do people prefer summer or winter dressing?

I prefer winter dressing. I like layering up, wearing scarves and stuff like that. I'm really pale skinned so I tend to keep covered up so I find it harder to look nice when it's warmer. How about you?

summer here

having my hair done this Thursday.

I painted my nails last night - for the first time in many months - a festive purple colour.

I will be going on a health kick in the new year too.

I'm a winter dresser too. I find summer difficult, as I get too hot and too cold. Wig makes me really hot sometimes.

I got onto my own body maintenance last week. I decided it should be a priority and not get done if there was time after everything else. Tinted my eyebrows and lashes, (very) quick facial, legs waxed nails done. Felt better of course.

What a good idea AE!

I can't promise I'll be as motivated as I can be with the house but I do need to take more care of myself. With feeling so yuck since August when I found out I was pregnant, I have kind of given up on myself in respect of pampering etc. I just don't feel worth it which I know is a bit sad

I have improved my diet of late as in the early weeks, I could barely sip water without vomiting. Then, when my appetite improved, I just wanted sugary stuff like chocolate. So I've been snacking on raisins, apples, bananas, yoghurt, banana chips, dried cranberries...I know there is a fair amount of sugar in some of those, but it's better than cakes, chocolate and empty calories. My focus is on what is good for the baby right now, then after Spring I will gradually attempt to lose the weight. I'm all bump mind you, so not worried about bum legs or hips (at least not at the moment!), but my tummy will probably be a horrible, pouchy mess like last time

I think I'll have a lovely soak in the bath when DH is up as I hardly ever do that and I have a lovely Lush Magic Wand to use to create bubbles and pink water Must remember to moisturise when I get out as I keep forgetting that recently, and I've got quite itchy, sensitive skin just now, another joy of pregnancy I believe.

I'm planning on having my hair cut and coloured in February, as I won't have much time once baby arrives. I occasionally use a face mask at night, and deep condition my hair - I've probably managed to keep up with these fortnightly- ish.

Must prioritise this a little more, I seem to spend all my time running around after everyone else and by the time I think of me, all I can think is 'sleep'!

I don't think it has to take much, it's just what makes you feel good, doesn't have to be a complex thing. I don't do my nails or wear make up or anything like that. Just make the effort to be neat and tidy, walk round with a smile and slap some body moisturiser on!

I can't believe no-one bought me toiletries this year! It must be the first time since about 1989 My mum bought a really nice box set of stuff for Dan but I didn't get so much as a soap on a rope - going to have to buy my own this time round

LOL @ the toiletries thing. I always get shower stuff from my MIL. Usually Dove, but last year it wasn't. This year it came for my birthday just before Christmas rather than with Christmas bundle.

I got Wii Zumba for Christmas , so hoping this will help me be more active. Nails desperate to be done!

I know someone who has the Wii zumba and really enjoys it, let us know how you get on with it.

I think I'm going to have to nip into the town and treat myself to a reduced gift set if there's one about the place!