Decided to have a chit-chat on here.
Used to go to a lot of female bonding parties when I lived in Manchester, we had a friend from London who was either middle or upper class who used to organise them, then I enrolled on a performance/community art course she recommended and met more friends and had more of these type of parties.
Really miss doing those as you could chit-chat for hours about female topics without men getting bored with you.
They were encouraged to do men’s things from football matches to outdoorsy type sports that women tend not to like unless they are faking it because they fancy one of them.
Perfume Junky
This has become more focussed which means less shopping but am starting to learn more about the showcased perfume of the week.
Quite enjoy this as I have to think a bit more.
Have to say I can shop, but was buying maybe too much if it is going to be every week.
Slimming Calendar
Since Jane’s July, feel like I’m starting to get somewhere, hope you are too.
Before I felt like I had to aim for a small waist and large bust, (which isn’t going to happen as God didn’t make me that way), now I’m back on target with old goals that are more achievable.
The August Wonder Woman Challenge has got me, fitter, without realising what was happening.
pinterest.co.uk/saphireblack/slim-cal-overflow/august-challenge
(Still time to join in!!!)
I’m fitter now so I guess that is it and I’m really glad and happy!!!
Hope you are experiencing the same phenomenon.
If not, this comes around again next year or just try the end-of-the-month challenges.
August Exercise/spa balance
If you are doing what I’m doing hope you are enjoying your days off again!!
Have not only reintroduced spa days but also de-clutter days and home organisation.
If you have just found this and want to try it, will be doing A September Exercise routine as well as The slimming calendar Japanese September.
If you missed the August challenge, I’m putting a few of the bite-size pieces in the September challenge ~ (which is what I’m choosing from the collage video. I just choose weights, strength, and cardio 3 x a week and then rest the other 4 days. Every month hope to up it a little bit to get a boost and encourage slimming and toning), if you are fitter or fancy something different in September just subscribe to Collage Video, who upload exciting workout videos for you to create your perfect home gym.
Just click the link below and subscribe for regular updates.
Will be doing Lesley Sansone Walking in September on one of my days as noticed this Saturday she is using hand weights. Finally got some so eager to try them. Got them from Asda, if you want to do this for the next month, you should be able to get some hand weights now.
Product description
Pair – All sizes come in pair. Ideal for home workouts, walking, jogging, core training, cross training, aerobics, gym and many other fitness workouts. Adjustable – With oversized Velcro pad, the weights are super easy to put on and off. Full adjustable to fit ankle, wrist, arm or your leg. Approx 28x12x3cm. Outer fabric: SBR, Iron filling
groceries.asda.com/product/fitness-accessories/george-home-weights
Eager to learn how to use them properly ~ September is looking good!!!
As August is about backs, (learned our core strength is very important for back health), decided to focus on abs for September.
Finally able to do some ab work without it hurting.
If anything hurts stop and go back to quick fit. This helps strengthen everything then you can try again or just stick with quick fit. Collage Video uploads different quick-fit videos so you can change your quick-fit routine each month.
Also if anything hurts seek help from your Doctor!!!
They will probably encourage you to keep exercising, to be honest, I hurt quite a lot on my way back to fitness and have realised you are definitely better correcting posture and getting your abs strong to protect your back.
If you look at fitness experts as they get older, they never look their age.
This is my inspiration that is keeping me going if I’m honest. I will probably never look as good as them, but if I have my health for the rest of my life I would prefer that to how ill I have been.
Some people seem against exercise at the moment as the famous fitness experts are so attractive, but if I was employing people to work on a channel I would choose people who filmed well, it is obvious?
You also need people who communicate well ~ sort of the ABC of film production?
The ‘true meaning’ of the ‘best’.
Hopefully, normality will be resumed soon, meanwhile, I will keep doing this and then leave it on Pinterest for future reference.
End-of-month Slimming Calendar Party
This month is the summer Holiday Abroad Party.
The food is a 70’s buffet, Greek, Spanish or Italian.
Suppose we just have to try our best with what is out there at the moment, but hopefully next year food will be back.
Ultimately we will all be abroad on holiday, but have found a few recipes I would like to try when food comes back.
It has been decided we are doing Italian, so I think I might opt for Italian salad, garlic bread, and hopefully Cinzano. Was going to do pasta, but you should use fresh pasta if you are slimming, but we can’t get that or cook it as our extractor fan has gone.
Not sure if you can get Italian desserts anymore, quite like tiramisu.
We aren’t sweet people anyway.
Would like some alcohol though.
If we could cook here would like to try Greek or Spanish for a change.
Using up products with a bit left in, even though it has been tested, finding a new meaning to getting to the bottom of the pan ~ sell buy dates of food and beauty.
I remember tutorials that used to tell you to get to the bottom of the pan before you ordered more makeup, then other ones teaching you how to make more storage if you could afford loads of product.
This month I’ve discovered a new reason to get to the bottom of the pan ~ sell-by dates.
They used to tell you it was just a guide, but a lately I’m not sure about food.
Been very aware of sell-by dates on food of late, which brought me to do an inventory of my makeup and spa products.
Serious blue chip error with sell-by-date font size on beauty products
For some reason, manufacturers started printing directions for products too small to read.
By printing the sell-by date too small they are actually losing out on sales?
Makeup and spa products go off, so we should use them up before ordering new stuff. Equally, if you have something old in storage that has gone off, you are better off throwing it away and getting a new one.
The sell-by date is therefore a great selling point surely?
Printing it in the right font size benefits everyone.
I recently had a few skin problems and realise now it was possibly from using bacteria-infected makeup.
Before you throw all your old makeup away, I’d advise you either repurchase a new one or keep the colours so you can match them up to a new product if your colours ever come back into fashion.
In fact, don’t get to the bottom of a pan that is past its sell-by date.
Another reason to use up old products before you test new products.
If you put them into storage, they take up valuable space and also go off.
Even someone with loads of storage doesn’t want old product cluttering up their space, to be honest.
Hope this inspires you and manufacturers to change the font sizes back to being easy to read.
Getting back into old clothes as a guide when there hasn’t been actual weight loss
My weight has been plateauing for months now, but I’m told it is probably muscle mass, which weighs more than non-muscle mass.
Bit annoying, but I’m keeping on with it hoping this to be true.
Yesterday I noticed my sports bra could get a few socks down it like the wrongly sold bras of post covid.
It is a brilliant quality pre-COVID sports bra for women with small busts.
It dawned on me to tighten the straps, and I find I can get a bit more wear out of it now.
Before I filled it and had to have the straps on the loosest fitting.
Losing weight from your bust first, when it may not be the area you want to lose it from
Remember reading about this in a sports magazine.
Sadly it can be the first area you lose weight from.
Most women these days are under pressure to have a double d bust, so I think this was one of the obstacles holding me back from really going for it.
The last time this happened I remember it made my problem area look worse.
I did go on to lose weight everywhere though and I personally felt more comfortable with a skinny look.
If you aren’t ready to opt for a skinny look or don’t want one, you need to look for a program that doesn’t fat burn but is more target toning.
I did that for years if I’m honest, but this month I have decided to go for the skinny look.
I’m not sure I go totally skinny, but I’ve learned what it all is now.
For me, it means I can get into size 8 clothes as my measurements balance out better.
If you are an hourglass, you might not need to loose weight, the thing to do is study the measurements at your favorite dress shop.
This is why collage video is so good as it has different videos aimed at different women and their personal requirements.
If your bust size goes down due to exercising not to worry
I also remembered it is the back size that mainly goes down, not the cup size.
My back is in fairly bad shape, so my bra getting baggy indicates the August back challenge has actually worked.
No one has said it because of the current fitness climate, but I wonder if getting rid of back fat also helps with back health?
Can only think it does.
Trying on covid tops you can get more than one sock down
Now I’m getting clothes again, tried on some old COVID tops like the dress I altered into a top. If they ever fitted they don’t now.
Had a fantastic time de-cluttering tops that were too big for me last night.
If you are doing the August Challenge try an old top declutter.
Covid fashion is such bad quality you will have no hesitation in binning it.
Had to laugh I had these jeans in my wardrobe that are old H and M small size.
Looked at them during COVID-19 thinking how tiny they were and how I’d never get into them ever again.
Last night I got into them which is good, but they are the builder’s bum ones that have gone out of fashion now ~ typical, I kept them all that time and they are obsolete now.
Tried my Eden jeggings on again and they are still tight in 10 R.
These are my goal trouser size for the end of September.
Got some size 8 somewhere, so really need to boost it up a bit now I’m committed to it finally.
Think the 10 Regular is realistic. The size 8 might take a bit longer but feeling more hopeful now.
(The old jeans goal diet works ~ think this could be built into our September diet goal, get searching your wardrobe for some old tight jeans!!!)
Make yourself some space for your new dress size and browse fash cal overflow to treat yourself to some new clothes in your new dress size.
I’ve collected up the fashion calendar for you here so you can shop easily from the daily fashion calendar.
The links will lead you to what is new, but sometimes you can repeat order. I’m stockpiling leggings at the moment, but hopefully, I will get down a lot more yet.
If you feel ready you could get some photos taken in a summer look for the August Party or take some selfies.
Even if you keep them for yourself, I guarantee you will feel better and you will regain some confidence ready for proper fashion coming back. Before you know it you will be your old self again!!!!
If you only have COVID-19 fashion still, practice posing in your photographs.
You may feel silly at first so have a laugh.
Your photos will look more natural anyway.
Madonna – Vogue (Official Video)
Empties
Got to the end of a few products now I’m being more focused.
Here are the products I have finished, re-ordered, and are new favourites.
Never tried shower mousse before, but now I love it. It is so easy to use. There is a fair amount of product in this as well. It took a bit of getting used to I suppose at first, but it kind of lathers up immediately rather than you having to add water and make your own.
It is a bit like Japanese face wash.
The fragrance is gorgeous as well.
Got to the end of this and have started on a new packet.
Not sure how this works but it does, it is almost like magic.
Sometimes I feel it sort of tickles a bit, then my thoughts get stronger, but then start going. Always end up asleep with these.
Great if you can’t switch off.
Started saving them for bad nights, but I got my next load really promptly.
If the post is working again will use these whenever I want.
They have a home in my sleep drawer now!!!
Just got to the end of a bottle of this and noticed the product has changed maybe.
This is the best product I have found for my skin to date.
Have got one of the new versions to try but just noticed a foam.
At the moment I’m finishing off Aveda, so interested in trying the foam.
Need to shop for the new versions.
This is my new cellulite product ~ hopefully.
Ordered some more.
The fragrance puts me in the mood for exercise also.
Have definitely started seeing results as felt confident enough to show my arms in an old Asda pre covid cami top.
Hopefully, get some more.
Maybe will feel confident enough to wear a skirt again soon.
Face masks
Noticed some bad reviews just as I was about to try these?
I found they were quite good and my skin does feel better after.
One thing I have noticed about face masks since COVID-19 is the basic face shape of the mask prototype has changed.
My nose is a bit big, so I thought not to worry and snapped the nose fastening to fit my face.
They are really easy to manipulate, think this is what you are meant to do with them anyway. Saw a professional beautician using sheet masks once somewhere.
If the mask doesn’t fit your face shape – re-design the mask so it does.
The serum worked really well for me, especially like how it goes behind your ears, an area often forgotten.
Be aware you may need to adjust the mask to fit your face shape and that you need to prepare your hair before you open the packet.
Then sit back and enjoy.
Will re-order these if I can get more.
Another tip is to use it after detox and mud treatments that can be really drying.
I used them as an anti-blemish, anti-aging face mask day.
Found my flavors
I’m looking for healthy drinks rather than drinks to replace alcohol.
These two were really nice so ordered again plus some more to try.
These are great if you need something to replace sugary drinks to lose weight or want to ring the changes and try different health products.
Ginger drinks go really well with Japanese food. You really need water or a healthy drink or green tea on hand as the food for September makes you thirsty. This is good as we should drink a lot of water.
On my second packet of these, but they have helped me acquire a taste for green tea. Would recommend you start with these then try green tea again.
My hair has gone really shiny, can’t believe it as it was so dry and in really bad condition.
Japanese women pride themselves on their hair, this must be some sort of ancient beauty secret maybe.
If you have dark hair the glow adds dimension to what can look flat.
Highly recommend these ~ they taste good too.
Really nice with be good to yourself biscuits or other fruit diet biscuits.
sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/go-ahead-fruit-oat-bakes-strawberry-biscuit-bars-6x35g
Restock these every week.
sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/go-ahead-fibrejacks-raspberry-multipack-snack-bars-1189g
These are my favourites, but there are loads of variations to try.
I swear by this at the moment.
My hair is naturally almost black, so I lighten it with this to add a bit of depth.
It is hard to find a semi-permanent that lightens dark hair.
This seems to be working got to the end of this packet and hope to keep going with it till it is all the same length and hopefully get more new hair growth.
This is one of my favourite under-eye patches.
I wear the under-eye patches with my face masks.
It solves the problem if the sheet mask is too small also.
Japanese skin witches swear by these.
I first got some Vichy ones, think they introduced them to the UK.
My old hangover cure actually.
Got some on re-order.
Conclusion
Last night we had the biggest Friday night party for ages.
We managed to acquire a party lamp that flashes disco colours, and watched the top of the pops on Friday night TV.
Really enjoyed it.
So glad I got round to trying white wine spritzer from the 80’s party, had this and low calorie gin with extra tonic. I’m not a heavy drinker or party animal, but I do enjoy unwinding a bit once a week and letting my hair down. These ideas make the alcohol last longer.
I get too uptight otherwise.
Loosing inches, eating once a month and having a party once or twice a week is my sort of lifestyle.
Isn’t this why we keep in shape and exercise any way to look our best in going out clothes.
Hope you are getting results too, even though we have been told not to be the mainstream media or whatever it is?
Healthiness going underground is a bit strange really?
You would imagine unhealthiness and drugs to go underground really I suppose.
I suppose I’m badass cause I’m a health and fitness addict?
Whatever?
It is working anyway.
Hopefully keep it up this time, still got a few twinges, but quick fit says it might creek and crick a bit.
Keeping everything in check now constantly.
Once again hope you are getting results and Saphires little world is making a contribution to your life in such miserable bleek times. Have to say I love doing it as it helps us too from fitness to products to clothes to food and entertainment.
Have a feeling it won’t be long till normality is resumed anyway.
Got plenty of ideas to keep on with until then.
Hope you are having a lovely weekend.
Saphire.
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