Need help, got 5 months, FIX ME

[Frankie]

Ok guys, I got 5 months to get me fixed! My daughter is getting married in Sept. in New York, at a Castle on the Hudson River, with a 5 course meal.

If you are a Soap Fan,,,,,Josh, from the Guiding Light will be singing at the wedding, he goes to my daughters church.

So,,,,,,,this is what I need, chime in on anything you can help with.

I need to lose about 25 pounds, get rid of face wrinkles, whiten teeth and grow my hair about 6 inches.

Weight: Need to lose the healthy way, gradual so it doesn't all come back.

Wrinkles: My skin does not tolerate much. Dove is the only soap I can use, and only Vaseline Lotion,,,,all else gives my face an appearance of being burned.

Whitening teeth: I have never used anything,,,I mean just for whitening,,,what is on the market in stores that work? I'm thinking would like to do a few times, depending on if the product allows me to do so in this time frame.

Hair: I guess I just want it to look more healthy, probably can't do much about the growth.

So,,,,,,whatdoya got???

 

[kaykay]

carolyn there is not 25 lbs to spare on you!! your body is fine

:

about the skin looking sunburned do you have roseaca? my sister has it and a big sign is looking flushed or sunburned. she takes meds and it keeps it from doing that. I really like any ole of olay products. get one of those that takes off the top layer of skin. kinda like an at home peel but much gentler

I really dont think you need any fixing. just go and enjoy the day with your daughter

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Oh Carolyn I have nothing to give you about tips BUT that said I went through similar things when my daughter got married the first time I so wanted her to be proud to say this is my mom. I too wanted to take off weight and look amazing but what I found out as the time neared that I was so wrapped up with the preparation I didnt have time to do much about me and two weeks before the wedding I was feeling so bad about how I looked that I wanted my sister to sit with my husband as my daughters mother. My sister was THIN and young looking. I on the other hand had weathered skin and was about 30 pounds overwieght. I had a meltdown and oddly enough this is way out of character for me. Anyway, to make this a bit shorter, my daughter told me I could wear my barn clothes and she wouldnt care. She loved me for me and never mind going to any extremes to FIX me. So I hope you will give it some thought and just be YOU thats all your daughter will want. Let your heart show through and all will be beautiful.

 

[Frankie]

Kay,,,,,,,the weight is more about how I feel, just not comfortable at this weight, for me,,,,,it is too much, if that makes sense.

I wasn't too clear,,,,,,I do not have anytype of skin problem,,,,it just doesn't like what I put on it, so have to be careful with what I use.

I have my dress,,,,,,,,think it is on line somewhere, will see if I can't go find it.

I know my daughter just wants me there. But I still want to look good, and feel good, for me as much for her.

 

[Marty]

Watch a show on TV called "Ten Years Younger" and see what they do

Go to a dermatologist about your wrinkles if they bother you. A dermotologist will help.

Go to a dentist about your teeth whittening. It's a quick fix and not costly.

Have your make up designed by a professional.

Get a personal shopper in a major department store to help you choose your dress

Experiment with a new hair-do now. Change your style completely and tell the beautition that you want something very modern and upscale. Maybe go longer, change color.......do something very different

I think you wear glasses? Change the frames or try contacts or lazer

 

[Frankie]

I have heard of that show Marty,,,,,,,do you know the network, or channel?

My daughter already did the dress shopping for me,,,,,at first I did not like it,,,but once I tried it on, I liked it a lot.

Her is the dress,,,,,,,only mine will be in Navy Blue.

My dress

Good idea on the glasses,,,,,I need new lenses,,,never thought about changing frames for a fresh look.

Can't wear contacts,,,,,,,,my eyes don't like them, therefore I don't. I have tried and would love to be able to though.

 

[hhpminis]

Carolyn

My daughter got married this last fall and I understand wanting to look nice for her and her special day. Having said that, I am sure tshe hinks you are wonderful the way you are but I know you want to do this for yourself so here are just a couple suggestions.

You cant grow your hair 6 inches in 5 months, you can maybe get 3. Either update with a new short "do" or get hair extensions. You can modernize the short and add some color and highlights. Look through some magazines or go online. There are sites that you can take a picture of yourself and try different styles on. I cant remember the site, but my daughter and i did it, it was fun. Do a search and you will find one.

I have sensitive skin too, the Oil of Olay products are too heavy for me and make my skin kinda burn. I use Revlon products, but there are many that have the Pro-retinol in them now and you can make a difference in 5 months use. If in doubt, see a dermatologist about this.

For weight, summer is coming and more activity, this will help, but try to just cut back on your portions and cut some of the carbs out. Skip the bread more often and up the veggies. Eat fair amounts of good lean meats. Fresh fruit is coming into season as well. Drink lots of water!

There are many OTC whitening agents for teeth. Try one of them now, see if you get the results you want. Do it again right before the wedding if you like the results. If it doesn't work for you then try the dentist.

Most important, enjoy this time with your daughter, it is a wonderful time in her life and you can have a lot of fun mother daughter time.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Just want to add your dress is lovely and Im sure it will look wonderful.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

First congratulations on the wedding! Then I love that dress! That in itself is slimming.

For the weight, man I'd love to lose 20 lbs and that is my goal this summer. I figure with all the yummy veggies and fruits and cold meats in a whole wheat wrap, low fat dressings and lots and lots of water no soda and some moderate walking..I can lose 1/2 that and I'd be thrilled. Karla has a killer broccoli salad I plan to live on.

For the skin....ask your Dr about something but I earned my wrinkles. I work outside like you and each one means something mad me ahppy, sad or mad. Kind of a me map! I could care about wrinkles. Where in NY is the wedding. I could do your makeup. I used to be a cosmetician at Dey Bros.

For the teeth, there are some good over the counter things and new toothpastes that also whiten. Ask your dentist.

Hair.....depends on the length it is. I am growing mine out, I picture me with a long gray braid one day. For my brother's wedding I just washed it and scrunched it all up so it would curl and then ran a pic thru it and doggone if it didn't look good. Be yourself, you beautiful self. When you see her up there saying her vows the glow you feel will radiate on your face and in your heart. You'll be lovely.

 

[disneyhorse]

Congrats on the wedding! My wedding is closing in fast, it's in July.

As a bride, I don't care what my mom looks like, I just want her THERE and helping out!

I think your goal of 25 pounds in five months is fair. That is only five pounds a month you want to lose. Have you ever been to Weight Watchers? I lost almost 30 pounds with them. It is nice to have someone to be accountable to lose your weight, and their program is healthy and easy to customize. It would be a good idea to get some sort of exercise program going, even if it's walking the horses a mile or so a day.

I have some wrinkles from sun damage (I'm only 28 but work outside a LOT) and my friend who is doing all our makeup said to just be sure to MOISTURIZE the heck out of your skin. She said the best thing is to wash your face really well in the evening when you come back home and then moisturize for overnight. Also don't forget the importance of sunscreen, it is going to be a long hot summer and you will want your skin to keep from sun exposure, even if it's just 15 minutes outside.

Get your teeth cleaned, and then see if it needs whitening further.

As to your hair... maybe Shapley's MTG would work on humans as well as horses? Just kidding Don't process your hair or blow dry it if at all possible. Let it run free and natural and healthy for a little while. That might encourage growth. I'm not sure about six inches, my hair is very long and healthy but I cut maybe 6-8 inches off every YEAR not five months.

The dress is wonderful. Just remember a smile will make you prettier than anything.

Good luck, keep us posted.

Andrea

 

[Lauren]

Hi!

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding! That dress is beautiful.

I work for a dentist and we do a lot of in office whitening. I would suggest to you that you try the Crest OTC white strips to see if it will work for you. Go with the strongest you can find. One question though-do you have any composite fillings in your front teeth? Those will NOT whiten. If you do the white strips now, and get your teeth to the shade you like, it will be easy to "freshen" them up right before the wedding.

As for the weight, I'm big on portions. I lost about 5 lbs. but just cutting down the amount I was eating. Very easy to do. Chew slowly and you won't notice a difference!

When I take a multi-vitamin my hair grows like a weed!!! Just a suggestion.

Good luck with everything!

 

[Scoopiedoo]

Carolyn,

You, my dear lady, are B-E-A-U-TI-F-U-L just the way you are! You are going to look absolutely elegantly stunning in that dress, and let me share with you what I told my mother at the time of my wedding! You, in your current weight, hair cut/color, tooth shade, glasses, etc... are in the packaging that your daughter's Mommy came in! If it's been good enough for her whole life to this point, its CERTAINLY good enough for her wedding day! I love my wedding pictures for that reason, my Ma looked like my Ma! I didn't want pictures of someone skinnier, with different hair, with different anything, I wanted pictures of my Ma! I know that "Ma" sounds like an old haggy name, but it's what I've called her since I can remember. I am proud of who she is, and what she means to me, and that's all that matters to me. She really could have worn her barn clothes, I wouldn't have cared!

I understand that business of being heavier than you're used to, I am too right now, but heck it's been a long, stressful winter and we can't change the effects of cortisol! I'm not chunky, I'm coming out of hibernation! So I packed on 10 or 20 lbs of insulation, it will come off as the weather changes. I also have wrinkles, but just like Debs said, I've earned em'!

You don't have to change your appearance for your daughters wedding, she loves you and is proud of you...JUST AS YOU ARE, you're her Mom, and there is simply no amount of weight, etc... that will ever change what you mean in her life. She loves you for you, for giving her life and raising her.

That said, I will re-state my original opinion....You are going to be drop dead gorgeous in that dress, it's very pretty and so are you.

Enjoy the wedding.

HUGS

Jodi