Theresa’s Lifestyle Blog...

When I first mentioned to my colleagues that I was going to be writing a blog, and told them the idea for the content, reactions were mixed. The guys couldn’t quite understand it – I have blonde hair and big boobs – what more could a woman need (!!).The ladies completely understood.

This is not about weight loss or excessive exercise or a one off makeover. It’s about Style and Confidence. Some women have it in bucket loads.  Many more, like me, don’t. And according to the lovely Gok Wan 81% of women in the UK feel exactly like me – astonishing! But is it something you are born with? Do parents hand it down through the generations like some exclusive family secret? Or can we be taught to make the best of what we have?

I’m your average dissatisfied woman. Dissatisfied with the way I look that is, not life. Life is pretty good. I have a lovely husband, the cutest House Rabbit – Stewie (hubby not too impressed that the rabbit was described as cute and he wasn’t!) And a job I love… even though it is often more than full time! I get to meet celebrities and I get to see smiles on our customer’s faces when they have a great experience at the centre.

But check out the photo again! I’m not Ugly Betty – I understand that – but I really don’t look after myself or really know what to do with myself. And I should. I deserve it. Every woman does. Every morning I shower, dry my hair in record time, put on make up (probably incorrectly), and that’s it – that’s me for the day – no touch ups, no checking in the mirror. I have no confidence in my ability to style myself. And when I catch sight of myself in a mirror, I look away!  And a camera, well, you won’t see me for dust!   So having a camera following me around over the next 3 months is certainly not my idea of fun, but it has to be done!

How many of you have drawers full of products that you have been promised will transform the way you look but haven’t a clue how to use them to your advantage? How many of you look longingly at magazine articles of ‘capsule wardrobes’ and ‘dressing for your shape’ and think … “What the **** are you talking about?” What shape am I? How do I translate what I’m reading into advice for me? I bet I’m not alone here!

Over the next few months I’m going to see if I can learn to walk into a store and know immediately what will suit me, how I should wear my hair and my make up and where I can go to get help and advice if I’m unsure. And, just as importantly, what I can do to perk myself up so I feel a million dollars even after a bad day. If I can lose a few pounds, great! I’m going to look for ways that I can tone up and get fit. Ideas on how to eat healthier. Ideas on how to de stress if I stop eating chocolate (am I really choosing to do this to myself?!).

And I’m going to take you along with me if you’d like to....

This will be in REAL time. I’m a real person. You can see me out and about in Festival Place and I would love you to stop and chat with me - I’m going to need encouragement as this whole project is going to be alien to me!

I also have as much help as I could possibly need, I just didn’t realise it. I work in a shopping centre. (The best for miles I think!) I have the expertise of the beauty consultants, the experts in the fashion stores, a fabulous Sports Centre… and I have a lunch break – 60 minutes each day to be exact. Why on earth have I never used that to my benefit?

So let’s see if I can transform myself in just 60 minutes a day in 3 months.

The first installment will be here for you to read for 2 weeks then weekly from 28 August.

To help me further, there will be the option for you to vote each week on the direction I take. 

I need to give up chocolate, my one vice. I eat chocolate when I get stressed, so what, in your opinion can I do instead? The options I have chosen, on advice from colleagues, are all available in the Centre. The Ladies Spa and Yoga classes are in the Sports Centre and apparently Herbal Inn do an incredible Indian Head Massage in your lunch break.

And each month I’m going ask a few of you to join me for a treat such as a manicure (never had one of those!) a facial, a coffee & muffin (had plenty of those!), a make up lesson and any other treat I can think of that will help us along. This will give me the chance to meet some of you and for you to see that I am real, I am working hard at this, and show you the results as we go along.

So hopefully you will join me. We start from today! 

Theresa x

Vital Statistics on 14 July 2009: 
Height…168cm
Weight…77kg
BMI…27