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I thought about this thread Monday when I was at the gym. I was on a treadmill with some time to look around. There was a woman there--maybe 60, maybe older. She had on short athletic shorts and a workout bra. There was a fair amount of white, soft, bare midriff hanging over the shorts. She was a bit stooped and her breasts hung low, meaning there were only 4 or 5 inches between the top of the sorts and the bottom of the bra. She had some red sores of some time on her legs--looked like she'd been scratching mosquito bites. She had on a full face of makeup and her hair was short, platinum, and curly. I didn't watch her the whole time, but when I did look at her, she was never working out, but just standing by machines.
I couldn't make up my mind about whether she was rocking it or looked sort of sad and silly. On the one hand, good for her. Age isn't holding her back. OTOH, she did not look subjectively good, at least to me. In the end, it doesn't matter, of course. But I wish you could have seen her.....
When we first start working out we don't usually begin with a perfect body. We begin where we are. You are looking down your nose at someone who is just beginning her journey. Being older it will take longer. Instead of encouraging her, you scorn her. So sad Miss Perfect. So very sad that there are many just like you.
When we first start working out we don't usually begin with a perfect body. We begin where we are. You are looking down your nose at someone who is just beginning her journey. Being older it will take longer. Instead of encouraging her, you scorn her. So sad Miss Perfect. So very sad that there are many just like you.
Maybe she isn’t trying to change her body at all. Maybe her journey is to get stronger and prevent osteoporosis. She could be just getting some exercise. The destination of exercise is not just “a perfect body.” That is probably why people stop exercising. Because they can’t get a picture “perfect” body so it doesn’t feel worth the effort. Instead of focusing on appearance for exercise, we should focus on the exercise on its own non-appearance focused merits: endorphins, releasing stress, sleeping better etc.
Of course, most of us won't end up with a perfect body. But a great deal can be done to improve what we do have. You can't hardly exercise without changing your body both inside, and out. It comes with the territory. A package deal. Muscle is what gives our bodies shape. As we age our muscle atrophy unless we get active to counteract it. Activity builds muscle, and flexibility. It's a fact of life.
She might have been watching others to see how to work the machines, or how to do certain exercises. Still no reason to look down on her for not looking better. The same thing will happen to all of us unless we make a positive change. All it takes is just one major health problem when you get older to mess up any hard gotten gains you worked so hard for. The older you get, the faster that can happen, and set you back to the beginning. It's just a warning to the younger ones not to get too cocky since you don't know when it might happen to you.
P.S. The "perfect" body reference was more as sarcasm for the benefit of the person I was responding to. When people start going to gyms they may not look so hot. Or you may see a heavy person struggling to run along the side of the road, and are tempted to make fun of them. But as they keep at it, you will see a transformation taking place. It is not so much a destination as it is a journey, and a lifestyle. May it be a good one.
Earlier today I was doing some shopping and running some errands. When I was checking out there was a woman in front of me that was probably 40-45 but she was wearing a very low-cut top and booty shorts. Granted, she seemed to be in shape and good for her age, but nevertheless, after a certain age is it really appropriate for women to be wearing very skimpy/revealing things? Say about 35 but 40 at the latest?
I am "older" by this description, but I don't have any problem wearing yoga pants, leggings, skinny jeans, crop tops, low cut tops, sheer tops, tight tops or "booty" shorts, as you call them.
Being in fairly good shape, and having been obese for many years, it is nice to be able to wear cute stuff instead of tents made by Omar. Also, these clothes are comfortable (especially the yoga pants and leggings). I don't like showing off my granny wings, so I try to wear long sleeves whenever possible, but I will wear short sleeves and sleeveless if it's really hot and I'm going to be outside. I suppose people don't think it's appropriate for me to wear bikinis either, but I do because they are comfortable and I like them.
The bottom line is that people should wear what they want and other people should judge them.
I don't think skimpy and revealing clothes are appropriate on any age since I am more into modesty.
That being said, I will wear whatever I like and not give a **** what anyone thinks of it. Does anyone realize policing woman's appearance is not ok.
I intend to swim until I die and will wear whatever I like going to the pool, in the pool, and leaving the pool. And on a hot summer day it won't be much.
Noticing if someone is overweight is not a subjective judgement of mine. This is not me assuming women exist to please me as a man. This is using your eyes and noticing things.
Noticing something isn't a judgement. Deciding that they are overweight is a judgement, and posting about them online is a whole new level of judgement.
I am "older" by this description, but I don't have any problem wearing yoga pants, leggings, skinny jeans, crop tops, low cut tops, sheer tops, tight tops or "booty" shorts, as you call them.
Being in fairly good shape, and having been obese for many years, it is nice to be able to wear cute stuff instead of tents made by Omar. Also, these clothes are comfortable (especially the yoga pants and leggings). I don't like showing off my granny wings, so I try to wear long sleeves whenever possible, but I will wear short sleeves and sleeveless if it's really hot and I'm going to be outside. I suppose people don't think it's appropriate for me to wear bikinis either, but I do because they are comfortable and I like them.
The bottom line is that people should wear what they want and other people should judge them.
Honestly, I don't know what all the fuss is about concerning 'what' or 'how' anyone is dressed at the gym. I'm not kidding, my main concern is if I'm going to be able to find available and operable equipment and then find the 'sanitary wipes' to wipe off any surfaces I have to be in contact with. I want to get in and I want to get out of there in a timely manner. No fuss, no muss.
As someone else pointed out, I dress modestly in and outside of the gym and if I could, I would wear camouflage clothing for every environment where I have need to be out in the public arena, just because I don't want to be noticed. I want to take care of my business wherever I have to be and then go home...to put on my 'house clothing'.
Which is not to say I don't see what or how anyone is attired but rather I just don't care. I'm just sharing space with John and Jane Doe to get what I need to get done and move on.
Why do we care so much about what men or women wear or the color of their hair but particularly why are older women the target for such interest? Leave them alone for 'goodness sake', literally.
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