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Simple cosmetics applied in different ways because my face & skin have changed, frequent deep conditioning of hair and skin, drinking extra water, wearing different clothing that is more flattering to my slightly changed body.
Whiten teeth, color hair, mani/pedi, iron your clothes, wear "pulled together" outfits to look that little bit more classy.
Also, get out of the mindset where it's okay to dwell on negative things like gray hair or flabby arms.
You are beautiful! You made it this far! Celebrate that. Embrace life's changes. Sure, if you can handle weight training, do some. If not, eat as well as you can, lots of fresh food, no crap.
We are all different. And women need to stop comparing themselves to each other. It doesn't matter that you have firm arms and Suzie doesn't or Trina has all her teeth but you don't. Honestly, there are much larger issues on which to expend energy!
[quote=palmandsea;44689234]People who age well have been working at it their entire life through exercise, healthy eating, staying out of the sun and taking care of their skin. My mom looks wonderful at 68. She has kept her beauty and is stunning. Yes she has more wrinkles but she looks bounds and leaps better than some actresses who have had plastic surgery, and augmentation who are in their 50's.
Start exercising, start a facial routine and eat better. I am in my 40's and I seriously can tell by my face what I have been eating. I look younger when I stay away from soda, processed food and crap.
That's awesome and I agree that a good diet is essential as well as staying fit. My hair is super shiny because of the fish oils and flax oil that I take every day. I'm nearly 60 yet my skin looks younger.
My hair is a platinum color and someone at the 4th of July party asked me what color I use. I just laughed and said "old age." There were a couple of gasps about my hair color being natural but I just got lucky with that side of my gene pool.
I've already ridden my bike for three and a half hours this week and each ride is between an hour and a half and three hours.
Keep moving, eat right and stay fit. You will look younger and feel better.
The answer to your question is YES - those great looking 60 something looking are working at it.
I recommend finding some exercise that you really enjoy - weight training is a must along with some cardio (I like boxing and spinning) plus just walking my dogs or going to a fun spin class.
Diet is key - we can no longer eat what we did 20 years ago and stay the same. Calories must go down.
A great skin care regime should include a chemical exfoliant such as an alpha hydroxy acid (or beta); Some form or Retinol or RetinA, Vitamin C also brightens the skin. A good night-time moisturizer and a great daytime moisturizer with sunscreen.
I'm also willing to spend money on a great foundation and then can use a lot of drugstore products for other things.
That said - I still HATE my stomach which has never looked the same since pregnancy and C section. I would have to drastically reduce my calories to help that.
but I see so many other older women who are STILL thin, fit, and vibrant-looking. I was always a natural beauty who never had to lift a finger to look good, so I'm really not in the habit. Do these women simply work hard at it - strenuously dieting, working out, dying hair, wearing makeup, tanning, getting cosmetic surgery and so on - or just lucky?
Yes, we do.
I've been told I was beautiful all my life (beauty is in the eye of the beholder and my husband and children's opinion is the only one I care about) however I work at it.
I do it for me not for compliments.
I've had a gym membership since I was 15 years old, colored at the first sign of gray, have worn makeup since I was 12. I'm 51.
No, these women are not lucky.
Christy Brinkley still watches every calorie she eats. She gets injections and fillers.
I personally like doing this because it makes me feel good about myself.
I'm not referring to hot flashes (that's another post for another thread), but how do some women do this?
I would say I a former "hottie" (petite, naturally thin all my life, great figure without exercising, clear dark complexion, thick shiny hair, never had to wear any makeup, etc.) who is now turning into her grandmother: short, fat, flabby, washed out, and grey. I'm even taking HRT, which I thought would be the fountain of youth, but no! I would blame menopause, but I see so many other older women who are STILL thin, fit, and vibrant-looking. I was always a natural beauty who never had to lift a finger to look good, so I'm really not in the habit. Do these women simply work hard at it - strenuously dieting, working out, dying hair, wearing makeup, tanning, getting cosmetic surgery and so on - or just lucky?
Nature vs nurture here. You can't do much about short unless you like heels. You can lose some weight and exercise. A little makeup and hair color will certainly improve washed out and grey.
Some people age better than others and they don't have to do as much. They don't have to diet, have never gone to a gym, grey late in life. That doesn't mean that they don't do anything, but they don't have to bust a gut for beauty.
OP, some women who look great (=thin) after menopause are on HRT, others are just blessed with a god enough hormonal balance. Some take care of themselves for 40 years, but by 60, *WHAM*, there's nothing they can do to avoid the flabbiness that tends to come with estrogen loss, decline of Testosterone, decline of HGH. Many women do say they have to cut way back on carbs and/or calories just to maintain their weight.
I've been doing some research on this, since I've seen some scary changes in friends, and I want to understand what lies ahead. Here's what I've found: after you lose so much other hormonal input that's been keeping your system balanced before and in the early stages of middle age, INSULIN takes a front-seat role. And excess insulin causes fat retention.
So after mid-life, it becomes about controlling your insulin production by avoiding sweets, starches, even some artificial sweeteners. (Prior to meno/menopause, your full complement of hormones naturally did this for you.) I've looked into the artificial sweeteners, and some can cause fat (=weight) gain even though they have no calories, because they provoke an insulin response. So sugar-free products that some people depended on before mid-life hormonal changes (it goes for men, too) suddenly start making them gain weight, just because they're an insulin trigger!
Also, with less testosterone and less HGH, you lose your capacity to build lean muscle mass, so you can have trouble staying lean, or getting rid of the flab. And lean muscle mass increases insulin sensitivity/decreases insulin resistance, so it's important to try to build that.
OP, are you on HRT? And you still feel like your body is out of control in terms of fat, and maintaining tone? You might consider asking your doc about one of the HGH products that are out there. If s/he doesn't know much about it, Google it, and Google life-extension doctors in your area. These products don't administer HGH directly; they stimulate the body to produce more of its own. Also get your thyroid checked, if you haven't already. Massive hormonal changes can throw off the thyroid.
Also get your thyroid checked, if you haven't already. Massive hormonal changes can throw off the thyroid.
Good luck getting a doctor's sympathy regarding your thyroid. Unless you're quite hypothyroid they won't do a thing. Oh, you feel tired. are gaining weight, just don't feel like you used to? They'll blame it all on menopause...which is a good bet, but still may be a combination issue with your thyroid. You may have to doctor shop a bit to find one who'll work with you.
Good luck getting a doctor's sympathy regarding your thyroid. Unless you're quite hypothyroid they won't do a thing. Oh, you feel tired. are gaining weight, just don't feel like you used to? They'll blame it all on menopause...which is a good bet, but still may be a combination issue with your thyroid. You may have to doctor shop a bit to find one who'll work with you.
Yes, that's true, but docs seem more apt to check thyroid at menopause, since a sluggish thyroid tends to be common at that stage of life, and it can usually be resolved without more expensive testing. I know several women who got help for that in menopause or peri-menopause. But outside of that narrow parameter, I agree with you.
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