Having hard time with looking old!

bethweathersbee

Hi everyone! I'm just starting back with mfp. Hope I can stick with it this time! I am 62 and have noticed how my skin is beginning to look like crepe paper! I'm starting to get flappy arms as well. My question is... will lifting weights help with that? Not feeling too good about myself right now.

campoe30

Aren't we so hard on ourselves about aging. After all, we should consider ourselves lucky to be around. The alternative is not very good! I think it is hard for everyone. Lifting weights always helps because the muscle will fill in the space and it will help with calorie burning. Also, using a really good lotion and treating our skin well helps. I genetically have flabby arms and carry fat there even when I am thin, oh well, we could have worse things happen. Focus on your beauty and good luck with MFP!

mulecanter

Yep, I'm nearly 59 and have the same issues. Weight lifting always improves appearance (for both men and women) in my opinion--particularly those triceps!! The skin issue is painful but reality. I think if you look in shape most people gloss over aging skin. I know I look younger with a few pounds less and some muscular definition. I've declared 60 the new 50 so you should feel better now ;-)

allisonlane161

56 and bat wings too (they're in my current profile pic) but I do believe they look much better since I started lifting a few months ago. We will never look 28 again, but we can look the best we can at our current ages. That's my goal.

88olds

Lifting helps with bone density too.

JeromeBarry1

There's 2 kinds of old. Strong old is one. Weak old is the other. Choose.

Theindomitablejeeves

Do not begrudge getting older. It is a privilege denied to many.

mysteps2beauty

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

There's 2 kinds of old. Strong old is one. Weak old is the other. Choose.

Jerome has a good point. I just turned 59 2 weeks ago. Grateful to be in this side of the grave. I don’t look my age and I don’t feel old. Once I remove the excess 50 lbs I lug around everyday I know I will feel even better. Older and stronger. Skincare helps. Sleep, hydration, best food you can afford go along way. I read somewhere that our skin age is 20% genetics with 80% being lifestyle. Lessening sun damage is important. Get the best lotion out there for skin. It’s an investment in you and how feel about yourself. Feeling beautiful is an inside job.

middlehaitch

bethweathersbee wrote: »

Hi everyone! I'm just starting back with mfp. Hope I can stick with it this time! I am 62 and have noticed how my skin is beginning to look like crepe paper! I'm starting to get flappy arms as well. My question is... will lifting weights help with that? Not feeling too good about myself right now.

Lifting weights will help with the way skin hangs on your body.

(Water retention in the muscle, muscle tone (the pump from using the muscle consistently), a small increase in muscle mass (slow to come by at our age) will help fill out the saggy bits, but unless you have only a little weight to lose won't fill it out fully)

If you have lost, or are losing, weight it can take up to 2 years for the skin to retract, not always fully, but to the best of its ability.

Lifting, and some cardio, also helps with circulation. This in turn helps with cell turnover and a better delivery of nutrients to all parts of the body, including skin.

Unfortunately how our skin reacts to weight loss and aging is mainly genetic.

What can help our genes have the best chance of performing well is:-

Eat a good level of protein.
It use to be thought as we age we need less protein, it is now known we need at least as much as those younger.

We do not synthesize protein as well as we did in our youth and eating 2-4 meals with 25-35g protein is more benificial than in 10g, 15g, etc small intakes.

If you are losing weight and lifting, 0.8 to 1.2g per lbs of lean body weight, if known, or mid BMI normal range for your height would be good.
(I am 102lbs and get 80-100g a day in 3 meals and maybe a snack)

Elastin and collagen are both proteins, so protein is good for muscle retention, building, strength, and skin renewal.

Keep hydrated, enough that your pee is a nice pale straw colour, no need to overdo it.

Use a good sun block.
(I do like a bit of colour to my skin, but I build it very gradually)

Unfortunately the stryations, thinning, and hanging of the skin cannot be fully avoided, but we can do our best for it.

Post menopausal hormone changes mean our fat storage changes in general from subcutaneous to belly/visceral. This can leave skin thinner looking and looser.

I'm celebrating my 65th birthday this week and I have sags, wrinkles, striations, thinning, and a jiggle when I laugh belly -it hasn't stopped me wearing my bikini though

Wear your age with pride.

Cheers, h.

ChristineE63

elsie6hickman

I hear you - I'm 63 and some days it is a shock to look in the mirror and see lines, crepey skin, bags beneath my eyes... What the kitten happened??? Unfortunately, we live in a culture that puts emphasis on youth and on physical beauty, which can make us older women feel invisible. maturity is a bad word. Remember when we were growing up and used to say "never trust anyone over 30"??!! (what were we thinking!!) You know there are some non-invasive cosmetic procedures that help - like a shot of Botox between the eyebrows to smooth and relax that skin. You can have fillers to fill in the lines. I've done both in the past and been satisfied with the outcome. It made ME feel better about ME. There is some product called Crepe Ease that is supposed to help with crepey skin. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm thinking about it. A good haircut can make you feel a little better, and if you wear make up at all, you can always go to the make up counter try out some of the new products. But even in our natural state, we are beautiful women no matter what size or age we are. Our beauty shines from within -we've been around the block or two, and know what is important and what is just fluff. I'm pretty healthy, I'm working on it some more, I still buy clothes that I feel good about. My mother died at 64 undergoing lung transplant surgery. She was on oxygen for the year before and in and out of the hospital multiple times. I think about that and remember that it could be worse.

middlehaitch

@elsie6hickman, if you are considering using a product like Crepe Ease (?erase) do your research.
Most, not all, OTC, sold through TV, creams, lotions, and potions do contain the active ingredient needed, but not enough to make a difference.

The percentage of active ingredient should be available on the package (if it is not, avoid it), compare this with proven research using google scholar, pub med, and even examine.com.

If you have used a medical doctor for your Botox, consult with them for the crepe skin as well.

There are few topical solutions that will help the skin, prescribed retinol being one. (No, not used it personally)

Cheers, h.

LeanButNotMean44

I’m younger than everyone who’s posted in this thread so far! I am so conflicted about aging. On one hand, getting older is so different now than it used to be. People are living longer thanks to advances in science/medicine. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started caring less about what people think of me. OTOH, it seems more and more that people in their 20’s-30’s look WAY younger than when I was at that age. Friends of mine have grandchildren!

Switching gears a bit...I’m 50 years old and an active, fit, healthy woman. Despite taking good care of myself, I also have crepey skin on my legs. It makes me feel so sad and embarassed. I’ve started wearing dresses and skirts that hit at my knees or slightly above them. I keep reminding myself that few, if any, people notice (and if they do I shouldn’t care) but I’m still EXTREMELY self conscious.

If you made it this far, you have my utmost appreciation.

elsie6hickman

middlehaitch wrote: »

@elsie6hickman, if you are considering using a product like Crepe Ease (?erase) do your research.
Most, not all, OTC, sold through TV, creams, lotions, and potions do contain the active ingredient needed, but not enough to make a difference.

The percentage of active ingredient should be available on the package (if it is not, avoid it), compare this with proven research using google scholar, pub med, and even examine.com.

If you have used a medical doctor for your Botox, consult with them for the crepe skin as well.

There are few topical solutions that will help the skin, prescribed retinol being one. (No, not used it personally)

Cheers, h.

I'm skeptical about crepe erase. But my crepey neck and arms have been bothering me, so I guess I like to think that there is a magic formula. Yes, I have used retinol. The biggest benefit of that has been that it gets cells to turn over so your skin looks smoother. Some people find it to strong for their skin, but I never had any problems. I wasn't feeling well for most of last year and part of this, thanks to fibro, so I've let all that stuff go. I don't know that I would bother will fillers again, but Botox will be back.

dejavuohlala

71 next week, if you are lucky you are all going to age and there is nothing that will turn the clock back. Eat healthy and keep mobile, strength training helps of course. Not a great believer in all the lotions and potions with the exception of a good moisturiser. Good luck

h1udd

looking old is unavoidable ..... looking old and badass ? thats a choice.

chose a sport and dress the part and let your progress, your browsing the internet for more gym clothes etc, forcus your mind way from "being old" to being a 60 something athlete !