losing weight will make me look old???

I'm 43. I think we just have to come to grips with aging. Being overweight stretches the skin, losing it kinda leaves it there. But aging is certain and being overweight isn't. I agree though, it's hard to deal with being over 40. My 40th was the only birthday I dreaded, and I'm still barely over it! Your hormones start to decline little by little in your 40s too, leaving you with a less youthful look. Whaddya gonna do?

Go look at the "success stories" before-and-after pics. In my opinion, the vast majority look younger after losing weight.

I think this is so variable, dependent on how you are built, the shape of your face, and the rate and way you lose the weight, but even if it turns out to be true, "fit 42 year-old" is generally a better look than "out of shape, overweight 32-year-old."

emmycantbemeeko wrote: »

I think this is so variable, dependent on how you are built, the shape of your face, and the rate and way you lose the weight, but even if it turns out to be true, "fit 42 year-old" is generally a better look than "out of shape, overweight 32-year-old."

This exactly. I think I looked like a pretty haggard 35 year old. I'm now 5 months from 40 and think I look healthy and fresher. I may look a bit older due to gray hair peeking through at times or maybe a few more lines on my face, but I feel a heck of a lot better.

I think it all depends on genetics and how we interpret a "young looking," which is, in my opinion, a smooth facial outline with full (or even slightly chubby) cheeks and no (visible) wrinkles nor under-eye sacs. These are just what I see in general from a young-looking face and the criteria (not a set standard but usually formed unconsciously in our mind) may be different due to different cultures or societies.

What I want to say is, this may explain why someone would look younger after weight-loss while the others got the opposite results. For example, a person's facial outline became more defined like how he/she used to look like at the age of 20, and thus this person might look younger after weight-loss, whereas another person also lost the volume of fat pads on his/her cheeks plus some lines now started to show after weight-loss, and that might make the face look more matured (I like this phrase than aged) than the "before" stage.

The definition of a younger look really varies among individuals and thus many might not agree with what I just described. Sense of fashion, hairstyle, health status, or activity level could all make a person look younger or older. My granddad was in his 80s when people still thought he's in his 70s. Of course the hair dye he used helped a lot, but the most important thing was his energy. While less visible white hair can definitely make him look younger than his actual age, his overall health status was what makes him look younger at that time (the amount of wrinkles might probably be the same based on my observation).

MorganMoreaux wrote: »

I looked a lot older when I was heavier. When I first lost the weight I did look even older because it looked like someone let all the air out of my face lol. I lost over 30 pounds in a months (not intentionally) and it took a little while for my body to adjust. I now get mistaken for early to mid 20's, and I'm almost 40. Personally, I'd rather be healthy than look young.

LMAO

OP, thank you for asking this question! It's something I've been wondering about myself, and considered making a thread about.

I've known people who have lost weight and looked older afterwards, presumably due to the lack of fat padding out facial lines and wrinkles, and this bothers me a bit as I do have some little lines now. I try not to be vain but I (apparently) inherited my mother's ability to look younger than I am, so now I'm 50 I'd kinda like to look as though I'm still in my 40s! Personally I don't think I look much younger in photos, but I'm told I do in person. *shrug*

It's interesting to see the responses here, and I have to admit that in most (if not all) of the success stories I've looked through people don't generally look older. They certainly look better, and as a couple of people here have commented, being fit and healthy is preferable to looking a few years younger if I have to make the choice!

It's genetics. My mom will always look younger than her age even if she was overweight, and she's within the healthy weight range. When I was 20 pounds heavier, I thought my face looked bad and it looks better now. I don't think losing weight makes you look older unless there were other habits you don't stop contributing to aging. If you don't get enough sleep, yeah that's going to age you.

I probably have dressed older than my years due to the fact that 'older' clothes are genially more generously sized and have more appropriate skin coverage. So a drop in weight means I can shop at 'trendy' stores which can help convey a younger look.

<--- this is me, I'm 50 and have lost 26kg (55lb). Do I look older? Nope! Get to your goal weight, see how you feel and if you like it there, stay there. If you feel flabby, lift some weights, nothing like muscle to fill out loose skin! I have found being fit and active is the closest thing there is to the fountain of youth :-)
P.S. I am a runner too, and a cyclist :P

trjjoy wrote: »

stellabest99 wrote: »

Lounmoun wrote: »

I've always thought that people who are at a healthy weight usually look younger than when they are overweight.
How much weight do you plan to lose?

I'm trying to lose around 30kgs (um, ~66lbs I think is about the conversion rate). Currently at 84.4kg (186-ish). According to the BMI thing I should be around 60-64kg (133-141lbs) since I'm 160cm (5'3")

Why do you convert metric to imperial units?

I do it all the time too. I'm on an American site, so i try and use American numbers to make it easier for the majority of the members here.

Slow reduction is weight will not affect your skin and make you look younger.

I would have to say from what Ive seen 99% of the people that have posted their before and after look a lot younger after they lose the weight.

don't listen to others, you'll feel so good about yourself when you lose your weight that you'll exude happiness and joy which is youthful...personally I feel you'll look younger as generally slimmer people look more youthful

stellabest99 wrote: »

Why do you convert metric to imperial units?

I do it all the time too. I'm on an American site, so i try and use American numbers to make it easier for the majority of the members here.[/quote]

Exactly! For the convenience of those who don't use metric, I post in imperial as well [/quote]

And we appreciate it, Thankyou!