Having hard time with looking old!

bethweathersbee
bethweathersbee Posts: 19 Member
in Motivation and Support
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.

Replies

  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    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
    allisonlane161 Posts: 269 Member
    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
    88olds Posts: 4,529 Member
    Lifting helps with bone density too.
  • mysteps2beauty
    mysteps2beauty Posts: 493 Member
    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.
  • elsie6hickman
    elsie6hickman Posts: 3,864 Member
    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
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    edited August 2018
    @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
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    edited August 2018
    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
    elsie6hickman Posts: 3,864 Member
    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
    dejavuohlala Posts: 1,821 Member
    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
    h1udd Posts: 623 Member
    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 !

Categories