Lose weight = looking older??
Replies
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I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.1
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I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?3 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
The tanning beds temporarily disguise the wrinklage.0 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
Purely anecdotal, but I think exercise (not necessarily just strength) could help, for some people.
I've noticed that some friends who materially increased fitness look as if their skin fits a little more snugly. To the extent that droopage is aging, I think exercise may help some people.
Suspect it's individual, though.3 -
Suspect it's individual, though.Phoebe5164 wrote: »I think the chubby cheeks can make some look cute ,while the thin face can look fierce. Not on everyone , but I’ve seen some thin women that scare me because they look so boney..... we are are own worst critics and whoever created the mirror should be shot 🤔
Agree. I have 30 lbs to lose to reach goal weight, which will be on the low average for my height @42years, only that I highly doubt that my cheeks are going anywhere. I will be 135-136 lbs at 6ft, with cheeks like Devon Aoki. Shrugs.2 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
I was thinking about the whole person as opposed to just the face. I am also considering the individual outlook and demeanor - the feeling of accomplishment that comes with success and the impact this has on posture, poise, and confidence.
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
All that tensing, straining, and grunting really works the facial muscles and keeps them lifted
I wish 
Cheers, h.6 -
middlehaitch wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
All that tensing, straining, and grunting really works the facial muscles and keeps them lifted I wish
Cheers, h.
I think lifting has made the veins on my neck more prominent...
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
Purely anecdotal, but I think exercise (not necessarily just strength) could help, for some people.
I've noticed that some friends who materially increased fitness look as if their skin fits a little more snugly. To the extent that droopage is aging, I think exercise may help some people.
Suspect it's individual, though.
I wish Ann, I wish! I started exercising when I started losing weight. Now I am one of the lucky ones who came out of a very large loss with a tight neck, but my face? Notsomuch. I carried a lot of extra weight in my face when I was obese and it just ... deflated.4 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
I was thinking about the whole person as opposed to just the face. I am also considering the individual outlook and demeanor - the feeling of accomplishment that comes with success and the impact this has on posture, poise, and confidence.
Ah, gotcha. I do think, that for me, my body looks younger than it used to, and I feel younger than I used to. But man, the area where my cheeks deflated?3 -
middlehaitch wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
All that tensing, straining, and grunting really works the facial muscles and keeps them lifted I wish
Cheers, h.
I do find that my face is more defined when I do a lot of upper body lifting (especially bench press and pushups).1 -
middlehaitch wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
All that tensing, straining, and grunting really works the facial muscles and keeps them lifted I wish
Cheers, h.
I do find that my face is more defined when I do a lot of upper body lifting (especially bench press and pushups).
We were doing downward dogs in yoga the other day and it felt like my face was going to fall off onto the floor. (You know like the tummies in the 'uterus' thread, my face does it- not posting a pic of that!)
Losing during menopause had me first worrying about the eye wrinkles. I had just accepted those and the naso-labial lines started to deepen. Once they had etched their way into my face, my lips started to wrinkle (can lips lose weight?).
It can't get any worse I thought. Oh yes it can said my face- my cheeks sunk and my chin weakened.
Now I am sat with a face that looks like a wrinkled prune needin to poo.
This is of course all very tongue in cheek.
It's 10 years (in Jan) since I started menopause and decided to lose weight. At first I looked slightly haggard, then normal, time added all the extras. I have no idea how I would have looked now if I hadn't lost weight.
Cheers, h.9 -
middlehaitch wrote: »middlehaitch wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
All that tensing, straining, and grunting really works the facial muscles and keeps them lifted I wish
Cheers, h.
I do find that my face is more defined when I do a lot of upper body lifting (especially bench press and pushups).
We were doing downward dogs in yoga the other day and it felt like my face was going to fall off onto the floor. (You know like the tummies in the 'uterus' thread, my face does it- not posting a pic of that!)
Losing during menopause had me first worrying about the eye wrinkles. I had just accepted those and the naso-labial lines started to deepen. Once they had etched their way into my face, my lips started to wrinkle (can lips lose weight?).
It can't get any worse I thought. Oh yes it can said my face- my cheeks sunk and my chin weakened.
Now I am sat with a face that looks like a wrinkled prune needin to poo.
This is of course all very tongue in cheek.
It's 10 years (in Jan) since I started menopause and decided to lose weight. At first I looked slightly haggard, then normal, time added all the extras. I have no idea how I would have looked now if I hadn't lost weight.
Cheers, h.
I hear what you're saying and share your concerns (as we used to say back in touchy-feely 1970s conciousness-raising groups).
I said up above that some people's faces tighten up with exercise, so they look younger . . . but I look older, for sure. after weight loss.
As you say, my face looked better after some time at goal weight than it did at first. But I think I'm holding onto a tiny bit of subcutaneous fat on my face, and that causes some droopy/wrinkly nonsense, especially on either side below my lips - not really a jowl, I dunno what to call it. (If you wanna see it, hop over to the "morning oatmeal" thread - LOL). Even though I'm nearly immune to aesthetic concerns about my appearance, this one annoys me a little.
I do think I look younger than some people my age who are very inactive, even in the face (if you can ignore the gray hair): Healthier skin, better color, healthier muscle under the skin, and that sort of thing. I also think I "move younger" as a result of being active. Hard to tell how much of the appearance side is genetic, of course.
I find it puzzling how many people in my age group (63 this week) will go on about one should dye her hair, wear makeup, etc., to look younger, but who eat poorly and too much, plus stay entirely inactive, which drives appearance in the other direction. Their call, of course.
In my world, the big deal from both weight loss and activity is stuff like health, strength, injury avoidance, balance, and independence . . . especially independence. That's effectively being younger, IMO, look it or not.4 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I imagine a good deal of the comes with the individual weight loss plan. I talk to a number of people and find most look more youthful after losing weight, but they also implemented some manner of progressive resistance and gained a good amount of muscle - maintaining the aesthetic ratio.
How does lifting help how someone's face looks after weight loss?
I was thinking about the whole person as opposed to just the face. I am also considering the individual outlook and demeanor - the feeling of accomplishment that comes with success and the impact this has on posture, poise, and confidence.
Ah, gotcha. I do think, that for me, my body looks younger than it used to, and I feel younger than I used to. But man, the area where my cheeks deflated?
I would also mention hydration as many people counting calories also stay well hydrated and this does wonders for skin cells.
I've been keeping a beard (which is going white) largely because if I shave it off I look like I'm 30.2 -
You surprised me @AnnPT77, as I know your general disconcern for aesthetics.
I know those funny little droopy pouches well- how did I miss mentioning them. They seam to go hand in hand with the mouth starting to droop and the deepening of the naso-labia lines. I'm such a smiley person in real life but my face looks like I am in a permanent bad mood. I sit and smile while driving or watching a movie trying to strengthen the underlying muscle, SO thinks I've gone crazy.
I think we know I am the dye my hair and put my face on type, it makes me happy, but I get the not doing it. My sister was obliged to wear makeup for her job, now she is retired she loves not having to cake it on.
Totally agree with your last paragraph.
Isn't it fun, little old ladies doing comparisons
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Cheers, h.6 -
middlehaitch wrote: »You surprised me @AnnPT77, as I know your general disconcern for aesthetics.
I know those funny little droopy pouches well- how did I miss mentioning them. They seam to go hand in hand with the mouth starting to droop and the deepening of the naso-labia lines. I'm such a smiley person in real life but my face looks like I am in a permanent bad mood. I sit and smile while driving or watching a movie trying to strengthen the underlying muscle, SO thinks I've gone crazy.
I think we know I am the dye my hair and put my face on type, it makes me happy, but I get the not doing it. My sister was obliged to wear makeup for her job, now she is retired she loves not having to cake it on.
Totally agree with your last paragraph.
Isn't it fun, little old ladies doing comparisons.
Cheers, h.
100% support the dye and makeup for those who enjoy it - no diss intended. It's the disconnect that puzzles me (and puzzles is what I mean): Metaphorically, paint on the siding while the roof-joists collapse, while evangelizing for the paint. Your roof-joists are in excellent shape, I know.
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I first answered when this post was new, and I'd like to update. My total weight loss now is about 115 lbs (age 58), and my saggy face and turkey neck have caused some people to wonder if I'm ill, let alone older than I actually am. I've exercised, hydrated, and moisturized the whole time, but the weight loss took its toll in sneaky ways. Before anyone reminds me it's all about health gains, please know I'm not arguing against that point. My arthritis is relieved, and I walk better. And I've lost some sizes, although not as many as I'd like , as lots of hanging flesh around my belly, butt, and back still require larger clothing.
But the OP asked if anyone else looked older after weight loss, and my answer remains an unfortunate yes. And I still want to lose 40 lbs. more, which will likely make me look even older. Many of you pointed out that this question must be answered on an individual basis, that genetics play a part, and that we tend to be more critical of our own flaws. True, true, and true. Still, not only do I notice it, but acquaintances have made comments pointing out that my sagging face and turkey neck made them wonder if I was sick. To be honest, at my age, it's not uncommon for people to lose massive amounts of weight due to illnesses, and so maybe the response is normal. But I have worked very, very hard to lose weight, and one of my primary motivators was that I hoped to look better. Sigh.... My doctor and dermatologist tell me skin removal surgery ( neck and belly at the very least) might be an option. For those of you who haven't experienced skin sagging or aging issues--good for you, and enjoy!!! For some of us, the struggle continues.8 -
@queenoscots, there is a good chance your face will improve.
Once you have hit maintenance, and maintained for a while, the haggard, sick look, fades and your face adjusts better to its new shape.
This isn't saying you will look 18 again. Just that for a lot of us we tend to look worse as we are losing and improve, as far as age and genetics allow, once in maintenance.
I can remember when I was around 18 sat talking with friends and saying that I wasn't worried about what I looked like at 40 as I'd be past it by then. Hahaha, how wrong I was. The innocence of youth.
@annpt77, I'd never think you were dissing ((
))
Cheers, h.3 -
I feel that most people look younger when they lose weight.3
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Before I got very far in my weight loss journey, I spent time with a dietitian and a psychologist. It was the psychologist who warned me to be prepared for when acqaintances thought I looked ill and wondered if I was sick. I thought I was prepared, but I wasn't. The truth is, I see it in the mirror every day. My doctor and dermatologist reminded me this is one reason to lose the weight while younger: the skin has more elasticity and shrinks better. And of course, the health benefits cannot be underestimated. I'm one of those folks who was morbidly obese, but still had normal blood sugar blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. But my joints really suffered. I'd love to have lost weight sooner and enjoyed the increased mobility in particular. If I hadn't so much weight to lose, perhaps the effect on my skin wouldn't be so dramatic. I have no intention of quitting, and look forward to losing more weight, saggy skin notwithstanding. It takes from the joy, however. Onward, and cheers to all!1
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queenoscots wrote: »Before I got very far in my weight loss journey, I spent time with a dietitian and a psychologist. It was the psychologist who warned me to be prepared for when acqaintances thought I looked ill and wondered if I was sick. I thought I was prepared, but I wasn't. The truth is, I see it in the mirror every day. My doctor and dermatologist reminded me this is one reason to lose the weight while younger: the skin has more elasticity and shrinks better. And of course, the health benefits cannot be underestimated. I'm one of those folks who was morbidly obese, but still had normal blood sugar blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. But my joints really suffered. I'd love to have lost weight sooner and enjoyed the increased mobility in particular. If I hadn't so much weight to lose, perhaps the effect on my skin wouldn't be so dramatic. I have no intention of quitting, and look forward to losing more weight, saggy skin notwithstanding. It takes from the joy, however. Onward, and cheers to all!
I was 995 lbs. Think Annpt77 stated it best, that results with how aging reveals itself at the end, is rather individualistic.
There are many teens who have lost major pounds, enough to be featured in National media, yet their skin sags, nasal labial folds droop and they have crepe paper skin. Win some, lose some.
Your genetics and your actual age compounded by your lifestyle pre-losses does affect your skins ability to recuperate too.
The bonus to focus on, is your health.4 -
queenoscots wrote: »Before I got very far in my weight loss journey, I spent time with a dietitian and a psychologist. It was the psychologist who warned me to be prepared for when acqaintances thought I looked ill and wondered if I was sick. I thought I was prepared, but I wasn't. The truth is, I see it in the mirror every day. My doctor and dermatologist reminded me this is one reason to lose the weight while younger: the skin has more elasticity and shrinks better. And of course, the health benefits cannot be underestimated. I'm one of those folks who was morbidly obese, but still had normal blood sugar blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. But my joints really suffered. I'd love to have lost weight sooner and enjoyed the increased mobility in particular. If I hadn't so much weight to lose, perhaps the effect on my skin wouldn't be so dramatic. I have no intention of quitting, and look forward to losing more weight, saggy skin notwithstanding. It takes from the joy, however. Onward, and cheers to all!
As usual, I agree with @middlehaitch.
I know it's hard, but take heart, and hang in there.
While genetics matters, and there are no guarantees: For a bunch of us, appearance is materially worse partway through weight loss than it will be at goal weight, and worse at goal weight than it will be a few months later, and after reaching goal than it can keep improveing for a year or two after that.
Personally, I definitely looked worse partway to goal than I did at goal, in terms of saggy/loose skin. What can happen is that fat depletes from anywhere in the fat mass, not neatly starting with the outside layer and proceeding inward. As a consequence, midway to goal, the remaining fat mass gets kind of floppy/squishy - like a squishy partially full water balloon vs. one that's all firm when full of water. That residual fat conspires with gravity to keep skin stretched out, by weighing it down into floppy flaps. (Sorry for that analogy; clarity > diplomacy, I'm thinking).
As particular areas continue to lose fat, the "weighing down" effect decreases, and the skin can get down to the "thin wrinkles" phase (looking like wrinkles in fabric, not 1/2" plus wrinkles or rolls that still hold subcutaneous fat). That's when the skin can actual begin to shrink. Even then, the skin shrinkage will be slower than fat loss, for most of us.
So, at goal weight, we look better in terms of loose skin then with pounds still to go, but it will continue to improve further over time. Admittedly, I didn't lose as much as you have (it was around 50 pounds or so), but even reaching goal at age 60, my loose skin kept shrinking well into year 2 of maintenance. At the risk of TMI - sensitive souls will want to stop reading now! - at goal weight, I swear my rear view looked like a bulldog's face, all droops and sags. After a couple of years, it looked much more like a regular li'l ol' lady rear: Not centerfold material for Playboy, but not suited for the American Kennel Club magazine anymore, either.
Beyond the loose skin question, for me, the point just before and continuing after reaching goal was the maximum for looking haggard, drawn, and generally unwell. I hadn't cut calories crazy far, had tapered off my loss rate near the end, kept nutrition in reasonable territory, kept working out . . . but I still looked pretty strained. Thing was, that improved greatly within a few months, based not just on self-perception, but the reaction of friends who saw me near goal, then not again until a few months later, and told me that they'd earlier been worried about me, but later thought I looked slim and healthy (at exactly the same weight, BTW).
So, if you're concerned how things stand now, when you have 40 pounds to go, try to stay optimistic. None of us are going to suddenly look like buff 18-year-old beauty queens (though I swear haitch comes amazingly close sometimes ), but there is certainly potential that you'll see improvement beyond what you're expecting from what you see right now. I've heard that most plastic surgeons will want you to wait at least a year after weight loss before undertaking skin removal surgery; this is part of the reason why.
Best wishes!
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LisaMelton1 wrote: »Ok this is going to be gross to most, but as the turkey neck appeared the chest went flat. At 64 you expect things to slide so imagine my disappointment when not only is gravity taking over but weight loss has made the girls just look sad. I feel better and get around better, but I’ll never let my husband see me naked again.
Oh no. Now that I'm older and can't have kids, it's all fun and games! Whoever I'm with as I age better like and get used to me being naked, because it's on now! LOL5 -
@queenoscots I'm going to chime in and agree, as usual, with Ann and Haitch here. Like them, I too looked much worse both mid- and immediately post weight loss than I did after things settled a bit.
Even a few years out, I continue to notice improvements to my body. As for my face? Well, time still marches on and I am 56. My husband assures me I still look good for my age, and like you I undertook this endeavor to deal with my arthritis so I am ahead of that game. As you said, the health benefits cannot be understated.6 -
Thanks, @AnnPt77 for an answer that was informative and also acknowledged my experience as real and understandable.
As for @middlehaitch, @GottaBurnEmAll , @LisaMelton1 , and others:
I do appreciate your words. For those of us who have worked very, very hard just to look older--at least in the face--the reality stings. I was still at the pool twice this week, and at the gym twice. And I'm still counting my calories. I'm happy for those who feel they look younger, and wish I could say the same about my and the original poster.
Cheers, everyone!7 -
I'm 60 and just say that I'm 80 so I look great for that age. All joking aside, we are all probably our own worst critics.3
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I'm 62 and know I look older than my age. My husband is 17 years older than I am, and I look older than he does. However, I've spend years out in the sun without sunscreen, so I can't say I'm surprised. My mother did the same, without getting wrinkled, but she was obese so it didn't show as it does with me. My body looks good, aside from the lack of breasts, but not my face. My thighs also are wrinkled, but that isn't as obvious, except when I'm running or doing downward dog in yoga. That said, I have no regrets. I'd much rather be slim and fit than obese and less wrinkled.3
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I look older to because the stretched skin wrinkles. So what? There's those things I can control like my weight and those that I can't like my age.2
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