General chatter Because life isn't just about dieting. Play games, jokes, or share what's new in your life!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 08-27-2007, 05:16 PM   #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
vealcalf2000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 513

S/C/G: 251/190/175

Height: 5'10

Default Does excess weight make u look older?

All my life people have mistaken me for being older and it drives me nuts. When I was a preteen everyone thought I was in my 20's and at the time I thought it was cool. Well when I hit my 20's and a couple of people mistook me for being in my 40's I started to get upset! Is it my height? weight? Do I just LOOK old? I'm 32 right now and am so critical of how I look. Money is tight right now but when I get closer to goal I plan on getting a more "youthful" haircut and hope to get younger looking clothes but I don't want to look like a fool-you know those people who dress too young for their age. I don't want to look trashy just a bit more youthful. Anyone have this problem! BTW I've been heavy my entire life.
vealcalf2000 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2007, 05:20 PM   #2  
pole princess!
 
Blueyedblond's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 190

S/C/G: 136.5/136.5/107

Height: 4'10"

Default

I have no idea - most people mistake me for being around 22-26 years old - I am 31. I think my thinner face makes me look older though. I have no idea how other people think i look when im thinner - i know my face lookes very diffent thin vs fat though.
Blueyedblond is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2007, 05:31 PM   #3  
Junior Member
 
AndyNY's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: New York City
Posts: 13

S/C/G: 297/254/187

Height: 6'0"

Default

I think when you're under 35 or so, extra weight can make you look older. 35-70 or so, I don't think it makes much of a difference. And from 70 onward I think you look better, younger, and more vibrant with some extra pounds on you.

That's why I can't wait until I hit 70 so I can start packing on the pounds again.

Andy
AndyNY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2007, 05:42 PM   #4  
kaw
Senior Member
 
kaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: US -- varies
Posts: 972

S/C/G: 159-ish/145/140-ish

Height: 5' 8.75"

Default

I'm at that age when the "laugh lines" really start to show. I think I look even older now that my face is thinner. Of course, I also think the college freshmen look younger and younger every year.

I recently had to choose a photo for work. My choices were (a) 3 months pregnant but 6 years younger, or (b) 25 pounds lighter but 6 years older. It was a surprisingly difficult choice. (I went with the current photo, so not to cause any heart attacks among visitors who expect youth but find wrinkles.)

Kim
kaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2007, 06:05 PM   #5  
Meg
Senior Member
 
Meg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 8,974

Default

Check out the photos in the Goal Photo Album. I think just about everyone who posted before and afters looks noticeably younger after weight loss.
Meg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2007, 06:12 PM   #6  
banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 830

S/C/G: Countdown to goal!

Height: 5'7"

Default

I think that facially, if one is heavier, one's face is a bit filled out. And in young people, that "rounder face" is a give-away to actual age. Just look at Madonna when she was in her 20s, or Catherine Zeta-Jones when she was in her 20s vs. today. It is absolutely true that as people age, their subcutaneous fat tends to disappear, and is particularly visible on one's neck, hands, and cheek area. SO, being heavier, with more fat, keeps your face and neck "plumped up". BUT BUT BUT!!!! Keep in mind that some clinicians feel that high sugar and fat intake (not the good fats mind you) and smoking plus sun exposure affect your cellular metabolism and prematurely age you. If you look at alot of super-thin young Hollywood, who subsist on Starbucks and sugar, suntans and Marlboros, I think they look much, much older than they are (the skeletal Olsen twin, Victoria Beckham, Brooke Hogan, and other such stick-insects...).
ALSO, we are just discussing your face! For the average person extra poundage really seems to add on the years. I think that the rest of your frame looks much, much older, and dare I say, somewhat dowdy. Part of this is the way you dress, but the other part of it is just how you look in an overall sense. And like Meg says, check out the before and after shots, and you can see a big overall difference when people lose weight.
freiamaya is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2007, 06:15 PM   #7  
Onward and Downward
 
meowee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,485

S/C/G: 285/215/1??

Height: 5'2"

Default

If you are just counting the face . . . I have to agree that after reaching "a certain level of maturity" (middle age), the face tends to look a little younger with a bit more fat holding the skin taunt so the wrinkles are less noticeable. However, if you view the entitity as a whole, I think a slimmer outline will always look younger, and move younger, too.
meowee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2007, 06:32 PM   #8  
Senior Member
 
witchyonadiet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 450

Height: 5'4"

Default

Hmmm - well people who have not seen me since before I lost the weight say I look WAY younger
witchyonadiet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2007, 07:43 PM   #9  
paso a paso
 
mariposita's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 282

S/C/G: 160/125/126

Height: reaching for 5'

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by witchyonadiet View Post
Hmmm - well people who have not seen me since before I lost the weight say I look WAY younger
Ditto for me--I'm a stump and down almost 30 pounds so I keep thinking people will notice the change. I have gotten 2 (count them) 2 compliments specifically on my weight loss. People generally think I'm a lot younger than I am, but my best friend recently said "you look younger than ever!" and others have said things like I look rested or energetic or some such. I'll take all positive feedback.
mariposita is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2007, 02:08 PM   #10  
Senior Member
 
hotmama2three's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 117

S/C/G: 245/205/175

Height: 5'11"

Default

I definitely think being heavier while you are 'youngish' is ageing, especially if it is accompanied by conservative type clothes. I know at my heaviest you would not see me in tank tops (forget shorts) or jeans, it was all about hiding the fat.

Also, being heavy gives a more matronly appearance, thus the assumption you are older.
hotmama2three is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2007, 02:55 PM   #11  
Senior Member
 
Amy8888's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Kansas
Posts: 897

Height: 5'4"

Default

I think I look younger when I'm heavier. I lost a bunch of weight 6 years ago and I think I looked a little older then. I've re-gained the weight (two pregnancies) and I look younger now than I did then. It's frustrating. I'm 32, have my PhD, and because I work on a college campus many people mistake me for an undergrad. Consequently, I find it hard for people to take me seriously. Hey, there's some extra motivation to help get the weight off!
Amy8888 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2007, 03:40 PM   #12  
Senior Member
 
lumifan4ever's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: East coast baby!!!
Posts: 2,107

S/C/G: 196/160/125

Height: 5'5"

Default

Looking at my before and after pics...I definately think the extra weight makes me look older. I think on an overall picture...being over weight makes you look older. Alot of over weight people can't buy stylish clothes (without them being very expensive) and tend to have that hunch back look to their backs. (I truely hope i'm not offending anyone!!!). I know that I am still working on improving my posture.

so...i think the answer is yes....being overweight makes you look older.
lumifan4ever is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2007, 04:17 PM   #13  
Blonde Bimbo
 
almostheaven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,984

S/C/G: 250+/144/135

Height: 5' 4"

Default

I can look at pics of me in my 20s and overweight and swear I was a 40 yo woman. Now, in my 40's and a healthy weight, I've had comments on my age many times. I've been mistaken for as young as 25 at one point.
almostheaven is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2007, 06:11 PM   #14  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
vealcalf2000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 513

S/C/G: 251/190/175

Height: 5'10

Default

Hmmm...I think u guys may have hit a nerve w/me. Since I've been heavy my entire life I've been inclinded to wear . . .well for lack of a better word OLD PEOPLE CLOTHES! Sorry no offense intended to anyone!!!! I remember being like 12 years old and wearing a matching dress w/my MOTHER!!!! OMG what was I thinking and more importantly what was SHE thinking! I still want to hold off on getting new clothes since I'm still in the losing process and would like to at least get under 200 # before I invest in too many outfits. When I do shop though I want to get the nicest clothes out there! Thanks for all of your posts!
vealcalf2000 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2007, 06:30 PM   #15  
banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 830

S/C/G: Countdown to goal!

Height: 5'7"

Default

I just looked over my old photos and realized that most of my fashion sense when I was younger was from my mom's closet (the clothes FIT!). BUT, since she had me at 41, when I was 20 I was dressing like a 61-year-old!!! Not that there aren't fashionable 61-year olds, but my mom dressed for function, not style...

I feel your pain...
freiamaya is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:12 PM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.