It was a month short of my 46th birthday in the 'after' pictures and I was 42 in the 'before'. Loads of people have told me I don't look my age - if fact last week one girl at one of my fitness classes asked me if I remembers the 80s. When I told her I was 18 in 1982 she was gob-smacked. BTW I am not wearing any make-up in those photos either.
I have seen women who have lost a lot of weight who look really good, they exercise regularly, moisturize and use lots of sun block when outside.
So I guess it depends on how old you are, how well you've taken care of yourself, skin-protected from the sun damage and all that.
Plus, it's also a toss up, do you want to look younger then you are and fight all those problems that obesisty makes worse? Or be healthy, active and able to do basically anything you need to do pain free?
My mom and I did south beach diet together a few years ago. we talk on the phone and email a lot but she lives several hundred miiles from me and I only see her once every year or so.
She lost like 30 pounds and was really proud of herself. She was 79 at the time. She has always been very sedintary. She also grew up on a farm and never used sun screen until recently when they started talking about sun and cancer.
Her face care is washing it with what ever bar soap she finds on sale and never moisturizes after. I bought her a bottle of good moisturizer and she said "Honey, I'm too old for the high falunten stuff" ???? Oil of olay is high faluntin? (And just how do you spell faluntin anyway?)
Her idea of excerisce is to get on one those old belt vibrators for 30 minutes. She still has 2, a small one and a super duper one. They must be 35 years old.
When I saw her after she lost the weight I nearly started crying because she actually looked her age. It made me appreciate how old she is and how I won't have her around forever.
I have a sil who's smokes like a chimney-she's a chain smoker and always has one in her hand even in the bathroom! She lost about 50 pounds when she was in her 50's and she looks absolutely horrible with all the wrinkles around her mouth. She's also very sedinatary, she doesn't do anything that requires physical exersion. She's circle the parking lot for 10 minutes waiting for a parking spot in the front row by the store so she doesn't have to walk very far. And she's still a size 4 and proud of it at 60 yo, she still chain smokes and looks like she's been sucking on lemons all her life.
Oh dear, did I just completely turn you off from losing weight? Really these are extreme examples of what not to do really.
I do worry about it. I'm 38 and one of my best features is my skin - no wrinkles or blemishes. I've been told I look much younger than I am. I get that my body skin is going to be loose, but I sort of thought my head/neck were going to survive the loss without issue.
The other day I was looking in a compact and happened to be leaning over a bit and was holding the mirror below my face looking down (remind me never to do that again!). I noticed that my lower neck looked crepey like my grandma's skin got and sort of loose. I was so upset! My first aging skin sign brought on by having stretched my skin out so much combined with the fact that my older skin isn't going to snap back like it would have years ago. Who knew a person who allowed themselves to get so fat could be so vain...
I would much rather be thin and look healthy. I am 45 and have pure white hair (not gray, but white) and have for over 20 years. People have always thought I was older than I was - strictly because of my hair color. I go in cycles where I color it, but most of the time I just let it be white. It's so much easier. I am lucky that the color of my hair is pretty and not dingy. I get a lot of compliments on my hair color and have even had people ask me how I get my hair this color. I usually just smile and say "God did it, I can't take the credit." I am about ready to color it again, but I usually end up regretting it.
I think I am actually looking forward to looking older, just a BIT older though I have always looked much younger than I am which has been a problem up until now but I am told I will enjoy it when I am older. My mom also looks very young and has been mistaken for my sister so I guess it's genetic. She is a thin and very petite woman though. I got my big build from my dad..darn LOL
I am going on 29 but I am frequently taken for 16-18. I get carded for buying scratch tickets that you have to be 18 to buy. when I had my daughter at 20, I am sure I looked like a 13 year old with a baby. I feel like I don't get taken seriously and get ignored because I look young. If I end up looking 29..well maybe 25 I think I will be very satisfied. I hope I don't end up looking younger
I'm not worried about really looking older, but uglier. (I know that's terrible.) I see a lot of people on tv who lost a lot of weight and yeah, their bodies are tiney but WTH happened to their face?!?! I have a great face right now and I don't want to lose it. (Sniffle.) I also have to wonder what is up with all the people who lose weight so they feel like they have to cut their hair short and tan till their orange. SO many commercials show short-haired, weird faced, orange, now skinny people it freaks me out!
I'm afraid of looking older, and REALLY hoping to look younger. I'm 24 and people often mistake me for 30. I don't understand why. I don't smoke or tan; I'm just starting to get a couple fine lines under my eyes (but people have been mistaking me for older for years). But clearly I can't afford to look any older!
I have always looked older than my age. By the time I was in my late twenties, casheirs were asking me if I wanted the senior citizen discount or if that Easter candy was for my grandkids (it was for MY children, who were under 5 at the time). It hasn't gotten any better over the years and I'm vain enough to say it continues to sadden me that it isn't going to get any better this late in life (I turn 50 this year).
I know part of it has been the weight, it really does age a person. But, now I'm going to be fifty. Sigh. I am grateful for the weight loss. After surviving cancer, I'm grateful to be here at all.
It sure does suck though......oh well, I've got my health!
Sorry for being a downer
Last edited by ANewCreation; 03-24-2010 at 12:54 AM.
I'm not worried about really looking older, but uglier. (I know that's terrible.) I see a lot of people on tv who lost a lot of weight and yeah, their bodies are tiney but WTH happened to their face?!?! I have a great face right now and I don't want to lose it. (Sniffle.) I also have to wonder what is up with all the people who lose weight so they feel like they have to cut their hair short and tan till their orange. SO many commercials show short-haired, weird faced, orange, now skinny people it freaks me out!
I see more and more of my college self in the mirror every day. (I'm 35)
I think I will be very satisfied. I hope I don't end up looking younger 
