Your figure or your face?

[Dolcelatte]

Is it true that when you become certain age (let's say over 40) you have to choose between your figure ot your face? I didn't think so, but now i am starting to believe it. By way of example, I have 2 x SIL - one younger and one slightly older - the older one has always been a 'big girl' but has gorgeous skin, is confident and happy, and really hardly seems to have aged; the other has a fabulous model girl figure at 46 but an 'old face' (also happy, by the way!).

Which is best, worse, if you could choose? Or are you just lucky to be healthy and apart from being reasonably sensible with diet, exercise etc just don't worry about it - in which case it is a shallow question. But AIBU to wonder which you would choose?

I'm not saying which, if any, category I belong to - just sufficiently insecure to post this thread!

It's better to avoid extremes and just maintain a healthy weight if you can. Neither too thin or fat is a great look at any age. As long as your your body is fit and healthy everything else is a bonus.

When I put on weight, I thought it was quite aging actually. Losing (most of) the weight made my face look younger and more feminine, as well as improving my figure. Though to be fair this was in my late 20s/early 30s and it wasn't a massive amount of weight.

I would guess that gaining and losing large amounts of weight could make your face saggy/wrinkled, especially if you're over a certain age, but that's all the more reason to try to maintain a stable healthy weight, then hopefully you won't have to choose either way!

My friends who exercise a lot have great bodies but faces look hard and masculine somehow. Those who are a bit chubbier are a lot younger and prettier looking.

I'm having a facelift, eventually. Luckily at 38 no grey hairs or wrinkles.

I lost a third of my body weight last year and look loads younger now so I don't think you have to chose. I looked older and frumpier when I was a size 16 compared to being a size 10.

Barbara Cartland joke:

'I've heard it only takes her two weeks.'

'To write a book? I know.'

'No, to put her make-up on!'