To be angry at suddenly becoming old?

[jimijack]

Well tbf it feels like it has suddenly happened.

I used to be gorgeous (I did!!) Gorgeous long blonde hair, 8 stone, trendy, could eat anything, always out here & there. Job I loved, people around me equally you'd & gorgeous.

Now.
I am almost 45. I'm fat, frumpy, short very greying hair, I have a moustache, bushy eyebrows, can't remember when I shaved my legs last. I don't recognize this person in the mirror.
I look forward to the Aldi magazine, my wheelie bin gets out more than I do & I've had to change jobs. Much less enjoyable, challenging and mundane.

How did this happen?
I LOVE my life, I am very fortunate, I just hate me & what has happened to me.

Time has gone nowhere, really fast.

I'm looking forward to invisibility too - I hate attention. I just wish the tramlines would be invisible!!

I've been ruminating over this lately. It came to me when I was doing my annual fitness test, and I scored somewhere in the 7 marker , which is significantly less than I used to, and which I'd actually trained longer for . And there were these young whippersnappers trotting about still whilst I was on my knees . Mortifying . And then I looked in the mirror and noticed the laughter lines have developed into bellylaugh bags , And the grey is spreading apace . Oh dear .

I "can remember being sort of looked at twice and knowing they fancied you, now if someone looks twice it means I have food on my face that I didnt notice.....but me and dh have a laugh about it all, its all you can do.

I know what you mean. When I was younger, I felt quite pleased when I looked in the mirror but nowadays looking after my appearance is more about damage limitation (in my late 40s). The only time I don't feel invisible is when I'm out with my eldest teenage daughter even though I know in reality that all the interest is due to her rather than me!

Noddyholder you look amazing for your age.

[weird question] I sense a sort of affinity with you - are you a Merseysider?

I am 42 and today I have spotted my first completly white Pubic hair!!!! Not happy at all I hated being 20 but want to go back anyway.

well, in case it cheers anyone up, I do have some good news. Those patches are making a very definite difference to the tramlines! It is weird sleeping with that on but I have got used to it. I imagine it will be a bit grim in hot weather, but it's not like we have loads of that in the UK. Now go and buy some so that we can get the price down!! (they are called Silc Skin)

I also have to tackle dyeing my hair. Rather than start a new thread, does anyone know if semi permanent dye is better for your hair than permanent dye? I haven't got lots of greys but my hair is quite dry so dyeing it worries me.

I totally take my mum's point that it will be a bind, but I feel like going grey at 39 is not quite right. Maybe I'll dye it till I'm 50 or some such....I don't know.

Bollocks to appearance, I am sulking like buggery (as well as suffering torments) because I can't get over stiles any more. DS and I did the St Chrisopher's Hospice Fun Walk today - we did the 8 mile version two years ago and this year we got brave and did the full 11 miles. And two years ago I was A Bit Tired afterwards, this time I am completely broken. And those stiles. Those fucking stiles. I thought one of the cute squaddies doing the stewarding was going to have to come and lever me off or actually carry me over one at one point. And that's with me deploying the walking stick I borrowed off my mum.
I am 50, not 108! How can I not be able to get over a fucking stile without pain, yelping and indignity?

how high are the stiles? I have always been useless at climbing over things but that's just me. If it's any consolation, someone upthread also talked of the difference in fitness and I think that's with continual training. I am a gym regular but from what I've been told, I should expect to want to go easier in the next few years. Annoying, I know.

PS (need an edit button) well done for doing that walk by the way.

I'm fucking fuming at my face. It used to be lovely. Now I look like a shit. I 'look after' myself but I have to accept I'm knocking on a bit and I don't fucking like it one bit!

Nothing higher than about a foot per step. I just couldn't get the boost from my knees - would get one foot up and then couldn't do the kind of push and lift to get the other foot up there... On the way home, I nipped across the road to the tram stop... and couldn't get up the 8 inches or so step to the platform.
To be fair I have at least managed to get up the stairs to the bathroom now I'm home...

SolidGoldBrass - that sounds like a lot to me, your quads would have to be quite strong to give you that push?

WilburisSomePig - how has your face changed? I realise I'm going to get wrinkles and what not but not sure if I should be expecting something else...!

Wilbur I know exactly what you mean. I used to love my own face (narcissistic or what!) and now it's going downhill.

SGB, I am feeling your pain. I am a gym regular and believe I'm in decent shape. My husband just bought a Jeep and we were off for a sunny drive this weekend...except, I could not hoist my arse up into it. There is a little running board step thingy for easier access and I found I could not lift my leg high enough off the ground to reach it. He had to get a fruit box out of the garage for me to step up onto, then make the running board and finally into the bloody Jeep. Probably doesn't help that I'm under 5' but I used to
jump up into our old Jeep all the time...

Bloody hell, you lot need to go out with your mates and have a good laugh.

I'm 49, yes I have wrinkles, yes I have grey hair, yes the weight is harder to shift.

But I am fit and healthy, have a very busy social life, enjoy trying new things and am considering changing career direction which would entail getting a relevant degree.

You can sit and whine about your looks, or you can enjoy life. I know which one I'd rather do!

I have too much social life.....I don't think any of us are sitting round worrying about our looks, but can't help noticing them. Have cheered up hugely now the tram lines are dealt with....didn't fancy high necks.