49 and looking haggard. Is this just inevitable now?

[sharktractorbingo]

time I catch a glimpse of myself recently I just think how aged I’m looking. I don’t know if that just it now, I’m getting old and need to accept that my looks are fading. I really try to look after myself - these are the things I do: I rarely drink alcohol, I eat a healthy diet, I drink at least 2 litres of water every day, I run 5 miles 4 times a week, I always cleanse and moisturise my face twice a day, I take a multivitamin daily. My BMI is 20.6.
I have been more stressed than normal as I have teens doing exams at the moment.
Is there anything else I should be doing?

As PP's have said, it's hard to know if you have "runners face" (whatever the frig that is...)

Runners face is a combination of fat depletion and exposure to the elements, sun, wind; and also to a degree, I would think, the effects of gravity on the reducing fat pads in the cheeks with every bounding step... People wear sports bras to protect their breasts from pounding up and down, and I think the face and cheeks in particular are getting a lot of unusual pressure in running.

Try adding a few products into your skin care; hyaluronic acid (draws moisture into the skin), niacinamide (evens skin texture, tightens pores) and retinol (renews skin cells). Bit of vitamin c will also brighten complexion and help lighten any dark spots.
And an AHA will naturally exfoliate the skin.

Also a good moisturiser with spf 30 (at least) every goddamn day!

20 miles a week is excellent and I wouldn't think you need any more cardio in your routine, but I don't believe you get runners face from 20 miles a week. I know it sounds a lot to people who don't run, but it is just a nice amount of miles. I really would be strict with SPF though. And a hat.

And the OP is likely not to be skinny. A healthy BMI is not skinny. I think people see BMI 25 as a magic number and anything below that is too skinny.

Weights, healthy fats and sunscreen. Yoga. But you can't outrun genetics and the actual fact that we age. Focus on being healthy and strong and whatever that means to you.

20 miles a week is excellent and I wouldn't think you need any more cardio in your routine, but I don't believe you get runners face from 20 miles a week. I know it sounds a lot to people who don't run, but it is just a nice amount of miles. I really would be strict with SPF though. And a hat.

No, I don't see that it's a lot as it's similar to what I do over a week. 😀 Friends who do marathons, and other fell running don't have this so called runners face either. They (and me) do use plenty of SPF, sunglasses and a hat, because the biggest risk is looking weathered because it's outdoors.

I never hear 'runners face' being used in relation to men, though in our group some can be blasé about using adequate SPF!

I'm banging on about this but I don't want women to be put off an extremely potentially beneficial exercise because of this nonsense runners face. (yes there are other beneficial exercises, like weights and other cross training, and I do a minimum of those too).

If in doubt look for photos of our well known long distance runners. They don't look haggard . A famous example of Paula Radcliffe looks youthful for her age and she must be almost 50.

I often wonder whether 'runners face' and 'put on weight' is a bid to drag people down to where others may be. I agree you rarely see any of this in relation to men.

Men usually have better muscle tone even when they are thin- not fair but it's natural for them. A lot of (thin) women don't do any weight bearing exercise and you lose muscle tone massively as you get older, and bone density. My father did loads of races and marathons later in life and still got osteoporosis and had a massive heart attack and died of heart failure earlier than you might expect for a man who was so fit all his life.

Vastly more importantly than what happens to my face, I don't overdo things, everything in moderation and I listen to my body (my DF didn't believe in that and would carry on regardless). Running and cardio work are only one part of the exercise I do, and I see yoga and weight training as equally if not more important. It's important to raise your HR and keep it strong but muscle tone and bone density are my focus.

Running and cardio work are only one part of the exercise I do, and I see yoga and weight training as equally if not more important. It's important to raise your HR and keep it strong but muscle tone and bone density are my focus.

Yes, you're right. I don't just run either, and if I do too much my knees protest (and I'm careful with cross training to avoid that). I really dislike weights, for some reason, too, but I make sure they're included in my routine.

I mean this kindly but no.

No one likes being asked guess how old you think I am, and when someone guesses v young on purpose it's too awkward to disagree.

If I had a penny for every time I've said oh I don't know? Late twenties?