Hot holidays

[Eliza22]

I'm 54. My face is still ok but my body's had it. Tried on jeans today ....16 too big but 14 tight. Am 5ft 6. Feeling old and frumpy. Worse than that, my flesh is weak. Literally. It's lost all its firmness in the past 6 months. Menopause and all that.

Anyway, we're planning a summer break for July. Just a week away. I've told DH that I don't want to do a beach holiday due to the excessive heat. Actually, it's the thought of stripping off and getting it all out. I just dont want to do it. Last year we did Rome/Pompeii and when the photos came back I was cross with myself....I should have taken the camera off DH!

Am I being silly? Should we do Denmark and should I keep my kit on?

Oh God! I'm the only one then!

I've just been to Copnhagen and loved it :)

Oops typo

Italy in the Summer is hot and you could cut about in chic little cotton dresses rather than beach wear.

We're going in October (Canaries) , I haven't had my carcass out from under wraps since > 2013 .
50 this year and yes, gone a bit south . I'm a size 12 rump, size 14 top, the bit in the centre is the downfall (but I'm working on it)

I have 6 months to sort things out but my plan of action is:

Buy good supportive bikinis , even if it means I only have 2, rather than the scraps of nylon and string or the bandeau ones that give a mono boob look.

Couple of floaty beach dresses (I bought an M&S one already) and a sarong

Spend some time concentrating on exfoliating, moisturising, depilating. Make my skin as smooth as possible.
Tan Accelarator used as body lotion a month before I go.
Fake tan (proper salon spray on) I'm planning going before my birthday , so if I like the results, it might be a more regular thing.

One of those water sprays to cool me down
Sunglasses
Magazine
And not to give a shiney sh*t what other people think.

July is 3 months away so following a good safe diet plan you could lose a stone. Other than that as pp have said, pamper, find flattering clothes and just roll with it. You've 30 odd years of holidays to come, and as lovely as Denmark is, do you really want your appearance to stop you enjoying your holidays?

And not to give a shiney sht what other people think.*
This ^^^ 😀

It is difficult but you are your own biggest critic - 99% of other folk are just concentrating on themselves and their own holiday, and tbh as I surreptuously noticed last year in Ibiza and Italy - there are plenty look the same or worse than me, bet I'm fatter than you too.

I wore longline bikini top and big pants that roll down with a cover up for walking around the beach and pool, and above knee linen shifts from Next for day trips and evening dinner. I didn't stand out in any way, in fact probably mostly unnoticed which is exactly what I wanted.

We were in Germany last summer and it was scorching. I packed really badly for it and ended up mostly wearing a black mini, a t-shirt and trainers but I looked and felt a mess.

We're doing it again this summer and so far my plan is:
black sleeveless maxi dress, if I can find one to fit me - so far 10s are too tight on the tummy and 12s are too big
black sleeveless jersey dress which I already own this one but black
a cotton sundress if I can find one, maybe in a bright colour or print - otherwise I might get the khaki dress I've just linked to
squidgy sandals, if such things exist and are not hideous

The tiny Avene water sprays are excellent.

Loose floaty tops can look amazing, also long maxi dresses, slouchy linen trousers, loose camisoles and silver sandals.
An oversized bag makes you look smaller, ditto floppy hat.
Just losing a couple of pounds beforehand and buying some new clothes can make you feel a million times more confident.
Have a lovely time.

Lovely ladies! (Assuming you are all ladies ). Thanks for the replies.

I guess I have to bite the bullet again and lose a stone. It's the only way. I've spent my entire adult life gaining/losing that stone. I just wasn't sure I could face it again and it's so much harder now, at 54!

You just need the right clothes. Jeans are hard for many to pull off. I can't wear often as too short.

Have you considered going to somewhere like John Lewis and getting a personal shopper to help with ideas initially?

Personally I wear dresses 99% of the time and think they suit most people. Wool in winter, linen or light cotton in summer

Cotton dresses are so difficult to find. :(

No to jeans - will be far too hot.

Maybe get a spray tan before you go, to give you a bit more confidence?

Cotton dresses.....have looked and I feel I need a sleeve as my arms are now chunky. Artandco where do you buy your "99% of the time" dresses? I love linen but haven't found anything.

Thanks

Various places for dresses. Many various high street like jigsaw and Hobbs and the white company, but online I really like The People tree. The people tree sells mainly ethical or organic products and many are 100% cotton . They change products regularly.

Cotton dresses with sleeves are really hard to find. I'll either just flash my arms, bit of fake tan helps, or wear a cotton cardi.

Also, started kettle bells twice a week at new year. And it's made a difference to firmness. 8 weeks of something like that before you go away would be an idea.

But agree with the above that linen trousers or skirts/dresses are cool and also easy to wear.

big shame that you won't do a trip that you presumably want to do because of body image issues.

no-one else notices or cares. Does the body work? (hope so)

book the holiday.

Try the 5:2 - the fast diet. Its fantastic and has really helped me lose a stone. It takes time but its totally worth it. If you start doing it now, you should see some results. There is a thread on mumsnet that will give you tons of support and ideas. It has really fitted in with my lifestyle and see it more of a way of life.

I feel for you on the photo front. Was in Italy last year and despised the way I looked in the photos hence the weight loss now. Really though, I know I shouldn't care but I have always been slim and because of being on anti-depressants for work issues I piled on the lbs. I hadn't got that big but at a 14 I felt really uncomfortable and unhappy with myself. So, I bit the bullet and took action.

Goodluck :)

Try Bali in Indonesia - Really hot at this time of the year

Nobody cares about what you look like I agree. If you want to lose weight, do it for yourself.