Face vs figure? Can a 40 plus woman not have both?

[Explodingatomickittens]

I'm starting to walk twice a day 30 min brisk speed each time coupled with a yoga with Adrienne... Can't afford the gym. I need to tone up, size 10-12 but very flabby. My bf said if I lose too much it will show in my face! She said I have to choose!
She's an outdoor swimmer & runs, she's chosen her figure! But will readily admit the running has taken its toll on her face..

She doesn't sound like much of a friend!

Well done for making positive changes.

As cheesey as it sounds, once you start to feel better about yourself that confidence will radiate out of you. That'd more attractive than anything.

FWIW I run and swim and it hasn't taken a toll on my face. 41F. I think I look alright!

I'm hoping yoga with Adriene will help, I just can't afford yoga or pilates classes! Love walking though esp for my mental health!

You’re still young…I don’t think there is a huge trade off at this point

The older runners at my club do look a bit more lean in the face, but they run 50 miles a week and have very low body fat. They also look happy and healthy despite the lack of plumpness.

Weight training will allow you to keep curves and your shape, whilst feeling leaner. Yoga is great for flexibility and moving your body but never did me much good for ‘toning up’.

Can you invest in a kettlebell from the Aldi middle aisle or somewhere cheap like decathlon. you can do so many exercises with a kettlebell, look on YouTube. Don’t underestimate body weight exercises either. Resistance bands are good too.

Yes need to get a kettleball! I'll see how I get on with yoga with Adriene, surpried how hard it is on the wrists!

What on odd comment! I think you'd have to be exercising at a very intense level for it to have a 'negative' impact on your face!

All my friends (early to mid 40s) do a moderate amount of exercise (regular running, HIIT, go to gym classes etc) and our faces all look perfectly fine and normal!

I have a plump face which is already sagging and a plump body - neither look great! I’m a similar size and age to you, although probably shorter, and hoping to have a less round face when I’ve got a bit more toned. If necessary I’ll use some scaffolding fillers to hold it up.

On the exercise front I would try some body weight exercises before buying any equipment. Compound exercises are great for toning quickly. I like Shona Vertue on insta / you tube. If you do use a kettle bell as a PP suggests it would be good to go to at least one PAYG class as you can do yourself damage if you don’t get the technique right.

I do daily hot yoga, which does wonders for my skin. My body has never been stronger, and I think my face looks good.

I'm a runner. I'm not super lean and I'm short so I don't look thin but I'm not overweight. (Bmi 21) but I've got chubby cheeks so I don't look old (yet ...I hope. My DH and kids would definitely tell me if I did because they are kind like that! 🤣)

I think Jo lo said there comes a time when you need to choose between your ass or your face 😂😂

It's not the exercise. It's usually weight loss, or quick weight loss, if that makes sense, that might impact on face.

So you can have both.

I think it’s a myth about running and your face. It’s more that any intense exercise at a high level with cause you to lose fat and that can show up in your face. Also as you’re outside a lot running you need to be religious with SPF all year round and wear a cap/glasses.
Eat enough to fuel, especially protein. We need more as we age.

Though (and I love running) I don’t think it’s the best thing for your figure in your 40s you need to add in weights (heavy).

So not so simple as a choice between your face and arse. More about doing the right exercise, looking after your skin and fuelling/eating correctly.

Walking and yoga is great but won’t cause fat loss to the face. It should benefit your skin.

Hi OP. There’s no such thing as toning. Building muscle will give you the look you’re after and for that you need to lift weights and eat more protein. Forget yoga unless you have a lot of free time.

Do that, maybe add a couple of cardio sessions (but don’t go mad) and continue with your daily walks and your face will be fine.

Also 100% this.

Exercise doesn't cause wrinkles but weight loss can definitely have that effect.

I lost weight a couple of years ago and suddenly developed cheekbones. Not in a good way! But honestly the weight loss is absolutely worth it. You don't get more wrinkly, but you lose the fat that was holding your skin up.

One more lovely gift from mother nature in middle age!

I think you have to get really pretty thin before you start looking gaunt in the face. If you're talking about the difference between being a size 14 or a size 10 I don't think it makes any difference to your face.

I'm about 15lbs overweight and the only part I mind about it is my face - double chin and no bone structure.... I want to lose weight for that. And look so much better 10pms down. I like my other womanly curves. 😊

It depends on the body and the face but I definitely look gaunt if I lose half a stone.

I was watching Roisin Conaty the other night. She has lost a lot of weight and suddenly looks older in her face. Kirsty Allsop on the other hand is quite overweight and I would say she looks younger than her age.

But obviously you need to choose your body!

I think that choosing between face & figure is only a factor if you were quite overweight to begin with as losing a lot of weight when you’re over 40 can sometimes make you look older if your facial skin doesn’t have the elasticity to bounce back.
But it’s a myth that running makes you look older. I know lots of older ladies who run marathons etc and they all look very healthy and younger than their age. But they were probably always slim so never experienced large weight loss.

"I was watching Roisin Conaty the other night. She has lost a lot of weight and suddenly looks older in her face. Kirsty Allsop on the other hand is quite overweight and I would say she looks younger than her age."

Huw Edwards really aged in the face when he lost weight so it happens to men too.

No, it's mainly a myth that people tell themselves as a positive for being OW. None of the slim women I know look facially older than the larger ones. In fact it can be the opposite, as excess weight doesn't just nicely plump out cheeks and winkles, it also causes chins and jowels which can be aging.
What can happen though is that significant weight loss after being OW for a while can cause skin stretching and sagging. Also getting to a very low weight can cause a hollow look, so it's about the right balance for how you prefer to look.

"In fact it can be the opposite, as excess weight doesn't just nicely plump out cheeks and winkles, it also causes chins and jowels which can be aging."

Yes, sometimes, but I definitely know some overweight people who look younger because their wrinkles are plumped out. I'm thinking of people around 60 who look around 45. I suspect that if you're 35, being overweight would make you look older.

"getting to a very low weight can cause a hollow look, so it's about the right balance for how you prefer to look."

Yes, but we lose plumpness from our cheeks naturally as we get older so the weight at which we might look gaunt would be higher than for a younger person. So a healthily slim person who is not underweight might end up looking a bit gaunt as the face slides downwards with age.

I don’t seem to be able to choose my figure ! But surely there is a balance to be had. Plus a bit of Botox can help the face!