The FastDay Forum

I was speaking to a friend the other day about the 5:2 and she said as you get older you have to be careful with the amount of weight you lose as your face can become haggard. Now my thoughts on this so far is that the weight lose is so slow that your skin has time to adjust, therefore not leaving a haggard look, I seem to be looking younger then I did 7 months ago but I would like to know the thoughts of the maintenance fasters, did you have to stop losing weight as your face was not looking as you would like or did you get to your desired weight and looked in the mirror at a healthy not haggard face

I don't think that I look haggard but I have deliberately not set my target weight as low as it was when I was in my twenties (I am now 64). I am 5' 7" and decided that 10 stone 7 pounds would be a reasonable weight to achieve, giving me a normal BMI and a mid-way point in the published 'normal' weight range. I am now a comfortable size 14 and happy to be here! My biggest challenge now is to maintain this weight and stop the yo-yo dieting which has plagued me for years! I hope this helps!

[Tracieknits]

Catherine Deneuve said "you either worry about the face or the hips."

I have long observed that my skinnier older friends and family look significantly older than my plumper friends and family. For example, one of my best friends has a mom who is about 25 pounds overweight, is 72 years old and she doesn't look a day over 55. My mother in law is quite thin, is the same age, and looks like she's 85. My mom is very average weight, and looks her age.

Cripes!

I've stopped because I'm where I want to be. I most certainly DO NOT look haggard

2st over 6 months is nice & gradual & my body has had time to adjust. OK it's not as firm as it was 10 years ago but that's life, it's certainly no worse for losing the weight & overall I look 10 years younger so I'm happy (&, importantly, so is my hub)

Being an apple shape, I lose weight from the bottom, literally, up so my face is the last to go. I have noticed over the years that pear shapes seem to lose from the top, i.e. face, down. No one noticed my weight loss in the winter months but when I was no longer muffled up the it was obvious that I was a lot slimmer. My body has become rather saggy and baggy with wrinkles where there used to be fat but nobody, except my husband, sees my body and he is not bothered so neither am I. To me a few wrinkles is a great trade off for a slimmer and, hopefully, healthier body. I feel years younger and happier and I hope this shows in my face.
Ballerina x

I'm 72 and in April I weighed 10 pounds more than I wanted to and was a size 14 with size 12 clothes in the closet that were way too tight. Today I've lost 10 or 12 pounds (varies )and can now wear the size 12's. My face is not so chubby as it was (neither is the double chin) but is not gaunt.

I have no desire to return to the 125 to 135 pounds of my youth.

Well Catherine Deneuve aside as she is an exception on the planet I have always thought, I qualify to reply here. I think longevity wins as no use having a pretty face when your organs swimming in fat and your life is at risk. When I was out and about yesterday I got no less than 3 compliments as to not being recognisable as I was much thinner, I was looking younger, or what am I doing as I am looking fabulous. Their words relayed! Sure I look in the mirror and at first I think oh my I seem to have more wrinkles but I know I am more vibrant in my health, I am moving more freely and I have shifted 11 kgs of fat mostly and I am wearing jazzy skirts tights and boots as am 2 sizes smaller. What's not to like, its working so far and no mention of 'you look haggard!'

I have stopped for that very reason I am still overweight in some peoples eyes but I am happy with my weight now,I may just lose one more pound and my BMI will be healthy under 25,in fact this week my daughter said I was looking so well,I think because its a very slow process you dont get that gaunt look

I would think that it is genetics as how good and supple your skin is. My mum who is 2 years older then my oldest sister in law looked like in her early 40's and sis in law looks her age and more. Mum was much more skinnier then sis in law too.

It all depends on the individual. I an apple and do not really lose anything on my round chubby face and boobs....So what works for one may not work for another. You have to make a judgement base on what you see in the mirror

Tracieknits that is the question I want answered, on the 5:2 with big weight loss at a more mature age do you look haggard like you would on a normal diet or do you like me, a bit younger or normal and healthy and old hag bag skinny old lady doesn't come in to what you and others see in the mirror

My father (84yrs) has lost at least ten pounds on 5:2 since Christmas. My mum doesn't like him doing it because his face is thinner. The fact that it may be easier to walk with his new replacement knee and that he obv feels better about himself doesn't seem to matter so much to her.
Wrinkles shrinkles. Who cares, if we feel better?!

I have noticed too that where there was smooth fat there is now lumpy bumpy stuff on my midriff and tops of arms and I'm not happy at all about that at all. Perhaps time and water will sort it?

Chipmunkcheeks, I can't resist telling you that even as a skinny teen I was called 'hammy' because of my hammy hamster cheeks! I look just like you! At least we know where to apply our blusher!!

There may be other factors. My two grandmothers were size 14's all their lives, and had lovely skin. My mother looked my grans age when my gran died (looking at least 10 years younger than she was). I put it down to smoking. My Mum is a smoker, no matter how low the tar level, its still smoke being wafted past your face every 20 minutes.

Wendy darling, I don't need blusher, I hope by Christmas these silly big cheeks will be long gone

Oh I hope not, I like your cuteness.