Feeling Old....

[stardancer]

I have noticed in the last year or so my skin has really gotten wrinkly. I'm getting a turkey gobbler neck and crows feet. I have dry patches and still have acne in other patches. My butt used to be bubbly and now it is flattening out like a pancake. Why didn't I savor my youth when I had it? Hubby says it is only going to get worse so I need to enjoy what I have now. Which is true but I don't even want to think about more wrinkles. I know I shouldn't be so vain but I am just missing what used to be. Anyone else go through this? I think my recent B-day has got me in a funk.

[stardancer]

Oh,and one more thing... I loooove when I am chasing my eyelids around as I put shadow on them.

[anala]

HHAaahhahahahah...eyeball chasing...who took my knees when I wasnt looking and gave me some damned elephants knees in return? Wanna see a Rocky the Flying Squirrel arm shimmy??? How about when I got a fake and bake tan and was left with HUGE white crescent moons on my ribcage?....who knew you had to hold up the girls? And the alternative would be.....? Smile...you are fabulous! I tell my students that the C section scar is a battle wound, and a badge of honor....

[ruta21030]

u don't mention how old you are, but i'm guessing it's not as bad as you project.....after i turned 40....i began looking for the sagging jowls, even SEEING them, but noone around me did (and these are brutally honest folk!)

it took one moment at a party with someone special that i could actually see passing for 12 years younger..........cuz i wasn't focusing...........just keep dancing....look at all our role models and contemporaries.......as aunt rocky said at a workshop........."this dance massages the insides', and i believe that's true.....most in our art look 5,10,15 or more years younger than they are.............you're probably no exception, but like all of us, we see those lines and other bits just more prominently, cuz it's well,....attached.........

go out one night with your hubby, doll yourself up, do something you LOVE.........get yourself in a good mood, and maybe catch yourself quickly in a window, mirror or reflective surface...........you'll be surprised at what you see :D

[stardancer]

Originally Posted by ruta21030

go out one night with your hubby, doll yourself up, do something you LOVE.........get yourself in a good mood, and maybe catch yourself quickly in a window, mirror or reflective surface...........you'll be surprised at what you see :D

I actually did this and I thought I was looking pretty hot until I saw the close up pictures of myself from that evening. Gah! Stupid camera.

[jasani]

I know what you mean. When I turned 39 my facial skin started turning dry and I had to contend with acne in those spaces too. I have wrinkles under my eyes and "dish pan" hands. I've got dirty blond hair but I can see that I have streaks of silver in them. My boyfriend (yeah boyfriend of 15+ years - why don't I get married already?) says they look like blond hairs. Riiiiight, keep trying to get on my good side buddy! I turn 40 on the day after spring equinox and no longer feeling like a spring chicken. I'm celebrating my 40th by going to the spa and then the next day having professional pictures taken. I'm very camera shy - for obvious reasons - lets just say the camera hates me!

[kharis_UK]

Originally Posted by stardancer

I have noticed in the last year or so my skin has really gotten wrinkly. I'm getting a turkey gobbler neck and crows feet. I have dry patches and still have acne in other patches. My butt used to be bubbly and now it is flattening out like a pancake. Why didn't I savor my youth when I had it? Hubby says it is only going to get worse so I need to enjoy what I have now. Which is true but I don't even want to think about more wrinkles. I know I shouldn't be so vain but I am just missing what used to be. Anyone else go through this? I think my recent B-day has got me in a funk.

You're as old as you feel. Some people are only in their 30s and they behave as though their 70. This makes people think they are actually physically older than they are! So, think young. Everybody gets wrinkles. It's what makes our faces interesting. You don't say how old you are?

[stardancer]

I'm in my mid 30's. I think your as old as you feel is true in the sense of being active but not in the sense of beauty. No wishful thinking is going to make a 65yr old woman look 20. There are certainly worse things in life than getting wrinkles. I'm just feeling a little down about it right now. Perhaps it is a mid life crisis.

[ambriehlmagycblade]

You know, the Bellydance Superstars are great...but I think two of the most beautifu dancers in the world are Dalia Carella, and Carolena from FCBD. They are not spring chickens...and they are absolutely LOVELY. (I would rather take a workshop with one of them, anyday.)

I am also in my midthirties, and after aging some, and having 3 kids...I long for the body I had when I was 20. I had a GREAT belly...like a BDSS. I wished that I had started dancing back then. (I started after child #1...)

But, in retrospect, I am much more interesting now, I think. I have matured in looks, yes, but also in experience. Think of it this way-an older dancer can convey many more emotions, and much more passion, because she has lived through more. When I was 18 or 20, I didn't know anything. ha ha

As far as helping myself out though...I just try to take care of myself. I exercise besides just dancing, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which are wonderful for combating aging. When I drink, I only drink wine-high in antioxidants. I avoid the sun like the plague and wear sunblock when I am out, and wear moisturizer and makeup with sunscreen in it. It does wonders!

For the dishpan hands and dry feet, I recommend the following treatment:

Get a pair of the spa socks, and spa gloves (you can get them at Wal-Mart or anywhere) and slather your hands and feet heavily with good hand and foot cream at night. Sleep with the gloves and socks on. I use Neutrogena hand cream (the original) during the day.

I also use an eye cream every night, and I am very gentle when I apply or remove makeup, as to not stretch or tug the skin.

A good firming lotion also works well, rubbed all over the body after your shower. Don't forget the neck and chest area.

Also, make sure that you are wearing the correct size bra. Many women don't, and it makes a difference in support. Even a small weight loss of 5-10 pounds can affect it. Go and get fitted often.

As for a saggy, flattening butt, I highly recommend doing squats and lunges. Do them about 3 times a week, (with a day inbetween for muscle rest) and it will help to round the butt back out.

We can't get any younger, but there are things we can do to LOOK it.

Hugs from a sister in her thirties as well...
Ambriehl

[Souzan]

Hi Stardancer,

Go get yourself some Boots No. 7 wonder potions. Attack your flattening butt with squats and lunges. Buy some padded underwear to fill out what you can't grow back. For the migrating eyeballs, moisturize your eyelids and apply an eyeshadow primer. Use an eyeshadow brush dipped in water to apply the shadow. Helps it glide on and stay where you want it to. I used to never use brow color but now do daily because my brows are lighter and sparser. Really helps open up the face.

We can't stop aging but we can sure enjoy every day where we are at.

Souzan

[ssipes]

Originally Posted by stardancer

I'm in my mid 30's. I think your as old as you feel is true in the sense of being active but not in the sense of beauty. No wishful thinking is going to make a 65yr old woman look 20. There are certainly worse things in life than getting wrinkles. I'm just feeling a little down about it right now. Perhaps it is a mid life crisis.

Honey, 50 is the new 30, so your really just a baby!

I know your pain with the pancake butt. You can't make the fat round and perky again, but you can make your glute muscles big and round with squats and other weight training exercises! Ttat is what I'm working on right now. training

The best thing to do is keep yourself in the best possible physical condition and at an optimal weight.

[Taj]

I bet this'll make you feel younger! Calculate your "virtual" age:

Life Expectancy Calculator

I just turned 50 but according to this, my virtual age is 42!

[stardancer]

Thanks for the advice ladies. I have never used any creams or lotions other than for my dry hands but I think it may be time to start. I have been using this butt blaster machine at the gym (sounds perverted! LOL) and doing lots of weighted lunges and squats for a couple years. The muscle tone is ok but the "lift" won't come back... hahaha!

[aamel_MirahAmmal]

Dear Glamorous Gorgeous Flat-Butt Turkey Neck,

Golly, honey, you're only in your 30s??? Oh, yes, rest assured you're seeing stuff no one else is.

I understand, though. I'm in my 30s too and starting to see a few changes. I'm actually getting an almost perverse enjoyment out of a few of them, but others are a little more annoying if for no other reason than they're going to require more maintenance (when, oh when, did I become a used Chevy?) I also have a friend a few years older than me who recently declared with amazement that her baby stole her butt (he really did...!) So...yeah, I guess this kind of stuff just comes with the territory.

I also feel your pain on the eyelid-chase. I come from a long line of people with deep set eyes...or at least they get deep set as they get older. At the rate I'm going I suspect they'll be somewhere around the back of my skull by the time I'm 40.

So, I think the ony think the only thing to do is to ban together, fight what we can (without looking ridiculous and stupid), enjoy what we can, feel as youthful as we want, and try not to take it too seriously,

Sincerely your sparkling sister in eyeball chasing,

Crazy Skin Ape Arms with Suddenly Prominent Veins

[jenlindseys]

dancing keeps you young!!!

keep dancing and don't imagine what it would be like if you weren't a dancer!

[Susanna]

Originally Posted by Taj

I bet this'll make you feel younger! Calculate your "virtual" age:

Life Expectancy Calculator

I just turned 50 but according to this, my virtual age is 42!

I'm 9 years old. Seriously, 9?

[nasila]

I know how you feel; it seems like the last year or two have been very, very aging on the exterior. I used to be mistaken for 10 years younger, and now people don't raise an eyebrow when I tell 'em my age (32). My virtual age on RealAge tells me I'm 5 years older. I think it has something to do with all this sitting at the computer...

More dancing sounds like a good solution. We're all gonna get older, it's just how gracefully we do it that makes all the difference, right?

[jenlindseys]

Originally Posted by Taj

I bet this'll make you feel younger! Calculate your "virtual" age:

Life Expectancy Calculator

I just turned 50 but according to this, my virtual age is 42!

holy cow! does anyone know why your life expectancy goes down when you take birth control? that is crazy.
my virtual age is 3.5
what the heck?
expected to live to 93.5....I better start smoking or something.

[Adishakti]

Originally Posted by stardancer

I'm in my mid 30's. I think your as old as you feel is true in the sense of being active but not in the sense of beauty. No wishful thinking is going to make a 65yr old woman look 20. There are certainly worse things in life than getting wrinkles. I'm just feeling a little down about it right now. Perhaps it is a mid life crisis.

True enough... but 20 isn't the epitome of beauty. All you need to do is look at a newborn baby... a toddler... budding teen... a bride... grandma... great grandma....

I'm starting to see small signs of aging myself too, and no... it's not fun. But, I think it's important for all of us to remember that beauty is found at all ages.

Embrace it.... Take care to shave, wear pretty underthings, do your hair, soak in the bubble bath... all those little things that make you feel more like a beautiful woman.

I think it's normal to have these moments... hang in there. Maybe a nice day at the spa would do you well?

[anala]

I am in possesion of a 53 year old body that houses an ageless soul. It is all a matter of attitude...and a little moisturizer...