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| My sister and me. |
In about 3 months, I’ll turn 40. It’s not unusual, though, for people to think
I’m in my early thirties, or even 20-something!
I mean, I’ve had people look at me in total shock when I tell them my
age. It actually happened just yesterday
when a woman, who is 35, thought I was for sure younger than her!
My sister actually gets similar reactions, so maybe some of it is genetics, but I think there has to be more to it than that. I don’t say this to brag about myself, but I’ve just been
thinking about it lately and wondering what it is about me that I seem younger
than I am to other people. I know women
everywhere want to stay young-looking and are constantly looking for ways to
turn back the clock. So I’ve come up
with a few tips based on what I do that might help.
1) Eat Clean
While I haven’t always done this, it has recently become a focus of
mine. I had some weight left over from
my last baby, and finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t that healthy of an
eater. So I changed it. I started eliminating junk food from my daily
diet. Replaced white flour with whole
wheat flour, replaced sugary cereals with oatmeal sweetened with stevia,
replaced milk with almond milk. Instead
of crackers, I now eat a handful of nuts, and instead of candy, now I eat
fruit. I’ve added more vegetables
too. I try to fill up half my plate at
dinner time with veggies and then a fourth with meat or other protein and
another fourth with a whole grain. When you’re not eating clean, you’re
loading your body with foods that are stripped of essential nutrients, like
antioxidants. By switching to more whole
and natural foods, you naturally get those antioxidants that help slow the
aging process.
2)
Stay Active
I also recently made working out a priority. Just about every day I’m doing something to
be active. I usually do a workout video
in my livingroom, but sometimes I mix it up with a run outdoors and
weight-lifting session. Exercise is critical in staying young. The less you move your body as you age, the
less you’ll be able to move it, and the typical issues of old age will start to
set in. I’m not saying that by working
out you’ll avoid all the issues of aging, but you can definitely avoid or
reduce your risks for a lot of them. For
example, by lifting weights, not only do you keep muscles strong, but in the
process of lifting, your bones are also strengthened, helping prevent
osteoporosis. And strong muscles means
you’ll be able to do things for yourself instead of relying on others. Also, regular movement increases circulation,
which benefits your body in so many ways!
Your heart will stay healthy, your mind will be clearer, you’ll have
more energy—and the list goes on and on…
3)
Use Natural Ingredients I realized that I really don’t use a lot on
my face. I know some women use lots of
cleansers, toners, firming creams and moisturizers, and anti-wrinkle creams,
etc. on their faces in an effort to stay young looking. I don’t know if these products work or
not. I’ve tried some of them, but never
used them consistently enough to prove if they did anything to make my skin
look younger. Honestly, I normally just
wash my face with a wet washcloth, gently scrubbing to exfoliate. Once in a while I’ll mix up some honey and
sugar or olive oil and salt and do some deeper exfoliating. After washing my face, I moisturize it with a
commercial moisturizer that has oatmeal on it, a store brand of Aveeno Daily
Moisturizing Lotion. I use the store
brand because it’s a lot cheaper. I also
use this to moisturize my entire body. I
like it because it is fragrance-free and with the oatmeal, it seems to calm
irritated skin, like after I shave my legs, or after exfoliating my face. For wrinkles around my eyes, I use a little
vitamin e oil. I also use this on my
lips instead of lip balm. It’s really smooth and moisturizing, and I think it
helps prevent wrinkles around my lips.
4)
Avoid Wearing Heavy Makeup I know it might seem counterintuitive, but
the fact is, as we age, if we pile on the makeup, it simply makes us look
older! Think about it; the makeup
settles into our fine lines, emphasizing them.
And if you’re putting on dark eyeliner and eyeshadow, it’s going to do
the same thing to the eye area. I do use
makeup, but have never been a fan of an extremely obvious, “made-up” look. I use Mary Kay’s liquid foundation, which of
all the ones I’ve tried, it goes on the smoothest, especially when I use the
special brush Mary Kay has just for applying it. I like to use a white or light colored
eyeshadow because I like the way it brightens my eyes. I like a dark brown eyeliner by Mary Kay (no,
I don’t sell Mary Kay, but I do happen to love their makeup!), and a black,
waterproof mascara. Mary Kay makes
really smooth cream blush, and I like to use a color that matches the natural undertones
in my skin. Oh, and I use a little
eyebrow pencil to shape my eyebrows a little, but mostly to fill in my left eybrow
because I have a scar running through it.
In short, use makeup just to enhance your
natural beauty, and don’t put it on so much on that it’s the thing people
notice about you. I promise you, no one
will look at you and think, “Wow, her thick layers of makeup make her look so
young!!”
5)
Have Your Hair Dyed No, this is not a “natural” thing to do, but
it is one of the top things you can do to stay looking young. And I highly recommend not doing it yourself
from a box, but instead go to a professional.
They’ll be able to do different highlights and lowlights to make your
hair look more natural.
6)
Have a “Young” Hairstyle Now I don’t necessarily mean wear pigtails,
but I what I do mean is style your hair based on what’s current. There are few things that age you faster than
living in 2015, but having a perm and a pouf from the 1980’s! Look at current magazines to get ideas for
hairstyles and talk to your hairstylist and they’ll be able to help you find a
style that fits you.
7)
Dress Like You Care Ladies, DON’T LET YOURSELF GO!!! I can’t stress this enough. You are so wonderful, and so important, and
so WORTH it to dress in a way that shows confidence in your own beauty!! It makes me sad to see women who I know are
about my age, but put us next to each other, and you would easily think they were
10-15 years older than me. I’m not telling you to dress like your teenager, but
please dress in a way that flatters you.
Avoid “mom” jeans, the ones with the super-high waist and are tapered at
the bottom. Instead go for a mid or
low-rise jean with a little flair at the bottom or even “skinny” jeans. These are so cute with a pair of flats, and
in the winter I love to wear my skinny jeans with boots! T-shirts are fine for busy moms, but at least
go for fitted ones that flatter your shape, and not the shapeless ones I see so
often on women that look like they were made for their husbands!
8)
Be Young at Heart If you’re going to truly defy aging, you have
to play the part and be young at heart!
Instead of slipping into “serious mom mode,” relax and have fun! Of course, as moms we absolutely have our responsibilities,
but let’s not forget what’s most important in our lives. It’s not our career or how much money we
make; it’s our family and friends. Make
time for them, and make time for yourself, to do what you like to do. Go on a bike ride with your kids, make an
appointment, not with a client, but with a friend to have coffee or lunch. Go on a vacation, or just stay home and relax
on the weekend. Enjoy your life and fill
as much time as you can with laughter and fun.
Out of all the other things, this is probably the most important as far
as staying young. It’s the one thing
that will leave a lasting impression on others and allow you to affect others
in a positive way.
In short, I don't feel almost 40, so I'm not going to act almost 40! I'm acting the way I feel, which is about 25 (or younger!lol)
I hope these tips help you to defy aging in your own life. There’s nothing wrong with growing older in
years, because a lot of good things come with being alive for longer, like
wisdom and self-confidence. I just
believe we can make our older years just as wonderful, if not more wonderful
than our younger years by taking care of ourselves.
Mine's about 25! What's the age YOU'RE sticking with??!
