Growing old not so gracefully
I'm kinda wondering if this is a me thing, or if there are others who suffer from the same issue.
I've been a nudist all my life, as far back as I can remember, there was a time I was extremely proud of my appearance, nice tan, smooth, 6 pak abs. I'm not going to sit here and tell you I was some kind of God in my appearance, but I liked the way I looked.
Now at 57, the 6 pak has turned into a keg, I have hair sprouting out of places I didn't know hair could grow, and then hair falling out on the roof. Honestly, I am almost embarrassed to be seen nude. Am I the only one who is going through this? Do I need to just get over myself and be myself? or stay under the rock I've been hiding under for the last few years? I'm seriously struggling with this.
Any advice would be helpful.
I've posted a photo of myself back in the day, it won't be hard to tell which one it is. I had hair in the photo. lol
Thanks in advance.
[quote}If your physique is something than concerns you a lot you can still work out to get rid of fat and tone your body. But that requires discipline and determination.
True, but it is a also more difficult to do in your 50's and 60's than 20's and 30's.
I've never had a particularly good body image; I was in the best shape of my life in my 50's, after moving to the farm. But that's been 20 years, and the years certainly show. In person, I generally don't think about it - just get on with interacting with people. I DO think about it when taking and posting photos, here or on facebook or wherever. One likes to look one's best, of course, and in photos there's nothing there but the image, nothing about who you are or how you are interacting, just the image. So a higher and higher percent of them disappear unseen.
We are surrounded by photographic images, a world of models and athletes and influencers. Entering that world is really challenging.
Growing up I had an average looking body, was not involved in sports so I didnt have that athletic looking body. I was never ashamed of how my body looked then or how it has aged over the years. I too have gained a little weight and my hair has receded as it turned gray, but It has not affected how I see myself. Growing older has not stop me with being a nudist but has given me more time in being naked around others that are like me. So, enjoy life with the body you have and embrace the freedom of being naked.
Don't you think that at some point, your hair and or beard will be so long that you will find it annoying?
My beard has been the same length for several years -- it's not getting any longer.
As far as the hair on my head is concerned, no, it will not become anymore annoying than never wearing shoes or clothing.
Well I've heard a lot of excuses but not a lot of motivation here. Get off your ass and get walking, running, biking ,swimming or whatever. Do it everyday.
I too have am seeing all the signs of aging with hair, weight etc. and do agree with the statement above but unfortunately its not reality for me. Due to serious back issues and other medical problems brisk walks and walking more than a quarter to half mile is not feasible. I used to love to run but if I tried even a slow jog Id be flat on the ground in seconds. So, at this point all I can really do is eat more sensibility or at least try.
Going back to the original question, the media has taught us al, to hate the way we look. See how many young fit people have eating disorders. Im guessing you havent spent much if any time at a nude resort, if you do, youll see people that have all sorts of issues that the media has taught us to be ashamed of from weight to hair loss to scars and all of the above combined. The difference is theyve realized it doesnt matter or at least doesnt matter enough to stop them from enjoying life as God intended.
I'm kinda wondering if this is a me thing, or if there are others who suffer from the same issue.I've been a nudist all my life, as far back as I can remember, there was a time I was extremely proud of my appearance, nice tan, smooth, 6 pak abs. I'm not going to sit here and tell you I was some kind of God in my appearance, but I liked the way I looked.Now at 57, the 6 pak has turned into a keg, I have hair sprouting out of places I didn't know hair could grow, and then hair falling out on the roof. Honestly, I am almost embarrassed to be seen nude. Am I the only one who is going through this? Do I need to just get over myself and be myself? or stay under the rock I've been hiding under for the last few years? I'm seriously struggling with this.Any advice would be helpful.I've posted a photo of myself back in the day, it won't be hard to tell which one it is. I had hair in the photo. lolThanks in advance.
We have choices in life. If we let popular culture dictate what's acceptable and not, 0.5% of us would be attractive and the rest repulsive and unworthy. Nudism and naturism share the belief that all bodies are beautiful because they aren't anything but flesh and bone without the person that inhabits and animates them. You can compare yourself endlessly to what you are not today and you will always come up wanting and less than. It will never produce your happiness. Your confidence was something you didn't have to work at as much in the past, but instead of mourning the loss of something you didn't actually lose (because you are the same man you ever were inside and that confidence is not anything to do with how you look but how you feel, and by doing what you're doing you preclude the possibility of feeling good about you. You know how. So do it! I know, easier said than done. I like to watch others. Guys with big bellies, in wheelchairs, little people and very old men... who are active engaged smiling and loving life nude and free and from these men the lesson that I can always find fault with myself but if he's not finding fault and he's not and he's not then why should I? Neither in myself nor others. Each phase of life is either the loss of who you were OR the opportunity to discover who you ARE. That means relearning and reworking. Endlessly. Right up to the day you move from this phase into the next. You won't be attractive to the same people in the same way. You will be disappointed. And surprised too. But neither will YOUR attractions be thus also limited. You can't stop time. But you can keep with it. Yoga is by far and away the best way to keep your body fit and your mind youthful. Tai chi too. The masters I know in their 80's look like they are in their 60's. My tai chi master's hair went back to grey and black over the ten years I went to his classes. He healed the circulation and the oxygenation of the follicles and reversed some premature aging. He still was going bald ... everything in measure. He also never fell or slipped on ice in winter could lift anything above his head, make love for hours (so he said) and fight off the unfortunate thing who tried to mug him with the tip of his bamboo cane (black eyes, bruised eardrums and swollen tongue in under 15 seconds he rendered his assailant deaf dumb and blind without causing permanent injuries. He demonstrated on me once only with a feather light touch. I just had to not move at all ... lol. We don't have to be that much crouching tiger hidden dragon but there are joys of the flesh to be had beyond the six pack (I've never had one). Well. Underneath maybe. You're a sexy guy. Believe it.
I am 73. I am the same weight that I was as a sophomore in high school. I am 1 1/2 inches shorter. My waist is 3" larger. I have a"belly". I am mostly bald. Other than the weight, I am not happy about any of these facts. But, they are the facts. Other facts are, I look good for my age, (at least that's what people keep telling me). Many men much younger than me have much larger "bellies". My doctor says I'm in fine condition, for my age. I watch my weight, eat a healthy diet, and maintain an active lifestyle, but all of these changes have occurred anyhow. Like it or not, if we are still alive, we are older than we were. What was once easy, may now be difficult or impossible. Physical activity that used to come easily can now result is stiffness and soreness for several days. This can be depressing, especially when we look in a mirror and compare ourselves to what we remember our reflection used to be. But, the important thing to remember is just that - it's what we used to be. That is not who or what we are now. And as long as we're doing everything we can to remain as fit as we can, then what we are is what we are and there is nothing to be gained by feeling embarrassed or ashamed that we are no longer what we were. If we are not doing everything we can to remain as fit as we can, then we either need to be doing it or get comfortable with our decision not to. Either way, the choice is ours and so are the consequences. For the record, when I look at my reflection in the mirror, I do not try to remember how I used to look, I just tell myself, "Not bad for a 73 year old man!". And I believe it.
Paul Simon sang "I'm older than I once was, younger than I'll be, that's not unusual."
We can become old farts, but there are plenty of young farts out there too.
We can follow media with its cartoonish extremes, but who wants to be a living cartoon?
We can only live in the here and now and control what we can control. That's why I focus more on my routines and habits than results. A goal of 6 packs in unattainable alone, but one of regular exercise, healthy food and sufficient sleep will provide better results.
One day at a time, young or old, it's all attitude and gratitude.
Aging vertically beats the alternative.
You are all beautiful and the only thing keeping you from that beauty is perfection.
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