Don't Tell Me I Can't… Look Better In My 50s Than My 30s!

Charlene Bazarian explains why she is in the prime of her life.

- Kristina Beanland & Charlotte Nisbet

As I lift weights in the gym, I feel the sweat drip from my brow. It’s hard work – but I’m proud of my flat tummy and toned arms. after my workout, I eat a clean meal of chicken and vegetables. I like to look after myself – but even now, it shocks me when people say I look younger than my 52 years. You see, it hasn’t always been this way. In my 30s, I’d cover my shape in drab outfits, and my make-up bag was gathering dust in the bathroom. But now, after a lifestyle overhaul, I’ve never looked – or felt – better…

I started gaining weight in my early 30s. I’d met the man that would become my husband, Erwin, and, like most women in a happy relationship, I put on a few extra pounds. At first, I didn’t mind.

But on our wedding day in June 1998, I was 11st 6lb. At just 5ft 3in, I wasn’t huge, but I didn’t feel comfortable in my gown.