THIS IS WHAT 50 LOOKS LIKE
liSA ARMitAGe lives in lincolnshire with her fiance, Rob. She has two children, tommy, 13, and Annabel, ten. After working as a chef for 22 years, she now runs a natural skincare business, lisaarmitage.com
MIDLIFE HORSE RIDING
I LOVE being out in the fresh air, so horse riding is my favourite form of exercise. I do it every day for two hours. It’s amazing for strengthening core stability, the back and the pelvic floor — which is especially helpful in midlife! It’s never too late to start: a friend recently joined a riding school and it’s transformed her fitness.
BONE BROTH SHOTS
EVERY day, I drink a shot of bone broth. I make it using the leftovers from Sunday lunch, then freeze individual portions in an ice cube tray. Before drinking it, I heat it up and season it with salt and pepper. It helps my gut stay healthy and also does wonders for skin elasticity, as it’s packed full of natural collagen.
OIL-PULLING CONVERT
TO KEEP my teeth clean, I oil-pull weekly. It’s an ancient Ayurvedic practice where you use coconut oil to cleanse your mouth. Swirling 1 tsp around my mouth for five minutes or more keeps my teeth white, which makes me feel much more confident.
DIY FRUIT FACIALS
MY SKINCARE rule is that I put on my face only what I would put in my body. I stay away from chemicals and never have professional facials, so I make a lot of my own products using natural ingredients — especially fruit. Papaya is a great exfoliator as it contains enzymes, which are kinder to the skin than a harsh scrub, while avocados make a nourishing cleanser.
THE SUNCREAM DIET
DURING my 20s, I lived in Florida and suffered terrible skin pigmentation. My dermatologist prescribed various chemical treatments, but none worked for me — I got more sensitive to the sun. Now I run my own natural skincare range and keep my skin healthy by eating plenty of antioxidants, especially dark, leafy vegetables and raspberries, which help protect against sun damage.