The woman of 54 mistaken for her 22-year-old son’s girlfriend
HER youthful appearance might be the envy of many other women in their fifties.
But looking younger than her age has left Pamela Jay in some awkward situations too.
Her son Marley, 22, was once mistaken for her boyfriend, and she has had to show male admirers her driving licence to prove she is actually 54 years old.
The civil servant said: ‘People often think I’m lying when they find out my age.
‘My son and I went to view a property recently, and were asked if we were a couple – when I said he was my son, the estate agent went bright red.
‘My son always jokes to me, “Mum, either I look really old or you look really young”.’
Dating can be difficult as Miss Jay is often approached by much younger men who are ‘stunned’ when she tells them how old she is. ‘They always think I’m making it up, they look at me in disbelief,’ she said. ‘On some occasions I’ve had to show my driving licence.
‘I feel like I could pass for mid to late 30s, and that’s how I feel energy-wise.’
Miss Jay, from Yorkshire, added: ‘Coconut oil is my big secret. I use it for everything – on my body, on my hair, in my food. It’s fantastic. It’s about £15 a tub and it lasts me around six weeks.’
Some evenings it can take her an hour to get ready for bed, with a routine that involves body brushing, showering, exfoliating and moisturising with coconut oil to help her skin look smooth.
A typical breakfast for her is organic eggs and gluten-free toast with a glass of coconut water. She has a fresh salad for lunch, and ‘oily fish, or organic chicken or steak, served with tonnes of vegetables’ for dinner.
Her regime also includes yoga, daily meditation and a weekly work-out. She said: ‘I try to follow an 80/20 rule: I’m strict with myself 80 per cent of the time, but I’ll allow myself the occasional square of dark chocolate.
‘I think laughter’s really good for you. I try to look on the positive side of life.’