Jennifer Aniston has hit out at people who give her compliments based on her age.
It's one of those compliments that might sound good at first, but when you think about it, it is actually a little backhanded. At least that's what Jennifer Aniston, 54, thinks when people tell her she looks great 'for her age'.
To be fair, when you think about it is it even a compliment at all? Beauty standards place a massive emphasis on youth, especially if you're a woman. It's entirely understandable that the implication that someone is 'past it' would be irritating at best.
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In an interview with Vogue, the former Friends star said: "It drives me bananas, I can’t stand it. That’s a habit of society that we have these markers like, ‘Well, you’re at that stage, so for your age… I don’t even understand what it means."
With entire lines of products dedicated to stopping the signs of aging and constant social pressures on women to appear young, it's clear that the compliment is not actually that at all. Maybe instead of saying someone looks great for their age, just say they look great, period.
The 54-year-old also reflected on how she feels now compared to when she was younger.
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Aniston said: "I’m in better shape than I was in my 20s. I feel better in mind, body, and spirit. It’s all 100 percent better."
The actor reflected that the way she approaches her health is also different, saying that she wants to make sure she remains in good shape so can live life as fully as possible.
She added: "My family lives a long time, especially my dad’s side - I want to be thriving; I don’t want to just be alive."
Aniston is also changing up the way she takes care of herself, moving away from harsh workouts.
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"It used to be pounding, pounding, pounding," she said. "You had to get 45 minutes to an hour of cardio; otherwise, you weren’t getting a workout.
"Not only do you stress your body, you burn out - who wants to do that at all?"
Topics: Celebrity, Jennifer Aniston, Beauty