Have you noticed a change with age?

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songbyrdsweet
songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'll be 26 at the beginning of March. I have noticed that I just don't have the same pep I had back when I was 19-20 in terms of exercise. I don't seem to have the energy to keep up with the workouts that I used to do--upwards of 2-3 hrs/day while in school full time and working a job or two. I could go non-stop from 6am to 12am! That being said, I have found that it's easier to maintain my weight these days even with less strenuous workouts.

Has anyone else noticed a change as they've aged? I still look fairly young for 26, but I can definitely tell I'm looking older. My bf is 30 and I recently saw some pics from when he was 25, and he has definitely aged since then (very well I might add!).
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Replies

  • AmyBecky74
    AmyBecky74 Posts: 437 Member
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    I don't feel my age but now that I'm 38 my eating/excerise habits HAD to change. In my 20's I could eat whatever I wanted do a short workout and was fine but now if I eat something I shouldn't I have to workout twice as much. in my 20's going out without make-up not a problem but know I'm alittle more self aware of the little lines that have come. Altough in my heart I'm still in my 20's and that's the imporant one to me. Aging in maditory feeling old isn't :smile: There are great things to enjoy at every age. Try not to look back or ahead to much, enjoy now.
  • RonnieLodge
    RonnieLodge Posts: 665 Member
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    Oh yes. In my early -mid 20s I could go out all night drinking and dancing and rock up to the gym and work the next day.
    I also smoked and drank twice as much, slept half as much and weighed about 10kg less than I do now.

    These days I struggle to stay up past 10pm, eat more fresh fruit/veg and I don't smoke and drink every day.
    I suppose I feel better and look healthier.

    “It's amazing when you get to a certain age, and you talk about sleep in the same way you spoke about getting inebriated... I got eight hours last night. It was fantastic!” - Johnny Depp
  • axialmeow
    axialmeow Posts: 382 Member
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    No. noticed the opposite actually. But I was very obese in my teens/20s.
  • Mighty_Rabite
    Mighty_Rabite Posts: 581 Member
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    So far through my twenties..

    --I have more energy and endurance these days than I ever have before, mainly because I make it a point to keep moving.
    --I am by far in the best shape of my life thanks to the above.
    --Excess weight has not been as easy to take off as it was when I was 21 and dropped quickly from 220lbs to 170lbs (to go from ~191lbs to the low of 160lbs that I got to took probably six months, whereas that 220-170 drop was maybe four months, if that).
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Yes, but I'd say my peak strength days were my late 20's. It seemed like after 32 I realized I was slowing down a little. Now in my late 30's eating better and changing focus on my workouts has me feeling energetic and great.

    However the up late, hard drinking behavior has all but stopped. One really "rough" night out affects me for several days afterwards.
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    Yep, that is aging.....it happens to all of us (if you are fortunate).
  • Cherry_blossom73
    Cherry_blossom73 Posts: 51 Member
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    I just turned 39 at the end of Nov, I feel better now then I did in my early 30's. I'm healthy and at a good weight. I have more energy and believe that age is only a number :-D not sure how I'm going to feel when I turn 40 next year :ohwell:
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    I'll be 26 at the beginning of March. I have noticed that I just don't have the same pep I had back when I was 19-20 in terms of exercise. I don't seem to have the energy to keep up with the workouts that I used to do--upwards of 2-3 hrs/day while in school full time and working a job or two. I could go non-stop from 6am to 12am! That being said, I have found that it's easier to maintain my weight these days even with less strenuous workouts.

    Has anyone else noticed a change as they've aged? I still look fairly young for 26, but I can definitely tell I'm looking older. My bf is 30 and I recently saw some pics from when he was 25, and he has definitely aged since then (very well I might add!).

    The only distinct difference I've noticed is that my joints ache much more now. I think that's mostly age but it's probably partially due to me being in far better shape and much stronger now than I was in my twenties (more joint stress due to moving more weight).
  • rachmass1
    rachmass1 Posts: 470 Member
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    I am 51 and have good energy. I think the period of my life that I was most energetic was between 31-38. I don't recover from injuries quickly anymore but the energy levels for me relate to how I eat and how much extra weight I carry around as well as how fit I am. Maybe it just relates to your current workload?
  • OkieinMinny
    OkieinMinny Posts: 834 Member
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    I just turned 42 and actually I feel better than I did at 26 - granted I cant handle a hangover in the same way - but on a daily basis I have more energy (pretty sure because of lifting and loving it!) and I am more secure in my skin

    and as my trainer says - young is a feeling not an age
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
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    I'm 43 and I feel much better and younger than in my 20s..I was very heavy in my 20s and since I lost the weight ( 4 stones ) I feel and look more youthful.
    I ache a bit more but that's just me being an old git :wink:
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
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    I'm 40, so yes I'm noticing my age. My beard has turned grey, my joints ache sometimes, and I'm not as fast as used to be. Perhaps I'm a tad more grumpy.

    On the other hand, if you're 26 you should never, ever, ever be allowed to speak of "aging"! Please, just smile, shush and be nice! When you hit 30 you can say something, but for the sake of the rest of us, keep it brief!
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    My late 20s were my best years healthwise. I was thinner in my teens, and could pull all-nighters and bounce back better, but by 26 I had my second child, had learned how to eat healthier, and was discovering the gym for the first time. I had a lot more strength and stamina than I had before.

    You probably need more sleep. Sounds like you have a pretty loaded schedule. Be sure you take your vitamins, eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, and use sunscreen! These are your prime years. You shouldn't be feeling old already.
  • Quietprofessional83
    Quietprofessional83 Posts: 53
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    I'm glad you posted this, but in short the answer is yes. I'm 29 and the biggest difference I noticed is right when I turned 28. In my case, I hate driving lond distances now, need a bit more time to recoiver, when I wake up I start to feel some of those joints that have been pounded on over the years due to my military career. But, on the other side, I feel as though I'm close to my peak in fitness. My endurance has gone way up, I can push my body a lot harder and longer than my younger peers, and I need less sleep, maybe I just got used to it since I have a family now. But yeah, I feel your pain. However, at 26 you shouldnt be noticing a whole lot of difference from when you were 19, if anything, you should be improving.
  • Cyclink
    Cyclink Posts: 517 Member
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    I've been a competitive athlete since I was 19.

    Granted, my training methods were not that great back then . I did not work with a good coach until I was 26.

    I'm 38 now and (with only one exception) every personal best I've ever had has been set in the last 8 months.
  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
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    At 43 I definitely feel more aches and it's a little slower to recover. But I'm happy to be back down to the same weight as my 20's. Back then I worked out pretty hard and was at 9% body fat. I ate whatever I wanted and drank a lot of beer (maybe too much). Then after age 30 I got married and didn't work out for nearly a decade. I gained 30 pounds during that time. Now all that weight is off I feel great again but it seems easier now to hurt something. My joints pop more often - especially my knees. But overall I feel good and I don't look at all like someone in their 40's.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    OP, when I was your age, I still felt like I was 16. When I hit 30, I felt like I was 21. Now that I'm 38, I'm just glad that I'm not 40. Last year was the first time that I would say that I started feeling my age creep up on me. I think a lot of that was my weight too, causing me pain in my knees.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
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    Yep, I've noticed at age 44 I'm getting chatted up by younger and younger guys, weird....

    Seriously though I seem to have more energy now than in my 20's, I go to karate with 2 of my boys and I am more enthusiastic in there then they and the others in there lol!!

    PS at 26 you're YOUNG, enjoy it!!
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    I'm 38 and I'm in MUCH better shape then I was when I was 28. The only thing I've really noticed age wise is I'm pretty stiff a lot of times when I get up in the morning. Other than that, I'll just keep working hard and beating this aging thing. I hope to still be Deadlifting in my 70s (serious).
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    My 41-year old self looks, feels and runs way better than my 26 year old self.

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