Am I too old and kidding myself?

trueblu3
trueblu3 Posts: 62 Member
edited November 30 in Motivation and Support
I'm 39 40 in October but I'm feeling a bit down and thinking I'm wasting my time with all the exercise I do. I enjoy it greatly but have I left it to late to get that toned body and be extremely healthy? Wish I'd done this 20 years ago! I've been told that because I'm nearly 40 I will probably never get that chiselled body
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Replies

  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,744 Member
    Um, 40 is NOT old! Who on earth told you that and why would you ever believe them?! Silliness, I tell you. You can do anything you put your mind to. Make a plan, be consistent, and keep setting new goals. I'm 44, BTW. If I can do it, anyone can.

    Also, you mention exercise, but your diet and nutrition are #1 as far as reducing body fat. How's your calorie intake? Do you track your food?
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I am 49 almost 50 and just starting to run. I will not be an Olympic athlete or run marathons but I do it to be fit and I enjoy it. I don't have a time machine to tell my younger self what to do but I have right now. You are never too old to make a better you.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    I was 255lbs and obese at 35. I'm not now...

    Not 40 but close enough :)
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
    I'm 44 and short. I was in the obese category, now i'm not. Age is not an excuse. I'm actually lighter now than I was before my oldest child was born. She's 25 now, and I have 5 kids with the last two being a set of twins. Will I ever be a swimsuit model? Nope. Even at 20, I wouldn't have been. But I feel so much better and I am able to be more active with all my kids. You don't need to have a perfect body to be healthy and happy and energetic.
  • wannabtight
    wannabtight Posts: 187 Member
    You can get that chiseled body at any age! I'm working on it to go into my 40's HOT! I'm 40 in December. Add me
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    I turn 40 in August. As much as I wish I'd figured this out 20 years ago, I'm very glad I've figured it out at all. I reached my goal weight about 18 months ago and have maintained with no problems.

    Start now, enjoy the rest of your life.
  • paulandrachelk
    paulandrachelk Posts: 280 Member
    I'm 73-love working out and not being a fat, dumpy old lady. People ask "how do you do it?"-MFP.
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    no way are you too old! In my 50's I lost weight and began a fitness plan and it worked.
    I support you to do it. besides that, if you don't try, you'll never know how good you can look and two years from now .... well? Nothing will have changed.
  • Panda_brat
    Panda_brat Posts: 291 Member
    I was 39 when I started my journey to lose 160 pounds, and get into shape. It might of taken us longer, or might be more work, but defiantly possible.
  • lkpducky
    lkpducky Posts: 17,742 Member
    paulandrachelk wrote: »
    I'm 73-love working out and not being a fat, dumpy old lady. People ask "how do you do it?"-MFP.

    I aim to be like you when I reach that age...and beyond (I'm 50).
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  • pineapple_jojo
    pineapple_jojo Posts: 440 Member
    My sister started running at 40 and did her first marathon just before her 41st birthday. Old is a state of mind.
  • 2snakeswoman
    2snakeswoman Posts: 655 Member
    Do it now. I'm 62 and wondering the same thing.
  • lkpducky
    lkpducky Posts: 17,742 Member
    One of my close friends ran his first marathon at age 62, and ran 22 of them between age 62 and 72. Other friends are running marathons in their 60s and 70s.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    I will be 42 next month. I'm in the best shape of my life. I started working toward this body at 38. Just do it. :)
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  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    At 39 and 290 pounds I took up martial arts with no prior experience. Now at about to be 46 I am 243#, a black belt in Aikido, and I walk 14-15000 steps a day at my job before going to the dojo for 2 hours three evenings a week. I only started the CICO plan just about a year ago so losing weight has been pretty slow but I am in far better shape than I have been in a long time and I work circles around my 23 year old make co-worker who was recently an elite college athlete.

    My body may never be "chiseled" bit I sure do feel a lot better. Age is only a number. What matters is what is happening in your head.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    As someone who works out a couple nights a week with high school kids - - and I can keep up with them - - you are definitely not too old. Age really is just a number. On the flip side I work out with a more mature crowd on the other days and they are all kicking a**. A few will even be getting on stage this weekend to display their hard work.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    I was 54 when I lost, 62 now and maintaining.
    I am in the best shape of my life!

    Cheers, h.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    Umm, I'm turning 40 (and that's hardly old), and I have the best body of my life. Heck, I have an even better body than 2 years ago. Even a frumpy suburban like person of my age can benefit from bulking and cutting like the youngins do ;)
  • dr_soda
    dr_soda Posts: 57 Member
    You can't turn the clock back, that much is true. It is also true that the earlier you start the better health you'll have as you age.

    That's the strongest reason I have to tell you that you're absolutely not wasting time getting in shape right now. Your 60 year old self with a fit and hearty frame will look back at your 40 year old self with gratitude, instead of looking back in shame at the moment he could have turned his life around. Even if you won't ever have the body of a 20 year old again, you'll thank yourself for doing what you always wished you had.
  • Rick_Nelson81
    Rick_Nelson81 Posts: 205 Member
    Don't worry about how old you are, or about the past. If you have a goal, set out and achieve it. "If you will it, it is no dream." Theodor Herzl (quoted from The Big Lebowski).
  • Scrappincarla
    Scrappincarla Posts: 52 Member
    Rick_Nelson81 wrote: »
    Don't worry about how old you are, or about the past. If you have a goal, set out and achieve it. "If you will it, it is no dream." Theodor Herzl (quoted from The Big Lebowski).

    What he said.

    But hell, I'm in the best shape of my life, and I'm 49!
  • jackie_van_d
    jackie_van_d Posts: 240 Member
    I'm 44 waiting total knee replacement, tired of being frumpy
    One is never to old to look after ones self

    Tomorrow is anew day, a new start
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
    Hell no. I was at my fittest and healthiest (I even ran a half marathon!) at 45.

    I mean, you don't have to try to be healthy... but what's the alternative? Increasing your risk of pain and disease? Saying "I'm old, I'm always going to be fat". Why would you want to do that?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    52 and I shame a lot of 20 year olds of today. Age is a number and while it may be a bit more difficult than when you're younger, determination and discipline still rule.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    edited March 2016
    Heavens no!!! I starred at 59, have lost 135 lbs, and made amazing progress in my fitness. 2 yrs ago I couldn't walk more than 1/4 mi without excruciating pain. Now I'm working on c25k. One of my friends started at 58, regularly outperforms 20-somethings, and is training for a triathlon sprint.

    You're never too old!
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    It's only a question of what you are willing to do to get that "chiseled body". It is possible. Are you willing?

  • Rick_Nelson81
    Rick_Nelson81 Posts: 205 Member
    When I was in the military, I would go to the gym and see my Pathologist (he was at least 50) just absolutely killing it on the row machine. I would get on the other one, row as hard as I could for an hour (he was way faster than me) and when I was done, he would still be there, rowing away. When we did 5K fun runs, he would dress up like the Flash and nobody could beat him. It was ridiculous. It is never too late.
  • Cindy4FunFit
    Cindy4FunFit Posts: 2,732 Member
    A higher level of fitness is going to make you feel and look your best at any age. The median age in the US is hovering around 40. If you're lucky enough to live to 80 with good health, you may feel silly having considered yourself "too old" at 40. Get moving!
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