How do you feel in your 40's?

With apologies for a long-winded answer:

I'd never been an athlete, but by my 40s was in terrible shape. These were really not the best years of my life: Working 70+ hour weeks in high-stress sedentary job: husband died at 45 of esophageal cancer when I was 43; diagnosed at 44 myself with stage III breast cancer and went through bilateral mastectomies, 6 months of chemotherapy, 6 weeks of radiation, 7.5 years of anti-estrogen drugs; spent days and hours sitting/sleeping in recliners and such at nursing homes after my dad fell, broke a bunch of bones and blinded himself at age 83; got diagnosed as hypothyroid, pre-hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, osteoarthritic, osteopenic; broke my ankle; tore my meniscus; got sleep apnea; had regular back pain. And I was obese. I was weak, tired, broken down, discouraged, depleted.

All over for me, right? I mean, already late 40s? Over the hill!

So, I decided that if I was ever going to feel good, happy or strong again, I was going to have to work at it.

Gradually, over a period of time, I ramped up. Took some yoga, strength trained, did aerobics, joined a rowing team, joined a rowing club, started taking regular spin classes, ate more veggies, took adult learn-to-swim classes, took lap swimming classes, bought a new bicycle and cycled some, went to multiple rowing camps for grown-ups, actually competed as a rower in races (boats and machines), even won a few rowing medals racing, and more.

But I'm a slow learner: I was pretty decently fit and strong, but still obese, still bad blood pressure and lipids. Needed to do something. Final straw: Gallbladder adenomyomatosis. Got my eating under control, lost 50+ pounds at age 59-60 in just under a year.

Now age 62, at a healthy weight for the past 2 years (5'5", around 130) , still very active, strong, fit (resting heart rate high 40s); low-normal blood pressure, solidly normal blood lipids. I don't have trouble keeping up with women decades younger on the river or in fitness classes. (Some of my most fun rows this summer were in a double with a nineteen-year-old collegiate rowing team member. )

At 62, do I feel better than in my 20s? Mmm, dunno: 20s were decent, as far as I remember. Do I feel better than in my 30s? Yeah, probably. Than 40s? Hands down, no question. I'm a whole different woman.

So: Can you feel like you did in your 20s/30s? Seems likely, with some work, will, and persistence.

Will there be challenges or limitations? Most likely, some difficult, but I'll bet you can find a way around them if you try.

You can surprise yourself. It'll be worth the work. And fun.

Best wishes!