How do you feel in your 40's?

sgtx81 wrote: »

When I get there I imagine I'm gonna feel depressed as hell. I'm 36 now and feverishly trying to find a way to slow down or reverse time.

Why? Geez, 36? You are still so young.

You can't reverse time. No matter what you do, time marches on. Just be glad that you are here to see the march. Enjoy every minute because it goes by so very fast.

I feel awesome!!!

I will be 48 soon and I haven't noticed a significant dropoff. My diet and exercise knowledge is so much greater and the social vices that used to constantly derail me have been reduced significantly since I was in my 20s and 30s - my life is so much more disciplined and under control than it once was!

late teens/early 20s...I'll never be that fit again. I was a competitive athlete for most of my life up to that point in multiple sports and then the Marine Corps after HS.

In my mid 20s to 30 I was very active, but I didn't do much in the way of deliberate exercise...and nothing endurance related. I likely have better endurance fitness now at 43 than I did when I was mid 20s to 30. I know for sure that I'm stronger in the weight room at 43.

In terms of "feeling better"...well, I certainly feel better than when I was in my mid 30s but no doubt time has taken it's toll on my body. I'm pretty fit, but I still have aches and pains that I didn't have 20 years ago...herniated disk in my back, have to wear arch support in my shoes, etc...I also don't recover the way I used to even 5 years ago, let alone 20 years ago. I also do not have the energy of a 20 year old in the least...when I was 20 I could pretty much go non-stop and not be at all tired. These days I'm in bed around 9:30.

Many things are better in my 40s though...so it's a trade off.

fastfoodietofitcutie wrote: »

I have quite a bit of weight to lose and one of the things that keeps me motivated is how good and energetic I will feel when I lose the weight. I keep thinking I can get back to how I felt in my 20's. Am I completely delusional? Can a person in their 40's get back to the condition of a 20/30 year old?

It would be difficult, although I suppose I could try, to return to the state of utterly reckless and clueless decision-making skills I employed in my 20s. Perhaps if I returned to the level of recreational drugs I used to do. However at my age I would probably quickly suffer a stroke or heart attack like all the people I know who never grew out of doing that. So my guess is - no. lol

I'm 46 and lost 100+ lbs in last 16 months and feel great was annoying to get out of breath going up stairs not being able to sit in regular chairs. I did strain my patella tendon in my knee my second 5K and partially tore my rotator cuff boxing so I do show my age from time to time but 100% worth it. It would be great to go back to college days and get in shape then but as long as you're doing something now all that matters.

I'm 48 and in the best shape of my life and have loads of energy I spent my late 20s and 30s being over weight/tired/lacking get up and go.

I feel the best I’ve ever felt in my life in my 40’s! When I was younger I was thin but completely sedentary and I had a knee problem that caused me pain for years. When I was 38 my thyroid quit working correctly and I gained a lot of weight by literally eating and sleeping all day due to zero energy. Got the thyroid under control but it still took two years for me to get my act together and lose the weight. When I found myself in the beginnings of non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease and prediabetes I was determined to change. I ate less, ate more nutritious food and started walking, then hiking, and after strengthening the muscles in my bad knee, I started running. Finally after 19 years, no more knee pain!!! My liver enzymes & blood sugars went back to normal and I feel amazing! I’ve also developed a lot of confidence... only now in my 40’s I feel amazing in my bikinis where as in my younger days I stayed covered up. I am a runner and I love running! I feel strong and I know what I’m capable of and I’m super excited to see what the future will bring. It doesn’t matter how “old” you are because you will never be younger than you are today... it just matters what you do with the time you have left. Unless we consider the alternative, we are all getting older, and I for one, am going down fighting all the way

My one complaint about being almost 44 is that number. I just remember thinking that sounded ancient when I was a kid!

In my 20s I maintained a good 10-15 lbs over the weight I've averaged since I discovered working out at around age 28/29. I also lived on Diet Coke, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, and pink wine (not rose.) I also had a bell-shaped bob hair cut and crazy-thick eyebrows. Most people who haven't seen me since I was that age are amazed by how much better I look. So I feel GOOD about being me, and I can live with my imperfections much more than I could tolerate them even 5 years ago because I finally get it: Life is short, good people are priceless, and your looks are only a small part of who you are and how far you can go.

I was in pretty good shape in my 20s and 30s, but even now in my 40s I still feel pretty good. A few extra aches and pains here and there, but really, not that different.

My dad and my stepmom are in their early 60s and in fantastic shape. Seeing them run, bike, swim and hike encourages me to stay active as I get older.