Almost 40 goals

disneymum84 · July 2023

Hi everyone I’m 20 days out from being 39 and by my 40th I want to look and feel better than ever if possible

Can anyone share with me if they achieved this ? Overall feeling and looking better and can it be done in a year

Any tips for overall achievement ?

I know I know age is just a number but 40 is really bothering me, a lot and if I can maybe not feel it or look it so much maybe I can handle it better and be a better and fun Mom

Strong1Mom · July 2023

I 1,000% feel you on this. I just turned 39 last month and I want to make my 40's the best years of my life! I have spent way too long being overweight and feeling tired/heavy/sluggish. I sat on the sidelines for too many of my kids' activities and events. It's time to start being a part of it. It can absolutely be achieved in a year. I've done it before and plan on being my healthiest/hottest ever on my 40th bday!! Just picture how you want to look and feel and use that as motivation. You got this!!

AnnPT77 · July 2023

Better in a year? Sure, that's achievable.

I've made improvements that were meaningful to me in a year. (Losing around 1/3 of my bodyweight, from just over the line into class 1 obese down to a healthy weight: That took just under a year. I did lose a little too fast for my own good for a while in there, but even at a more sensibly moderate rate, a lot of that would've happened in a year.)

Getting reasonably fit took longer than a year, I admit. Somehow, the definition of "reasonably fit" keeps just ahead of where I am at any given moment, even when I'm making good progress. Progress makes it evident that more can be achieved with manageable effort, y'know?

At various points, I've made some good progress on one or more dimensions of fitness in under a year.

I have to admit, I didn't do any of that at 39-turning-40, though. Getting fitter started while I was still overweight/obese, in the latter half of my 40s, soon after cancer treatment (surgery, chemo, radiation) and after a diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Even though I got fit enough to compete as an athlete (not always unsuccessfully in age group competition), I stupidly stayed overweight to obese for another dozen years. At 59, I finally had to admit just being reasonably active and fit wasn't enough to be healthy. That was when the weight loss happened.

I'm 67, in year 7+ of maintaining a healthy weight. I feel more functional - "younger", if you will - than when I was 45. (I admit mid-40s was a low point.) I work out regularly with people in their 20s-40s, and keep up OK enough. Yeah, it took me 15 or so years to reach the total result, but there was lots of progress in some of those years, and I'm kind of a slow learner. Being a slow learner is optional.

Believe me, I'm not any kind of special person. I'm a hedonistic aging-hippie type, not even remotely disciplined. If I can make progress, anyone can.

Pretty good things can happen in a year, IME, if a person chips away at big goals in manageable steps, persistently and patiently. Easier than it may look up front, even.

I'm cheering for you to succeed - the results are worth it!

whatseeds · August 2023

I had the same goal as you: as I approached my 39th birthday, I wanted to work hard to become my best self by age 40. Unfortunately, my Mom passed away - suddenly - 4 days after my 39th birthday, and I gained ~20 pounds over the following year while I struggled with grief and anxiety.

I'm now 40.5, and am finally picking myself up, dusting myself off, and feeling able to tackle my health again. Age is just a number, and there's nothing magical about 40. For me, as I've stumbled my way into midlife, I'm simply more conscious of giving myself (and others) grace, kindness, and compassion.

Sometimes the world reminds us that the things we were obsessing over (weight, or age) aren't the most important things. We're human, and as long as we're living, we have the potential to change and grow and make the most out of our precious days, and spending time with our precious loved ones. Let's live active, healthy lives together. I'm rooting for you!

ClearNotCloudyMind · August 2023

Congratulations on turning 40! I have to say that my 40s have been soooo much better than my 30s so far, and I’ve just turned 44.

Everything just feels so much calmer. Ok, stuff isn’t always easy but I know how to handle stuff (if that makes sense). The kids are older, I’m that few years more confident, and I am absolutely living my life by my rules.

I didn’t start out this decade in a great place… quit what had been my dream job after it turned sour, then covid, then all the challenges of a new career. But having got that sorted I then turned to my weight and got that sorted too (82kg to 67kg in 4 months). Still a few vanity kgs to go but am well into “healthy” territory.

Quite simply, being a bit older means you know what works and can just bloody do it. Welcome to the best decade yet!

_BlahBlah_BlackSheep_ · August 2023

My 40s have been my favorite decade so far! I feel like I've accomplished so much in terms of self improvement in that time, especially now that my kids are older. I started running and lifting weights, meal prepping, joined hiking groups, tried new things like rock climbing and SUP and kayaking, and I bought myself a bicycle and started riding again after 30+ years. I'm in better shape now than I've ever been - and I'm turning 50 this month.

It's certainly possible to get fit in a year, but there are many factors to consider - your starting point (both weight and fitness level), your commitment to your goals (motivation only takes you so far before discipline has to kick in), your support network, and of course the unforeseen (injuries, family and work situations and other setbacks). My best advice is to find activities you enjoy so that fitness is something you look forward to rather than viewing it as a dreaded responsibility.

shoshiwara · August 2023

Hi Strong1Mom, My tip for you is to create SMALL goals. For our protection, our brains are literally wired to resist big changes. To say we're going to quit sodas, exercise 5 hours a week, and eat no sugar is a guarantee that our brain will say no way and undermine our intentions.
Better to say, "Today I'm going to drink one extra glass of water" and work your way slowly towards crowding out those sodas. Or "Today I'm going to get in the pool for 5 minutes and just move for that 5 minutes." Then our subconscious mind will let it slide into place, and you can up the goal a notch later.
This is one way to head towards lasting healthy changes.

Almost 40 goals

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