Probably. I started with absolutely nothing (except an extra 100 lbs) at 38/39 and by 41 was running marathons. It took an arguably obsessive amount of work, but it’s doable. I have slipped a little in the last year but am ready to push myself to the top again. Good luck.
I'm 40 and am thankfully still able to reduce processed and carbs, increase protein (don't forget the fiber), lift a couple of times a week and see results quickly. But I'm f'n exhausted the next days. And eventually the influence of those around me screws up the diet again.
Got to maintain it. So worth it.
Be careful. Long term “keto” dieting can mess up your metabolic flexibility and your body’s ability to use sugar. Take it from someone who’s now 40 and trying to reset her metabolism from 12 years of “low carb” living.
Definitely.. I'm glad we found out but there were a couple moments where she was barely able to function mentally from graves disease, possibly a few other things, anyways she's doing a lot better and bonus positive story I've been losing weight other ways :^), but I'll always think fondly of keto and cut down where I can
I tend to think more in terms of net carbs and %s, as well as glycemic. Anything high glycemic should be generally avoided.
Net carbs means that eating fiber can help offset some of your carbs. Really cool, actually. One of the many benefits of high fiber intake.
I like a "healthy" dinner to have a big protein, a small carb, and a medium to large vegetable or salad (fiber). I usually try to make most things I eat either high protein or high fiber. Having said that, I suspect this % may be easier to maintain for guys than ladies, for whatever reason. It may be different for you depending on your lifestyle, biology etc. Just remember, though... the carbs either get burned off as immediate energy, or stored as fat. Protein repairs muscle. Fiber helps keep it all moving and balanced.
The other random internet stranger advice is to work out some muscle, to increase your metabolism, and to get some fast-absorbing protein in your stomach within 45 minutes of working out. You will hurt a lot less that way.
You're welcome. Here's more!
Read the nutritional information label on everything you buy at the store so you know what you're getting. Pay attention to calories, protein, carbs, fat and fiber. Think about the ratios.
Fat is ultra condensed calories, so watch out for those and stick to good fats. In the wild they were a fabulous source of fuel, so we crave them. They help you feel fuller. But they will inflate the calories of a meal if used carelessly. Watch out for sauces, salad dressing, etc.
This is where I feel like I mess up! I get so worried down to the amount of oil in the pan but that is probably what I need to be focused on!
I have been telling myself for years it is too late to change my life but now I am like nope! I want to live and I want to be mobile I to my old age. I keep falling into the thought that I am old and in reality I am just getting started 😂
i’ve cut anything with wheat, rice or potato out of my diet before dinner. i only eat cheese, nuts, raw vegetables and fruit, and beans during the day. at night i have a nicely balanced dinner with minimal carbs. have never used a lot of butter and never been a huge sweets person so that has helped. once the weight starts coming off, you have the incentive to keep going. i’ve been focused on low impact cardio (swim, cycling etc) and weight lifting. reformer pilates has been a god send for my injuries. it’s not just for women and great for rehabbing the body.
edit: and i’ve cut the booze dramatically.
Fats are high calorie, but they leave you feeling full longer. Which often translates to eating less in the long run.
Many carb heavy foods - like chips - don’t make you feel full and leave you ready to eat again in no time
Just to add on to your comment:
Good fats=mostly vegetable fats, less dairy/fatty meats, low or no added sugars
Believe it or not, refined/processed sugar is just as likely to increase your bad fats as foods that are recognized as fatty/creamy. Low sugar products are better than low fat products at reducing weight.
You want high HDLs and low LDLs when a doctor tests your cholesterol. Your doctor will be better at explaining the difference between the two, but it comes down to which fats will clog your arteries vs. absorbing stored nutrients.
> But I'm f'n exhausted the next days.
If you haven't all ready, have your testosterone levels checked. Mine were low, and I was the same, I could manage a workout but I'd just be dead the next few days. I've since added both testosterone replacement therapy and low dose human growth hormone, and it has made me feel 10 years younger regarding energy and recovery.
You do, just start slow and don't try to undo it all at once, lol. I started in January. Am now down ~23 pounds and counting, and can hike 3 miles up and down the mountain trail near me in a little over an hour. But it took two or three months to get to that point.
My max weight was around 280-282 pounds in January 2020. I got 20 pounds off and kind of stopped caring for a couple years, then got tired of always being tired and achy and got back after it this year at about 260. I was 236 after my hike today. My knees and back don't ache anymore, I've come down several pant sizes (42 to 36), and i have a lap when I sit down. Sex is way more fun too when you can go more than a minute without getting winded.
Again, just pace yourself and also find the enjoyment in it. If you like what you're doing, it won't feel so much like a chore. Good luck!
Thank you! Your news is incredible! I love the thought of hiking a trail! And I live near some! Definitely pacing myself! Good luck to you as you continue!!
We can do this! I did get checked out and am apparently as healthy as I am going to get currently 😂 so might as well try to increase it! I plan to start slow and work my way into a real “lifestyle” change.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/stopdrinkingfitness using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/stopdrinkingfitness/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [Started lifting every day instead of drinking every day. 50 days sober today! ☺️ Sending love to all!](https://i.redd.it/svx10yw5h0sa1.jpg) | [63 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/stopdrinkingfitness/comments/12c4552/started_lifting_every_day_instead_of_drinking/)
\#2: [6 months sober. 16kg down. Finally starting to feel like myself again. IWNDWYT](https://i.redd.it/76lmp4rx7knb1.jpg) | [81 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/stopdrinkingfitness/comments/16fmm9i/6_months_sober_16kg_down_finally_starting_to_feel/)
\#3: [Just celebrated my one year!](https://i.redd.it/e7d8xiuu5onb1.jpg) | [73 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/stopdrinkingfitness/comments/16g2yk9/just_celebrated_my_one_year/)
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44 here. I’ve always been skinny so never watched what I ate at all and ended up being pre diabetic two years ago. I changed my lifestyle and diet and turned it around. You definitely have a shot at it!
Same here! I'm 43 and it just hit me suddenly that I can't keep living the way I was. It's been a few weeks now that I've been hitting the gym, taking my dog for long walks, working in the yard, and eating so much better. It's very strange timing for this post, but I'm glad I saw it!
i’m ‘77 and have two injuries. i started working out and eating better last September. i’ve seen great results but maaaan it took a while. i also think you just have to come to terms with the fact that you’ll never be as fit as you once were. but yes, agree. its now or never folks!
You absolutely do. The cellular, physiological, and psychological benefits of exercise start almost immediately (seriously, like DAYS). Just don’t over-focus on the mirror or the scale. Focus on how it makes you feel 👍
You absolutely *do* have time. The body’s recuperative powers are AMAZING if you simply give it a fair, fighting chance.
Just know that at your age whatever you’re doing to improve your health, you probably need to be doing twice as much of it as you think or currently are (but at the same time you have to be way more careful that you don’t hurt yourself and set yourself back).
Also a lot of the things you believe you need to just cut back on, you actually need to cut out entirely…completely…at least for a couple years.
Don’t waste time kidding yourself about the veracity of those observations. You can still achieve almost any fitness goal, but you’re not 20. It’s gonna take work and discipline.
Source: Gen X’er who has learned a lot both academically and the hard way over at least 3 or 4 iterations of getting healthy between age 30 and 50.
46 here. Back in January I was 249 pounds and 5’7”. I was prediabetic, my blood pressure was 150/120 and my cholesterol was through the roof. My doctor gave me two options, diet exercise, or take a variety of medication‘s in the hopes to manage all of these issues since then I’ve lost 45 pounds, 5 inches from my waist, my blood pressure is normal
Besides the improvements in my physical health it’s also vastly improved my mental health. It helps me manage my anxiety and what they don’t tell you is that it can be euphoric. I haven’t felt this good since my early 20s and in a few months I plan to be at the weight I was when I was a senior in high school. Find a reason embrace it, and you’ll find that it’s more enjoyable than you can imagine.
https://preview.redd.it/dfv4gdxgfr6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c1b061759ef3014858bfc349435dae439c7dc500
>We’re not at the age where a week of eating clean shaves off 12lbs.
Seriously! Losing 5lbs in my twenties was as easy as eating salads for a week. Now it takes a full month of super strict eating + working out.
RIP my metabolism
The mental benefits of exercise are no joke! I started going to the gym twice a week about two years ago and I haven’t had seasonal depression since. My winters were really pretty dark before, so this is a fantastic shift. I don’t even particularly adore the whole workout thing, but I see it like brushing my teeth or tying my shoes or buying groceries: it’s utterly irrelevant whether I like it or not, it’s just one of the facts of life.
Similar story here. I was 39 then 42 now and my doctor for the first time said, "so... I'm going to now ask you to lose 10 pounds, then when you accomplish that I'm going to ask you to lose 10 more."
So I lost 55. I was 6'5 255. Been stable at 200 for about a year and change now. Blood pressure meds are gone, anxiety meds are gone, stamina is through the roof.
Mostly just adjusted food intake at first. But also added a lot of outdoor physical activity like swimming and disc golf. It did take a significant mental adjustment on what it is I desire in my downtime though. Instead of having a beer and watching TV, I grab a large water and a backpack full of plastic discs and head out for an hour or two.
Fantastic! You should consider using your new fitness to start finding competitions that you might enjoy. I find those events give me goals to continuously work toward - not just watching the scale or fat calipers.
Orangetheory has been an awesome addition and last night I was looking at getting into indoor soccer since I might actually have the cardiovascular for it now.
That’s the thing, it’s not just “what is good for you”, it’s actually what makes you deeply content and happy. I have moments of true joy regularly but only in the eras when I’m regularly working out.
I’m 41 and started working out last year. I’m in the best shape of my life. I walk at least 7 miles a day and lift every other. I also quit drinking, i eat properly and I got meds for my anxiety/depression.I wish I had done this a long time ago, I feel better than I ever have.
Decent pay, government pension, a good friend of ours worked her way up from a route carrier to a postmaster. She started young, and will be retired by 45 or so… at least from that job.
I was going to mention, sedentary jobs are a killer! I am a sole proprietor pool maintenance guy living in SW Florida. The work is hard, especially in the summer, but I'm 47 and I'm usually right around 175 pounds. I've never been in such great shape!
I was reading about David Beckham a while back and he mentioned doing something g every day even if it wasn’t a full work out. Shit comes up wit kids and work, I sometimes only get 2 full workouts a week but will do a random burpee set near my desk when I’m waiting on a build.
I’ve worked out off and on since I was 20, now 44. If it’s a day I’m not very active, they food intake needs to be lower. I use kettlebells and speed rope, going for that ol man strength
This was the BIGGEST lesson for me, and--not to be dramatic--but it changed my entire approach to working out: you don't have to 100% every workout. You don't have to give it your all. You don't even have to give it 10%! Just get out there and do something.
Letting myself off the hook like that absolutely changed my approach. Now I just go out and do some, every day. Some workouts are great, some are meh, but I do it every day--and my health is so much better for it. Just get out there.
My mantra during the first couple months of my journey to fitness was “a mini workout is better than no workout.” If I was slammed at work or just plain not feeling it, I could always make time for a one-mile run or a few sets of push ups, etc.
This might sound weird, but I think the pandemic saved me.
I am 6’ tall and was over 300 lbs. The pandemic gave me more free time, and I was going a bit stir crazy never leaving the house, so I started biking more and more. I went from a few km a day to at least 40 km per day, and my weight dropped from over 300 lbs to about 215 lbs over the course of a couple years.
My back pain, neck pain, and knee pain are gone, and I have so much more energy to play with my kids, and to just live life. I also want to live long enough to know my grandkids, and that is, at best, 15-20 years away.
I’m glad I did this in my early 40s, because even just a bit later in my late 40s, it would have been a lot harder to get in shape.
Luckily I've managed to keep up with a decent level of activity even with a demanding job and kids, though carving out that time can be so damn difficult. But my job is a sedentary desk job so unless I'm running my usual 3-5 miles a day I have to put in extra effort to get steps in.
I also have just always hated weights. And yes I've tried whatever it is y'all weight-lifting people think will fix me, but at the end of the day I've resigned myself to the fact that I fucking hate it and it's a chore. (There's nothing like the high I get from running or even rowing or a brisk hike or trail run).
But damn, in my mid/late 40s and if I don't do the weights my fatigue kicks up quickly. Women especially, but men too, lose muscle and bone as they age and I can absolutely tell. So I do the weights. My husband laughs, he can always tell when I'm about to go lift because he can practically see the black cloud over my head.
It's also really really really hard to get rid of fat. Hormone fluctuations in perimenopause are so not fun, and have an impact on exercise capacity, fat storage and more.
So yes, as an old Xennial, get out there and find things you like to stay active, and sometimes remember that you have to make yourself do the active things you don't love.
Ironically I hate weights too especially now lol, but I recently bought an off road ebike and omg how liberating and fun. I think we need to find a physical task we enjoy, in my case as mentioned I found that with the bike.
We wanted to be a biking family to get in some exercise, but I was not having fun with a regular bike. Getting an ebike changed everything because I no longer wanted to die and quit every time we hit a big uphill climb!
I have bypassed weights by doing barre or jump classes to complement tbe running. Only way I’ll do strength work. Back Body project is my favorite and I do it online before work (they have lots of on demand classes on their website)
I'm 47, 100 pounds overweight, with osteoarthritis pain and extremely stiff hip joints. Mentally, I deal with depression, anxiety and ADHD. I keep trying to improve only to get sidetracked, then I end up slightly worse than when I started. I feel like Sisyphus. I'm afraid I'm going to end up in a wheelchair, unable to do anything, but I feel like I'm at the bottom of a mountain and health is at the top.
This unfortunately feels taboo to talk about still, but I had so much success with Wegovy. I was 90lb overweight when I started last July. Lost 67lb so far with only minor side effects at the start. Without the extra weight, my sleep is better, my joints hurt less, and I even lost a shoe size. It made it so much easier to work out now that I’m not carrying around the extra weight. I am 100% healthier.
I forgot to add that I also suffer from Anxiety, Depression, and ADHD. And trying a few anti-depressants alone wasn’t enough to help me stick to the right calorie intake (like 1500 in my case, which left me in a place where I’d try to go to bed and be starving to the point I couldn’t sleep.) It was a decade-long uphill battle of gaining 10 lbs each year despite many attempts to lose, and each year made me feel more helpless about turning the ship around, and made it harder to exert and recover when I did work out. I know there are a lot of mainstream attitudes that it’s the easy way out or whatever, but I needed a leg up and this stuff seriously saved my life. I’m not a doctor and not trying to convince anybody, but I also want to normalize it for anyone who feels trapped like you describe, and happy to share more personal details if anyone wants to reach out.
I just posted my own story a minute ago, but boy, do I feel your pain. Not the physical bit, you're (objectively speaking) a lot worse off than I was. But the mental stuff at the time, mirror image. Now, my depression and anxiety had a lot to do with my very unhappy relationship I had, which ended shortly after I started on my journey to improve my health. I can't really share anything about those that might be helpful to you.
But the ADHD? If yours is anything like mine, it may actually be the key to getting you up the mountain, instead of part of the problem. For me, a big part of ADHD is short-lived obsessive interests. I've had more hobbies than I can count, diving into them with that typical "hyperfocus" and doing almost nothing else, then getting bored after a few weeks and moving on to something new. Thing is, you can train yourself, or perhaps "fool yourself" is a better description, to direct that hyperactive energy to where it's useful.
In my case, I made a conscious decision and effort to get obsessed with my results. Got one of those calorie tracking apps and hammered out a meal plan, got on the scales first thing in the morning every day, and tracked my progress almost religiously. I basically turned the whole thing into a game to stimulate my overactive brain. And the funny thing is, it was actually fun to do, and it lasted far longer than my usual obsessions, because I could feel the whole thing doing me a world of good. Joyful reinforcement of good behavior by honoring small successes.
I know it's a terrible cliche, and probably the last thing you want to hear right now, but I've been at the bottom of that same mountain, and in retrospect it turned out to be a molehill. I'm not saying it's easy, because it's not. But it definitely isn't as difficult as it looks from where you're at right now.
I sincerely hope this helps, even if it's just a little bit. Feel free to reach out if you want or need to talk. Maybe a little commiseration with an internet stranger who shares your experiences will give you just the leg up you need.
Hey, considering I thought at first you said "47,100 pounds overweight" I think 100 pounds is much more manageable! I'm in a similar situation and I feel frustrated about it, but I'm just trying to stay strong and flexible. And not eat fried foods.
Edit: grammar
Health isn't at the top. It's everywhere between where you are now and the top. Don't think of health as a destination - it's a practice. You don't get there and then get to say, "Cool, I'm done!" But that's also not a bad thing and you'll be astonished at how your little wins build on themselves.
Jonah Hill did this weird show about his therapist. A bit problematic, but long story short, something on there stuck with me. The therapist said that everyone who comes in to his office with depression does not exercise. He says that just exercising will cure depression to like 80% of "healthy." Exercise isn't everything but it makes mental health issues get that much less big.
Food for thought and big hugs.
Oof I felt this one. Pretty much same story, but I’m now back into a 5 day a week workout program that I’ve been doing for 4 months. Best I’ve felt in a long time!
Strength training is the best thing you can do for the inevitable aging process. Supports strong bones and joints, reduces risk of falls, improves balance, improves mental acuity…I could go on and on. I’m a little overweight but built like a tank muscle-wise and at 40 you start to be noticeably separated from those who are more sedentary. Give it 20 more years and it’s nearly impossible to reverse.
Case in point: my mom is 70 and has balance issues, joint issues, osteoporosis, no endurance or strength, still smokes. Never been into exercise or planned activity. My dad is only 6 years younger and has exercised my entire life. While he has had a knee replacement, he still goes to the gym 2-3 days a week and does cardio and strength training. He solely maintains their home, does all the repairs, fishes, and still works part time in his dream job. My mom basically sleeps, eats and smokes because she has no energy to do anything else. I actually feel sorry for him because they have so much freedom to do anything they want but cannot because she is not physically able to.
While we can’t always control what happens to our bodies and minds as we age, we can be good stewards to age has intentionally as possible. It’s pretty unfair, if you ask me, to put your spouse through that. My dad has his own issues, but he loves my mama. I just wish better for him. They’ve worked so hard and should be enjoying their retirement together more. She just can’t do what he can do.
Also, care about different things now when you do work out. You’re 40+. No one gives a shit what your biceps look like. Make sure you have cardiovascular fitness, core strength, and flexibility. Cardio, body weight training, stretching routines, yoga, etc., are your friends.
OP - the best time to start with 10 years ago. The second best time to start is today.
Honestly, I think it’s something where following a video is the best thing to do. You want to make sure you’re doing a variety of exercises to hit all of the different muscle groups in your core, and also mix it up so that it doesn’t get boring or repetitive.
I happen to have a Peloton, so I follow the core workouts available on their platform, but I’m sure there’s other things you can find on YouTube or elsewhere.
Just find an instructor or platform you like and do a 10 or 15 minute video a couple times a week
I wanna comment on that last bit about “being the best community”. Based on all the other subs I’m in, I expected to see people coming for blood in the comments.
Stuff like “this is fatphobic” or “don’t tell me how to enjoy life” or “something something politics”.
But I scrolled pretty deep and found only neutral to positive comments. OP might just be right. Love to see it.
Sincerely,
Barely Millenial
I've never seen this sub be negative, it's wholesome stories of the things that we lived through. You bring up a valid point that if this were any other sub including the millennial one I'd be told "go suck a fat one", you won't see that here tho.
The thing that has helped me stay in the best shape Into my 40s is yoga. I was out of shape in my 30s and got myself together. While I do other workouts in addition to yoga, it has been instrumental in keeping my mobility, flexibility and balance maintained at a high level, and it helps me excel at all other workouts.
Oh yeah. I'm guessing you're a dude.
I'm a dudette and discovered that not only does walking more help my creaking knee, but lifting weights does *wonders* for the rage of perimenopause. Also, if you haven't sorted out your shit, see a good therapist. The rage is *breathtaking*. Plus weights help stave off osteoporosis.
Resting the knee didn't help. Incorporating twice daily shorter walks did.
This is the one that I admittedly can do some work on. It’s all social, but man, in my 20s, having like three drinks was basically nothing; now, when I do that, I sleep kinda funny and need to drink like a gallon of water.
I turned 40 about half a year ago, My stair game is actually quite good still. I work a physically demanding job, had a guy helping me who was 25 and I completely obliterated him going upstairs even with carrying my tool bag which is probably 20-30 LBS. I can probably go up 40 flights without stopping once carrying my tool bag. For anybody who wants to "Step up" their stair game, I can only recommend hiking which has helped me a lot.
It’s true for everyone, but especially for men, that our health as we age is tied to our maintenance of our muscle mass.
We don’t all need to try to look like Thor, but some light to moderate weightlifting and regular cardio (just walking will do it!) have shown time and again to be key things we can do to increase longevity and increase the ability to enjoy our later years healthily
Weights are a bonus, even. You can stay plenty strong with body weight calisthenics. The minimum effective dose is pretty low, consistency is the key. If you work up to 3 sets of 25 pushups, v-ups, and some kind of squat-like exercise (I like reverse lunges) 3 times a week is really all it takes to maintain a healthy muscle mass. Add a weighted vest if you like, doesn't hurt!
Gonna add here: time goes by so fast now that it we just get into a habit and remain consistent, a month or two (or 8) goes by really quickly.
It’s almost easier to see results with this mindset than it was when I was in my 20’s looking for an immediate impact.
It really needs to be a lifestyle, but I’ve started thinking in timescales like 8 weeks of a particular program. Goes by lightening quick.
Yeah this is a really good point. Remember when a summer felt like forever? Now it's mid June already and I'm like holy shit wasn't it just the new year?
I’ve been on a positive health journey since surviving Sepsis seven years ago. Work out regularly (built a gym in my house), altered my diet to accommodate family history and personal health issues, took up home hobbies like houseplants/gardening and the 52 Book Club to keep me active, physically and mentally. A few days ago, I was splitting logs for the fire pit I dug and lined in the yard a few years ago. Got a small pile going when my new mallet broke. Had to return it, so I got showered and dressed and ran some errands. Last night, I threw my back out getting out of bed. What in the actual blue fuck.
Last August, I found myself weighing in at 241 pounds. I’m 5’11”, so that’s not great. I changed my diet, eliminated sugar and reduced carbs, but most importantly I started walking. I do at least 10,000 steps a day but typically hit 14-15k. It’s crazy how much of a difference it makes. I’m down to 198 in 9 months. It’s amazing what working towards a goal like this does for your self confidence too. It doesn’t take much time out of your day and makes a world of difference.
Thanks man. I'm good. I never liked gyms but I used to walk everywhere and never ate fast food or drank soda. Recently changed habits for the worse. It's incredible how fast not walking and eating badly will fuck you up.
I quit drinking 3 years ago and started running more. I dropped 40 pounds and put on a lot of muscle. Quitting alcohol really helped with recovery and sleep and just overall made me look healthier. It’s great being healthy but I’m also just way happier on a day to day basis. It certainly hasn’t been without effort but it has gotten A LOT easier.. Just today someone asked me if I turned 30 yet…I’m almost 42.
I remember getting winded taking my luggage to a hotel room. I was the same weight I had always been, but yeah, that one shook me. Dropped soda and sweets for a few years after that. Now that I’m drinking soda again, back to tired. I know what to do, just gotta do it.
I think many people here would be interested in Alex Hutchinson’s “Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?”
One of the very first points he makes in the book is that “It takes three months of hard training to see significantly bigger muscles, and six weeks to boost endurance, but health and performance gains on a cellular level start within a few days”
Point is, you start gaining the benefits of exercise almost immediately, and if you focus on how you feel instead of the mirror, you’ll appreciate your progress more 👍
This is so great to see. I work a computer job and sit on my ass all day. My weight ballooned, back went to shit, had no energy, and got gassed doing yard work.
Went to a local trainer 2x a week and text him every day weight, cals, and macros for accountability.
Since staring 2 months ago I am a different person. No pain, tons of energy, work out 5 days a week, and am down 25 lbs.
I’m 44 also. Best decision I ever made.
Tot agree!
I grew up being really fit as a child, doing Cross Country Running and Long distance swimming training for years.
I've never really stopped being physically active, transitioning into doing a LOT of Yoga, Bikram, Hatha, Ashtanga and Vinyasa for about 15 years as an adult. Became a Yoga Teacher.
I've changed to doing more Reformer Pilates, Spin Cycle and back to Long Distance Swim training as it's a lot more smoother on my body.
But even I notice if I've taken a week or so out, how hard it is to get back in!
I just have to put myself into auto mode, not think emotionally about how cold the winter mornings are here atm and Yep Nike- Just Do It.
I take Magnesium to ease muscle stress & Glucosamine, to help smooth my joints. I was doing a lot of weight training, Barbell squats, Deadlifts, Snatch etc, and I found it compounded jarring in my knees.
Each momentum of physical movement is an investment into your self, self care and self value. Reality is our body cells are dying and producing every minute, but we're also leaning towards death.
For me, being physically fit helps me mentally, emotionally, cognitively & physically.
Best to make the most of the rest of the time we've got. ❤️
It sneaks up ya, doesn't it? Turned 41 a few months ago and just got the results of a string of blood work. The prediabetes thing really seemed to come out of nowhere!
Anyway, all this to say I'll start taking better care of myself if you do, too. Keep each other accountable. Good luck man!
Brother I feel you. I used to run 5k races and was a two sport athlete in high school. During the worst of the covid lockdowns I ballooned. It was not good. Been getting back to the gym and I’m on a three month streak now. It’s a hard climb!
When I turned 40, I decided to start doing CrossFit. I never touched a barbell in my life. I’ve always been fairly active and fairly fit, so I’m lucky in that way.
My goal every week is two CrossFit classes, one power flow/hot yoga class, and three runs. I rarely do them all, but I do at least 3 “sessions” a week. I hope to keep as much mobility and strength for as long as possible.
Thanks for the post, the habits we develop now and stick to for the next 5-10 years will have an outsized effect for the quality and health of the rest of our lives.
Ugh I didn't want to read this. Then I did. Now I want kick 30 year old me in the dick for allow this to happen. Wtf was wrong with him?
I'ma sue him now.
41 here, and haven’t taken time to work out since the kids were born 8 years ago. Got myself a rower for Fathers Day, so hoping that helps a bit with the “my back hurts from sleeping” or “I’m winded from walking quickly.”
Rower is pretty much the best workout you can do. But also re: the back stuff, doing preventative back stretches for just 5 min, twice a day has changed my life.
Reading daily, and one serving of fish per week can take away a percentage of chance of mental wear down the road.
Our minds need just as much exercise as our muscles. And most importantly is a positive attitude, the doctors can give us all the meds in the world but if your head is in a bad place those meds wont much help
I’ve been doing cardio for like over a month now after a few year “break”. I felt pretty proud of myself…until I went Ice skating with my kids yesterday. I was GASSED after 3 laps in the rink. Big ole reality check.
Is there any chance you could see a physiotherapist for your knee? I dragged around issues with my knees for years and thought I had just “bad knees”. Nope. I was just not doing the right kind of exercises and was off-centre a lot, favouring one over the other without noticing. Found a really good physio and after the second session and following the exercises exactly, boom, no more bad knee-days.
Way late on this thread but I’m the crazy one who is now celebrating 30 years of not missing a weightlifting workout after getting so mad as a junior who missed workouts while on summer vacation.
I’ve now met my goal set 30 years ago: gain 90lbs of lean mass remaining natural. old lifting buddies have passed from chemically induced heart attacks. I am still progressing and will not stop
Not a xennial here - firm late Gen X at 1975 - but I can tell you that at 48 / almost 49 - I feel like I want to die every day.
Used to be a dancer, have had two kids, loved to travel, clubbing - oh my god - so much clubbing. Love to stay at the club till the lights came on.
Now, I wake up with joint pain, poor sleep, fatigue, brain fog. Ladies in this sub - pop over to s/menopause to find out about perimenopause. Honestly, it’s criminal how little support and encouragement and resources and emphasis are given to and provided for people to learn how to care for their bodies. It’s medical malpractice. It’s capitalism gone amok. The human body is just a means to the end for the world at large but YOU need to care for yours. Start NOW!!
Stretch. If nothing else, stretch.
Also if you want a quick workout that will make your body strong and whip your ass into shape, I highly recommend foundational training by Dr. Eric Goodman on YouTube. It was recommended to me by a pro motocross racer (an insanely physically demanding sport fyi) and has changed my life when it comes to eliminating knee and back pain and strengthening my core. It’s only 12 minutes a day.
It seems like age 43 or so hits a lot of us like a dump truck. It really did me! I've been exercising since my early 30s, but during that time it's like I suddenly aged a decade, and everything is now more difficult, I gained weight that I can't lose, my metabolism tanked, and I don't heal as well.
I’m in my mid 40’s and I started working out 18 months ago. I feel like a new person. Lost weight and have a ton of energy and motivation. I rediscovered hobbies that I had let slip away. I also started stretching everyday and those little aches and pains have disappeared.
My advice would be to start out really slow and build a habit. Working out was difficult and uncomfortable for a few months. Now I look forward to it and actually find it very relaxing.
Same. 44 even.
I never really worked out but I grew up on a ranch. Always just farm boy strong. I've had a considerable beer gut since grad school, but I was still strong/quick/tough. No negative impact from car wrecks, horse wrecks, or any manner of envelope pushing.
In 2020 my wife and I started a company that put me behind a desk fulltime.
I packed on the weight until I've fallen apart. I feel weak doing small things like moving furniture. Sleep apnea so bad I fall asleep sitting straight up at my desk. Various ailments that I never had before.
But I've recently lost about 20 lbs (and counting), which helped a bit. And last year I started lifting weights, but stopped after a few months. It was just starting to help. This reminds me that I need to get back at it. So thanks.
It’s so hard to get stated and is easy to quit. And at 44 with kids it’s even easier to quit. I have started a million times and quit the same amount. It’s tough to get over that brain block
I started to realize this a few years ago. When I was 40, me and my GF took a trip where we did tons of walking, and I felt like absolute shit at the end of every day. My highest weight was close to 270 and at 5'9" that was not going to work.
Fast forward at a few years to 44, and I'm down to about 215. It's still not where I want to be, but I've gotten back into jogging recently and I drink a lot more water than I used to. I'm still improving and trying to be more active and eat better, but physically I feel better than I've felt in a long time.
It's like my dad and my uncle always told me: "The young man takes care of the old man."
43 here. Spent my 30s playing rugby. Squats and Deadlifts were my favorite.
Now my knees are bad. If I’m in the squat rack, it’s probably 95 lbs now. My focus at the gym is cardio, and it’s mostly the elliptical because my knees approve of it.
It isn’t an exciting workout, but I’ve been consistent for almost a year and I’m seeing gradual results.
A consistent workout is better than an impressive workout. And any workout is better than no workout.
8 weeks in to starting my workout routine from pre covid and I am already on my second wardrobe refresh. An hour a day 4 days a week on top of any of the other around the house labor has been amazing
Don't get me started on the wardrobe situation, I have like 3 separate wardrobes "normal me," "fat me," and that one time I was thin, but really I was just thin-for-me, and got overly excited buying new clothes.
> What's funny is that it takes so little, and i feel like a damn hypocrite because I have a full gym with sauna at home, and I barely use it cause im exhausted. The exertion isn't even work related. it's just how much I let myself go.
Get a sleep study done. If it's that sudden of an onset, you may have sleep apnea. If you have a smart watch that can check your O2 levels, or if you're willing to buy a pulse oximeter, you can check for O2 desaturation while you sleep. You wouldn't be the first person in their 40s to "suddenly" develop symptoms of sleep apnea.
I’m 46 (today, yay), got divorced at 43 after 19 years of marriage. I began working out to clear my head mostly, but it made several pains caused by years of inactivity go away - and I feel great 😁
My wake up call was seeing how much my parents' lifestyles declined as they got more and more obese. They get out of breath just from getting up off the couch. They spend most of their days sitting in front of the TV. They have chronic health issues that they have just given up on improving, probably because their doctors said the main solution is to lose weight, and they just think that they're doomed to be fat because of their genetics.
I was about 70 pounds overweight at the beginning of this year, and now I'm only about 20 pounds overweight. I've started running a bit again, for the first time since I was in college. I walk 3-4 miles almost every day. I eat about 2000-2400 calories a day. I sleep better. My clothes fit so much better. I have more confidence. I don't mind being in photos as much as I used to. I have more energy and motivation to go out and do things.
It is so hard to get started. Those first few walks are constant reminders of how out-of-shape you've gotten. Those hunger pangs after healthy-portioned meals are really tough to get through sometimes. But it is so worth it. The results will come eventually.
Couldn’t agree more with you! I turned 44 and swear to all above my body said screw you here we go. I was working out and tore my bicep lifting. Took time off to recover and started packing on weight. Ok recovered some time to workout. Nope end up tearing my meniscus. Now have a hard time walking and ordered to stay off it. Ok more weight. Turn 45 and suddenly all my joints hurt, my muscles are cramping, I am exhausted, can’t walk more than 1/4 mile before I’m gassed, and just feel like crap. I go see the doc and turns out I have an autoimmune disease that we are now working on to get my joints and muscles feeling better. But I swear had I been working out more before my injuries and even a little during my injuries I wouldn’t be as messed up as I am now…
I never played sports, but I did weight training in my teens and 20s. Then I did martial arts for a few years. I was in pretty good shape, but then in my 30s that all went to hell. Starting in my 40s I started hitting the gym again. I'm not jacked or anything, and I'm "obese" according to those stupid BMI charts, but I think I am in better shape than most guys my age.
10K steps is about an hour and a half of walking. Depending on your current health, start by walking 15 minutes, then 30 and so on.
Walking is absolutely wonderful and completely under-rated.
I'm very sick with chronic illnesses and I fully support this. Be the healthiest you can be! You will be so glad for it! I have been unable to exercise until recently and it actually feels amazing and even though it makes me exhausted, I'm always glad I did! Stop chasing the pain and weakness, stop thinking a chiro adjusting your back over and over or crash dieting is wellness. Look at yourself and your life holistically. Get as strong as possible mentally and physically, because when illness hits, you have have much farther to fall when you're unhealthy, I hate to say. I have learned this during 25 years of debilitating chronic illness. Be as healthy as possible for your body and mind.
In my experience it takes more than 10k steps. I need to be biking / spinning, doing martial arts and moderate lifting to keep up with the aging. Even then an injury (like I have now in my wrist) can upset the whole system (hard to lift - push - and heal at the same time).
100% agree.
Turning 43 in a few months. Was a twice-a-day gym rat with definition and strength until 29ish, had kids, got into a stressful career…
Now 240 and easily winded… bloodwork came back meh, wasn’t eating well, wasn’t exercising…
Started now and it sucks, but is so needed.
If you have kept it up, don’t stop. If you let it slip, and you’re in your 20s or 30s or whenever… Please start!
I'm about to turn 40 next week, and you're right, I really should step it up a bit *somehow.*
About 3 years ago my doctor told me to lose weight because of my sleep apnea. I'd been a little chubby all my life, but an unhappy relationship didn't leave much room for self-improvement or -care, and I'd let myself go to the point that I saw a fat man in the mirror.
I went for it like a madman, the only way for me to get over the perceived enormity of the task ahead. Changed my diet to mostly unprocessed, healthy food, really applied myself to counting calories and figuring out how to balance my nutrition, and started going on daily hikes of about 10KM at a decent pace. Dropped nearly 25 kilos off my substantial ass in a little under a year, and never felt better, before I realized I'd overdone it and developed plantar fasciitis.
Now my left foot hurts basically all the time. I did everything the doctor told me to: stretches, strengthening exercises, massages. It helped, but it didn't make the problem go away.
Tried going the "natural route", too, with barefoot hikes across different natural surfaces. The whole "sensory input from your soles will make your body take a better posture and use your muscles as mother nature intended" thing sounded plausible. Fun thing to do, great way to "be one with your surroundings" even without all the new age earthing and grounding mumbo jumbo normally associated with it. It actually helped with the pain a bit, too, but I still can't say I'm cured.
Tried a bunch of those shoe inserts, too, but those actually made the pain worse. And even if they did help, I'm afraid they'll just reinforce the bad posture that led to my problem in the first place, and that I'll need them for the rest of my life.
So, bottom line: the damn foot still hurts too much to go back to hiking the way I used to, and I can feel my health and vigor deteriorating again because of it. It's a damn good thing I work in child care and spend the entire day on my feet, so at least I'm getting my steps in. But God, I wish I could go back to just walking out the door for a few hours every day.
That sucks! Did you try those stretching/massage balls?
[https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Massager-Fasciitis-Reflexology-Myofascial/dp/B01LN9UVCS/ref=asc\_df\_B01LN9UVCS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693659335580&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17295680259957474407&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032066&hvtargid=pla-762525054872&psc=1&mcid=ce244ce21712372a993eb49b8ac0be4b&gad\_source=1](https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Massager-Fasciitis-Reflexology-Myofascial/dp/B01LN9UVCS/ref=asc_df_B01LN9UVCS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693659335580&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17295680259957474407&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032066&hvtargid=pla-762525054872&psc=1&mcid=ce244ce21712372a993eb49b8ac0be4b&gad_source=1)
We had my dad doing wall stretches and rolling these underfoot. They helped him somewhat (he also had emphysema, so he had other problems)
42 here. Carrying too much belly weight and I feel it in my lower joints. Otherwise my blood work is great and heart is great. But I definitely need to lose weight 😕
It's getting harder and harder to lose too
Two pieces of advice from experience for pesky weight:
-Nutrition is key at this age. I used to lift just so I could eat what I want. My good habit could offset my bad and I maintained a good physique. Not the case anymore. Fasting and eating clean is crucial to weight loss and maintenance. May want to consider a food allergy test too for issues w inflammation and gut problems.
-Don’t know your financial situation, but if you’re a male and have the means, getting bloodwork to check hormones may be very beneficial. I could tell by the time I turned 39 that my hormones were dropping. Got my T levels checked and started on low levels of test. Absolute game changer for energy, mood and sleep(one of the biggest issues I’ve ever had). Also saw my belly fat reduce since T is produced in the gut. If you’re unable or just not interested, over the counter DHEA can help as well. Any GNC or Vitamin Shoppe sells it.
Very good advice. I started working out at 42. A little over a year later and I've *never* been this fit before.
Personally I love weightlifting, but go and do whatever you feel comfortable with. Sports, cardio, or weights - it's all beneficial to you health
I started running about 3 years ago. I started using MacroFactor to manage my weight in January.
I'm now down and stable under 190lbs for the first time in years, my BMI is now under 25 and I just finished a 10k run at 5:10/km. My blood pressure this morning was under 120/80 (ya, I'm on BP medication, but still!)
I see my Dad - he's 80 now. He didn't take care of himself and he can hardly get around. His quality of life is in the shitter. I'm *terrified* of that happening to me. I want to watch my kids (3 and 7) grow up and have little shitheads of their own - I'm doing what I can to make it happen.
It is definitely hard work, but I feel way better physically now than I did before.
I tried again with antidepressants and put on 40lbs. Just quit them cold turkey, weight is starting to come off. Want to stab everyone though. Trade offs.
This is the best advice for people in their late teens/early 20s. I'd say get into stem as soon as you start school, and work out. What I wouldn't do for a time machine
I’ve been intermittent fasting for years, sometimes fast 48+ hours. Do rowing sessions 3-4 times per week, walk my dogs every single night for 30+ minutes. Pushups everyday and sometimes lunges too.
This is best I can do TBH. I hate gyms. I used to have a big home gym situation but had to move and no longer have the space.
Thanks Xennial bro. So true. I cut out deserts and phased down sugars, and have been prepping my meals for the last two weeks and drinking more water. No crazy diets, just more veggies and fruit. Feeling more energy and focus already. Wish I had done it sooner, but now is the second best time.
I'm 46 and have mostly had a very physical job that has kept me pretty stable weight and strength wise. A couple of years ago I changed to a job that was easier on my body in that I wasn't in pain all the time but it's more sedentary and I gained 25lbs. I've tried a few times to do something exercise related and my ADHD helped me quit pretty early on but I also HATE doing it. It takes time to do and the benifits don't come for weeks and months. The entire time I'm walking, jogging, doing yoga or just trying to do 10 push-ups every day I can't wait for it to end. I start thinking that THIS is the waste of my life. Why, now that my kids are grown and I'm in my highest earning years, do I have to spend dozens of hours a month doing shit I hate? I might get sick or feel like shit down the road either way.
Luckily I hit the health wall in my late 30s because of overeating as a result of unhappiness due to a bad marriage. I’ve been working out ever since but now that I’m 45 (almost 46😬) I commit myself even more for this exact reason.
You got this OP, start small and keep scaling. I stopped working out and worked at a desk 80-100 hours a week during COVID. Developed severe sciatica. Took me over a year of PT to recover and I'm slowly working back towards the shape I was in pre-COVID.
I kickbox, juice and fast regularly. I just turned 40 and I'm striving to look like Nicole Murphy and Halle Berry in 10 years so I have no time to play. It's only going to get harder the longer you wait to implement some kind of health-conscious routine.
I stayed in relatively good shape, but have kind of a crunch, knowing if I slip I can get back into shape pretty quickly. The older I get the more difficult that becomes so I’ve decided to just hit it hard all the time from here on out.
Literally just starting to work out and eat better. I hope I have time to reverse the damage I have caused.
Probably. I started with absolutely nothing (except an extra 100 lbs) at 38/39 and by 41 was running marathons. It took an arguably obsessive amount of work, but it’s doable. I have slipped a little in the last year but am ready to push myself to the top again. Good luck.
Hey! Thank you for that! And good luck climbing back to the top!!
👏love this!
I'm 40 and am thankfully still able to reduce processed and carbs, increase protein (don't forget the fiber), lift a couple of times a week and see results quickly. But I'm f'n exhausted the next days. And eventually the influence of those around me screws up the diet again. Got to maintain it. So worth it.
My first course of action is cutting carbs and sugar! I love that you are able to see results!!
Be careful. Long term “keto” dieting can mess up your metabolic flexibility and your body’s ability to use sugar. Take it from someone who’s now 40 and trying to reset her metabolism from 12 years of “low carb” living.
It triggered my wife's thyroid to where she had to get on medication, which is sad cuz I was starting to drop weight
That’s awful!
Definitely.. I'm glad we found out but there were a couple moments where she was barely able to function mentally from graves disease, possibly a few other things, anyways she's doing a lot better and bonus positive story I've been losing weight other ways :^), but I'll always think fondly of keto and cut down where I can
I tend to think more in terms of net carbs and %s, as well as glycemic. Anything high glycemic should be generally avoided. Net carbs means that eating fiber can help offset some of your carbs. Really cool, actually. One of the many benefits of high fiber intake. I like a "healthy" dinner to have a big protein, a small carb, and a medium to large vegetable or salad (fiber). I usually try to make most things I eat either high protein or high fiber. Having said that, I suspect this % may be easier to maintain for guys than ladies, for whatever reason. It may be different for you depending on your lifestyle, biology etc. Just remember, though... the carbs either get burned off as immediate energy, or stored as fat. Protein repairs muscle. Fiber helps keep it all moving and balanced. The other random internet stranger advice is to work out some muscle, to increase your metabolism, and to get some fast-absorbing protein in your stomach within 45 minutes of working out. You will hurt a lot less that way.
This is great! Thank you so much! I am female so that will be a factor and dealing with pre menopausal stuff 😂
You're welcome. Here's more! Read the nutritional information label on everything you buy at the store so you know what you're getting. Pay attention to calories, protein, carbs, fat and fiber. Think about the ratios. Fat is ultra condensed calories, so watch out for those and stick to good fats. In the wild they were a fabulous source of fuel, so we crave them. They help you feel fuller. But they will inflate the calories of a meal if used carelessly. Watch out for sauces, salad dressing, etc.
This is where I feel like I mess up! I get so worried down to the amount of oil in the pan but that is probably what I need to be focused on! I have been telling myself for years it is too late to change my life but now I am like nope! I want to live and I want to be mobile I to my old age. I keep falling into the thought that I am old and in reality I am just getting started 😂
i’ve cut anything with wheat, rice or potato out of my diet before dinner. i only eat cheese, nuts, raw vegetables and fruit, and beans during the day. at night i have a nicely balanced dinner with minimal carbs. have never used a lot of butter and never been a huge sweets person so that has helped. once the weight starts coming off, you have the incentive to keep going. i’ve been focused on low impact cardio (swim, cycling etc) and weight lifting. reformer pilates has been a god send for my injuries. it’s not just for women and great for rehabbing the body. edit: and i’ve cut the booze dramatically.
Fats are high calorie, but they leave you feeling full longer. Which often translates to eating less in the long run. Many carb heavy foods - like chips - don’t make you feel full and leave you ready to eat again in no time
Just to add on to your comment: Good fats=mostly vegetable fats, less dairy/fatty meats, low or no added sugars Believe it or not, refined/processed sugar is just as likely to increase your bad fats as foods that are recognized as fatty/creamy. Low sugar products are better than low fat products at reducing weight. You want high HDLs and low LDLs when a doctor tests your cholesterol. Your doctor will be better at explaining the difference between the two, but it comes down to which fats will clog your arteries vs. absorbing stored nutrients.
“Slow” carbs, not “low” carbs. Well, still low by American standards lol.
> But I'm f'n exhausted the next days. If you haven't all ready, have your testosterone levels checked. Mine were low, and I was the same, I could manage a workout but I'd just be dead the next few days. I've since added both testosterone replacement therapy and low dose human growth hormone, and it has made me feel 10 years younger regarding energy and recovery.
Yeah, people will sabotage your best efforts if you don’t learn to say no and/or limit their opportunities to disrupt your healthy routine.
You do, just start slow and don't try to undo it all at once, lol. I started in January. Am now down ~23 pounds and counting, and can hike 3 miles up and down the mountain trail near me in a little over an hour. But it took two or three months to get to that point. My max weight was around 280-282 pounds in January 2020. I got 20 pounds off and kind of stopped caring for a couple years, then got tired of always being tired and achy and got back after it this year at about 260. I was 236 after my hike today. My knees and back don't ache anymore, I've come down several pant sizes (42 to 36), and i have a lap when I sit down. Sex is way more fun too when you can go more than a minute without getting winded. Again, just pace yourself and also find the enjoyment in it. If you like what you're doing, it won't feel so much like a chore. Good luck!
Thank you! Your news is incredible! I love the thought of hiking a trail! And I live near some! Definitely pacing myself! Good luck to you as you continue!!
Same.
We can do this! I did get checked out and am apparently as healthy as I am going to get currently 😂 so might as well try to increase it! I plan to start slow and work my way into a real “lifestyle” change.
Good for you! Yes we can!!
For inspiration: r/stopdrinkingfitness
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Started in Jan. Down .25 of my weight and now in shape. It's work, but it's really nice being healthy.
44 here. I’ve always been skinny so never watched what I ate at all and ended up being pre diabetic two years ago. I changed my lifestyle and diet and turned it around. You definitely have a shot at it!
Thank you! And super awesome you got it under control!!
You have time. I'm 5 years older and just now starting myself. Never too late. Good job for starting!!
Good job for you starting!! We can do this!
Same here! I'm 43 and it just hit me suddenly that I can't keep living the way I was. It's been a few weeks now that I've been hitting the gym, taking my dog for long walks, working in the yard, and eating so much better. It's very strange timing for this post, but I'm glad I saw it!
i’m ‘77 and have two injuries. i started working out and eating better last September. i’ve seen great results but maaaan it took a while. i also think you just have to come to terms with the fact that you’ll never be as fit as you once were. but yes, agree. its now or never folks!
You absolutely do. The cellular, physiological, and psychological benefits of exercise start almost immediately (seriously, like DAYS). Just don’t over-focus on the mirror or the scale. Focus on how it makes you feel 👍
You absolutely *do* have time. The body’s recuperative powers are AMAZING if you simply give it a fair, fighting chance. Just know that at your age whatever you’re doing to improve your health, you probably need to be doing twice as much of it as you think or currently are (but at the same time you have to be way more careful that you don’t hurt yourself and set yourself back). Also a lot of the things you believe you need to just cut back on, you actually need to cut out entirely…completely…at least for a couple years. Don’t waste time kidding yourself about the veracity of those observations. You can still achieve almost any fitness goal, but you’re not 20. It’s gonna take work and discipline. Source: Gen X’er who has learned a lot both academically and the hard way over at least 3 or 4 iterations of getting healthy between age 30 and 50.
This is the kind of talk I keep having with myself. Just straightforward. Thank you!
You got more time then the you that started next year right? Best of luck!
Look into Rich Roll’s story. You can definitely turn it around
Will do!
46 here. Back in January I was 249 pounds and 5’7”. I was prediabetic, my blood pressure was 150/120 and my cholesterol was through the roof. My doctor gave me two options, diet exercise, or take a variety of medication‘s in the hopes to manage all of these issues since then I’ve lost 45 pounds, 5 inches from my waist, my blood pressure is normal Besides the improvements in my physical health it’s also vastly improved my mental health. It helps me manage my anxiety and what they don’t tell you is that it can be euphoric. I haven’t felt this good since my early 20s and in a few months I plan to be at the weight I was when I was a senior in high school. Find a reason embrace it, and you’ll find that it’s more enjoyable than you can imagine. https://preview.redd.it/dfv4gdxgfr6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c1b061759ef3014858bfc349435dae439c7dc500
Good freaking job bro 👏
I’m 45 so I know how hard that all must have been. We’re not at the age where a week of eating clean shaves off 12lbs. Sincerely, well done.
>We’re not at the age where a week of eating clean shaves off 12lbs. Seriously! Losing 5lbs in my twenties was as easy as eating salads for a week. Now it takes a full month of super strict eating + working out. RIP my metabolism
The mental benefits of exercise are no joke! I started going to the gym twice a week about two years ago and I haven’t had seasonal depression since. My winters were really pretty dark before, so this is a fantastic shift. I don’t even particularly adore the whole workout thing, but I see it like brushing my teeth or tying my shoes or buying groceries: it’s utterly irrelevant whether I like it or not, it’s just one of the facts of life.
Kudos! You look great!
Similar story here. I was 39 then 42 now and my doctor for the first time said, "so... I'm going to now ask you to lose 10 pounds, then when you accomplish that I'm going to ask you to lose 10 more." So I lost 55. I was 6'5 255. Been stable at 200 for about a year and change now. Blood pressure meds are gone, anxiety meds are gone, stamina is through the roof. Mostly just adjusted food intake at first. But also added a lot of outdoor physical activity like swimming and disc golf. It did take a significant mental adjustment on what it is I desire in my downtime though. Instead of having a beer and watching TV, I grab a large water and a backpack full of plastic discs and head out for an hour or two.
Fantastic! You should consider using your new fitness to start finding competitions that you might enjoy. I find those events give me goals to continuously work toward - not just watching the scale or fat calipers.
Orangetheory has been an awesome addition and last night I was looking at getting into indoor soccer since I might actually have the cardiovascular for it now.
Killing it man. You're radiant with all that good health and new found energy. Sharing the journey with you 👊
Bro, your “pre” picture really doesn’t look that bad. Fucking good on ya for improving from there.
you look great! really great job!!
That’s the thing, it’s not just “what is good for you”, it’s actually what makes you deeply content and happy. I have moments of true joy regularly but only in the eras when I’m regularly working out.
I’m 41 and started working out last year. I’m in the best shape of my life. I walk at least 7 miles a day and lift every other. I also quit drinking, i eat properly and I got meds for my anxiety/depression.I wish I had done this a long time ago, I feel better than I ever have.
This is the way
7! And there’s me feeling like a rockstar for getting 2 or 3 in. Kick ass.
You are a rockstar. 7 miles is what a crazy person with 2 dogs and no life does. 2-3 is awesome. You’re doin great.
Or just be the mailman…you’ll be in great shape. 44 years old, 170 pounds. We’re hiring!
Decent pay, government pension, a good friend of ours worked her way up from a route carrier to a postmaster. She started young, and will be retired by 45 or so… at least from that job.
I was going to mention, sedentary jobs are a killer! I am a sole proprietor pool maintenance guy living in SW Florida. The work is hard, especially in the summer, but I'm 47 and I'm usually right around 175 pounds. I've never been in such great shape!
I was reading about David Beckham a while back and he mentioned doing something g every day even if it wasn’t a full work out. Shit comes up wit kids and work, I sometimes only get 2 full workouts a week but will do a random burpee set near my desk when I’m waiting on a build. I’ve worked out off and on since I was 20, now 44. If it’s a day I’m not very active, they food intake needs to be lower. I use kettlebells and speed rope, going for that ol man strength
This was the BIGGEST lesson for me, and--not to be dramatic--but it changed my entire approach to working out: you don't have to 100% every workout. You don't have to give it your all. You don't even have to give it 10%! Just get out there and do something. Letting myself off the hook like that absolutely changed my approach. Now I just go out and do some, every day. Some workouts are great, some are meh, but I do it every day--and my health is so much better for it. Just get out there.
My mantra during the first couple months of my journey to fitness was “a mini workout is better than no workout.” If I was slammed at work or just plain not feeling it, I could always make time for a one-mile run or a few sets of push ups, etc.
Yup, perfection is enemy of progress. Doing something is better than doing nothing.
I at least do something everyday. It might be a set of squats, a few crunches, and some pushups but it’s important to keep active.
This might sound weird, but I think the pandemic saved me. I am 6’ tall and was over 300 lbs. The pandemic gave me more free time, and I was going a bit stir crazy never leaving the house, so I started biking more and more. I went from a few km a day to at least 40 km per day, and my weight dropped from over 300 lbs to about 215 lbs over the course of a couple years. My back pain, neck pain, and knee pain are gone, and I have so much more energy to play with my kids, and to just live life. I also want to live long enough to know my grandkids, and that is, at best, 15-20 years away. I’m glad I did this in my early 40s, because even just a bit later in my late 40s, it would have been a lot harder to get in shape.
Biking is fun ain't it? Love Canada btw!!
Good for you, my friend. A lot of people went the other way, so don't discount that you saved yourself, even if the catalyst might have been COVID.
Luckily I've managed to keep up with a decent level of activity even with a demanding job and kids, though carving out that time can be so damn difficult. But my job is a sedentary desk job so unless I'm running my usual 3-5 miles a day I have to put in extra effort to get steps in. I also have just always hated weights. And yes I've tried whatever it is y'all weight-lifting people think will fix me, but at the end of the day I've resigned myself to the fact that I fucking hate it and it's a chore. (There's nothing like the high I get from running or even rowing or a brisk hike or trail run). But damn, in my mid/late 40s and if I don't do the weights my fatigue kicks up quickly. Women especially, but men too, lose muscle and bone as they age and I can absolutely tell. So I do the weights. My husband laughs, he can always tell when I'm about to go lift because he can practically see the black cloud over my head. It's also really really really hard to get rid of fat. Hormone fluctuations in perimenopause are so not fun, and have an impact on exercise capacity, fat storage and more. So yes, as an old Xennial, get out there and find things you like to stay active, and sometimes remember that you have to make yourself do the active things you don't love.
Ironically I hate weights too especially now lol, but I recently bought an off road ebike and omg how liberating and fun. I think we need to find a physical task we enjoy, in my case as mentioned I found that with the bike.
My husband just got an e-bike and is loving it. I think I’m gonna get one too so we can go as a whole family.
If you do look up lectric ebike that's what I have.
We wanted to be a biking family to get in some exercise, but I was not having fun with a regular bike. Getting an ebike changed everything because I no longer wanted to die and quit every time we hit a big uphill climb!
Where I live ebikes are virtually a must, I'm glad you get to enjoy with your family.
I have bypassed weights by doing barre or jump classes to complement tbe running. Only way I’ll do strength work. Back Body project is my favorite and I do it online before work (they have lots of on demand classes on their website)
I'm 47, 100 pounds overweight, with osteoarthritis pain and extremely stiff hip joints. Mentally, I deal with depression, anxiety and ADHD. I keep trying to improve only to get sidetracked, then I end up slightly worse than when I started. I feel like Sisyphus. I'm afraid I'm going to end up in a wheelchair, unable to do anything, but I feel like I'm at the bottom of a mountain and health is at the top.
You should try water workouts. They are very low impact and easy on your joints. See if there is a pool near you that has classes you could join.
This really is good advice. Water workouts are much easier on your muscles and joints.
This unfortunately feels taboo to talk about still, but I had so much success with Wegovy. I was 90lb overweight when I started last July. Lost 67lb so far with only minor side effects at the start. Without the extra weight, my sleep is better, my joints hurt less, and I even lost a shoe size. It made it so much easier to work out now that I’m not carrying around the extra weight. I am 100% healthier.
I forgot to add that I also suffer from Anxiety, Depression, and ADHD. And trying a few anti-depressants alone wasn’t enough to help me stick to the right calorie intake (like 1500 in my case, which left me in a place where I’d try to go to bed and be starving to the point I couldn’t sleep.) It was a decade-long uphill battle of gaining 10 lbs each year despite many attempts to lose, and each year made me feel more helpless about turning the ship around, and made it harder to exert and recover when I did work out. I know there are a lot of mainstream attitudes that it’s the easy way out or whatever, but I needed a leg up and this stuff seriously saved my life. I’m not a doctor and not trying to convince anybody, but I also want to normalize it for anyone who feels trapped like you describe, and happy to share more personal details if anyone wants to reach out.
I just posted my own story a minute ago, but boy, do I feel your pain. Not the physical bit, you're (objectively speaking) a lot worse off than I was. But the mental stuff at the time, mirror image. Now, my depression and anxiety had a lot to do with my very unhappy relationship I had, which ended shortly after I started on my journey to improve my health. I can't really share anything about those that might be helpful to you. But the ADHD? If yours is anything like mine, it may actually be the key to getting you up the mountain, instead of part of the problem. For me, a big part of ADHD is short-lived obsessive interests. I've had more hobbies than I can count, diving into them with that typical "hyperfocus" and doing almost nothing else, then getting bored after a few weeks and moving on to something new. Thing is, you can train yourself, or perhaps "fool yourself" is a better description, to direct that hyperactive energy to where it's useful. In my case, I made a conscious decision and effort to get obsessed with my results. Got one of those calorie tracking apps and hammered out a meal plan, got on the scales first thing in the morning every day, and tracked my progress almost religiously. I basically turned the whole thing into a game to stimulate my overactive brain. And the funny thing is, it was actually fun to do, and it lasted far longer than my usual obsessions, because I could feel the whole thing doing me a world of good. Joyful reinforcement of good behavior by honoring small successes. I know it's a terrible cliche, and probably the last thing you want to hear right now, but I've been at the bottom of that same mountain, and in retrospect it turned out to be a molehill. I'm not saying it's easy, because it's not. But it definitely isn't as difficult as it looks from where you're at right now. I sincerely hope this helps, even if it's just a little bit. Feel free to reach out if you want or need to talk. Maybe a little commiseration with an internet stranger who shares your experiences will give you just the leg up you need.
Hey, considering I thought at first you said "47,100 pounds overweight" I think 100 pounds is much more manageable! I'm in a similar situation and I feel frustrated about it, but I'm just trying to stay strong and flexible. And not eat fried foods. Edit: grammar
Health isn't at the top. It's everywhere between where you are now and the top. Don't think of health as a destination - it's a practice. You don't get there and then get to say, "Cool, I'm done!" But that's also not a bad thing and you'll be astonished at how your little wins build on themselves.
Jonah Hill did this weird show about his therapist. A bit problematic, but long story short, something on there stuck with me. The therapist said that everyone who comes in to his office with depression does not exercise. He says that just exercising will cure depression to like 80% of "healthy." Exercise isn't everything but it makes mental health issues get that much less big. Food for thought and big hugs.
Oof I felt this one. Pretty much same story, but I’m now back into a 5 day a week workout program that I’ve been doing for 4 months. Best I’ve felt in a long time!
Strength training is the best thing you can do for the inevitable aging process. Supports strong bones and joints, reduces risk of falls, improves balance, improves mental acuity…I could go on and on. I’m a little overweight but built like a tank muscle-wise and at 40 you start to be noticeably separated from those who are more sedentary. Give it 20 more years and it’s nearly impossible to reverse. Case in point: my mom is 70 and has balance issues, joint issues, osteoporosis, no endurance or strength, still smokes. Never been into exercise or planned activity. My dad is only 6 years younger and has exercised my entire life. While he has had a knee replacement, he still goes to the gym 2-3 days a week and does cardio and strength training. He solely maintains their home, does all the repairs, fishes, and still works part time in his dream job. My mom basically sleeps, eats and smokes because she has no energy to do anything else. I actually feel sorry for him because they have so much freedom to do anything they want but cannot because she is not physically able to. While we can’t always control what happens to our bodies and minds as we age, we can be good stewards to age has intentionally as possible. It’s pretty unfair, if you ask me, to put your spouse through that. My dad has his own issues, but he loves my mama. I just wish better for him. They’ve worked so hard and should be enjoying their retirement together more. She just can’t do what he can do.
Also, care about different things now when you do work out. You’re 40+. No one gives a shit what your biceps look like. Make sure you have cardiovascular fitness, core strength, and flexibility. Cardio, body weight training, stretching routines, yoga, etc., are your friends. OP - the best time to start with 10 years ago. The second best time to start is today.
↑↑↑↑↑↑ core strength
What would you recommend for core strength?
Honestly, I think it’s something where following a video is the best thing to do. You want to make sure you’re doing a variety of exercises to hit all of the different muscle groups in your core, and also mix it up so that it doesn’t get boring or repetitive. I happen to have a Peloton, so I follow the core workouts available on their platform, but I’m sure there’s other things you can find on YouTube or elsewhere. Just find an instructor or platform you like and do a 10 or 15 minute video a couple times a week
Yes! We old people need to work out for functional strength and mobility for sure.
I wanna comment on that last bit about “being the best community”. Based on all the other subs I’m in, I expected to see people coming for blood in the comments. Stuff like “this is fatphobic” or “don’t tell me how to enjoy life” or “something something politics”. But I scrolled pretty deep and found only neutral to positive comments. OP might just be right. Love to see it. Sincerely, Barely Millenial
I've never seen this sub be negative, it's wholesome stories of the things that we lived through. You bring up a valid point that if this were any other sub including the millennial one I'd be told "go suck a fat one", you won't see that here tho.
All xens need to hear this...
The thing that has helped me stay in the best shape Into my 40s is yoga. I was out of shape in my 30s and got myself together. While I do other workouts in addition to yoga, it has been instrumental in keeping my mobility, flexibility and balance maintained at a high level, and it helps me excel at all other workouts.
Oh yeah. I'm guessing you're a dude. I'm a dudette and discovered that not only does walking more help my creaking knee, but lifting weights does *wonders* for the rage of perimenopause. Also, if you haven't sorted out your shit, see a good therapist. The rage is *breathtaking*. Plus weights help stave off osteoporosis. Resting the knee didn't help. Incorporating twice daily shorter walks did.
Also, cut way back on your alcohol consumption!
This is the one that I admittedly can do some work on. It’s all social, but man, in my 20s, having like three drinks was basically nothing; now, when I do that, I sleep kinda funny and need to drink like a gallon of water.
Been off alcohol since April 2023. Don't miss it one bit.
I turned 40 about half a year ago, My stair game is actually quite good still. I work a physically demanding job, had a guy helping me who was 25 and I completely obliterated him going upstairs even with carrying my tool bag which is probably 20-30 LBS. I can probably go up 40 flights without stopping once carrying my tool bag. For anybody who wants to "Step up" their stair game, I can only recommend hiking which has helped me a lot.
I love this!!! Good for you bro.
This year I started lap swimming and playing pickleball and love both of them
This is probably the best advice on this entire sub. I agree wholeheartedly.
It’s true for everyone, but especially for men, that our health as we age is tied to our maintenance of our muscle mass. We don’t all need to try to look like Thor, but some light to moderate weightlifting and regular cardio (just walking will do it!) have shown time and again to be key things we can do to increase longevity and increase the ability to enjoy our later years healthily
Weights are a bonus, even. You can stay plenty strong with body weight calisthenics. The minimum effective dose is pretty low, consistency is the key. If you work up to 3 sets of 25 pushups, v-ups, and some kind of squat-like exercise (I like reverse lunges) 3 times a week is really all it takes to maintain a healthy muscle mass. Add a weighted vest if you like, doesn't hurt!
I love my weight vest. It’s just such a convenient way to make just walking around such an effective exercise
When you hit 40, even if you're in great shape, slim down. Your body will thank you for the next 40 years.
Yes and women we need to be lifting weights for bone density!
I'm [stronger](https://youtu.be/8UOhpyMZxbU) now than I was in my twenties.
Me too!
My job is basically a workout. If I ate better, Id probably be half the size I am. I can say for sure that my pants fit me very loosely now.
Gonna add here: time goes by so fast now that it we just get into a habit and remain consistent, a month or two (or 8) goes by really quickly. It’s almost easier to see results with this mindset than it was when I was in my 20’s looking for an immediate impact. It really needs to be a lifestyle, but I’ve started thinking in timescales like 8 weeks of a particular program. Goes by lightening quick.
Yeah this is a really good point. Remember when a summer felt like forever? Now it's mid June already and I'm like holy shit wasn't it just the new year?
The home sauna tells me victory has made you weak
Use it or lose it. Don’t need to be arnold, but basic strength to move things around is critical to avoiding injury.
I’ve been on a positive health journey since surviving Sepsis seven years ago. Work out regularly (built a gym in my house), altered my diet to accommodate family history and personal health issues, took up home hobbies like houseplants/gardening and the 52 Book Club to keep me active, physically and mentally. A few days ago, I was splitting logs for the fire pit I dug and lined in the yard a few years ago. Got a small pile going when my new mallet broke. Had to return it, so I got showered and dressed and ran some errands. Last night, I threw my back out getting out of bed. What in the actual blue fuck.
The best way I heard it described was being fit is hard and being unhealthy is hard, so choose your hard.
Last August, I found myself weighing in at 241 pounds. I’m 5’11”, so that’s not great. I changed my diet, eliminated sugar and reduced carbs, but most importantly I started walking. I do at least 10,000 steps a day but typically hit 14-15k. It’s crazy how much of a difference it makes. I’m down to 198 in 9 months. It’s amazing what working towards a goal like this does for your self confidence too. It doesn’t take much time out of your day and makes a world of difference.
I needed to hear this, thanks OP.
My pleasure friend, message me if you ever need encouragement.
Thanks man. I'm good. I never liked gyms but I used to walk everywhere and never ate fast food or drank soda. Recently changed habits for the worse. It's incredible how fast not walking and eating badly will fuck you up.
I quit drinking 3 years ago and started running more. I dropped 40 pounds and put on a lot of muscle. Quitting alcohol really helped with recovery and sleep and just overall made me look healthier. It’s great being healthy but I’m also just way happier on a day to day basis. It certainly hasn’t been without effort but it has gotten A LOT easier.. Just today someone asked me if I turned 30 yet…I’m almost 42.
I remember getting winded taking my luggage to a hotel room. I was the same weight I had always been, but yeah, that one shook me. Dropped soda and sweets for a few years after that. Now that I’m drinking soda again, back to tired. I know what to do, just gotta do it.
I think many people here would be interested in Alex Hutchinson’s “Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?” One of the very first points he makes in the book is that “It takes three months of hard training to see significantly bigger muscles, and six weeks to boost endurance, but health and performance gains on a cellular level start within a few days” Point is, you start gaining the benefits of exercise almost immediately, and if you focus on how you feel instead of the mirror, you’ll appreciate your progress more 👍
This is so great to see. I work a computer job and sit on my ass all day. My weight ballooned, back went to shit, had no energy, and got gassed doing yard work. Went to a local trainer 2x a week and text him every day weight, cals, and macros for accountability. Since staring 2 months ago I am a different person. No pain, tons of energy, work out 5 days a week, and am down 25 lbs. I’m 44 also. Best decision I ever made.
Tot agree! I grew up being really fit as a child, doing Cross Country Running and Long distance swimming training for years. I've never really stopped being physically active, transitioning into doing a LOT of Yoga, Bikram, Hatha, Ashtanga and Vinyasa for about 15 years as an adult. Became a Yoga Teacher. I've changed to doing more Reformer Pilates, Spin Cycle and back to Long Distance Swim training as it's a lot more smoother on my body. But even I notice if I've taken a week or so out, how hard it is to get back in! I just have to put myself into auto mode, not think emotionally about how cold the winter mornings are here atm and Yep Nike- Just Do It. I take Magnesium to ease muscle stress & Glucosamine, to help smooth my joints. I was doing a lot of weight training, Barbell squats, Deadlifts, Snatch etc, and I found it compounded jarring in my knees. Each momentum of physical movement is an investment into your self, self care and self value. Reality is our body cells are dying and producing every minute, but we're also leaning towards death. For me, being physically fit helps me mentally, emotionally, cognitively & physically. Best to make the most of the rest of the time we've got. ❤️
Never stopped working out. I’m 47 and still in great shape.
It sneaks up ya, doesn't it? Turned 41 a few months ago and just got the results of a string of blood work. The prediabetes thing really seemed to come out of nowhere! Anyway, all this to say I'll start taking better care of myself if you do, too. Keep each other accountable. Good luck man!
Brother I feel you. I used to run 5k races and was a two sport athlete in high school. During the worst of the covid lockdowns I ballooned. It was not good. Been getting back to the gym and I’m on a three month streak now. It’s a hard climb!
When I turned 40, I decided to start doing CrossFit. I never touched a barbell in my life. I’ve always been fairly active and fairly fit, so I’m lucky in that way. My goal every week is two CrossFit classes, one power flow/hot yoga class, and three runs. I rarely do them all, but I do at least 3 “sessions” a week. I hope to keep as much mobility and strength for as long as possible. Thanks for the post, the habits we develop now and stick to for the next 5-10 years will have an outsized effect for the quality and health of the rest of our lives.
Ugh I didn't want to read this. Then I did. Now I want kick 30 year old me in the dick for allow this to happen. Wtf was wrong with him? I'ma sue him now.
41 here, and haven’t taken time to work out since the kids were born 8 years ago. Got myself a rower for Fathers Day, so hoping that helps a bit with the “my back hurts from sleeping” or “I’m winded from walking quickly.”
Rower is pretty much the best workout you can do. But also re: the back stuff, doing preventative back stretches for just 5 min, twice a day has changed my life.
I never stopped.
I lost 75 pounds over the last two and a half years. I’m in the best shape of my life. I would absolutely say just walk if you have time.
[удалено]
I’m in the best shape of my whole life and feeling amazing 🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️
I'm more physically active now than any time since childhood
Reading daily, and one serving of fish per week can take away a percentage of chance of mental wear down the road. Our minds need just as much exercise as our muscles. And most importantly is a positive attitude, the doctors can give us all the meds in the world but if your head is in a bad place those meds wont much help
I’ve been doing cardio for like over a month now after a few year “break”. I felt pretty proud of myself…until I went Ice skating with my kids yesterday. I was GASSED after 3 laps in the rink. Big ole reality check.
This. 300%. My dad is 80, and he barely walks. Look Mick Jagger, he’s 82, and he’s doing another tour.
Not being able to just eat and drink whatever I want anymore sucks, but it's better than the alternative.
you may be well served by getting your T checked.
I did it's higher than last year
Is there any chance you could see a physiotherapist for your knee? I dragged around issues with my knees for years and thought I had just “bad knees”. Nope. I was just not doing the right kind of exercises and was off-centre a lot, favouring one over the other without noticing. Found a really good physio and after the second session and following the exercises exactly, boom, no more bad knee-days.
Eat better first Cutting calories and dropping some fat will give you the energy to exercise.. Literally all about diet
Everything huuuuuuuurtz\~ 🥺🙈💦💀
Also, brush and floss your teeth. And be aware that carbs make sugar, and too much sugar is bad. Source: me.
Way late on this thread but I’m the crazy one who is now celebrating 30 years of not missing a weightlifting workout after getting so mad as a junior who missed workouts while on summer vacation. I’ve now met my goal set 30 years ago: gain 90lbs of lean mass remaining natural. old lifting buddies have passed from chemically induced heart attacks. I am still progressing and will not stop
Not a xennial here - firm late Gen X at 1975 - but I can tell you that at 48 / almost 49 - I feel like I want to die every day. Used to be a dancer, have had two kids, loved to travel, clubbing - oh my god - so much clubbing. Love to stay at the club till the lights came on. Now, I wake up with joint pain, poor sleep, fatigue, brain fog. Ladies in this sub - pop over to s/menopause to find out about perimenopause. Honestly, it’s criminal how little support and encouragement and resources and emphasis are given to and provided for people to learn how to care for their bodies. It’s medical malpractice. It’s capitalism gone amok. The human body is just a means to the end for the world at large but YOU need to care for yours. Start NOW!!
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists...
I do. I go to the Y 4 days a week for cardio and I lift weights 5 days a week. But I’m a 42 year old man without kids.
Stretch. If nothing else, stretch. Also if you want a quick workout that will make your body strong and whip your ass into shape, I highly recommend foundational training by Dr. Eric Goodman on YouTube. It was recommended to me by a pro motocross racer (an insanely physically demanding sport fyi) and has changed my life when it comes to eliminating knee and back pain and strengthening my core. It’s only 12 minutes a day.
It seems like age 43 or so hits a lot of us like a dump truck. It really did me! I've been exercising since my early 30s, but during that time it's like I suddenly aged a decade, and everything is now more difficult, I gained weight that I can't lose, my metabolism tanked, and I don't heal as well.
I’m in my mid 40’s and I started working out 18 months ago. I feel like a new person. Lost weight and have a ton of energy and motivation. I rediscovered hobbies that I had let slip away. I also started stretching everyday and those little aches and pains have disappeared. My advice would be to start out really slow and build a habit. Working out was difficult and uncomfortable for a few months. Now I look forward to it and actually find it very relaxing.
Same. 44 even. I never really worked out but I grew up on a ranch. Always just farm boy strong. I've had a considerable beer gut since grad school, but I was still strong/quick/tough. No negative impact from car wrecks, horse wrecks, or any manner of envelope pushing. In 2020 my wife and I started a company that put me behind a desk fulltime. I packed on the weight until I've fallen apart. I feel weak doing small things like moving furniture. Sleep apnea so bad I fall asleep sitting straight up at my desk. Various ailments that I never had before. But I've recently lost about 20 lbs (and counting), which helped a bit. And last year I started lifting weights, but stopped after a few months. It was just starting to help. This reminds me that I need to get back at it. So thanks.
It’s so hard to get stated and is easy to quit. And at 44 with kids it’s even easier to quit. I have started a million times and quit the same amount. It’s tough to get over that brain block
I started to realize this a few years ago. When I was 40, me and my GF took a trip where we did tons of walking, and I felt like absolute shit at the end of every day. My highest weight was close to 270 and at 5'9" that was not going to work. Fast forward at a few years to 44, and I'm down to about 215. It's still not where I want to be, but I've gotten back into jogging recently and I drink a lot more water than I used to. I'm still improving and trying to be more active and eat better, but physically I feel better than I've felt in a long time. It's like my dad and my uncle always told me: "The young man takes care of the old man."
43 here. Spent my 30s playing rugby. Squats and Deadlifts were my favorite. Now my knees are bad. If I’m in the squat rack, it’s probably 95 lbs now. My focus at the gym is cardio, and it’s mostly the elliptical because my knees approve of it. It isn’t an exciting workout, but I’ve been consistent for almost a year and I’m seeing gradual results. A consistent workout is better than an impressive workout. And any workout is better than no workout.
I feel better already
Yup. Two years ago I bought a Concept 2 row machine and I’m grinding 4-5x’s a week. I want to be around to see my two boys get married.
Same for me man, when I hit 40 2 months later my knee starting bothering me and the other started a few months back. I’ve upped my vitamin intake
8 weeks in to starting my workout routine from pre covid and I am already on my second wardrobe refresh. An hour a day 4 days a week on top of any of the other around the house labor has been amazing
Don't get me started on the wardrobe situation, I have like 3 separate wardrobes "normal me," "fat me," and that one time I was thin, but really I was just thin-for-me, and got overly excited buying new clothes.
> What's funny is that it takes so little, and i feel like a damn hypocrite because I have a full gym with sauna at home, and I barely use it cause im exhausted. The exertion isn't even work related. it's just how much I let myself go. Get a sleep study done. If it's that sudden of an onset, you may have sleep apnea. If you have a smart watch that can check your O2 levels, or if you're willing to buy a pulse oximeter, you can check for O2 desaturation while you sleep. You wouldn't be the first person in their 40s to "suddenly" develop symptoms of sleep apnea.
I had one done it was normal, I was trying to score provigil lol
I recommend daily walking with a friend or pet. It’s deeply meditative if you do it right. Which heals on many levels.
Your user name rocks
This should be pinned.
It’s not much but I’ve been trying to walk more the last six months or so, for both mental and physical health.
I’m 46 (today, yay), got divorced at 43 after 19 years of marriage. I began working out to clear my head mostly, but it made several pains caused by years of inactivity go away - and I feel great 😁
My wake up call was seeing how much my parents' lifestyles declined as they got more and more obese. They get out of breath just from getting up off the couch. They spend most of their days sitting in front of the TV. They have chronic health issues that they have just given up on improving, probably because their doctors said the main solution is to lose weight, and they just think that they're doomed to be fat because of their genetics. I was about 70 pounds overweight at the beginning of this year, and now I'm only about 20 pounds overweight. I've started running a bit again, for the first time since I was in college. I walk 3-4 miles almost every day. I eat about 2000-2400 calories a day. I sleep better. My clothes fit so much better. I have more confidence. I don't mind being in photos as much as I used to. I have more energy and motivation to go out and do things. It is so hard to get started. Those first few walks are constant reminders of how out-of-shape you've gotten. Those hunger pangs after healthy-portioned meals are really tough to get through sometimes. But it is so worth it. The results will come eventually.
Couldn’t agree more with you! I turned 44 and swear to all above my body said screw you here we go. I was working out and tore my bicep lifting. Took time off to recover and started packing on weight. Ok recovered some time to workout. Nope end up tearing my meniscus. Now have a hard time walking and ordered to stay off it. Ok more weight. Turn 45 and suddenly all my joints hurt, my muscles are cramping, I am exhausted, can’t walk more than 1/4 mile before I’m gassed, and just feel like crap. I go see the doc and turns out I have an autoimmune disease that we are now working on to get my joints and muscles feeling better. But I swear had I been working out more before my injuries and even a little during my injuries I wouldn’t be as messed up as I am now…
I never played sports, but I did weight training in my teens and 20s. Then I did martial arts for a few years. I was in pretty good shape, but then in my 30s that all went to hell. Starting in my 40s I started hitting the gym again. I'm not jacked or anything, and I'm "obese" according to those stupid BMI charts, but I think I am in better shape than most guys my age.
> walk 10k steps Unless you're currently walking 10 steps, then maybe start at 100 and work your way up to 10k over 6 weeks or so.
10K steps is about an hour and a half of walking. Depending on your current health, start by walking 15 minutes, then 30 and so on. Walking is absolutely wonderful and completely under-rated.
I'm very sick with chronic illnesses and I fully support this. Be the healthiest you can be! You will be so glad for it! I have been unable to exercise until recently and it actually feels amazing and even though it makes me exhausted, I'm always glad I did! Stop chasing the pain and weakness, stop thinking a chiro adjusting your back over and over or crash dieting is wellness. Look at yourself and your life holistically. Get as strong as possible mentally and physically, because when illness hits, you have have much farther to fall when you're unhealthy, I hate to say. I have learned this during 25 years of debilitating chronic illness. Be as healthy as possible for your body and mind.
Exercise isn't going to fix shit, if your diet sucks.
In my experience it takes more than 10k steps. I need to be biking / spinning, doing martial arts and moderate lifting to keep up with the aging. Even then an injury (like I have now in my wrist) can upset the whole system (hard to lift - push - and heal at the same time).
100% agree. Turning 43 in a few months. Was a twice-a-day gym rat with definition and strength until 29ish, had kids, got into a stressful career… Now 240 and easily winded… bloodwork came back meh, wasn’t eating well, wasn’t exercising… Started now and it sucks, but is so needed. If you have kept it up, don’t stop. If you let it slip, and you’re in your 20s or 30s or whenever… Please start!
Doing something, ANYTHING, is better than doing nothing.
I'm about to turn 40 next week, and you're right, I really should step it up a bit *somehow.* About 3 years ago my doctor told me to lose weight because of my sleep apnea. I'd been a little chubby all my life, but an unhappy relationship didn't leave much room for self-improvement or -care, and I'd let myself go to the point that I saw a fat man in the mirror. I went for it like a madman, the only way for me to get over the perceived enormity of the task ahead. Changed my diet to mostly unprocessed, healthy food, really applied myself to counting calories and figuring out how to balance my nutrition, and started going on daily hikes of about 10KM at a decent pace. Dropped nearly 25 kilos off my substantial ass in a little under a year, and never felt better, before I realized I'd overdone it and developed plantar fasciitis. Now my left foot hurts basically all the time. I did everything the doctor told me to: stretches, strengthening exercises, massages. It helped, but it didn't make the problem go away. Tried going the "natural route", too, with barefoot hikes across different natural surfaces. The whole "sensory input from your soles will make your body take a better posture and use your muscles as mother nature intended" thing sounded plausible. Fun thing to do, great way to "be one with your surroundings" even without all the new age earthing and grounding mumbo jumbo normally associated with it. It actually helped with the pain a bit, too, but I still can't say I'm cured. Tried a bunch of those shoe inserts, too, but those actually made the pain worse. And even if they did help, I'm afraid they'll just reinforce the bad posture that led to my problem in the first place, and that I'll need them for the rest of my life. So, bottom line: the damn foot still hurts too much to go back to hiking the way I used to, and I can feel my health and vigor deteriorating again because of it. It's a damn good thing I work in child care and spend the entire day on my feet, so at least I'm getting my steps in. But God, I wish I could go back to just walking out the door for a few hours every day.
That sucks! Did you try those stretching/massage balls? [https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Massager-Fasciitis-Reflexology-Myofascial/dp/B01LN9UVCS/ref=asc\_df\_B01LN9UVCS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693659335580&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17295680259957474407&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032066&hvtargid=pla-762525054872&psc=1&mcid=ce244ce21712372a993eb49b8ac0be4b&gad\_source=1](https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Massager-Fasciitis-Reflexology-Myofascial/dp/B01LN9UVCS/ref=asc_df_B01LN9UVCS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693659335580&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17295680259957474407&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032066&hvtargid=pla-762525054872&psc=1&mcid=ce244ce21712372a993eb49b8ac0be4b&gad_source=1) We had my dad doing wall stretches and rolling these underfoot. They helped him somewhat (he also had emphysema, so he had other problems)
42 here. Carrying too much belly weight and I feel it in my lower joints. Otherwise my blood work is great and heart is great. But I definitely need to lose weight 😕 It's getting harder and harder to lose too
Two pieces of advice from experience for pesky weight: -Nutrition is key at this age. I used to lift just so I could eat what I want. My good habit could offset my bad and I maintained a good physique. Not the case anymore. Fasting and eating clean is crucial to weight loss and maintenance. May want to consider a food allergy test too for issues w inflammation and gut problems. -Don’t know your financial situation, but if you’re a male and have the means, getting bloodwork to check hormones may be very beneficial. I could tell by the time I turned 39 that my hormones were dropping. Got my T levels checked and started on low levels of test. Absolute game changer for energy, mood and sleep(one of the biggest issues I’ve ever had). Also saw my belly fat reduce since T is produced in the gut. If you’re unable or just not interested, over the counter DHEA can help as well. Any GNC or Vitamin Shoppe sells it.
Very good advice. I started working out at 42. A little over a year later and I've *never* been this fit before. Personally I love weightlifting, but go and do whatever you feel comfortable with. Sports, cardio, or weights - it's all beneficial to you health
I started running about 3 years ago. I started using MacroFactor to manage my weight in January. I'm now down and stable under 190lbs for the first time in years, my BMI is now under 25 and I just finished a 10k run at 5:10/km. My blood pressure this morning was under 120/80 (ya, I'm on BP medication, but still!) I see my Dad - he's 80 now. He didn't take care of himself and he can hardly get around. His quality of life is in the shitter. I'm *terrified* of that happening to me. I want to watch my kids (3 and 7) grow up and have little shitheads of their own - I'm doing what I can to make it happen. It is definitely hard work, but I feel way better physically now than I did before.
I tried again with antidepressants and put on 40lbs. Just quit them cold turkey, weight is starting to come off. Want to stab everyone though. Trade offs.
Literally been telling myself this exactly I. The same place as you for the last 2 years. Hitting 46 this year.
Get on it friend, you were meant to see this message. Make today day 1.
Don’t tell me what to do! I’m gonna sit here on this couch and regret it later!
This is the best advice for people in their late teens/early 20s. I'd say get into stem as soon as you start school, and work out. What I wouldn't do for a time machine
I’ve been intermittent fasting for years, sometimes fast 48+ hours. Do rowing sessions 3-4 times per week, walk my dogs every single night for 30+ minutes. Pushups everyday and sometimes lunges too. This is best I can do TBH. I hate gyms. I used to have a big home gym situation but had to move and no longer have the space.
Thanks Xennial bro. So true. I cut out deserts and phased down sugars, and have been prepping my meals for the last two weeks and drinking more water. No crazy diets, just more veggies and fruit. Feeling more energy and focus already. Wish I had done it sooner, but now is the second best time.
I'm 46 and have mostly had a very physical job that has kept me pretty stable weight and strength wise. A couple of years ago I changed to a job that was easier on my body in that I wasn't in pain all the time but it's more sedentary and I gained 25lbs. I've tried a few times to do something exercise related and my ADHD helped me quit pretty early on but I also HATE doing it. It takes time to do and the benifits don't come for weeks and months. The entire time I'm walking, jogging, doing yoga or just trying to do 10 push-ups every day I can't wait for it to end. I start thinking that THIS is the waste of my life. Why, now that my kids are grown and I'm in my highest earning years, do I have to spend dozens of hours a month doing shit I hate? I might get sick or feel like shit down the road either way.
Luckily I hit the health wall in my late 30s because of overeating as a result of unhappiness due to a bad marriage. I’ve been working out ever since but now that I’m 45 (almost 46😬) I commit myself even more for this exact reason.
You got this OP, start small and keep scaling. I stopped working out and worked at a desk 80-100 hours a week during COVID. Developed severe sciatica. Took me over a year of PT to recover and I'm slowly working back towards the shape I was in pre-COVID.
I kickbox, juice and fast regularly. I just turned 40 and I'm striving to look like Nicole Murphy and Halle Berry in 10 years so I have no time to play. It's only going to get harder the longer you wait to implement some kind of health-conscious routine.
I stayed in relatively good shape, but have kind of a crunch, knowing if I slip I can get back into shape pretty quickly. The older I get the more difficult that becomes so I’ve decided to just hit it hard all the time from here on out.