40+ers... how bad is it... really... if you are athletic? (Page 4)

Age is just a number! 

Wish that I could agree with that but....  I age up to the 60 and have been running and/or cycling for 35+ years.  Your body does start to decline at some point.  For me it was in my early 50s.  It now takes longer to recover from hard works and my high A personality has been replaced by a more calm, less driven attitude.  It also takes MUCH longer to get back into race shape than it did in my 30's.

Having said that, I can not imagine how it feels to be out of shape.  My friends that I used to train with have all started playing golf and put on 30 lbs.  When I look at them, I see old men.  So the alternative is just not very attractive.

There are really two sides to this coin.  I am currently 43, recently had two children and was feeling decidedly old, tired and overweight.  So, I took up training and did a sprint tri this summer and am now in better shape than I have been in about 20 years.  So, yes, you can be in your 40s, 50s, 60s or whatever and continue to be in great shape.  If you took up athletic endeavours later in life as I did, you will be in BETTER shape in your 40s than your 20s.

BUT - and this is the big BUT...  things DO get harder.  For instance, your body starts to lose muscle mass in your late 20s - if you train and exercise and workout, you can maintain a great bod, but in your 30s you have to work harder to get the same bod you had in your 20s notwithstanding the beer and  pizza habit you had in your 20s.  Same with metabolism.  It DOES slow down - doesn't mean you can't still have six-pack abs or strong legs (or whatever), but yes, it's going to be harder to maintain.  And you will have to back off on the calories compared to your 30s....

For me, my forties brought on a level of chronic fatigue I had before experienced (having two children close together in my early 40s probably didn't help much!) and yes I have that tell-tale older lady belly (I also blame this on aforementioned babies!!), but that doesn't mean I have thrown up my hands in despair - I just keep working away and I continue to see results.

So - in short - YES your 40s will bring changes to your muscle, metabolism, body shape and lots of other things but if you continue to train and eat well, and take care of your health, you will be in much better shape than at least some of your 40 year old friends!

One accellerates the aging process when one doesn't eat right, doesn't workout, doesn't get enough sleep, etc.

One minimizes the aging process when one eats properly, exercises and keeps the excess weight off.

I'm 52.  I am active and eat right.   I have regained my 8-pack.  I will post a picture in the boys of 2010 when I can get around to get one.   

It is the people who "let themselves go" that age too quickly.  Fit people don't age as fast.