I know the easy answer is when you think you are… But for real… Commercials about hearing aids and reverse mortgages are trying to make me feel older.
I’m 39 and fell like I’m still 12… Is there a moment when it happens?
Not trolling… Just looking for the wisdom of good guys on a good site… Midlife crisis from my post maybe…
Just turned 42. imho, if you have your health (general good health, flexibility, mobility, strength, etc), no chronic diseases, a way to handle stress, and positive people around you, you can stay young until the day you don’t wake up.
Once the chronic disease starts, it’s a slow slide towards old age.
(My mom just turned 72. She went rafting in Atlanta a few weeks ago and broke her ankle the first day. Wrapped that sucker up and limped through the next 4 days of rafting. Went skydiving for her 65th birthday. Nothing old about her at all. Sharp as a tack, going bungee jumping in Costa Rica sometime this summer)
Easy, by definition old is when you get close or reach life expectancy. Last I heard average age for US males was 72 so I’d say anything over 70. Good news is retirement is a few years before that so not working and not being old is something to look forward to I guess.
In dorky science terms, ‘getting old’ at the cellular level is indicated by the shortening of telomeres. This can be forestalled (and maybe even reversed) with lifting and explosive-type movements (ie. jumps and sprints) in particular. And fasting, on the nutrition side of things.
I also think there’s serious wisdom in that ‘use it or lose it’ cliche that goes something like, “You don’t lose the ability to do certain things as you get older; more like you get older as a consequence of no longer doing those things.”
[quote]chillain wrote:
In dorky science terms, ‘getting old’ at the cellular level is indicated by the shortening of telomeres. This can be forestalled (and maybe even reversed) with lifting and explosive-type movements (ie. jumps and sprints) in particular. And fasting, on the nutrition side of things.
I also think there’s serious wisdom in that ‘use it or lose it’ cliche that goes something like, “You don’t lose the ability to do certain things as you get older; more like you get older as a consequence of no longer doing those things.”
[/quote]
Maybe that’s why Tom Cruise looks ageless.
Guy’s running everywhere in his movies and seems to be in good shape.
[quote]chillain wrote:
reversed) with lifting and explosive-type movements (ie. jumps and sprints) in particular.
[/quote]
Interesting you say this. I do tons of explosive concentric only movements and largely attribute this type of training to my “come back” over the last three years. At 49 I’m in the best shape I’ve been in sinceI was 36 (and I never quit training). Do you have any reading material on this you can share?
The aging process hits sedentary people hard, I’ve noticed, and it starts early for them. Aggressive exercise seems to be the fountain of youth in many ways. There’s the appearance thing, of course, but there’s also the ability to play hard and I feel that I have an easy go of things other women moving through middle age suffer with; weird horrible periods and such. It could be coincidental - maybe I’m just lucky and would be if I were sedentary - but I don’t think so. In a group of my age peers I feel young because they seem so impaired and I’m still pretty much the same. I assume this will continue to be the case unless something happens that prevents me living aggressively.
I’m not as brave as Dr. Pangloss’s mom, but I want to be like her when I get to her age. I know women that age who are similarly capable. One friend is turning 85 this year and only slowed down when her knees got really bad at around 82. Had a knee surgery, refused pain meds, was saying “no big deal” a week post-op and went right back to Curves, or whatever, a couple of months later.
QTF.
I always been told I was an old soul…
Having recently turned 60, I know ‘fiftyplus’ may have to go, I agree with the staying active while you can. It does get more difficult. I still work out, run, bike, lift, etc. 5 -6 times a week. I can’t get away with things like I used to - too little sleep, not eating or hydrating enough, recovery takes longer. I don’t feel like I am getting stronger, just maintaining with the same amount of work. for me, I feel there was a significant change somewhere in my late 50s. so relax, enjoy, you have a lot of time to go
[quote]AliveAgain36 wrote:
I know the easy answer is when you think you are… But for real… Commercials about hearing aids and reverse mortgages are trying to make me feel older.
I’m 39 and fell like I’m still 12… Is there a moment when it happens?[/quote]
Yes, you’ll know it when you meet her.
I tease my dad about being old because everytime we talk he gives me an update on his health.
You’re about to turn 40, eh?
When you THINK you are.
People with a negative attitude (one who complains and places blame often) seemingly age faster.
I recently hit 40 and I feel great. I have gone through many physical adaptations in the last 20 years. From being a rugby athlete lifting some serious weight to getting injured and lazy with my diet and having a “full house” look while being fairly strong. Now I’m down to 185 with a decent six-pack and a stricter diet. I’m not as strong as I was when I was 29 and weighing 250lbs, but I feel a lot better.
I have all my hair, no health concerns at all and my libido is legendary in some circles! But I have good genetics for aging. Most of my older relatives in their 70’s and 80’s are in fantastic shape for their age. They have all their teeth, they run and are very active. They drink and party it up at family gatherings. They don’t “act” old.
My great aunt climbed to the base camp of Mt. Everest at age 72. She has “walked” (what she calls hiking/backpacking) on just about every major trail in the world. She’s walked the Appalachian trail about ten times. She has had a few falls over the years and has bounced right back from several broken bones. Now at age 99 she still kayaks in the Severn river every morning by herself and is the oldest member of a local hiking club.
I will say that I feel a lot “wiser” now than even just five years ago and that’s kind of annoying sometimes to some of my friends. I do realize that time is the most valuable commodity we all have and that it is VERY finite resource that should be spent judiciously. I think some of the new popular music/artists absolutely SUCK, so I guess I am getting old LOL
Willie Nelson said it best “Never thought I would outlive my dick”
That is when you are officially old.
Can you do the things you want to do? If the answer is “yes”, you aren’t old.
On a related topic, I’ve always wondered at what age does a man acquire his “old man strength”?
[quote]twojarslave wrote:
Can you do the things you want to do? If the answer is “yes”, you aren’t old.
On a related topic, I’ve always wondered at what age does a man acquire his “old man strength”?[/quote]
When his Give a Fuck Meter hits Zero
[quote]angry chicken wrote:
I recently hit 40 and I feel great. I have gone through many physical adaptations in the last 20 years. From being a rugby athlete lifting some serious weight to getting injured and lazy with my diet and having a “full house” look while being fairly strong. Now I’m down to 185 with a decent six-pack and a stricter diet.[/quote]
You’re 185!?!)#$!)? I thought you were like 250.
Anyway you haven’t even finished peaking yet if you’re only 40. 35-45 are when men get their strongest. I don’t know what you old folks have to bitch about, you have it easy. I can’t wait to be 10 years older so the bench press fairy will come through my window and bless me with magical old man strength.
[quote]magick wrote:
[quote]chillain wrote:
In dorky science terms, ‘getting old’ at the cellular level is indicated by the shortening of telomeres. This can be forestalled (and maybe even reversed) with lifting and explosive-type movements (ie. jumps and sprints) in particular. And fasting, on the nutrition side of things.
I also think there’s serious wisdom in that ‘use it or lose it’ cliche that goes something like, “You don’t lose the ability to do certain things as you get older; more like you get older as a consequence of no longer doing those things.”
[/quote]
Maybe that’s why Tom Cruise looks ageless.
Guy’s running everywhere in his movies and seems to be in good shape.[/quote]
I started doing sprints , crawls , barbell complexes, and agile 8 this year and I feel better than ever. The catch for me was cutting back to training only 2x a week. I never recovered well even in my 20’s.