The last of the 30's! The Big 40 for me!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-31-2004
The last of the 30's! The Big 40 for me!
12
Sun, 02-15-2004 - 7:57am
Hi everyone!

Heading into my 40's real soon and wondered what is ahead for me. I workout 6 days a week sometimes 5 if I'm super busy or just need the break. Just returned to college recently which is weird somedays. I have to think is it too late to start a new career path? Why am I doing this? Although I know that jobs are hard to find without a good background in a certain field....so I'm doing it. I love learning so that's the exciting part.

Did any of you see big changes as you entered your 40's? I do know that my energy is lower. I used to be able to rush through the house getting all cleaned up and do all the yard work the same day...not as easy lately.

I'm sure it's just numbers. You can't go by that. It's how great you feel and the things in life like your family that matters.

Well, I'm off to workout at the gym.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-27-2001
Sun, 02-15-2004 - 8:53am

Welcome Lori.

Nancy

"Make Choices that bring you joy"  cl-Patty


 


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 02-15-2004 - 9:06am

Lori-


I'll just echo what Nancy said and.....welcome to the board.

Live With Passion!


Phyllis

Live With Passion!

Phyllis

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2000
Sun, 02-15-2004 - 9:39am
Hi Lori, and welcome! I'll be 42 this year. I can't say it's like a lightswitch that you flip on when you hit your 40s. It's more like a dimmer that turns on gradually. (Notice I didn't say that the light's going off!) I started becoming aware of some things in my late 30s, like slower metabolism - a few days of poor eating are more likely to sit with me for a few weeks rather than a few days, and weight gains are much easier. I've got more sleepless nights which don't have a source, sometimes it's hard for me to get comfortable. I've got some hormonal fluctuations, but I'm still on a low-estrogen BC pill, so it's not huge deal at this point. It's harder to keep focused on something, but I don't know if that's due to age... or the fact that my 5-yo interrupts me all the time! The main thing I deal with is arrhythmia (heart palpitations, not universal to aging, diagnosed as PVCs which are the least worrisome). Exercising, cutting out caffeine in coffee and chocolate, and taking magnesium supplements don't always help. I've said "To heck with it" and drink my coffee, half-caf these days, and enjoy Hershey Kisses and sugar-free hot chocolate a few times a week. I'm not going to totally deprive myself of some of life's pleasures.

Having said all that, I exercise 4 days a week (aim for 5), and I'm in the best shape of my life. I weigh maybe 5-8 pounds more than I did in college, but I wasn't in shape back then. Exercise and healthier food choices make the difference. I'd like to say "Aging will only get to you if you let it," but that's not wholly true since we can't stop the physiological changes from perimenopause and menopause, but those two things, especially the exercise, make a pretty good impact. I much prefer being in my 40s and health-focused, even with a few oddities of aging, rather than be young and foolhardy any day.






Cussette, CL for Family Finances
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No Mom is an island . . . but sometimes she needs one!

C

Avatar for bootywhompus
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 02-15-2004 - 9:41am
Hi Lori and welcome to the board! I admire your attitude on aging and congrats on your exercise successes! Consistency is the key.

I just turned 40 last year and I have had some struggles that are mostly in my head. Yes, I've noticed that I've 'slowed down' (as my Dad puts it) a bit. But the best thing about turning 40 is that I've learned to not sweat the small stuff so much. So what if the dishes didn't get done today? I'm guessing they'll be there tomorrow.

Enjoy your life and all it has to offer. And welcome to the group!

Lori

Lori

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 02-15-2004 - 10:33am
Welcome, Lori! You are doing your body good by working out so often! Congratulations on returning to college - it is difficult to squeeze it in to an already busy life, but I think college was made for the more mature!!! LOL!

Hope to see more posts from you.

Kat

Katherine (Kat)
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-08-2001
Sun, 02-15-2004 - 10:45am
Welcome to the board. Sounds like you're getting into your 40's in a great way! Congratulations on consistency with exercise and returning to college. Hope you'll post with us regularly and look forward to getting to know you better.

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 02-15-2004 - 1:23pm

Welcome to the board! Sounds as though you're getting off to a great start. Look forward to getting to know you better.

Rhonda


Time invested in improving ourselves cuts down on time disapproving of others.

       ~~Rhonda~~


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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-31-2004
Sun, 02-15-2004 - 2:03pm
Wow! What a great response from all of you. Thanks to you all for making my day! Now, I'm feeling better about all this.

I know my body is beginning to go through some changes hormonally. I've read that the later in life you have your children the better it is on a womans body. That sort of made me wonder if I'm in for earlier menopause as my son is 16. I know that's not always the case and everyone is different so I'm not taking to much into it. My mom stopped when she was 35.

I'm trying to keep up with the exercising. Hard somedays. I like what most of you said that you do what you can and you don't stop eating the good stuff all together. We have to have some! What's life without a bite of chocolate! The dark chocolate is suppose to have lots of antioxidants! That's a plus I can live with!

Now, one of you runs if I read right..can't remember who that was..with the nice photo..I also jog on the treadmill during the winter here and outside with my dog in the summer. I wondered if you ever have knee trouble? Mine get sore on occassion. I do lots of warm-ups and stretching so I hope to be able to do it for a long time to come.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Lori

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2000
Mon, 02-16-2004 - 8:12am
I started running last May. Initially I had all kinds of aches - one would disappear, and another one would hit. Had a sore spot on the inside of my left knee, but that worked itself out when I started concentrating on my form a bit more and slowed the pace which I clocked at a 12-minute mile. Then I started feeling pain in my right ankle radiating upwards (near my achilles tendon) which didn't go away as easily. I finally stopped running at all for about two weeks and that got rid of all of it. Then I ran my first race in November, 5 miles, and I've had a pain in my left hip ever since! (Flexor, I think.) I even had a two month hiatus from exercising. Getting back to Body Sculpting has helped which has a lot of leg presses while carrying weights, but surprisingly... so does running at an easy pace. Right now I'm running just a mile once or twice a week, trying to build up more slowly rather than being h#$&-bent, and so far so good. There is another 5-miler I want to run in early May, and I have plenty of time to increase the distance.

Most of my exercising, though, is using The Firm workout system with the Fanny Lifter. I like the weights work!






Cussette, CL for Family Finances
Visit the Family Finances Website

for links, tips, reading, tools and answers to your financial questions



No Mom is an island . . . but sometimes she needs one!

C

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-31-2004
Mon, 02-16-2004 - 6:29pm
I haven't had any trouble till recently. I was doing extensions for my abs and when I got up I must have twisted my knee just right. It was inside my left knee, to the side of my knee-cap...boy did it hurt! Then the pain was gone..so strange.

I lift heavy on Sundays for my legs then hit them again on Wed. or Thurs. with some pulley exercises and the thigh machine at the gym.

I have several of the Firm tapes. I love Fit Cardio and Cardio Burn. I also do Tae-Bo for cardio sometimes. I can get bored very easily.

I would like to get my husband into doing something different than the gym stuff so I thought I'd look into some new activities. Not sure what yet. I should look on this board for some ideas.

Have any of you tried those Atkins Chocolate Chip muffins? They are a nice thing to have when you crave something sweet. I'm also a International Coffee drinker...sugar-free, decaf though. Still not great for you but what can I say I have to have something for myself! lol



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