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I didn't realize any true decline until my mid-50s. I always stayed active. I think my downfall began in my mid-50s because after having jogged for about 40 years (albeit not real long distances), my knees were getting pretty bad. After my 3rd knee surgery, my ortho doc advised me to quit jogging (which I did).
I'm now 71. Still look (somewhat) okay for my age. No gray hair except for my whiskers; although my forehead is now about the size of Rhode Island.It DOES get harder to lose weight as I've aged. Probably the main thing I've noticed is that I'm tired and achy a lot of the time. I'm retired, so most days I try to take a nap if possible. Me at 71:
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You graduated out of the forehead club and joined the fivehead team.
-Mike
Ha ha!! Thanks, but I doubt that!!Jeff K looks better at 71 than I did at 40. Good job!
No doubt about that!You graduated out of the forehead club and joined the fivehead team.
-Mike
Ha ha! Not really. I was pretty rowdy and a hard partier in my younger days. But after 48+ years of marriage, my wild days are behind me. Now I'm content to lay around in front of the fireplace like a neutered old dog...I would have never guessed 71 looking at those pics. You must have been doing something right all these years!
I think I was around 8 when all the trouble started. It's been a long decline.
Similar story here. Went from 270 down to 203 over three-plus years, mostly by jogging and other cardio, along with skipping breakfast and lunch most days. Problem is now I believe my metabolism is so screwed up because if I east more than one meal a day, I gain weight, despite running 3-4 miles a day.
Back before I started this lifestyle change, the only exercise I did was weightlifting, no cardio at all. I also ate everything in sight, snacked constantly, yet only gained maybe 5-6 lbs a YEAR. Currently, running every day and eating substantially less, I've gained 4-5 lbs in a WEEK when I eat 'normally'. Then it takes two months to drop those handful of lbs.
What a difference 4 years makes. What I didn't realize then was that I already had neurological symptoms, which have since gotten so severe that I barely leave the house. Ironically, despite having to recover from near total spinal fusion about 15 months ago, my physical shape continues to improve.
At least I still have my music. I don't know if I'll ever be able to gig again, but there are local jams nearby on Sundays, which happen to be run by friends of mine. I'm even developing some tolerance for being upright for several hours (normally I spend at least half my day in a recliner), although it does still take 2 days for me to recover.
My plan is to eventually gig regularly again, which anyone with any sense would tell you is extremely unrealistic. If it doesn't happen, I'll have to satisfy myself with a handful of songs with friends every week or 2, and probably start recording at home.
Like Lemmy said, I've got rock and roll to save me from the cold, and if that's all there is, it ain't so bad.
Hey HaMMerHeD, I have a Far Side tear-off desk calendar. Yesterday's selection makes reference to a shark family. Thought you might like this one...
viribus
Gold Supporting Member
- Jan 1, 2011
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Is 40 the new 60 now? What’s going on out here now? Bad food? Bad water? Bad sex? (j/k).
Yes and no.
I had bursitis surgery on my right knee at 42 (Now 46). I can't put my right knee on the ground anymore. No padding whatsoever left.
I got glasses at 40 on the dot.
I have to eat well and keep moving to keep my blood pressure down. That's new.
However, I still have all my hair and it's black. I still get carded for beer sometimes. I'm pretty fit and active. Nothing else seems to be killing me lately. So I'm holding steady.
When I go to a class reunion everybody I went to schoool with looks like they got hit by a truck.... A fat truck. So I feel pretty good about myself.
Update to my own post.
I can fix a lot of aging ills with two words. Resistance training.
Put me squarely in the cardio sucks camp.....not because it's "bad" for you, rather because it sends all of the wrong signals to your body. It tells your body to reduce muscle and store fat because you're obviously going to have to reserve energy for hours of cardio. Weight training, however, fires up productions of different hormones for muscles growth, balance, and cognitive agility.
I've only been working with a trainer for 6 weeks. But my body (and mind) are changing in ways I never could have imagined. If all you can start with is body weight exercises, fine. Do that. But start pushing around weights as soon as you can. The benefits are crazy. I work out less than my runner friends. My labs are better. I'm stronger. And my joints are more stable.
The other day a runner friend of mine told me there are no advantages to strength training over cardio. So I pushed his car to the end of my 100 yard driveway and dared him to push it back. He couldn't get it to move. He's 11 years younger than I am as well. (I'm 50.) He exercises about 10 hours a week. I spend about 4 hours working out (and usually do a half hour in the sauna on gym days). So, including sauna time I'm still doing 4 hours less than he is.
Please do yourself a favor and look into a book or a few videos on strength/resistance training. If you're over 40 check out the book "Muscle For Life" by Mike Wallace. The sicence/research covered in that book is eye-opening.
And the phenomenon of "Newby gains" is real. I'm up 25 pounds on the bench, 45 pounds on squat, etc. in only 6 weeks. The changes are fast.