Fit And Fabulous – 30 Years-Old And Beyond!

Have  you ever heard it’s harder to stay in shape once you hit your 30’s?  I have.  It made me really dread turning 30 last summer.  I felt discouraged.  However, that hasn’t been my experience thus far.  I don’t think it needs to be anyone’s experience.  I am going to share with you what some of the “facts” are saying, and then explain why I disagree, and why I feel so strongly that you can be in the best shape of your life in your 30’s.

Photo from http://wallalay.com/birthday-cake-images-30-289751-desktop-background.html

Your 20’s are when you peak physically.  It’s all downhill after you turn 30.

 I disagree!  At 30 years-old, I am in the best shape of my life.  I am stronger, and I eat much healthier. In my 20’s I experienced “newlywed weight gain,” was pregnant 3 times, and abused senna tea to control my weight (checkout Welcome To My Blog).  Perhaps my physical body had the potential to be at it’s peak in my 20’s, but my mental and emotional state of being, just weren’t there.  Mentally and emotionally I’m stronger than ever!

Your metabolism slows down after 30!  You’re burning less calories than a 20 year-old of the same weight, leading to a potential weight gain of 5lbs every year.

You know what!  That may be the case, but as a 30 year-old, I am more aware of what I’m eating.  I’m not out partying all of the time.  I’m not gorging on pizza.   I don’t feel the need to eat toaster pastries.  I’m not grabbing McDonald’s breakfast on my way to school.  I think my more responsible eating more than compensates for the natural drop in metabolism.

Between, careers and kids, you tend to have a lot more responsibilities and a lot less personal time at this point in your life.  You are just too darn busy!

The jobs I’ve had, and the kids I have, have taught me time management.  Just this evening, I unloaded and loaded the dishwasher while I had the laundry going, and strawberries simmering in a pot with dates and chia seeds for a recipe I’m working on.  I get workouts in while waiting for my kids to get out of school and after they go to bed.  I meal prep constantly.  This morning, I baked sweet potatoes for the week while I got ready to go run errands.  I don’t sit around.  I don’t get my nails done.  I don’t go shopping without a purpose.  I know what needs to be done if I want to stay in shape, and that takes priority.

Oh!  So you’ve started a family?  It’s hard to get a family on board with healthy eating.  Not to mention the time it takes to prepare a proper, healthy meal.

I encourage my family to eat healthy.  I don’t force it.  I try to be a good example, and I stock the pantry and fridge with healthy food.  From time to time I’ll have a different vegetable on their dinner plates than they’re used to.  I don’t force them to eat it, but I encourage them to at least try it.  Sometimes my husband and boys decide they want a free junk night.  I have no problem preparing my own nutritious meal.  I’lll even tease them about how much healthier my food is than theirs.  It’s all in fun, of course.

Are you still holding on to baby weight?  The longer you keep it, the harder it is to lose.

After each baby ( I’ve had 3), it’s been harder, and taken longer to lose the baby weight, but it was always important to me, so I always did it within a few months.  I know that the longer you hold onto the weight, the harder it can be to lose.  However, I’ve had close friends hold onto baby weight for a few years (well into their 30’s, and some into their 40’s).  Once they put in the effort, working out and eating right, the weight came off.  Their self-esteem and energy levels sky-rocketed!

Family and friends might not be supportive of your healthy lifestyle.  It can be hard for them to understand, especially if you haven’t always been this way.

While I deal with this a little from time to time, I really don’t experience this too much.  For the most part, my family only fusses if something I do affects them, and they don’t want it to.  When I workout during the day, it’s while my older boys are at school and my husband is at work, after I’ve cleaned up.  When I workout at night, it’s after the boys are in bed and my husband is playing video games.  For the most part, they are all happy to eat healthy, and on the rare occasion that they choose not to, I don’t mind making myself a healthy meal while they enjoy their treat.  When we’re out and about I pack healthy snacks, so I always have something to munch on if I get hungry.  In fact, I usually have to bring extra because they also like to enjoy my snacks.  As far as just being healthy and in shape, they completely approve.  I know sometimes when a person tries to lose weight to get into a healthier weight-range, their families and friends give them a hard time.  I think that’s really sad.  I think if you care about someone you want what’s best for them.  I think the lack of support stems from jealousy and a fear of being left behind.  The best thing you can do is keep at it, and let them know you’re still the same person inside, you’re just trying to get healthier.

Remember, 30 is the new 20, 40 is the new 30, and there are 65 year-old yogi’s, bodybuilders, and marathon runners out there.  Age is just a number!

This is 30!!!

http://www.livestrong.com/article/406265-tips-on-women-losing-weight-after-30/

http://www.babymed.com/postpartum/how-get-your-body-back-shape-after-pregnancy-12-steps

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20411071,00.html