Aging

[Eden]

I'm always confused about how "old" I really am.....

I'm 38 married and I don't have any kids. Though my lifestyle has more in common with younger folks I generally feel much older than them with little else in common. Then again people my own age always seem to feel a whole lot older than me..... Most times I feel like I have the most in common with and relate best to people who are actually a bit older than I am - who maybe had kids, but they are grown up. I feel like I understand that generation (a little older than me, but younger than my parents) a lot better than really young people.

Physically, mentally I think I feel a lot younger than my chronological age. I catch myself thinking I'm not really that old am I often...

[shootingstar]

I'm always confused about how "old" I really am.....

I'm 38 married and I don't have any kids.

Since I don't have children, I don't witness the passing of years until I see my partner's children or my nieces and nephews. Also dearie and I hang out with alot of lifelong cyclists, around 35 yrs. and several up to 70.

These folks don't act nor move their "age" so I'm perpetually confused and abit clueless what the real health status norm is among general population.

[Biciclista]

well, then there's comparing ourselves and our bike friends to the other friends and relatives. the cyclists with trim bodies and younger faces; or the ones with serious health problems exacerbated by lack of exercise, weight gain, diabetes, hip and knee replacements, the inability to walk a distance; people we used to go hiking with now don't even want to mall-walk with us anymore because of knees/backs/hips etc.
My newly departed stepfather was a textbook case in what NOT to do. he had a reasonably healthy body but when he retired, he decided that he was done working. He got more feeble every day. When it was time for the BIG fight, he had no reserves at all. He taught us a lot by his mistakes.
I am very sad to lose the closer friendships with the friends and relatives who used to be our age but now are suffering from all those old people problems. But what can I do? I can only continue to take care of my body and hope that they get some inspiration from me and maybe won't get too many resentments.
Cycling without a doubt has bought ME some time.

[GLC1968]

Eden - I'm in a similiar situation to you. We are in our early 40's, we've only been married for 7 years, we both started second careers in our early 30's and frankly, because of all this, we often have more in common with people who are 10-15 years younger than us. Except that those people are not at the same 'place' as we are in terms of life and experience...so it gets complicated.

I am LOVING having met a bunch of new friends here in Oregon that are our age, active, and also don't have kids. I feel like my life is blossoming again.

That said, I rarely think about aging much. I guess if I were to criticize myself more for something other than my overweight-ness, then I'd see it. But frankly, with that staring me in the face, I specifically try NOT to focus on the other things that might not be so perfect so that I don't get too, too down on myself! In fact, that's partly why I started coloring my hair again. The grey just didn't jive with the age I feel and I really didn't need any additional hits to my self-esteem right now.

I will admit to noticing how flawless some of the high school swim team girls' bodies are...(I share a locker room with them at the pool). I catch myself bemoaning that I'll never look like that again. Then I laugh at myself and remember that I didn't look like that when I was their age, so what's the point of getting depressed about it?!

[katluvr]

I will admit to noticing how flawless some of the high school swim team girls' bodies are...(I share a locker room with them at the pool). I catch myself bemoaning that I'll never look like that again. Then I laugh at myself and remember that I didn't look like that when I was their age, so what's the point of getting depressed about it?!

GLC, I think you hit it on the head. I still want the body I NEVER had even when I was young because of my genetics and I was not athletic. Maybe that is what I am grieving about!

(Just did a Spinnerval on my bike on the trainer...legs looked good from that angle! Off to shower!)

K

[Bike Chick]

GLC, I think you hit it on the head. I still want the body I NEVER had even when I was young because of my genetics and I was not athletic. Maybe that is what I am grieving about!

(Just did a Spinnerval on my bike on the trainer...legs looked good from that angle! Off to shower!)

K

So true! I wish I had biked/swam/ran when I was 30. I wasted so much of those years worrying about things that didn't really matter.

[tulip]

I have always resembled Sponge Bob in body shape. So not having a waist when the change comes will perhaps not be such a big deal as for those who have lovely trim waists. Finally, a positive!