• Even if you were no fitness junkie in your formative years, you can start being active
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Millennials are currently between 25 and 40 years old. This is undoubtedly a crucial age in most aspects of life. In essence, most of us are in our thirties. The dreaded 30s. The age where time seems to slip away at a different pace. A lot of things happen in our thirties, but one of the crucial changes we go through is our health.
In our thirties, we have usually began the slow descent from the peak of our golden age of fitness. Our bodies go through the changes that we often can’t see or feel until it’s too late. The metabolism begins to slow, the weight begins to add, and the body begins to groan and squeak in certain joints…
Although we feel the same and our physical appearance might not look that different, a lot of changes have usually begun in our 30s. For starters, the hormone production in both men and women starts dropping around the early 30s.
Women start producing less estrogen at 30 and the levels decrease significantly from 35 onwards. Reduction in estrogen production may result in weight gain, lower sex drive, mood swings and early menopause. Testosterone levels in men also start dropping when they hit their 30s.
Lower levels of testosterone in men often cause weight gain in the midriff areas, turning their prized six-pack abs into one solid potbelly. Other symptoms of lowered testosterone levels in men include trouble maintaining muscle mass, feeling of dejectedness and erectile dysfunction.
One of the most common and noticeable changes in health in our thirties is the slower metabolism. Although research shows slower metabolism mostly happens around the 40s, it still affects most people in their 30s. Do you remember the junk food you consumed during those late night study sessions during your school days? Chances are you cannot even eat half the amount of junk food right now. Who doesn’t revere those good, old memories, where you could eat an entire medium-sized pizza by yourself in your early 20s and not even break a sweat?
Gone are those days. In your 30s, when you eat junk food at night, you will wake up the next day feeling peculiar. Be it indigestion, bloating, lactose intolerance or actually feeling heavier than you were before the meal. These are all common symptoms of a slower metabolism. Slower metabolism means we require less energy to fuel the bodies than we did in our earlier years. This means if you eat more than what your body requires, you are likely to start putting on weight. The process occurs gradually with age. However, pregnancy and menopause can affect the metabolic process significantly.
The 30s are usually a reminder of what is to come. The body aches and joint pains after strenuous exercises are a reminder that we are no longer the flexible youth we once were. The good news is that we don’t have to surrender ourselves to the inevitability of the ageing process. We as the millennials are known for pushing boundaries and rebelling against most norms society throws at us. We cannot change nature’s course, but we can sure as hell delay it.
We need to put in more effort into our health in our 30s so we might be able to enjoy life a little longer. Even if you were not a fitness junkie in your formative years, it is not too late to start being active in your 30s. Having a consistent exercise routine is crucial to underlying a healthier foundation to your later years. Eating healthy foods that boost metabolism is also important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Another key ingredient to living a healthy lifestyle in our 30s is sleep. Although it might sound inconsequential and almost improbable because we spend most of our 30s stressing about many things, a good night’s rest is essential to everyone in their 30s.