Staying youthful is an age-old desire. From Dorian grey to Narcissus, fear of old age seems to grip every generation. Most of us dream of a fountain of youth. Some use anti-ageing creams to stay young, others are turning to cosmetic surgery, and many of us are chasing youth through exercise.
All is vanity.
Including fitness.
Well, have you ever seen a gym without full length mirrors?
The fitness industry is filled with products and marketing aimed at how we look. Steroids, fake tan, fat burners to name but a few. I believe this has led to a general consensus that a healthy lifestyle can prevent aging Whether this is true, or not, really doesn’t matter because staying fit should not be a vanity project. If it were, we would eventually run out of motivation pretty quickly. Not only that, fitness is so much more than about how we look. To me, fitness is all about functionality. The way to beat aging isn’t through remaining look youthful. Rather, it’s about remaining active, energetic, and self-dependent. This is the only real way to beat ageing.
Ageing can be a cruel process. Our health is sometimes out with our control. Unfortunate things can occur in life. We could be blind-sided by a diagnosis of an illness out of nowhere. I understand that and I definitely do not underestimate nature. But we may as well try our best to stay fit while we still can. Moreover, the benefits of exercising well into old age are huge. Studies have shown that weight lifting can improve mobility, mental sharpness, and metabolic health in older people. Therefore, we may as well give ourselves the best opportunity to fight off any illnesses or injuries if at all possible.
Deep down, I think we’d all admit that we don’t really want to be young forever. If we stayed at 18 forever, we’d be denied the chance to mature and grow. It would be extremely frustrating. Aging is a privilege; not everyone gets to live it. And I intend on embracing it. Our lives will naturally change but they can change for the better.
What won’t change, though, is my dedication to health and fitness. I’ve made a promise to myself to always find time and effort to exercise regularly. I have a vision of myself being 60 with a six pack. I hope to have enough energy to play with the kids and maybe even grandkids one day. I aim to still be exercising regularly and never having to do a second run to the car to carry in the groceries!
Ultimately, staying fit as we age is a losing battle. I believe there is real admiration to be won in trying to stay fit as we age. After all, some of the strongest fish are the ones that swim against the tide.
I take great inspiration in sportsmen and women like Cristiano Ronaldo, Roger Federer, and Serena Williams who are competing at the highest level at an age which some would consider retirement years. Each of their legacies have already been set. If they were to retire tomorrow, they’d go down as three of the greatest athletes ever. They could easily take the praise and rest on their laurels; however, they refuse to stop and continue to strive for greatness.
Now in my 30s, there is a level of temptation for me to stop. I often compare my fitness levels to a younger self knowing I may not top previous achievements. There is also a fear of my fitness deteriorating to such a low level that would be demoralising for me. This leads to questioning myself as to why I should keep going.
To counter these feelings, I tell myself that I am not an athlete. I’m not training for the Olympics. I’ve accepted that exercise doesn’t always have to be a competition. Not even with myself. I’ve come to realise that if I am still as active in 10 years as I am today, then that’s an achievement in itself. Regardless if my run times are slower or lifting as lighter weights. There is a saying that the only competition you have is between you and you. Well, I say if you’re still active after all this time then you’re winning.
Because sometimes it’s enough just to keep going.
Throughout my entire life, exercise has provided me so much. It’s brought me new friendships, health and peace of mind. I can’t give up all that just because I may be slowing down. Fitness will continue to be my go-to as I get older. I’ll never bother with botox or anti-ageing cream. My plan is to stay active, keep exercising no matter what life throws at me and to create my own anti-ageing dream.
Fitness in Your 30s 