So, do you feel your age? Act your age? Like your age?

[freebird5825]

...I like Freebird's comment above about redeveloping her inner child. It's good to remember what used to be fun before we were grownups.

TY
Here's some starter ideas...

Color with crayons
Fly kites
Put tacky pink flamingoes in your front yard to get a reaction
Walk along the beach and look for "good" shells and smooth glass pieces
Build sandcastles or snow scultures
Do gardening just so you can play in the dirt
Stand outside in a warm rain
Spray your SO with the garden hose on a hot day
Go find a waterfall or go visit a cave
Watch the sun come up
Pick wildflowers
yadda yadda yadda...

 

[ScottFromUtah]

I am amazed at those who can run 5-10 miles/day into their 60s. My ex FIL ran marathons after 65, but by 70 he had two new hips. So maybe not really cool after all.

Actually there's a lot of research on running and hip/knee problems. The general conclusion is that running delays the onset of arthritic problems and is not the cause of them. Maybe your ex FIL would have had to get new hips 5 years earlier if he had not been running. In my case, I have three non-running siblings who have had knee replacements. My other brother and I are runners, and we still have good, healthy knees. In fact, I had recent x-rays that show that my articular cartilage is fully intact. The orthopedic surgeon said that I would be able to run for the rest of my life. But, realistically, that could change, in which case I'll stop running--or at least cut down! (BTW, I rarely run two days in a row, to give my body time to recover. This week I will run Tue 5 miles, Thu 5 miles, Sat 14 miles. I swim and/or bike the other days.)

(Methinks I protesteth too much.)

 

[Orchidflower]

Dell tech rep. was shocked when I told him I was 65. Said I sounded about 30-32. Wish I looked 30-32...

Regardless, had kid late and I matured slowly compared to some of my girlfriends as I was often the girl's class clown in school = having fun was a goal. I was in no hurry.
Later I took on waaaaay more responsibility then they did, so I made up for it in spades. SPADES!
But I have no desire to look my age...or act my age even today. That should say it all. I took after my biological father in so many ways.

 

[Ronstar]

The doctors that treated me after my recent landscaping boulder project and fall through the ice while ice skating all commented that I should start acting my age. As I get older I seem to have more aches and pains, and injuries take longer to heal, but I can almost do anything that I did in my 20's - no more marathons though.

 

[ScottFromUtah]

The doctors that treated me after my recent landscaping boulder project and fall through the ice while ice skating all commented that I should start acting my age. As I get older I seem to have more aches and pains, and injuries take longer to heal, but I can almost do anything that I did in my 20's - no more marathons though.

The great running guru George Sheehan said that the main dangers to runners are the three D's: Dogs, Drivers, and Doctors. When it comes to "acting your age," don't listen to doctors.

 

[Nords]

So, do you feel your age?

Only until the morning's first cup of coffee.

Act your age?

Not even close. I'm also a 25-year old hiding in a 49-year-old's body, and I'm still not sure what the hell happened.

Like your age?

Considering the alternative?

The biggest challenge at this age is knowing when to stop being a hypercompetitive overachiever at every activity. I've also learned that surfing and taekwondo on the same day is probably a physical limit that entitles me to skip other workouts or yardwork.

I think parenting has been better for spouse & me than not parenting, but no way would we want to repeat the experience.

 

[citrine]

I am 35...and definitely feel my age if I don't take care of myself everyday...stretching, praying, and getting regular bodywork done.
I don't act my age at all....still am between the 16-25 range and sometimes I have a few "wise" moments!
I don't look my age...many people think I am in my mid to late 20's which makes me feel awesome....I attribute it to my chubby cheeks!

 

[simple girl]

I'm 42. My cardiovascular fitness level, I believe, has never been better. I can really, really push it in my dance fitness classes and keep right up with the 20-somethin's. It's amazing to me, as I've never been able to workout this hard in my life. Musculoskeletal...well, that's a different story. I've got lots of aches and pains and a chronic nerve injury in my back/leg that keeps it real. LOL. Must pace myself for that reason - if I try to dance 2 days in a row, I will pay for it. Still...I confess...it's a goal of mine to build up to that!

Mentally I think I feel right at my age, perhaps a bit older. I can be pretty conservative and serious at times. I'm not a big risk taker! However I do love to party, so I think that brings the mental age back down.

Do I look 42? Hard to say. Lots of people act surprised when they find out my age, but, that's the polite response, isn't it? LOL! I've got my wrinkles if ya look close enough, and unfortunately, they are getting worse every year. The wrinkles are what I am having the hardest time accepting!

 

[ksr]

I turned 50 this year and still feel shocked that it's me I'm talking about when I say my age.

I don't feel my age at all - I really don't feel any different than I did in my 30's. I exercise more now and worry about little things less, so that probably helps. And I love the confidence that comes with aging - when I was younger, I might have said that I didn't care what others thought, but somewhere down deep I really did. At this point, I really don't care what most other people think unless it's someone close to me. Life is much better this way!

 

[GoodSense]

I am 31 and look younger than my age. I was at a party last night where most people were 24 - 28. I was sitting with a 23-year-old friend and people thought he was my husband.

Because I don't have children (or a husband around most of the time), I am able to have a worry-free lifestyle. I have tons of hobbies and go to bed around 1:30 or 2 a.m. everyday. I never want to grow up (except to ER)!

 

[Amethyst]

I don't like getting older, but it beats the other option. I try to be aware of how I am changing, and adapt as well as possible.

I'm past 50, and seeing lines on my face that weren't there even in my late 40's. What I truly see, is gravity's effect on my eyes and mouth, so I catch glimpses of myself in mirrors/windows and think, "What is she sad/annoyed about?" It has given me insight into why children are often afraid of older people - we look severe and about to scold, even when we aren't! I know my daily interactions with people are affected by their perceptions of my age - just as they were when I was 22, and could stop men's conversation just by walking into a room (which embarrassed me, as I knew it wasn't the real "Amethyst" being admired, but some notion of "youth=sex.") Nowadays, I don't want to give people the impression that I am peed off all the time (in fact, I am mostly a cheerful sort), so I may look into getting a brow and eye lift.

I'm in better shape than most women my age, but nobody would mistake my body for a 30-year-old's. If I become frail, I don't want it to be due to my lack of effort to maintain health and strength.

I am more patient and compassionate than I used to be. I am also better at recognizing when someone is trying to pull a fast one on me. But when I do recognize an attempted scam, I am better at diplomatically, rather than indignantly, calling attention to it. I try to use indignation in a measured, considered way.

In fact, except for considering plastic surgery, I seem to be turning into my mother.

Amethyst

 

[mickeyd]

I still see myself at about age 25 or so. The only time that I don't is when I take a gander of myself in the mirror and think "who the hell is that old dude?"

 

[freebird5825]

...I've got my wrinkles if ya look close enough, and unfortunately, they are getting worse every year. The wrinkles are what I am having the hardest time accepting!

aHA! The "W" word. Glad someone had the courage to get that out there.
I'm developing Ws under my eyes. So far the rest of my face is W-free.
So far...
I am proactively using 50 SPF sunscreen with Aloe and a wide brim hat for sunny days and constantly wear wide lens sunglasses in spring/summer.
I use moisturizing cream on my face and neck in the dry winter and under-eye cream all year round for those pesky Ws. I use a heavier duty skin protectant cream on my drying out elbows and feet.
My results so far? Fewer Ws and nice soft skin.
BTW, youse guys with Ws can do this skin care regiment too. Just a few times a week makes a WORLD of difference.

 

[happy2bretired]

I don't have so many Ws but I do have the saggies...like Amethyst mentioned. It does get kinda depressing at times, but, I'm really glad most of my organs and important parts still work fairly well.

 

[simple girl]

aHA! The "W" word. Glad someone had the courage to get that out there.
I'm developing Ws under my eyes.

That is exactly my problem area! Oh well. It happens to everyone eventually!

 

[Koolau]

This discussion, especially the part of how old we look, reminds me of a situation that I'll not repeat. A woman who worked at DW's retail business was talking with a group of us during a break. I was there as "free" help for the day. Somehow age came into the discussion and I recall the lady asking how old I thought she was. Well, I thought she looked 36, but I knew better than to answer "36". What if I were wrong by a couple of years? I thought about "padding" my answer and say "34" just to be safe. I chickened out and said "31". "How did you guess." she asked, incredulously. "Just lucky." I answered with a stifled cough.

Moral. Never guess a lady's age. NEVER!

 

[simple girl]

Moral. Never guess a lady's age. NEVER!

So true! I have had so many clients ask me how old I think they are. Usually it's the ones in their 90's. LOL! Thankfully, I already know their age (in the chart!) and can guess a few years younger. There are some that truly look AMAZING and have incredible mobility, though. You'd think they were in their 70's!

 

[Goonie]

So, do you feel your age? Act your age? Like your age?......

Do I feel my age? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't...depends somewhat on the amount of blood diluting the caffeine in my system!

Do I act my age? Ummm....NO WAY!!! What fun is there in that?! Like a button that I have says..."I may Be Getting Older, But I REFUSE To Grow Up!"

Do I like my age? Heck, yeah! If I was any younger, I'd have to get a job and go to work...YUCKO!!! And if I was any older I would have missed out on some years of living and enjoying life!!!

.....I like Freebird's comment above about redeveloping her inner child. It's good to remember what used to be fun before we were grownups.

TY
Here's some starter ideas...

Color with crayons
Fly kites
Put tacky pink flamingoes in your front yard to get a reaction
Walk along the beach and look for "good" shells and smooth glass pieces
Build sandcastles or snow scultures
Do gardening just so you can play in the dirt
Stand outside in a warm rain
Spray your SO with the garden hose on a hot day
Go find a waterfall or go visit a cave
Watch the sun come up
Pick wildflowers
yadda yadda yadda...

Freebird, have you been following me? I resemble those remarks! Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! Well, with two very slight adjustments....first, the pink flamingos are NOT tacky, AND they go anywhere and everywhere in my yard!! And although I don't have a SO, I do spray myself with the garden hose fairly often on hot summer days....and I also play in the sprinkler, although I assure the neighbor that I'm just out there "adjusting" it!

And in addition to those things, I still play with trains too!!!

 

[Alan]

As a newborn baby I had a near fatal blood disorder that required multiple complete blood replacements (complete flush outs ). I was in intensive care for several weeks.

Since then it has been uphill all the way

I play hard and laugh all the way. I believe in laugh therapy, like my old man, and like him, if the last thing I do before popping my clogs at age 84 is to make the nurse laugh by inviting her into bed beside me to "take the weight off her feet", then I'll be happy.

If I think I feel my age physically, I just have to recall all the back, knee and foot problems (including 2 surgeries) before I was 35 and then I don't feel so bad.

 

[bbbamI]

and then I don't feel so bad.

YouTube - My Favorite Things

 

[Nords]

I am proactively using 50 SPF sunscreen with Aloe and a wide brim hat for sunny days and constantly wear wide lens sunglasses in spring/summer.

At your latitude?!?

I'm going to cherish my surfer's wrinkles and squinty crow's feet right up until they carve those pre-cancerous features out of my face...

 

[freebird5825]

At your latitude?!?

I'm going to cherish my surfer's wrinkles and squinty crow's feet right up until they carve those pre-cancerous features out of my face...

Yes, we are occasionally welcomed back into membership in the solar system.
It has been duly annotated in the records that we had 4 straight days of sunshine this past week. Chorophyll has been manufactured by the tips of the tulip leaves that are poking up about 2 inches now.
I started w*rking on my tan already.

 

[simple girl]

Yesterday I did my dance workout in the morning, then spent the afternoon assembling our tax info for the tax man. It was a beautiful day out, but I had promised myself I was going to get it done! I figured I'd go hiking today. Uhhh...woke up to rain, rain, rain. Gonna be that way all day. So much for my planned hike. Guess I should check the weather before I make my plans...duh!

 

[Pete]

Mid 50's and feel great. To stay that way, I stay away from mirrors. With every passing year life becomes easier to figure out. I would hate to be young again if it meant losing what I've learned. I should be perfect just in time for death.

 

[Danmar]

I think I'm getting younger. Since retirement 3.5 years ago I have lost 20 lbs, gotten in the best shape of my life, taken up and gotten quite good at downhill skiing and mountain biking, travel extensively, and bought a sports car. Life is good.