I spent my 30s accepting that the "brain fog," the afternoon fatigue, and the general stiffness were just the price of getting older. I told myself, "Well, I'm not 20 anymore."
Last year, I finally got disciplined. Dropped from 120kg to 85kg, fixed my diet, and started lifting.
The result isn't just that I look better—it’s that I feel 15 years younger. My focus at work is laser-sharp, I wake up without groaning, and my energy is higher now than it was at 28.
It actually makes me angry. I wasted a decade feeling like crap because I confused "common" (being overweight and tired) with "normal" (aging).
For the guys here who made a change later in life: Did you experience this same realization? And for the guys on the fence: You might not be "old," you might just be inflamed.
33 comments
It’s a little cliche, but it’s why everyone everywhere always recommends exercise and a good diet.
It **matters** a fucking lot.
I didn’t make the change later in life, but I get what you’re saying and the studies back it up.
People often talk about having an “adult weight”, or how their metabolism slows down. It’s a false belief.
Our metabolism doesn’t start to slow down until we’re into our 60s, and even then the changes are very minute year after year. It’s that work causes people to become sedentary and they’re eating too many calories.
We all should be much healthier and fit, but the lifestyle our economy demands of us means living healthily is a luxury not available to everyone.
I’m at your starting weight so I’m not sure what’s the difference…yet
Same. Same. Same.
Almost every part of your story matches my own, even the age (im 40) and the amount of weight.
I feel like im in my twenties again, i run 5k almost every morning, when i tell people my life experiences, i often get people confused about my age because they dont think i look anywhere near close to 40.
Life is great and ive sadly wasted a lot of it feeling sick and tired due to obesity. I feel incredible and will do everything i can to hold on to this feeling of youthful vigor for as long as i can.
I never was quite that heavy, but I too lost a bunch of weight in my 40’s….and I feel better now in my 50’s than I did in my 30’s.
Being fat is objectively bad for you. All the fatfluencers in the world can’t argue against that one simple truth.
Yeah I dropped a similar amount of weight and almost all my health complaints went away. Even things I refused to believe were related to being overweight. Like my eyes had been gunky for months. I’d tried everything I could- dry eye drops, antibiotic eye drops prescribed by the doctor as they thought it was an infection- nothing cleared it up. Until I lost weight.
To be honest though no-one ever suggested to me that it might be a result of excess inflammation. And even if they had I wouldn’t have believed them. Because you get into this mindset after a while that the doctor keeps blaming all these seemingly unrelated things on your weight and they are doing it because they just want you out of their office, or whatever. And of course maybe there was another cause that resolved itself in the meantime.
But in reality even if these things aren’t directly because of the excess weight, they are often exacerbated by your body not being able to deal with them properly because it’s under so much strain from the weight.
Humans are animals – we were never meant to live sedentary lives.
Exercise and nutritious foods improve brain function, weight management, mental health, sleep, skin health, you name it.
The US wants to sell you pills, treatments and junk food when all you need is water, organic foods and regular exercise.
Absofuckinglutely. I’m 40 and went from 110kg down to 80kg a couple years ago. I imprinted my diet and started trail running regularly. I feel better now at 40 than I have at any point in my life, it’s made an incredible difference.
I was never overweight, quite the opposite in my early 20s. Over the last 30 years, I’ve weighed more or less the same, exercised regularly, stayed fit, and still feel like I’m 30 (okay, not always 😄). However, I’ve noticed that as I get older, I have to do a little more than I did at 40 to stay in the same shape.
I can only emphasize what the OP writes… staying fit pays off in terms of quality of life in the long run.
Same age, not overweight, but also experienced a lot of decline of “energy” over the years – tired, not enjoying things – started doing more exercise this year and it really helped.
https://preview.redd.it/9gyor9bbpw9g1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f57f9e0eb5b2158391701233202b07722658e9e3
I had the same, I’m turning 40 in February and I’ve never felt better than now. Went through a lot of stress with my companies and (now ex) wife.
I always worked out but got lazy from 31-37 but all what you said is true and the stuff with the brain fog too
Im currently feeling like this A LOT.
Havent put on much weight though, as my diet is pretty good overall, and my metabolism hasnt slowed too much.
Have set up my garage with some weights etc now so i can get back into the swing of things!!!
Wish me luck
As someone who’s 320lbs (145kg), I know it’s because of the weight, especially since I have folks in my life who are my age or a little older who are generally in their physical primes. Losing 50lb from 370lbs (167kg) helped take some physical strain off my body and made everything a little easier, so I get what you’re saying. The inflammation does a lot of damage. I don’t think I’m going to be losing much more than I have for personal reasons (mental health related) but hey, chipping in a bit of support for those who are on the fence and want to give fat loss a shot: give it a try.
With a weight reduction, improved diet, and increased strength you’re well on your way to a healthier future.
May I suggest another important component of wellbeing?
If you engage in **regular** stretching or yoga it will be at least as valuable as the time you spend lifting.
It’s common to vary workouts by alternating between strength and aerobic training, but the benefits of flexibility shouldn’t be overlooked.
Your time not being in as good of shape wasn’t really wasted, it was an important preview of what a less healthy lifestyle can lead to.
You’re smart to have turned things around. It’s a lot easier to do at 30 than it would be at 60. Congratulations on your achievement!
Im 31 and always been a heavy guy. In my early 20s I got real fit. Went into powerlifting because I loved to eat and it was a reason to stay bigger. Was still healthy but not skinny fit. Anyway. Stopped mid 20s because life. Got up to 125kg and now working to get it off. What bugs me is family have noticed the weightloss and almost all of them have said dont loose too much. Like for real guys. I can loose 40kg and be healthy. That doesn’t happen overnight
That’s awesome, well done to you! I’m 47 and fit, run 3 or 4 days a week at a good speed over 5km.
Never had a strict diet as I’ve got one of those bodies that never seems to put on weight over a certain point.
That said, goal this year is to eat better.
This year I quit alcohol, ate healthy, upped the excersize and lost almost 30kg. Feel mich younger and had the same realisation; I wasn’t getting older, was just out of shape.
Yeah, being fat sucks A LOT, and most people don’t even realize it because they got fat slowly and didn’t notice the change. Losing weight is one of the best feelings in the world. Highly recommended.
Nailed it — and I’m happy you’re here!
I just hit 40 and feel excellent.
Focused, sharp and motivated.
Far more confident and resilient than at 30.
Super happy for you!
Would love to see before and after pics for inspiration. I already checked out your DP and you are glowing!
What makes me angry right now is that i even know that’s a realistic possibility, but still do nothing, because can’t bring myself to do all of that everyday. No will, no discipline, no result.
Great job OP 💪
This is something that’s really hard to accept for so many millennials. For some reason, my generation has loved to complain about how ”old” we are, since turning 20. Feeling like shit every morning and having pain all over your body is not something you just have to accept, not at least until you’re really really old. Even then, you’ll feel a lot better if you have been working out and taken care of your body, instead of feeling sorry for yourself all the damn time.
It’s great, except for the part where it aged me 10 years
I mean it’s kinda both. You are aging and you’re also out of shape. It takes more for you now to stay in shape because you are indeed aging. Aging shouldn’t be an excuse if you have the discipline and privilege to do the work. I say privilege because not every one are in a well off position to dedicate time and energy into staying in shape.
Switched to OMAD/TMAD instead of 3 squares a day. Weight comes flying off. Turns out my parents generation who were built on theories of hard farm work don’t apply when most of your day is sitting at a desk. Avoid sugars as much as I can.
Stopped drinking alcohol after I turned 40…was one of the best decisions I ever made.
It’s so much easier to live a healthy lifestyle when you’re not hungover. I even floss daily now. LOL
M34, 183cm. I went from 125kg to 95kg over about a year with diet and taking up running. I definitely look better and feel younger, better sleep, no more snoring and not aching every morning when I got out of bed was a big plus as well. My energy levels went up noticably but I still get afternoon tiredness pretty bad most days.
I’ve stagnated over the last 9 months weight wise, hovering around 95kg and really struggling to get below 90kg, but my running fitness has gotten significantly better, currently training for a half marathon. I feel I need to get back into the gym on top of running to rebuild some lost muscle mass and help with toning.
wow. good job, OP! 👏🏿
You better believe I came to that same realisation brother. Coincidentally, I’m also 35kg ish down at 40. Was 115 back in July, this morning I was 78.
The main thing I did was drop my calories, track them, cut out all calories that are drunk (except for beers), cut down on sugar, but made sure I absolutely loaded up on protein. I also eat my dinner early around 4-5pm and that’s all I eat until the next day at around 9 for smoko and 12pm for lunch.
I was already in a physically active job with scaffolding, so the extra protein allowed me to avoid losing too much muscle mass while in the deficit and the fat just kinda dropped off. I didn’t really do any exercise outside of work aside from walking a fair bit more. At this point, I’m very close to where I want to be and I know this is easily maintained now that I’m fully aware of what I’m actually eating.
The difference is absolutely insane. I’ve way more stamina, more flexibility, I’m just heaps fitter than I was. My performance in bed is way better. And I’m like you, wondering why the FUCK I didn’t do this sooner.
Lads, get on it. It’s never too late and it’s not as daunting as it appears to be.
Yep. Same thing here. I was in good shape until I started a business. Combined with our having three kids, it was just impossible to stay fit and not let my responsibilities slide.
When I hit sixty, my wife and I decided to do something about it. So we hired a personal trainer.
The first month, we practically crawled to the car after each session and then wolfed down Motrin like so much Pez. But now, holy crap, we have so much more energy. I no longer loll on the sofa after work and generally hate myself.
Guys, I get it. There’s inertia and maybe a bit of intimidation involved. Trust me, I’m not some big gym rat or some rah-rah fitness guy. I’m just a normal guy who works out 3 times a week, mixing up cardio with time on the treadmill. But while the first month or six weeks will be tough, your persistence will be worth it.
> For the guys here who made a change later in life: Did you experience this same realization?
Yes. 1000000%
I spent my teens and 20s overweight and unhealthy. Back issues, knee issues, out of breath all the time, sweaty.
In lockdown I started walking because I was furloughed there was nothing else to do, and walking became jogging, which became running which quickly became an absolute obsession.
Within 12 months I was down 50lbs, ran a half marathon, started lifting – nothing serious, just 2 or 3 times a week at a decent intensity. I felt invincible. Like you I was razor sharp, I had actual utility as a human being.
I completely get the feeling of being angry at your younger self.
When I crossed the finish line of my half marathon, I genuinely had never felt more ALIVE than I did in that moment. It’s a high I have been chasing ever since. I was so overwhelmed with emotion, and one of them was annoyance that I’d not done it sooner.
I think it’s important to give past-you a break though… if you were going to have done it when you were younger, well, you would have. And the second best time to plant a tree is today.
Well done, you.
Well I can say I decided to get my shit together at age 50 with target to drop 40kg (85 or so pounds) and I am 20 pounds in and feeling better than I have for years. I’m endorsing it to everyone who will listen and I have a plan to shed another 30 in 2026.
Don’t forget it makes you feel better and be more attractive to others as well!