what is middle age

Today is my b-day and I am now 45. It cracks me up now that I cried on my 25th b-day cuz I was old. Now I am re-exploring what middle age is.

I never imagined 45 would feel so amazing.

No aches... no pains... I am actually annoyingly hyper and bouncy.

And very thankful.

Of course my sweetie helps. He is kind, attentive, smart and.. well ...just really good to me.

Gazes in my eyes and tells me I am beautiful.

Ya know what... I actually finally believe it.

Is is because I am physically beautiful??

I say yes. Do I look 20? I dont know. I dont care. Well probably not. But I am thankful that I am not being sucked into the media vision of what beautiful it. It owned me for toooooo long.
So here I am...here we are... the best most awesome us we can be. And I think we are HOT!

I spring out of bed ready to laugh and live. (while my ym takes at least an hour to be completely awake)

of course I get scared and insecure like anyone... but..

I really like me. today. finally. it's about time.

45 is good

so what is middle age to me now.

thinking maybe 65.... but maybe 75... what do you all think?

What is middle age?
Are you feeling better about yourself as you get closer to middle age.
let's share.

I don't know Jan. Middle age has got to be somewhere near 60 nowadays. I work with so many 40-something women, i wouldn't for a moment call them middle aged. They look just like the 29 year olds, only...more powerful, sexier and smarter.

Happy birthday Jan!!

As for me, I am 46 and definitely feel middle aged physically. I am struggling lately just to get the most routine things done. It takes me about an hour to get out of bed and then another 3-4 more hours to be pain free, but then I was diagnosed with arthritis about 20 yrs ago. But, I have definitely noticed that physically, I am declining a bit.

It's funny you should mention this issue of what is middle age. I was just thinking of this yesterday. Remi is 27. In his country, the average life expectancy of a male is 66. So, in 6 years, technically speaking, Remi will be middle aged! So, we'll both be in middle age at the same time. :p

Happy B-day Jan!!

That is a very good question. I turned 55 this May and have been feeling more senior than middle aged. But now that I am down here with my parents in the "Seniors Only" park I see people 60 plus(mostly plus) and I realize I really am just about middle aged. In a way I feel younger here, but I also feel older in that I can see certain attributes I have that my aging mother does.

I better get this "senior feeling" out of my thinking!!! It's dangerous!!

Happy B-day Jan! 45 was a great year for me, hope it is for you too!

Humans have a potential of living up to 120 years. Yes, that's right, 120 years! That means that at age 60, you've only at the halfway point. Therefore, 60 is middle aged. :)
;)

"Humans have a potential of living up to 120 years."

Yes that's if you've lived your life as a SAINT!!!

I'm 46 and don't feel middle aged, but I'm pretty sure my life is half over. No one on my father's side made it to their 70's.

BTW Phil's birthday is today. He's 34, and probably NOT middle aged. ;)

K

When I had only known theo for a couple weeks back in the summer of 2002 and we were long from being together....

we were in a class together and the topic of middle age came up - we sat next to eachother (how we met) and I asked him if he thought 33 was middle aged -- he pondered for a second and said yes. (that was my age then)
he had just turned 22 at the time.

So, looks like I now have 31 years left to live!

and he has 42.

still, that's a long time...at least today it feels like a long ways away.:rolleyes:

happy b'day jan!!!

just a state of mind ;)

Well according to AARP... 60 is the new 30!!! :D And to be honest, I do not feel my age at all. At 55 I can still do everything physically that I did when I was in my 20's and it only takes me a tad longer. I still bike for miles; skate and work out with no problems. I can bench the same weight as I did and do the same amount of crunches; I just get abit winded easier. I can roll out of bed with no problem and have no health concerns (except a dang tummy that will not go away and my vision that seems to be getting worse ). I also think I am in the minority, however, regarding my friends; most all of them cannot talk for more than an hour without bringing up their aches and pains; hearing and memory problems; and/or health concerns. But I do think that genes, weight, diet, smoking, fitness and mental state does have something to do with it. I can see these same women turning into crabby old ladies before my eyes, and to be honest, for the most part, they are NO FUN any more! But with that said, I realize that I am no longer on the peak of the mountain but am on its decline/down slide ... for what I feel like and look like at this moment will not last another 55 years; we DO age and it does happen faster in that decline and it cannot be stopped.

NOW to you ladies who are in their 40's, I felt the same then as I do now (and I am not even going to address those in their 30's for you are still flippen young!); however, the biggest change to me was GRAVITY and skin texture and that happened right at menapause...52 for me. In two years I went from looking ok face-wise, to that of an old woman with sags and bags that even hindered my sight; hence I had to do something so my outside (face) would match my inside (energy, stamina and spirit)! And it was worth every penny....;)

MY mind and emotions are far from my birth age. I often feel younger than the 30 somethings I work with because they have little sense of humor and seem worn out. Of course, some have young children. I remember that ! My body, however, has never been top knotch, so I do feel some aging. MY mother looked 10 years younger than her given age until she got ill at 75. She had beautiful skin that I attribute to being a bit "fuffy", which I am too. Keeps the old wrinkles filled in ! LOL My young man has many health issues and is also "fluffy" so I think physically, we feel about the same age and mentally we are the same age. I can work circles around him though. I have always been a real whirlwind when it comes to getting things done. I guess somewhere is this tired body I still have "strenghth" ! Oh, I am 57 and my YM is 27.

I think middle age is different for everyone, and I think this post thread proves that point pretty well. I'm in my 30's, but I feel like I'm a teener. :o I still get carded for cigarettes <yes, I smoke, but you wouldn't know it from my 'skin' or anything else> or alcohol and even got into an argument a while ago with a clerk who thought my ID was fake. :D

Hyperness runs in my family. I guess it helps in terms of keeping my personality young, too. I am nowhere near middle age. I very much LIKE the idea that 60 is closer to middle age than 40.

I have a girlfriend who is 38 and holy cow, she is gorgeous. She doesn't look a day older than I am. My sister is the same. Young, vivacious and a real personality.

Now, I've met women in their 20's who look older than women I've known in their 40s. It all depends on many things... genes, for one. How you take care of yourself. What you BELIEVE.

My Dad always said, "Mind over matter" and he claims he will live to be 150. He's 65 this year. I've never heard the man complain about anything, but my Mom says his back has been hurting him lately and he's been doing PT exercises <same that I do> for it, but he doesn't complain and he says he will never retire.

More than half of how your body feels is in your attitude. I don't doubt that one bit.

And I think it helps when we have someone who loves us and tells us we're beautiful all the time. :D

~phosphorescent

Middle age is being emotionally able to deal with all the things that vexed me in my 20's.

I think Aarp said that middle age runs from 60 to 75. Only 15 years. But really on the other side of 60 the decline really steepens. You (or at least I) slide much faster. I had my pic taken when i was 62 for the company magazine to go with the article on my retirement. ( I worked from home for the next 3 years as an independent contractor), I was told I didn't look anywhere close to 60. And it was true. Lol I too was fluffy and no wrinkles, energetic, and all of that. But by 3 years later, when i did turn 65, I was still fluffy but the wrinkles did show. What had been the deep laugh lines on either side of the nose/mouth were deep creases and slightly saggy. My neck had developed a wattle and a soft little extra chin. I swear that my ears look bigger!!
Discolored areas on my skin, face neck, chest of moles or small lumps, or skin tags developed. The bust instead of having that perky turn up at the nipples, hang straight down, no perk! I will leave the rest unsaid. I blame it all on Menopause!! And as a high risk for breast cancer, no HRT for me :confused: ( It could be no sex for too many years)

I think at 76 we become Old. That is unless they come up with whatever affected Sofia Loren and Loretta Young in their old age!

Jan thanks for yr original post I am 45 this month and have never felt better and more in control with so much energy. i even outpace my 17yr old daughter. Here's to life, and loving.

Hi All:
My response to what is middle age may be one in the same but here goes.

Middle Age is:
***when you finally lose the 40 pounds you cried about for
two years

***when all of the YM who seem to be staring at you are uder
35 years of age (I ask them)

*** when YM who flirt with you (some) ask your age and their
mouth drops open when you say you will be 45 soon

*** fitting into your favorite pair of jeans that you could not w
wear for two years

*** when 3 - 5 people a day ask you what foundation you are
wearing and you aren't wearing ANY foundation

***when on your daily walk regimen you are out-pacing the
younger women on the walk

*** when you can cross your legs comfortably

*** on your night on the town you can wear 3 1/2" heels

*** learn to Salsa and still bend gracefully

*** sit in a college classroom with 18 - 25 yr olds and be looked
to speak about the experiences of your job and motherhood
AND pull an A for the course

*** you discover someone over 45 doesn't have to be your mate

***you discover 45 is filled with potential and wonder


I DEFINITELY agree Freespirit!!!!!!

I am with Nessa here in principle. However, the average life a women in the Western cultures is around 84 years. Therefore given a 3 year spread in either direction, middle age would be anywhere from 39 to 45.

My great aunt was almost 98 when she died. My great grand mother was 102 when she died. You see, you can live a long life.
;)