Have you bought into the popular mindset that it’s all down hill after 50? 

Even worse, have you been thinking it’s all over physically since you were 40?  If you have, you’re not alone!

So many of us women hear that if you haven’t lost weight, got fit or become healthy by the time you’re 50, then there’s no hope.  A slowing metabolism, aching joints and more wrinkles can all lead us to believe that we should just try to grow old as gracefully as possible; there’s no point fighting the inevitable.

Or is there?

I’m fast approaching 48 years old; I’m peri-menopausal and I’m in the best shape and health of my life.  I’m fitter, stronger and, dare I say, more body confident than I ever was when I was younger. 

I started smoking, drinking and overeating when I was only 15 years old, and those unhealthy habits carried me through my 20’s and 30’s.  I didn’t shake them all off until I was in my 40’s.  Nowadays, as I mentioned, I’m in the best shape of my life. Each year, I like to look back and see that I’m a better version of myself than I was the previous year because I keep swapping unhealthy habits for healthy ones.

So how can this be, if so many people believe that it’s all over by the time you reach middle age?

Quite simply, it all starts with your mindset.  What you think is driven by your underlying beliefs, so if you believe that it’s all down hill by a certain age it will be.  As Henry Ford, of Ford Motors, said: “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!”

Your mindset – that little voice inside of your head – is the driving force to looking great and feeling fabulous.  My belief is that you can get better with age.  I believe that we can continue to upgrade our health, increase our body confidence and stay in control of our weight no matter how old we are.  There is no doubt in my mind that we can CHOOSE to become better with age, not worse.

I can already hear you say, “but my body is ageing, it just doesn’t do what it used to do”, and that’s true.  But as our body ages, it’s actually demanding that we take better care of ourselves.  I find with our over 50’s clients that, once they learn the skills to upgrade their health and fitness, they all feel and look 5 to 10 years younger within weeks because they are taking amazing care of themselves like never before.

The truth is, as we get older, we just can’t get away with things anymore and that’s a good thing.  It’s what I like to think of as tuning into my woman’s wisdom.  As we get wiser, we all know that drinking too much alcohol, eating too much sugar and not finding the time to exercise isn’t supporting our health so why would we still want to get away with it?

So if you want to look great and feel fabulous in your 50’s, you first need to let go of the old cultural mindset that everything is down hill after 40 or 50.

Next, you need to take much better care of yourself by being kind and supportive to yourself and your body.  That way, you can look and feel fabulous all the way to 60 and beyond!

In health and happiness

Donna Richards is a Body Confidence Coach.  After overcoming her own body image and weight struggles, she is a on a mission to help women transform their lives by upgrading their health, feeling body confident and having the courage to be their best.  Donna is also the author of the book I Want What She’s Having, Now!* – Exactly how you can be so hot & healthy you’ll barely recognize yourself – available from Amazon

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