“I wish there was a way to know you’re in ‘the good old days,’ before you’ve actually left them.” This quote from Andy Bernard of The Office could very well apply to middle-aged wellness.

Why didn’t I embrace my cellulite-free thighs, boundless energy and non-existent aches and pains from my 20s? I was contemplating this as I sat in the gastroenterologist’s office waiting for my colonoscopy consultation. (And why do I need a consult? What am I being consulted on? The fact that I have to drink some nasty shit to clear my gut for several days in order to have a camera shoved up my ass?)

“You know you’re late; you should’ve been doing this at 45 and not 51,” said the doctor who I’m pretty sure was all of 25 years old.

Hmm, considering I feel perfectly fine, I’m on zero medications, and I finally have my hot flashes somewhat under control, I thought the recommended age was 50, not 45. Yes, I know that still means I’m late to the game.

Approaches to Wellness

Each doctor’s visit brings some new insights when it comes to wellness. My husband’s cardiologist equated our aging bodies to a house. In a new home, everything is shiny and new. The doors, windows and operating systems all work perfectly fine. Once that house hits 50, the doors don’t shut as well and the windows make a weird noise when you open and close them. Systems that should be regularly maintained begin to break down. There may be some chipping paint or randomly cracked tiles.

I feel this in my bones, literally. I used to play field hockey in high school and college. I’ve run marathons, completed triathlons and had a 10-year run competing in bodybuilding. Then I hit 40 and got a blood clot. While it was due to the “perfect storm,” a combination of a cross-country flight, birth control and a surgical procedure, it was a wake-up call nonetheless.

We are not our 20-year-old selves, and if you don’t believe it, your body will let you know. All that said, we still need to fight the good fight. Eating right, working out and managing our stress is more important now than ever. For me, instead of training for competitions and shows, I’m training to be a mobile, agile, injury-free 80-year-old.

Limitations vs Freedoms

Many balk at aging and focus on what they can no longer do vs what we can do. Our younger years were all about how we looked. It was less about health and more about vanity. Middle age may come with limitations, but consider the freedoms we get to enjoy.

●      Increased wisdom and life experience to make better decisions and handle challenges effectively.

●      Better self-awareness and increased confidence to prioritize what truly matters in life.

●      Opportunities to explore new hobbies, interests, and passions that may have had to put on hold earlier in life.

When you look at these through the lens of wellness, there is so much to learn, do and be. I’ve gone from marathon and teaching fitness classes in my 20s to becoming a competitive bodybuilder in my 30s and 40s. And over the last five years, I’ve evolved to become a yoga teacher, meditation instructor, sound healer and my latest addiction – pickleball. What a beautiful evolution it’s been! I’ve gone from proving what I can do and be and how I look, to focusing on how I feel and move. I welcome the reprieve from pushing and doing high intensity workouts like Orange Theory to incorporating more moderate– and thoroughly enjoyable – activities like hiking and long walks with the dog.

As the years quickly pass, how are you approaching your health and wellness?

Are you more concerned with aesthetics or health numbers?

Is it more important to feel good or look good?

Has your outlook changed and if so, in what ways?