At what age did you first notice that your body is aging

[radiantquest]

I turned 28 in December and it seems like everyday I notice that something is not what it used to be.

First it was my plump rear end seems to be falling into my upper thighs
Then it was the skin on the tops of my hands looking older
Then it was the flappy-ness on the backs of my arms
Then it was the skin on my eye lids not being as taut as it once was
Today I noticed that the heels of my feet are all dry looking no matter how much lotion I use!

I noticed these things in other women that were older than I was and now all of a sudden all of these things are happening now.

Is 28 the year when everything starts heading downhill? I know these are small things and that of course it could be worse, but it just seems odd that I had the body and skin of an 18 year old until I hit 28.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

28 for me too. I started noticing a wrinkle on my forhead, several white hairs and I was diagnosed with arthritis.

*sigh*

 

[joflier]

I started noticing lines of my face around 24. I just recently saw a photo of myself from about 3-4 years ago, and just thought, "my God, I''m looking old." I''ve started using a lot of face creams now.

Granted I lost a LOT of weight about 2 years ago or so, and I think the fullness in my face kept some of the lines from showing, perhaps?

 

[Circe]

Check your diet, maybe? An awful lot of that sounds like it''s related to hydration ....

Me, I''ve yet to notice anything sudden or horrifying, though a stubborn five pounds have clung to me since last summer in a way they didn''t use to(now age 31). Methinks drastic measures are in order.

Goodbye, chocolate.

 

[RaiKai]

I am nearing 31, and while I am still in very good shape (very athletic, eat healthy) and my weight is the same as it was 12-something years ago.....I do notice the way I carry my weight has shifted slightly. It is just not quite the same, and I think that it would probably be easier for me to gain if I gave up on my healthier lifestyle than it would have been a few years ago. It is hard to describe. I do feel a bit "softer" in my belly and my butt (without the same "lift") than I did even 2-3 years ago, despite running 6+ miles a day! I don't think anyone else would notice, but I do. I am still very happy with my body though and, though I hate to compare, when I do compare to many peers I think I am doing quite well.

Thanks to all the sunblock I wear my skin is still healthy (not really any wrinkles and even my hands still look pretty good - of course I have always had pale hands where the veins shine through so take that for what its worth). I have always had smile lines and even little laugh lines, even as a teenager, and they are still there but perhaps a bit more apparent up close. I still actually get zits now and then so I have teenage skin at times, ha, which in a weird way is sort of comforting. I do notice that my skin does seem a little less "springy" - like the skin on my eyelids is more delicate or something - less plump. If I pull at my skin on my face or anywhere on my body it seems less....springy. It has lost that young early 20-something nubile look....ha. I no longer do any weight training, so my arms are not as good as they could be, but they are still good, and my back and shoulders are still quite good (I have always had a strong back and shoulders and been quite happy with how they looked).

My red hair has quite a few VERY white hairs in it - especially at crown and on temples but I rather like them and they aren't that noticeable. I have always had them on occasion, but it has really become more noticeable to me in the last year though. Red hair actually tends to fade before turning (or just face and never turn) and parts of mine have been doing this for a while so it looks like I have dark strawberry blond highlights in my red hair. I like it! I sort of hope I get a cool white streak eventually.

I do notice it takes me longer to recover from my physical activities now. My hip aches a bit more when I go for a very long run or after I run than it used to, for example. My muscles will ache a bit more. I have to take better care to eat and hydrate I don't quite have the same "pep" when I run that can get me through without that extra food and hydration!

I would say all of it really became more noticeable to me around 29/30 but the last year or so has REALLY seemed like a LOT of things have changed, or I am more sensitive to noticing them. I don't know, overall it is a bit weird to notice the changes at times, I still *feel* young most of the time and don't really FEEL I am aging, and I also am quite satisfied with my body and where I am...but it is a bit odd at times or surprising when I notice or feel something different. Not in a bad way, sort of in a curious way. Like one day I will look in the mirror and be like "who the hell is this old woman". DH and I at times are like - what the heck is going on with our bodies - he is almost 36, works out regularly, still muscular, and eats well but also notices changes.....we are both blessed to have good health though, and so far always excel on our checkups, and so we cannot complain.

I still get checked for ID though now and then, when I buy lottery tickets or alcohol, though the age here is 18, so that is kind of fun! My clients always think I am way too young to be doing what I am (many of them are the same age or near it). I always find that surprising as I do not LOOK that young TO ME. I don't think that will be happening for that much longer though!

Meh, despite this long post, it is not all that bad. I am pretty in tune to my body so notice these changes. I really enjoy my body and feel very good about where I am and who I am. I was far more self-conscious and critical as an 18-year old about my body than I am now - even though I was the same weight and so on.

 

[Haven]

I'm 29 now. I'll be 30 in October.

I started getting gray hairs a few years ago.

I started getting wrinkles at the corners of my mouth and eyes over the last year. You can't see them if we're talking face to face yet, but *I* see them when I stick my face into the mirror to tweeze my eyebrows. And I just noticed a laugh wrinkle on my nose this morning, actually.

My hands have looked age for years because I've always loved to wash dishes by hand and without gloves. And I imagine all the swimming and lifeguarding I did for so many years didn't help, either.

Unfortunately, I've always had BINGO arms. That seems to be my body's favorite place to store extra fat.

I recently learned that I definitely cannot handle a hangover like I used to. Back in college I could spend a night out drinking and get up the next day ready to go after a good breakfast. Now it takes me a full day to recover, and I don't even drink much. Three cocktails in one night, and I'm done for 48 hours.

Otherwise, I don't have any aches or pains or anything like that.

 

[Maisie]

I noticed my eyelid skin sagging a couple of years ago (I am 39 *gulp*).

I have had grey hairs for a few years but they are starting to become a lot more noticible. I am trying to grow my hair colour out and its not a good look.

 

[HollyS]

In my thirties.

It's been a downhill slide ever since.

 

[Hest88]

Gosh, 28 for me too! I wonder if there's something about that year, even though it seems so arbitrary? It was the year I saw my first gray hair, and the year I started noticing that I couldn't eat everything I wanted without getting a bit saggy or having my stomach rebel.

 

[elrohwen]

I'm 26 and I noticed a few wrinkles on my face this year. They're only apparent in the morning when I wake up, but I can see where the lines are that will become wrinkles, if that makes sense.

Otherwise things change so subtly that I don't really notice. I haven't had any body changes.

I notice that my back gets sore more easily - one evening sitting on a friend's horrible futon watching a basketball game and I'm a little sore the next day. I thought it was because I'm not in great shape, but DH is in fantastic shape and his back hurt more than mine. Stupid futons!

 

[gemgirl]

51/52 for me.

 

[monarch64]

I started getting gray hairs sporadically when I was 23 so I suppose that was the first I noticed the aging process, aside from when I was 2 and realized I was getting bigger.

I''m 33 now and really haven''t felt like I''m aging, and other than the gray hair issue and a few wrinkles I don''t notice any other effects. I feel great, I think I look really healthy, and I''ve grown by leaps and bounds in the self-acceptance department. I like my body more now than I did when I was 18 and had a perfect figure. I look like a WOMAN now! I love it!

 

[RaiKai]

Date: 6/18/2010 12:57:00 PM
Author: monarch64
I started getting gray hairs sporadically when I was 23 so I suppose that was the first I noticed the aging process, aside from when I was 2 and realized I was getting bigger.

I''m 33 now and really haven''t felt like I''m aging, and other than the gray hair issue and a few wrinkles I don''t notice any other effects. I feel great, I think I look really healthy, and I''ve grown by leaps and bounds in the self-acceptance department. I like my body more now than I did when I was 18 and had a perfect figure. I look like a WOMAN now! I love it!

Yeah, that is the weird thing, I don''t FEEL like I am aging. I have to stop and think about all these little things to really add them up and realize they have been showing up the last couple years.

And I feel great, look and feel really healthy, and definitely have a lot more self-acceptance and comfort in my own skin than I did 10 years ago! I do actually really, really love where I am.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I started noticing a few signs that my body was getting a little older at 28 as well.

It started with me gaining a few pounds even though my diet was the same. I noticed I needed to start watching what I ate. I stopped drinking soda and went the the gym more frequently. It wasn't enough of a weight gain for anybody to notice, but I definitely noticed.

I also started to notice some faint wrinkling around my eyes. I remember being frustrated because I still have the occasional pimple and it doesn't seem fair to have to worry about pimples and wrinkles at the same time.

And the may sound strange, but my hands and feet seemed to swell a little bit and become more dry? This may be a lack of hydration, but everything felt puffier.

I've had grey hair for most of my twenties, but I've noticed in the past month or so (I turned 29 last month) that I have a lot more grey hair than I remember.

Finally, my energy level isn't quite the same. I'm an active person, so I'm used to doing something different every weekend, spending a ton of time in the mountains, etc...I still love all of that stuff, I'm just not as eager as I was to do it even a couple of years ago. For the past several summers D and I have created a list of all the things we want to do during our summer weekends. This year we haven't done that at all.

ETA: I also notice myself saying things like "kids today..."

 

[joflier]

Date: 6/18/2010 1:04:07 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
I started noticing a few signs that my body was getting a little older at 28 as well.

It started with me gaining a few pounds even though my diet was the same. I noticed I needed to start watching what I ate. I stopped drinking soda and went the the gym more frequently. It wasn''t enough of a weight gain for anybody to notice, but I definitely noticed.

I also started to notice some faint wrinkling around my eyes. I remember being frustrated because I still have the occasional pimple and it doesn''t seem fair to have to worry about pimples and wrinkles at the same time.

And the may sound strange, but my hands and feet seemed to swell a little bit and become more dry? This may be a lack of hydration, but everything felt puffier.

I''ve had grey hair for most of my twenties, but I''ve noticed in the past month or so (I turned 29 last month) that I have a lot more grey hair than I remember.

Finally, my energy level isn''t quite the same. I''m an active person, so I''m used to doing something different every weekend, spending a ton of time in the mountains, etc...I still love all of that stuff, I''m just not as eager as I was to do it even a couple of years ago. For the past several summers D and I have created a list of all the things we want to do during our summer weekends. This year we haven''t done that at all.

ETA: I also notice myself saying things like ''kids today...''

Yes!!! And do you ever find yourself saying things like...."are they really old enough to be driving? Or old enough to be working here?" I find myself wondering that a lot. And then I get annoyed at myself and think, geez I''m acting like an old lady!

 

[RaiKai]

Date: 6/18/2010 1:08:54 PM
Author: joflier

Date: 6/18/2010 1:04:07 PM

Author: NewEnglandLady

I started noticing a few signs that my body was getting a little older at 28 as well.


It started with me gaining a few pounds even though my diet was the same. I noticed I needed to start watching what I ate. I stopped drinking soda and went the the gym more frequently. It wasn''t enough of a weight gain for anybody to notice, but I definitely noticed.


I also started to notice some faint wrinkling around my eyes. I remember being frustrated because I still have the occasional pimple and it doesn''t seem fair to have to worry about pimples and wrinkles at the same time.


And the may sound strange, but my hands and feet seemed to swell a little bit and become more dry? This may be a lack of hydration, but everything felt puffier.


I''ve had grey hair for most of my twenties, but I''ve noticed in the past month or so (I turned 29 last month) that I have a lot more grey hair than I remember.


Finally, my energy level isn''t quite the same. I''m an active person, so I''m used to doing something different every weekend, spending a ton of time in the mountains, etc...I still love all of that stuff, I''m just not as eager as I was to do it even a couple of years ago. For the past several summers D and I have created a list of all the things we want to do during our summer weekends. This year we haven''t done that at all.


ETA: I also notice myself saying things like ''kids today...''

Yes!!! And do you ever find yourself saying things like....''are they really old enough to be driving? Or old enough to be working here?'' I find myself wondering that a lot. And then I get annoyed at myself and think, geez I''m acting like an old lady!

I swear everyone under 20 looks like they are 15 to me these days. And I realize how young I must have looked then (I used to get mistaken for being 13 when I was 18, and people would ask my employers if I was old enough, etc). It used to upset me. Now I get it. It''s bizarre.

 

[lilyfoot]

I''m only 21, but I have noticed that, very unfortunately, my metabolism just isn''t the same as it used to be!

 

[dragonfly411]

I''m 24... and I just noticed I have some forehead wrinkles

 

[Dancing Fire]

not what age. for me was when your jeans waste line # becomes > your lenght #

 

[merilenda]

Date: 6/18/2010 12:40:31 PM
Author: Haven

I recently learned that I definitely cannot handle a hangover like I used to. Back in college I could spend a night out drinking and get up the next day ready to go after a good breakfast. Now it takes me a full day to recover, and I don''t even drink much. Three cocktails in one night, and I''m done for 48 hours.

I''m the same way with hangovers! I used to wake up feeling fine after I had something to eat, and I never really had them. Now, I usually wake up feeling like I''ve been run over by a bus (and I usually don''t drink that much either).

Other than that, I''m 26, and I''ve been getting grey hairs for the past couple of years. Usually just about one on my head at a time, but they are very noticeable because my hair is so dark.

 

[iheartscience]

I''m 28 and don''t have any grey hair or facial wrinkles yet. (Knock on wood!) My metabolism has definitely slowed down, though-it probably slowed down around age 24 or 25. I''m still pretty slim but not as skinny as I used to be.

 

[radiantquest]

Gosh its so funny. Like for instance I trim DHs beard and hair. He has gray hairs in his beard. He is 34. We just noticed them a week ago. It just seems like you are young and your brain remains young and then all of a sudden it seems like your body has been aging all this time and you never noticed.

I am sure that I would have gray hair if I didnt get it colored. That gray streak runs in the women in my family so I may have that one day.

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 6/18/2010 1:48:48 PM
Author: dragonfly411
I''m 24... and I just noticed I have some forehead wrinkles

psst .. change your signature

 

[lilyfoot]

My husband is 24, and he sometimes gets a gray hair in his beard .. apparently, they go gray early in his family (from his dad''s side).

 

[RaiKai]

Date: 6/18/2010 2:06:58 PM
Author: radiantquest
Gosh its so funny. Like for instance I trim DHs beard and hair. He has gray hairs in his beard. He is 34. We just noticed them a week ago. It just seems like you are young and your brain remains young and then all of a sudden it seems like your body has been aging all this time and you never noticed.


I am sure that I would have gray hair if I didnt get it colored. That gray streak runs in the women in my family so I may have that one day.

DH has very, very dark brown hair and he has those little silvery grays and whites in his hair. He is 36 next month, but they have been doing that for the last couple years. He is totally going to have salt and pepper hair (yummy!). The gray hair does not bother him....it is the thinning hair at his temples. If his hair is either too short, or too long, it seems to accentuate the fact his hairline is not quite as far forward as it used to be. He likes to threaten that ALL the hair lost from his head is ALL going to move to his ears and nose soon enough and he will stop trimming any of it....gah!

 

[Diamond*Dana]

I will be 38 in August and so far the only thing that I have noticed is a gray hair that popped up this past winter. I do not have any wrinkles, and get carded for alcohol (and cigarettes when I very rarely purchase them socially)on a regular basis.

 

[Steel]

I have always felt ''old'' so seeing my body and face age just seems to better fit how I feel.

But 28/9 was the beginning of the end for me.

 

[yssie]

I'm 24. I have eight grey hairs. I yank them out and hope they'll grow back black.. so far they're united in mutiny.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 6/18/2010 1:11:38 PM
Author: RaiKai

Date: 6/18/2010 1:08:54 PM
Author: joflier

Date: 6/18/2010 1:04:07 PM

Author: NewEnglandLady

I started noticing a few signs that my body was getting a little older at 28 as well.


It started with me gaining a few pounds even though my diet was the same. I noticed I needed to start watching what I ate. I stopped drinking soda and went the the gym more frequently. It wasn''t enough of a weight gain for anybody to notice, but I definitely noticed.


I also started to notice some faint wrinkling around my eyes. I remember being frustrated because I still have the occasional pimple and it doesn''t seem fair to have to worry about pimples and wrinkles at the same time.


And the may sound strange, but my hands and feet seemed to swell a little bit and become more dry? This may be a lack of hydration, but everything felt puffier.


I''ve had grey hair for most of my twenties, but I''ve noticed in the past month or so (I turned 29 last month) that I have a lot more grey hair than I remember.


Finally, my energy level isn''t quite the same. I''m an active person, so I''m used to doing something different every weekend, spending a ton of time in the mountains, etc...I still love all of that stuff, I''m just not as eager as I was to do it even a couple of years ago. For the past several summers D and I have created a list of all the things we want to do during our summer weekends. This year we haven''t done that at all.


ETA: I also notice myself saying things like ''kids today...''

Yes!!! And do you ever find yourself saying things like....''are they really old enough to be driving? Or old enough to be working here?'' I find myself wondering that a lot. And then I get annoyed at myself and think, geez I''m acting like an old lady!

I swear everyone under 20 looks like they are 15 to me these days. And I realize how young I must have looked then (I used to get mistaken for being 13 when I was 18, and people would ask my employers if I was old enough, etc). It used to upset me. Now I get it. It''s bizarre.

This happens to me ALL the time. I''ll be stopped at a stoplight and look over to find what appears to be a 12-year-old driving a car. I always say "D, is that kid old enough to drive??" and inevitably he says "Oh my god, he''s 12!" which makes me feel better.

 

[elrohwen]

I'm the same way about thinking everyone is young. Last year I was walking around a college - I happened to be in town and thought I'd buy a t-shirt. I felt so awkward, because everyone was so young and clearly I stood out like a sore thumb! Than I realized was only 25 and I'm sure not a single student noticed me. But man did those freshman look young.

Though I did laugh the other day when I got carded at my local liquor store (where most employees know me by sight anyway and don't card) by a kid younger than me. Hello! Clearly you are old enough to drink and I'm at least 3-4 years older than you. Do you really need to card me? I'm pretty sure I look my age.