To think late 40’s is an odd age?

I’m 49 and feel fantastic. I’m in the best health I’ve ever been in. I weigh train 4 times a week and now I’m gaining muscle. Sailed through menopause. Didn’t even know I was going through it and now I’m at the end. I used to think I’d hate turning 50. I say bring it on

I relate to this thread SO hard!

Trying to do stuff about it - allll the supplements, change in diet, HRT appt booked, exercise. Aware though that I'm making more GP appointments, looking older in photos (I mean, obviously, but still), looking back to who I was and dumb decisions I made/the great times I had. AND my idea of a good time is a garden centre rather than dancing on tables.

Work FT, two sen teens and struggling parents who I have an odd relationship with. At least I can no longer tolerate alcohol 😅

Depends what life stage you are at. Both of my parents became ill and died in my late 40s, and there were difficult teen years with DDs to say the least. But in myself I got fitter, stronger, lost weight, periods stopped completely (yey!) had no endometriosis symptoms for over ten years, very little in terms of menopause symptoms, doing well at work in a job I like, having more hobbies and social life, spending more time as a couple with DH and some really lovely family time. So yes, it has been Interesting Times but also with many things to feel happy about.

I’ve found hitting 40 hard!

I also feel unnoticed - by family but also by everyone I meet through work and leisure. It’s very odd.

And I also ache so much - used to do sport 3-4 times a week and be fine. Now I constantly have aches and niggles.

it’s sad 😞

It’s a privilege to grow old (I’m 55!) To be able to reflect on life’s achievements, ups, downs and catastrophes

I have cancer. I won’t come out the other side. I find myself giving DD (21.5) and DS ( 18.5) “ advice” all the time.

Don’t make the same mistakes as me” I tell them.
“ Save for a house”
” Stay financially independent”
” Follow your dreams”
“Live in the present, as we don’t know what the future holds.

I don’t know who I am either. Maybe I will discover me, on the other side. I do hope so!

Im 40 very soon, i walked past a window yesterday and saw myself and thought i really like who i am what i have grown to, my laid back look, not a clue why i thought it.
Walking home thinking alsorts about myself, my child has moved out im single free to do what i want.
Debt free Maybe i should book a holiday, i have all the time in the world for me now.
More years behind me than infront of me, i should use them for me.

Yes I do think that is a normal age to start having these thoughts OP. As you slide into your 50s it starts to feel okay again - you sort of recalibrate. I'm sure menopause is part of this process. Also - FYI no matter how old you get you still feel just the same on the inside. And remember (because this is true) you will never be this young again.

Can relate. I turn 50 in a few weeks and the past year has been so weird for massive bouts of nostalgia.

I wish 16 years ago mid 40's and beginning to be very peri that I had started supplements to help me earlier.

When I did, they helped so much.
Back then I wouldn't touch HRT because of the narrative back then.

I went on a vitamin B complex and a Starflower capsule and they helped.
If I could go back I would add, vitamin D3+k2,
Magnesium bisglycerate
Zinc and vitamin C
Ashwagandha to manage stress.

These have kept me super well, sleeping great and managing my crankiness so much.
The vitamin d3 and k2 have stopped my recurring chest infections completely, which has been incredible.

I had 6 chest infections in one year before realising my vitamin D was in the ground.
I had no idea it was critical to my immunity.
Taking it with k2 means it helps with calcium absorption and distribution rather than messing up your arteries.

I hugely overhauled my diet so I was snacking on foods that helped me, like almonds, walnuts, dried apricots, dates. Eating enough fibre and protein.

Its a lot of effort initially but the results make it worth it.

I’m 52 & if you haven’t done it already, one of the best things you can do for yourself right now is start weightlifting.

I get this.

Looking back at my life and it's such a jumble of jewels tangled up with bad decisions.

I'm invisible when I walk into a pub or social situation-I never stood out but never had a problem getting a date before I married STBXH.

thinking wtf am I doing with my career now in likely looking at the last third of it

48 here. Still feel mentally like I’m late 20s but my body feels old. Perimenopause has taken over and today is a bad day. I’m hormonal and crying but not sure why. Also I’m really aware of my health and longevity. I’ve fallen over at work and hurt myself badly. People have been messaging me to wish me a speedy recovery as they have heard I’ve “had a fall”.
A pupil once said to me at work that every day we get closer to our death… and that has started to haunt me.

You should feel in your prime at 47. Maybe a bit square at 49.

Going to have to get this on a t-shirt!

You should feel in your prime at 47. Maybe a bit square at 49.

I agree with you OP - I'm feeling weird about where I am in life, how I feel.

I'm 47 and more and more the words of Abe Simpson ring in my ears:

"I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it is weird and disturbing."

I’m 44 and read this thread with great interest. I still have youngish kids and sort of feel like I would have been better off having my kids in my early 30s and not late 30s as it turned out. I’m just quite tired of the school run and various other things about this stage of parenting. I look forward to being a parent of preteens and teens at 49!
Generally I feel like this is a time in my life when I’m questioning a lot of my life choices. My career choice - do I really want to do this until I retire and is there stil time for complete change of course? My marriage- did I marry DH because I loved him that much and we were such a great match, or to what extent was the desire to start a family a factor? Did he more just tick the right boxes to be the father of my children?
And omg the nostalgia some posters have mentioned. Is that why I’m daydreaming about men I dated in my 20s and listening to 00s hits?!
I truly hope things will feel much more clear by the time I reach my 50s. I hope I won’t be questioning so much - whether or not I end up making any changes. And fingers crossed we’ll keep our health. Definitely starting to feel new kinds of back aches in the past few years.

I’m 49 and it’s only just hit me.

I didn’t bat an eyelid at turning 40 and I’ve felt great during my 40s, even with perimenopause symptoms occasionally kicking my arse. Never been fitter. Career taken off. More confidence.

But I suddenly feel really weird and quite sad about the passage of time.

47 and this year I really struggled with my body and getting it into swimwear I like. When trying on every bathing suit and bikini in my closet I noticed skin flaps on my back. Never saw them before. Comes with middle age aparently. I am not overweight, not toned or sporty either. But not being overweight is not enough anymore...
It's all just so, older. My hips hurt on bad matrasses in holiday resorts.
I sweat. A lot.
Will these things get worse when sixty and even more worse when seventy? I wouldn't be able to go on holiday anymore, or only if I bring my own mattress? On the plane....

It’s really interesting to read this thread. I’m early 40s and definitely perimenopausal, my hormones and cycles are all over the place, and the nostalgia at the moment is strong! Pining for when my children were little, I enjoyed them so much and although I would absolutely hate to have a baby now or young children at this age, I really miss those times! Must be a common thing at this age!

It’s been a weird decade for those of us in our late 40s now.

Doesn’t seem that long ago since I turned 40, yet 50 seems alarmingly close. I think quite a few years were lost to COVID / getting back to normal again after that, and now things have properly settled down you think “how am I this old?”

I’m the first of my friends to lose a parent, and my parent was definitely elderly when they died. None of us have preschoolers any more. Some are getting to the age where the kids are getting married; some are still doing the school run.

I don’t think I’ve known such a variety of experiences with a group of people the same age.

I feel the same. I’m 49 and it’s been the most bizarre year. My youngest is about to start secondary school but I’m also a nan and have been for several years. I’m an old mum to my youngest but a cool young nana to my grandkids. I don’t understand how I can be 50 soon when I rarely feel like the ‘adultiest adult’ in any situation. My career has really taken off in the last few years, yet I can retire in less than a decade! I just keep reminding myself it’s a privilege to grow old. Even if I don’t recognise myself in the mirror anymore.

I’m 58 and still don’t feel old. My
body mostly tells me otherwise, but I ignore it.

Very normal.
Also to suddenly become very away of how precious your health is as you hear of sad stories about people you know.

It helps to refocus you and count your blessings.
It really is all about your health as you enter the "decades of sniper alley", according to my lovely GP.