In order to look good at 50, you need to start taking care of yourself at 20. When you are in your 20’s, most women at this age are fairly resilient. They may, however, take that for granted by keeping late hours, not exercising and eating whatever they want, mostly unhealthy foods. The young don’t usually worry about the predisposed illnesses that might catch up with them like hypertension and diabetes. At 20, some may even be less careful about practicing safe sex, drinking enough water or enough veggies. The 20’s is the time to lay a foundation for the future, so it would be a good time to form good habits.

As women move into their 30’s they begin to gain weight if they are not careful. As we age, have children, our metabolism begin to slow down and we begin to have less muscle and more fat. Between our work, our families and other stresses of life, we sometimes opt for fast foods and quick meals that contain saturated fats and high salt content. Our busy lives can sometimes get in the way of our healthy eating and we begin to consume way too many high fats and such due to lack of time. We think that our exercise is all the running around we do during the day.

In our 40’s, we come into ‘real womanhood’. We feel good about whom we have become and the skin we are in. We know by now what we want in life. However, we may be struggling with the bulges that started to develop in our 30’s when we were running around with the kids to the fast food restaurants while running them to soccer and basketball and never taking the time to sit down for a balanced meal. By now those kids are pretty active and off to college developing their own bad habits, and you are left with your bulges and trying to figure out how to get rid of them.

Now here comes the 50’s, which is the affirmation that the vitality we can possess is no different than when we were 30. They say the 50’s are the new 30’s and that is exactly how it should be. It is never too late to look great, but you can look fantastic if you just start good habits early. It is important to take preventive measures if your family has a history of illnesses. Make regular Doctor Visits starting in your 20’s and take care of yourself. Get enough rest in your 20’s. I know that a party will sometimes last till time to go to work the next day. But sometimes a body must be smart enough to just say ‘I have had enough.’ Exercise is always important even if it’s just a walk around the park or your neighborhood just to keep your joints flexible. Try dancing or yoga or tai-chi or even belly dancing. They can be a lot of fun. Take care of your sexual health. Be careful who you sleep with. Abstinence can be really amazing. Try it in your 20’s…your friends will be in awe of you. In your 30’s, take time for yourself and make sure you eat healthy. Find time to go to a farmers market and buy and prepare lots of vegetable based lunches and dinners for your family. It may take some extra time at night but the rewards are huge. By the time you are in your 40’s, you won’t have the problem so many have with trying to get rid of the gut that came about from the 30’s. Your 40’s can be a time of excitement even if you might be going through the ‘change’. That’s a whole other articleJ.

That brings us to the fabulous 50’s…make sure you are getting enough calcium, vitamin D and fiber. You have a newfound since of freedom. Your children should be on their own and your focus should be on YOU. If you stayed in practice with the Kegel exercises in your 30’s, your pubic muscles should be nice and tight. With the kids out of the house, you can do whatever you like….