Contrary to popular belief, getting older isn’t all that bad. After all, often with growing older comes career growth, personal wealth, starting a family, buying a house, and solidifying your relationships into lifelong ones. There’s also something to say about the wisdom of some years and learning lessons through life experience that you could never learn during your time at school.
But as you age, you need to start paying more attention to your health. When we get older, our metabolism slows down, and our bodies aren’t as quick, limber or spritely as they used to be.
That’s why we’ve put together this little guide to help fresh thirty-somethings navigate all the unique challenges that accompany this new phase of life. Read on to find out more about staying healthy, fit and trim as a man entering his thirties.
Dental Health
Dental health is essential at all ages, but more so as you get older. You should have a regular dentist that you visit every six months for a checkup and clean. You may wince at the cost of these checkups, but compare that to the cost of extensive dental work should you neglect your dental hygiene and wind up needing a root canal and a crown. When you compare the cost of that to paying for checkups every six months, it’s clear to see what is easier on the hip pocket.
Watch Your Diet
As we mentioned above, your metabolism will slow when you reach your thirties. The days of being able to overeat on all sorts of junk food without gaining weight will soon come to an end. That’s why it’s essential to have a healthy and balanced diet if you’re a bloke in your thirties.
But what does a balanced diet look like exactly? Ensure that you eat plenty of whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, and other grain foods. Be sure to also get your protein in, whether that’s meat or even plant-based. If you are an omnivore, it’s best to eat red meat sparingly and opt for white meat and fish or seafood wherever possible. If you’re a vegetarian, try to avoid fatty or oily meat substitutes and instead opt for other forms of plant protein like spinach or chickpeas.
And for one final tip on the diet – you don’t have to cut out all junk food or beers, but there are foods that you should indulge in sparingly. A treat once in a while won’t hurt, and neither will a beer. But if you like your beers, try to opt for a low carb option so that you don’t wind up with a beer gut.
Exercise is Important
Furthermore, you should aim to get a decent amount of exercise each week. How you choose to stay fit and what type of exercise you’ll spend your time doing will vary depending on your personal preferences. Some men like to pump weights and build bulk, while others prefer cardio sessions such as running, cycling, or working out on a cross-trainer.
Exercise is important for physical health and will play a strong role in keeping your weight down when coupled with a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet. Whatever type of exercise you do, however, try to do it at least a few times a week. Be sure to work up a sweat with every workout session too. Yes, exercise is beneficial for your ongoing physical and emotional health and wellbeing, but only if you do enough of it to burn some calories and release some mood-boosting endorphins.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Speaking of mood-boosting endorphins, another major benefit to working out is of course, the positive impacts that it can hold on your mental health and wellbeing. Entering your thirties can be tricky for men, especially for those who have started or are on the verge of starting their own families. Your mental health can take quite a beating with all the monumental changes that you experience in this new phase of your life, even if these changes are positive. Exercising regularly and taking time to practice self-care will minimise your risks of experiencing depression and anxiety as you embrace all of the new tasks and responsibilities that come your way. You might want to explore mindfulness or meditation or engage in a hobby or passion project. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, so don’t be afraid to seek professional help if you feel down or anxious.
A Healthy Summary
As you can see, staying healthy as a man in your thirties is an absolutely essential – but by no means impossible – task. We’ve highlighted some key areas to focus on above, but to recap, these are:
- Dental health
- Diet
- Exercise
- Mental health and wellbeing
Focus on these four areas, and you’ll continue kicking your health goals well into your forties.
