Typically when people enter their thirties, their body begins to change, sometimes in the most subtlest of ways. You may not be able to feel or see it, but you will begin to experience gradual muscle and bone loss. This results in a slower metabolism, paving the way to weight gain. Also, it is often that during this age people settle down and have families, which does not aid in keeping your body in shape a lot of the time. However, that does not mean that it is always downhill after thirty. My father is a perfect example of how you can build yourself back up to your peak.

My father hit his physical peak when he was in his mid-twenties. He was regularly visiting the gym with his best friend for two and a half hours, four to five days a week. But when my father turned thirty, not only was his strength destined to slowly degenerate, but he also got married. Once I was born, my father’s schedule and lifestyle reshaped. He was unable to work out as often as he used to, and tiresome days left him not wanting to push himself too far at the gym. My father eventually quit the gym and his physical strength declined.

However, that all changed when he made the decision to work his way back up to his peak and even try to exceed it. In his peak, my father could lift and bench-press two hundred and twenty-five pounds, curl fifty pound dumbbells in each arm, and could easily achieve a perfect sideways split. His flexibility and strength was certainly greatest in his mid-twenties. Over the past few years, though, twenty minutes of stretching every evening has my father less than an inch away from executing a perfect sideways split once again. Also, he has managed to return to his gym schedule of four to five days a week and trains for a good hour or so. My father is currently able to lift 200 pounds, meaning that he was able to gain 89% of his peak strength back so far. I am so proud of my him and the dedication he is putting into his health.

It’s not necessarily true that it’s downhill after you reach your thirties. Yes, your body changes but you do not have to give in to age. You still have the power to maintain and even strengthen your health. With determination and a positive mindset, you--like my father--can turn back the clock and shape your body into its ideal state.

To learn more about what happens to your body when you enter your thirties, visit the articles: "Health in Your 30s," "How Your Body Changes in Your Twenties and Thirties," and "How Getting and Staying Fit Changes in Your 20s, 30s, and 40s."