How does your look change as you get older?

[Zocas]

Metabolism. I am trying to be positive about it though. Teens and 20s.... people say hardgainer are BS... well, trying to bulk with a rabbit metabolism isn't the easiest thing to accomplish. You primary goal IN LIFE has to be focused around food. I had auto abs. As long as I was active with sports and lifting I had wicked abs. Now I have to watch what I eat. I can bulk so much easier, but I have to actually cut too.. That's a positive to me. Fat on lower back..... wtf.. how and when did that happen. That's the spare tire people speak about. It is a real thing!!!! Now I am not nearly as active obviously as when i was in Teens and 20s so that plays a major factor also.
Thinning hair at 40, but I know people who went bald at 20. Loser skin on face yes. I think that is more of mileage and sun than age. Recovery. Well, to be honest I am still able to recover very fast so i will get back with ya in 5-10 years.. testosterone is hard for me to say. If libido is a key factor I am as bad (or as good) as I was in my 20s. I am a perv so I don't feel like I have lost too much yet. Saying anything else may be TMI..... If I only knew back then what I know now
Probably my mind is much younger than my body!

[pryme]

Would you blame bad form when going heavy, or is that just how it is?

What is your new style?

No, not bad form. Just 22 years of lifting very heavy. It takes it's toll on the body. I can still lift very heavy but I'm choosing to not lift as heavy now and work in more machines and up my reps just a bit. No huge singles probably anymore. Because I know as I age it's only gonna get worse. So I am being pro active.

[pius36]

respect!

THIS a million times
Keep on keeping on brother.

[Vytis]

I am no where near 65, but thank god (I dread getting old) I have not seen any decline in terms of my build, in fact I see improvements every 10 years or so.

As for loose skin, hair growing out your ears/nose I have not experience any of that, however I have become grey (beard and head) and have a deep receding hairline, so I just went bald.

Thankfully I'm in the same boat....for now....I'm just 45 and so far only a little gray. Game on Father Time!

[JayWinter]

From the neck down you can look like a 20 year old if you take care of yourself. above the neck takes genes or a good plastic surgeon...

[ElrondHubbard]

A 20-year old with accumulated surgical scars...

[drudixon]

Hair went in my early twenties, so other than that look better

[ntrllftr]

With the general population I see a huge decline in aesthetics, since bodyfat levels begin to run away, and muscle mass was never built to begin with.

Thankfully we don't have nearly as much of an issue with those major aesthetic factors. But age affects everyone. I imagine BBers will still see skin start to wrinkle and maybe more hair growth.

What else happens before say 65, where I assume strength would start to fall sharply?

Does a guy who's been lifting for 30 years really look that much different in terms of his body? Or is there a noticeable decline, and if so, where?

^^ This ^^

I describe it as my face slowly sliding off my skull.

I'll be 50 in a little over a year. Been lifting over 30 yrs. Skin seems ok, strength is still there and as sy says... Nothing to do about the ugly mug. lol

[akaMarko]

I'll be turning 50 next August and am really looking forward to it. And have been for awhile now. I'm in the best shape of my life but I am also accepting that other areas as far as looks go aren't what they were 30-40 years ago. I've been mostly bald for the last 20+ years and love that I can just roll out of bed and look the same as when I got in it. No fussing about. My skin, especially the arms have that crepe paper look to it but nothing more than you'd expect for someone my age. I sometimes have to remind myself of my age when talking with younger folks because I don't feel anywhere near 50. Oh, and nose/ear trimmers are a must.

[jlsnyderTypeR]

This year marks 29 years of training and every year still seems to get a little better! Minus a few minor wrinkles I feel like I've only improved over the years with minor yearly adjustments.

[Cantplankwell]

Thought about this a lot couldn't quite put a finger on it, but finally did. My eyes, they look tired/sad or something.

[akaMarko]

Thought about this a lot couldn't quite put a finger on it, but finally did. My eyes, they look tired/sad or something.

Mine too. Sometimes people even think I'm mad or upset about something by the look on my face. I rarely get mad but the eyes can betray you.

[melDorado]

Over the age of say 40 , your life shows on your face. Even if you were beautiful when young, if youve spent your life scowling and frowning you will have lost your beauty to the hard lines on your face. If you spent your life smiling and positive then your kindness will show in your face and the lines will still be there but you will look younger and still have beauty

As far as body goes id say you're basically fuked. I mean I'm in pretty good shape for my age and people compliment me on my figure but srsly under my clothes there is some bad chit going on

[akboy58]

I'm 59. From my early 30s until about 5 years ago I let various old injuries get the upper hand, to the point where I was inactive, 80 lbs overweight, pre-diabetic, had high BP, high cholesterol, a heart condition, a bad back, etc., etc. The good news is that beginning in 2013 I lost the weight, and started with a great trainer, who scientifically whups my butt three times a week. I'm now in the best shape of my life, all health problems resolved, and I love the progress and gains I've made and continue to make. (I was so inactive for so long that EVERYTHING I do now in the gym produces visible results.) The bad news is a) I'm 59, and b) the loose skin from the weight-loss is a bitch. There's nothing I can do about my age, but it does show in my face; and although I'm lucky with the loose skin, in that I lost the weight slowly, while training hard to make sure I created muscle mass to replace at least some of the fat, the loose skin I do have is frustrating. Bottom line, though: I'm pretty happy to be a battle-scarred, fit, slightly arthritic gym-rat rather than a rosy, chubby-cheeked, immobile, sick -- or dead -- guy.

[Garage Rat]

Yes your look changes.
While you still have basically the same shape to your musculature you diffidently loose size.
When you lose size and where larger at one time the skin is looser and skin as you get older for some loses it's elasticity.
Strength as well changes which effects your look.

[congore]

Ok - I am not really your typical aging athlete. I am so freaking broken from war disabilities. But I recently won a natural wheelchair division earning my IPE Pro Elite card.
I have found that my skin is really the worst. But honestly, don't expect that nice 25 yr. old hair to last long either.

You rock bro - inspiration to all of us.

[husseiniakram]

In some ways I would have preferred to have gone bald. My hair grows too fast to shave my head, and once it went gray it just got totally unruly. No amount of combing or brushing helps, I just have to keep cutting it short. It wasn't all that controllable when I was younger, either.

When I started chemo last winter I hoped that would make it fall out and I wouldn't have to worry about it for a while, but it didn't do a dang thing.

I'm just 44 and i noticed my thin hair becoming a mess and always does not want to get combed at all without alot of effort and water.
what helped me, I noticed that i was using far too much shampoo which was reducing the grease in my hair, making it too dry. so these are the things i changed :
1. no longer have hot showers, or excessive use of shampoo. i have one shower per day, and i try todo it in lukewarm water. if i feel cold then i just increase hot water a little.
2. only put tiny amount of shampoo, and only once per day. this leaves hair with some grease.
3. end with a cold water shower for 1 or 2 minute, it's very refreshing.

when i wake up in the morning and i want to comb my hair and i don't feel like taking a shower ( i prefer shower in evenings ). I wash my hand in water, then do a hair massage for about 1 or 2 minute with my hands already wet. this makes my head actually feel very good. when i am done with that, i comb my hair and it looks very nice. yes it's greasy but that helps in combing the hair. i still keep long hair actually, which i prefer over short hair.

[ElrondHubbard]

I'm just 44 and i noticed my thin hair becoming a mess and always does not want to get combed at all without alot of effort and water.
what helped me, I noticed that i was using far too much shampoo which was reducing the grease in my hair, making it too dry. so these are the things i changed :
1. no longer have hot showers, or excessive use of shampoo. i have one shower per day, and i try todo it in lukewarm water. if i feel cold then i just increase hot water a little.
2. only put tiny amount of shampoo, and only once per day. this leaves hair with some grease.
3. end with a cold water shower for 1 or 2 minute, it's very refreshing.

when i wake up in the morning and i want to comb my hair and i don't feel like taking a shower ( i prefer shower in evenings ). I wash my hand in water, then do a hair massage for about 1 or 2 minute with my hands already wet. this makes my head actually feel very good. when i am done with that, i comb my hair and it looks very nice. yes it's greasy but that helps in combing the hair. i still keep long hair actually, which i prefer over short hair.

There's always Brylcreem. A little dab'll do ya.


(Do they still sell that stuff?)

[tanksoldier]

Well, I'm getting more gray.... Just call me Gandalf.

[TJC85]

I'm 50 and have been fit all of my teenage and adult life. My least fit time was 15-13 years ago when my two sons were each born and then a time after that adjusting to life with babies/toddlers, but even through those tough years I managed to work out at least twice a week and walk a few times a week (kids in stroller). Nevertheless, wrinkles, crepe-y skin, and the beginnings of a neck waddle are the things I'm noticing. I have some gray hair, but so far, I'm lucky in that I still have as much hair as when I was 20 (it's actually a pain in the ass sometimes as it grows so fast and gets thick and sloppy looking...just like when I was 20).

[euco09]

^^ This ^^

I describe it as my face slowly sliding off my skull.

Made me laugh haha!

[SeptimiusSK]

Made me laugh haha!

this one had me in stitches....but so true!