I’m turning 30 and this milestone seems to be taking over my life. between changes in my friendshipscareer and body (I blame my Saturn returnI notice that old patterns and routines that served me no longer work. And while I plan to keep some of the health habits I learned in my 20s (ie my meditation practice and addiction to SoulCycle), sometimes growing up means letting go. Instead of struggling to maintain health habits that no longer feel effective, I’ve decided to start 30 with a clean slate. I accept that my body is changing and that it is time to heal a health mode that works for this new decade. If everyone says your 30s are the best years, I might as well make the most of them. Here are the habits I’m letting go of in my 30s and the habits I’m adopting instead.
“Sometimes growing up means letting go…”
1. I alternate high intensity training with strength training
When I turned 29, I experienced knee pain for the first time in my life. I was skiing down the mountain and honestly I didn’t think I would make it to the bottom because my knees hurt so much. This was the moment I realized that I could no longer subsist on SoulCycle classes and running. I had to prioritize strength training over everything else. Muscle mass naturally begins to decrease in our 30s. Incorporating strength training into your workout routine can help maintain existing muscle mass and offset age-related muscle loss.
After just a few months of incorporating Solidcore into my routine one or two days a week, I had no more knee pain. I also felt stronger, more toned and happier because I listened to what my body needed. While I haven’t completely given up on my high intensity training, I am prioritizing my strength training first. After a year of this routine, I could see the difference.
2. I replace my Yes mindset with more alone time
I spent most of my 20s saying yes to everything; Social events, work commitments, travel and family time made every moment worth it, but they left little room to spend time alone with me. I’ve cherished my alone time more as I’ve gotten older, and the FOMO I felt in my 20s has slowly dissipated. If an invitation comes on Friday night and I don’t want to leave the comfort of my couch, I say so. Instead of having a “yes to everything and everyone” mentality, I only say yes to people and social events that really make me happy.
This means that some people have moved out of my life, but in doing so it gives me more space for those who make me feel good and (more importantly) space for alone time, which has allowed me to connect with myself. . deeper level. I took it new hobbies like painting and beadwork, I have more time to focus on my passion projects and I feel healthier in general because I’m not burning out from doing too much, and I’m no longer saying yes to something that drains my energy.
3. I replace restrictive diets with intuitive eating
I have experimented with many diets trying to find what works best for my body. I have tried being a vegetarian, intermittent fasting and a Mediterranean diet. Some of these nutritional practices made me feel better than others, but I never followed any of them. In my 30s, I’m ditching my diet completely and prioritizing it intuitive eating instead. Much of the vernacular in our culture revolves around what we shouldn’t eat, but I’ve found that adding foods to my diet and listening to my body’s needs makes me feel 10 times better than restricting ever has.
The biggest challenge with intuitive eating is learning to listen to my body, eat when I’m hungry, and stop when I’m full. As someone who is notorious for feeding on boredom, I have learned to find other methods to fill my boredom. Simply accepting my boredom has allowed me to eat more intuitively. The biggest weight off my shoulders with intuitive eating is letting go of the guilt that comes with many diets. When I’m an intuitive eater, I don’t feel bad about a cup of chocolate at dinner or for dessert. At the age of 30, we have enough to worry about. food should not be one of them.
4. I replace short-term health goals with preventative health
It’s hard to think about your long-term health when you’re in your 20s, let alone spend time or money investing in it. But just as we’re constantly reminded to save for retirement, we need to save for our health. In my 20s, most of my money went to necessities (food, rent, car payments) and entertainment (dinner with friends, new clothes). But I’ve started investing more in my health (exercises, therapy, supplements). As I enter a new decade, I’m also thinking more about the future. I used to think of health as having a short-term effect (like losing weight until summer), but now I think of it in terms of keeping my body healthy for life. My #1 health goal is longevityor live a long, healthy life.
There are other health goals that are more important to me than weight loss or running a marathon. Fertility wasn’t a priority in my 20s, but I was seeing my OB/GYN for regular checkups, discussing menstrual symptoms with my doctor, and considering options like: egg freezing is a priority. I also plan to get a a wider range of blood work every year to keep everything in my body under control. While regular blood work is an additional investment, I consider it a preventive health investment. By reframing my mindset around health and viewing it as an investment in my body and future self, I don’t have to think twice about where my money is going. Investing in preventative health seems necessary to me.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 30s, it’s that you can’t do it all, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to.”
5. I alternate the morning routine with the sleep routine
Don’t get me wrong, I love it morning routine; I like to start each day with coffee while reading, followed by meditation. But between work and grad school, it’s getting harder and harder to find time for a morning routine and enough sleep. In my 20s, I could wake up after a bad night’s sleep and work through the day. Now I feel irritable, have brain fog and am more irritable. It Mayo Clinic recommends that adults over the age of 18 get at least seven hours of sleep each night, but how? research shows that it’s not so much the quantity of sleep as the quality that matters. As people age, most people find it difficult to fall asleep and maintain high-quality sleep.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as I approach 30, it’s that you can’t do it all, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to. Getting as much sleep as possible has become more important to me than being “that girl” with a busy 5am to 9am routine. Now I prioritize my sleep routine. i accept magnesium glycinateavoid bright lights and electronics for an hour before bed, and in the morning if I’m still tired after my alarm goes off, I skip the morning routine to get another hour of sleep.
6. I switch up my simple skin care routine with products that support my changing skin
The upside of your 20s is beautifully supple skin that regenerates even after a long night’s rest; no puffiness, bags under the eyes or post-alcohol pimples (how much I crave these days). During my 20s, I was a three-step skin care girl: face wash, moisturizer, and prescription gel for my rosacea. Sometimes I would throw on a face mask for fun or put on a face cream if I could afford it. As I approach 30, I’ve realized that my minimal skin care routine just doesn’t cut it anymore. with age, your skin thins and becomes less elastic and more fragile, and the fatty tissue beneath the skin decreases. You also experience a decrease in natural oils, which can make your skin drier and more prone to fine lines.
With so many products and so much research, there’s a lot we can do to help our skin feel as supple as it did at 23. I have added. eye cream and: dark circles under the eyes help fight against dark circles. I also wear sunscreen help prevent premature aging and the risk of skin cancer (which should be done at any age, but I wasn’t consistent with it in my 20s). I have been adding collagen to my diet which is the main building block for your skin for the body. Collagen not only adds structure, strength and elasticity to your skin, it also helps new cells grow. After all, I’m sure drink plenty of water every day help with increased skin dryness.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kalisa Kirilenko, breathwork promoter and wellness writer
Kalisa is a health writer for The Everygirl, specializing in covering topics related to mental health, meditation, and self-care. She is also a certified breathwork facilitator and works with clients to heal them through the power of the breath.
