Well folks. . . it's that year. In 2016, I and my classmates either have or will turn 40 the infamous. Even typing that feels surreal to me as I always thought it felt so far away. Every day, I see another one of my peers post a 40th bday "selfie" or celebratory photo. Being an August birthday, I am young for my class, so I will be on the tail end of this, relatively speaking.

I find 39 to be kind of a funny age. To many you are simply a kid, and to others, such as my spry 20-something clients and trainers, I am an old lady (they tease). When I was younger, I must admit, I held that same sentiment towards those poor souls barreling toward their fifth decade on this planet. And, in some ways, I was justified. . . and in others, I was not. Turning 40 isn't a fitness death sentence. There are plenty of things you can do to turn back, or greatly slow down, the hands of time.

Sure, there are age-related changes to our bodies associated with becoming "over the hill". After our 30s, the skin and connective tissue start to lose elasticity which can result in the sagging appearance. Combined with that and the fact that older women are likely much less active than younger women, the former usually have more body fat as well. This isn't only due to less activity, hormonal changes don't help. An older woman also has less estrogen than a younger woman, which means less ability to create testosterone which is crucial to muscle building. This results in having to work harder to maintain the same muscle mass. GRRRRREAT

So, yes, there is nothing we can do about the fact that nature causes us to face the inevitable, but there are several ways to combat and slow down the rate of a decline in fitness after 40, if you put in work, make time, and stay dedicated. In fact, my husband just took up running and strength training in the past couple of years and claims he is in the best shape of his life; and I agree!

Here are some tips to keep you looking, and more importantly, feeling young:

I have loved my 30s. They have been my favorite decade yet. I hate to see them go but I am also excited to see what my 40s will bring. It's not about getting over the hill but HOW you got over it!