Thirty, Flirty, and trying to figure out where these last 5lbs came from!

Anyone else? Yeah..I thought so! 

Listen up, “Miss 20-somethings” — men too. I was in my twenties just two short years ago, and everyone loved to joke that the minute you turn 30, everything changes. And like you probably just did,  I laughed, rolled my eyes, and thought, “Yeah, okay, I’ll be fine”

Turns out... they weren't lying.

It isn't some crazy scientific phenomenon that our bodies change as we get older, but BABY... nobody warned me these changes would hit like a dodgeball to the face in middle school gym class. 

Your skin changes. Your metabolism slows down. Recovery takes longer; it's even easier to injure yourself- yea, no one told us about that one! And those workouts that used to get you results? They might not hit the same anymore!

As we get older, our bodies naturally require fewer calories than they did in our younger years. The difference isn’t huge when you first enter your 30s, but those small changes can add up. The late-night snacks, bigger portions, or the classic " I used to be able to eat this and be fine" moments start making you think differently.

The good news? This doesn’t mean you need to live in the gym or survive on salads. It means being a little more intentional. Prioritizing movement,  strength training, and finding activities that actually fit your lifestyle – whether it’s a workout at home, a walk with your kids, a yoga class with a friend, or simply choosing to move more throughout the day – consistency really matters.

I spoke with my friend Aaron, owner of AceFitness Factory, a personal training and fitness studio in St. Louis, because I wanted a man’s perspective on how fitness changes in your 30s.

“I used to work out, eat, and recover for muscle growth,” Aaron explained. But life in your 30s comes with more responsibilities, and finding time for that perfect gym session isn’t always as easy. His workout schedule has changed, as have his approach to meal prep and being more aware of digestion. And, as he put it, “Weight does stick around a little longer than it used to.”

But the biggest change has been his mindset. He’s shifted from trying to max out every workout to training for performance, function, and longevity. His warm-ups are more intentional, he’s slowed down just a little, and he’s thinking about whether he’ll still be able to do these things 20 or 30 years from now.

He also talked about those random aches and pains that seem to show up more often in your 30s. You have to listen to your body and be patient with yourself. Sleep, nutrition, stretching, and recovery matter more because you simply don’t bounce back the way you did in your 20s.

And he’s seeing the same thing with his clients.

His advice? Pick a goal, understand that your goals may not be the same as they were in your 20s, and remember that what you do now sets you up for your 40s and 50s. You’re not just training for the body you want today—you’re training for the body you want to have years from now.

I guess it's safe to say we're all experiencing a shift in our bodies, and that's ok it comes with the blessing of aging. No matter where you are in life, there’s never a wrong time to start your fitness journey. You have trainers like Aaron and myself, who essentially are starting new as well, along with a community of people who want to help you. 

You just have to decide:  Day one or one day.