When I was 25, or even 35, 45 seemed old. For giving birth it’s considered old for sure, but I think it’s relative. I’ll be 50 later this year so 45 seems youngish now. I started powerlifting 3 years ago which is on the older side to start that sport, but when I’m 60-70-80 and strong with good bone health (the goal) I’ll look back at 45-50 and think that’s so young and I still had so much time ahead of me to learn new things and do things to help my future. So, I guess whether 45 is old or not depend on which side of it you’re on to some degree. To be fair, our bodies are truly changing at this age—hormones are change, aches are setting in, arthritis starting to show up, have to work harder at being limber etc.

Well, you don't feel old as a 45-year-old person. But to an 18 or 25-year-old, you are ancient. It depends on your perspective. I'm in my mid 50s, and I still feel young on the inside, like everything was just yesterday. I only have 10 years on you, OP, but you would call me old. So it is all perspective.

Anonymous wrote:45 is still very young for many things. It’s all in our heads.
Yes, you can’t become a ballerina but you can’t really do at 25 either.
You can still change careers at 45 and work over 20 years in new field, you can immigrate, you can still have children, with some help but some people can without, you can go bankrupt and still get back before you retire.

Indeed, this actually happened to my family. Parents went bankrupt when my dad was 43 and I was in high school. nearly 30 years later, he is comfortably retired with a pension after re-inventing his career and moving to teaching and becoming a senior level official at a government agency.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Age is just a number. I'm 40, look young, feel young, act young, I don't hurt, I have energy. But I know people the same age who are none of those things and it's like we're at least a decade apart. It shows how self-care, attitude, discipline, privilege play a big role in aging.

Yes, it’s definitely your discipline. Nope. There is a cliff at 45. You don’t see it. You simply fall off of it. You can think you’re the same but it’s not true, not true at all. I’m 49 and the difference between 40-49 is crazy and sad, especially when compared to the difference between 30-39.

Explain? What happened at 45? Did you suddenly get fat or what?

Your body gets older. It's that simple. You're not as spry. Aches appear and last longer. You get more tired more easily. Illnesses start to crop up. It's called mortality.

Outside of the tired part, that hasn't happened for me (yet) - knock wood a million times. I'm 49 now. Still basically feel physically the same as I have through my 30s and 40s. My dad is the same, except now he has some tenderness in his shoulder, at 80.

My mom started falling apart in her 30s. Back pain turned into a hundred million other things. At nearly 80, she's now barely mobile. It's horrible for her. Truly truly heartbreaking.

My lesson is that people age differently. Also, try to stay fit and active as you age.

Anyway, I used to think 45 was old as dirt and now that I am almost 50 it seems youthful. Perspective's a heck of a thing.

Anonymous wrote:If you died at 45, people would say, OMG, so young.
So: No, 45 is not old!

Great point! I think this answers OP’s question.

If you died at 45, people would say, OMG, so young.
So: No, 45 is not old!

Everything in life is relative …

It more matters what phase of life you are in …

Some are empty nesters at 45 while others have very young children as I did at that age.

Some are very healthy and fit while others are debilitated.

Some are pessimistic while some are full of optimism.

An arbitrary category of “old” does not mean much …

45 is still very young for many things. It’s all in our heads.
Yes, you can’t become a ballerina but you can’t really do at 25 either.
You can still change careers at 45 and work over 20 years in new field, you can immigrate, you can still have children, with some help but some people can without, you can go bankrupt and still get back before you retire.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Age is just a number. I'm 40, look young, feel young, act young, I don't hurt, I have energy. But I know people the same age who are none of those things and it's like we're at least a decade apart. It shows how self-care, attitude, discipline, privilege play a big role in aging.

Yes, it’s definitely your discipline. Nope. There is a cliff at 45. You don’t see it. You simply fall off of it. You can think you’re the same but it’s not true, not true at all. I’m 49 and the difference between 40-49 is crazy and sad, especially when compared to the difference between 30-39.

Explain? What happened at 45? Did you suddenly get fat or what?

Your body gets older. It's that simple. You're not as spry. Aches appear and last longer. You get more tired more easily. Illnesses start to crop up. It's called mortality.

It depends. I am 47, will be 48 in a few month. I am still running the same distances I used to run in my 30s. I don't have any body aches and still full of energy (I do a lot of yoga and get weekly massages to prevent body aches). I don't get any illnesses, still never had flu or Covid. I think old is after 65. 45 is not young, but still full of energy and full of life.

Ask someone that is in their 80s and they will say you are a baby.

Obv all kids think 45 is old. I thought 30 was old.
But is it old is the q

It’s starting to get old.

As a funny anecdote, my teenaged DS had some friends over yesterday and they were shooting hoops in the driveway. A neighbors dog got loose and they caught him as the owners were walking around searching. DH thought he knew the dog and was asking about the owners. DS’s friend responded, “They were this old couple.” DH asked, “Old like me or elderly?” They were old like him, so 50, which is definitely old in this 15 up’s POV.

Coming back to the original q though - is 45 ‘old’?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Age is just a number. I'm 40, look young, feel young, act young, I don't hurt, I have energy. But I know people the same age who are none of those things and it's like we're at least a decade apart. It shows how self-care, attitude, discipline, privilege play a big role in aging.

Yes, it’s definitely your discipline. Nope. There is a cliff at 45. You don’t see it. You simply fall off of it. You can think you’re the same but it’s not true, not true at all. I’m 49 and the difference between 40-49 is crazy and sad, especially when compared to the difference between 30-39.

Explain? What happened at 45? Did you suddenly get fat or what?

Your body gets older. It's that simple. You're not as spry. Aches appear and last longer. You get more tired more easily. Illnesses start to crop up. It's called mortality.

Anonymous wrote:I'm 41 and told everyday I look younger. No wrinkles have smooth skin perfect vision never had any back pain. I am fit and lean when I used to be fat all my 20s and early 30s. When I was 25 or so I could pass for 15. I'm 41 now and pass for 21. Booya

Don't kid yourself.

I'm the same weight I was when I was 21, I work out regularly and keep myself healthy and trim, people flatter me by saying I look great (mainly because I never put on weight) but there's no denying I've still aged.

When you were 21 you never confused a 40 y/o with a 20-something. Why would you think differently now?

45 isn't old. But it is approaching middle age. For most people you are now over halfway through your life. And people in their 40s are often starting to reach senior levels/career peaks with the demands that come with it and alongside that have to deal with growing children and aging parents. I deal with all these and no amount of astute anticipation ever prepared me for the reality.