Your 20s and 30s are a time of growth, experience and excitement. Whoever you are as a woman in Ireland in her 20s and 30s, your life is full of opportunities. Physically, your body is still at a time of growth and build, your hormones are firing, and you are full of energy. The world is your oyster, and you can take each day as it comes, create opportunities for yourself, and build your life. Whether you’re starting a family or getting stuck into a career (or indeed do both), you have lots of energy and creativity to make it all work.
If you live wisely, you also use your 20s and 30s to get into good habits that enable you to be well and healthy into the next few decades of your life. With this in mind, which opportunities to grab and which to close the door on is a decision we make anew every day.
Here are some top tips for having a good time in your 20s and 30s while looking after yourself.
Start good habits now to carry you into your 30s and 40s
Today is the best day to start a new habit. “But which habit should I start with first?” you may think. Read on below. Note: make it one habit at a time, and allow yourself at least a month to settle into this new habit before you move on to start the next new venture.
Eat a lot of fruit & vegetables
This might sound obvious, but as you’re living a fast-paced life and can push your body, you need to learn to fuel your body well. You won’t feel the negative effects of a bad diet in your 20s necessarily, but you will start to notice these later in your 30s or 40’s. So, make sure to have at least three different vegetables daily, plus one to two pieces of fruit. Maybe make time to go to an independent vegetable shop or farmers’ market to find new, exciting types of vegetables you wouldn’t ordinarily find in the supermarket. Make fresh food fun.
Eat 3 meals a day
It is also really important to get into the habit of eating regular meals. Your metabolism thrives on predictability. (Metabolism is the breakdown of food and its absorption into your body tissues. Your metabolism fuels your engine, your body, every minute of each day.) It will reward you with a strong, lean body in years to come if you learn to put your metabolism on a regular pattern now. So, don’t skip meals, always eat breakfast, and make sure to eat fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Eat complex carbs like wholemeal bread, pasta, quinoa or vegetables instead of white flour products, and eat high-quality protein such as fish, meat, beans and pulses.
Learn to cook for yourself
You may have learned to bake or prepare basic meals in Home Economics in school or at home and enjoy cooking for yourself, or maybe you have no interest in preparing your own meal. Whatever stage you’re at, you can always improve your cooking skills. If you don’t know where to start, find a local cookery school or an online programme, or even a good book that teaches the basics of healthy cooking. It’s time well spent and money well invested. As in all things in life, once you are good at cooking for yourself and are confident in your own ability, you will practice it more and more (and get better at it, too). Whether you like your eating routine or are an adventurous eater, learning how to prepare your meals is paramount.
Get into an exercise routine, find a sport you enjoy or join the gym and get set up
You may be able to “burn the candle both ends” in your 20s and 30s, but you will reap the benefits of ensuring your body is strong and healthy now. Whether you were part of a sports team or never really enjoyed sports before, motivate yourself to join a gym or local team today. If you don’t find the right type of exercise the first time, keep trying. Learn to exercise for fun. Learn to enjoy moving your body and make it part of your daily routine. Exercise not only builds a strong body, it also helps relax your mind and makes you feel good about yourself.Â
Make time for yourself
In our 20’s and 30’s, we have the energy to burn. We can go out partying all weekend yet still, magically make it through a busy week at work. We can wake all night with crying children and seem to still be able to run our busy lives. It’s important to sit down, take time out and reflect daily. This sitting down, seemingly doing nothing, achieves a huge amount for you, both physically and mentally. You have to give your body a chance to recharge your batteries. Don’t allow yourself to be in the reds (take out too many credits), but make sure you stay in the blacks and give your body a rest. Yoga, Mindfulness, keeping a diary, regularly exercising, catching up with friends, reading a book, painting, or meditating are just a few options open to you.
Learn to say no now! Mind yourself
ladies, we are bad at saying “no” let’s be honest. This is an important piece of advice: Learn to know your boundaries, and learn to say “no” if it’s too much. As mothers and working women, we’re often expected to do more, be able to take on yet another task, juggle and generally perform magic. Please set your own boundaries around what you can and cannot achieve. People will know where they stand, they’ll appreciate your honesty, and you will have more time to yourself to achieve all the other important and wonderful ways of minding yourself as you sail through your 20s and 30s.
Are you curious to find out your biological age based on how you live your life? If you want to find out whether your lifestyle has a positive or negative effect on your body, try a simple Biological age questionnaire. This questionnaire as it asks all the relevant questions that make a difference in how “old” your body is.
