View Full Version : Guys Over 50...What 5 Super Powers Do You Wish You Had Back...?
Being 50+ is an odd time for me, my brain still thinks like a twenty something sometimes and that usually results in three days recovering from an attempt to do something physical that I stopped doing 10 years ago for a reason.
Now I'm not in denial, I'm not getting ink done, I don't care what the latest cool music groups are (unless I'm making fun of them) and nothing in my wardrobe has a punisher skull or deadpool logo. To the contrary when I see people my age and they are wearing AC/DC shirts or sporting blue hair I wonder what the hell is exactly wrong with them.
My grandparents probably did a lot of shit in the 1940s but they dressed and acted like normal people when they became grandparents. My father didn't try to relive a lost childhood in his 50s, mostly because he had a newborn daughter. He didn't take himself too seriously but he also managed to mostly maintain a level of dignity.
That said, if I could change a few things I would, and it wouldn't be to know what the kiddies are doing and what they think is cool.
1. The art of eating anything I want to...anytime I want. This is a big one. I used to be able to eat pizza at 4am and go to sleep with no negative effects whatsoever. Now if I at pizza after the sun went down, I'm usually fighting some acid reflux and no caffeine after 9pm if I plan on falling asleep by 2am. Long gone are the days when I could eat slim jims for lunch and chase it with a yoohoo. Thankfully I can still eat things like Pizza, I just have to have a plan.
2. Effortless sleep. I used to get tired and fall asleep and that is all there was to it. When I was in my early 20s I once feel asleep on a bus stop bench during the day and almost missed the bus and once in a Wendy's after a 10 hour work shift (not working at Wendys) I ate my burger and fries and promptly knocked out at my booth for 10 minutes. At night I usually had to play music to fall asleep, especially in my DJ days, because if I didn't have some background noise I couldn't fall asleep. As a consequence I could sleep through almost anything.
Then after moving back to Florida and discovering it was prudent to keep an eye on things especially after dark and developing a "one eye open" sleep skill where motion detector lights woke me from a light sleep so I could quickly get dressed, grab a light and a Glock and find out exactly "What are you people doing in my yard? Why are you near my car? What is wrong with you people?" And after pulling what amounted to guard duty for 20 years, now pretty much everything wakes me up and I've a really light sleeper. Would love to get the ability back where I lay down on a couch to watch something, accidentally fall asleep and the next thing I know I've lost two hours. That would be nice.
3. The ability to bounce back like nothing happened. I've been a martial artists all my life, plus like to do stupid stuff like climb things and other physical things that most people my age stopped doing when they started speed walking at the mall. I'm still in reasonably good shape and can give and take with black belts half my age but man do I feel it later. Even if I don't take an injury (but I usually take a couple minor ones) I'm screwed for days and look like an old handicapped man as I try and climb stairs or just sit down in a chair.
4. Focused determination. That's a big one. I used to wake up knowing what I wanted to accomplish that day and had figured out exactly how I was going to do it and I simply ran down my "to do" list with room to spare. Now I waste 30 minutes on the phone with tech support trying to figure out why mobile data on my new phone isn't working, even thought I had to buy a newer phone for the current mobile data feature. Talking to idiots who don't closely listen to me explain the problem and just reading off a script feel like I've walked 10 miles. After that I'm mentally drained and just don't have it in me to go fix the toilet. So every day my unfinished "to do" list gets a little bit longer. Still haven't got the phone working the way it should, but at least I finally got the toilet parts installed and so far no leaks...I hate working on toilets.
5. The sex drive. Usually it was one of the main reasons I woke up in the morning and got out of bed. Somewhere out there was a female that I could be hooking up with, even if we hadn't met yet. I didn't care about money, beyond the ability to handle my stuff. Wasn't to caught up in clothes, cars or jewelry beyond the ability to be presentable to females I might find interesting. But spending the entire weekend with a girl who had strong compatibilities was interesting. I mean only getting out of bed to shower off, order food and the like and then back into bed for a weekend long marathon session of all day, all night hard contact sex is the sort of thing I lived for. I'm talking about you don't stop until the bed simply got too disgusting to be in anymore so you moved things to the couch and then drank a lot of fluids.
These days I think I'd rather have 8 solid hours of sleep than 8 solid hours of time with a girl who is as big a slut as I used to be. Also probably pretty sure that 8 hours would amount to one really amazing "best effort" 20 minute session, followed by lots of gatorade and maybe a pizza, then a couple hours of Netflix to recharge the batteries and then perhaps another 10 minutes followed by lots of food and some more Netflix and then can't we just cuddle or something?
I now understand most of my teen years were wasted on teen girls who mostly couldn't handle a single hour of intensive personal interest. Sadly I didn't have any super hottie 30 something high school teachers who could have better directed my energies.
All in all things aren't really that bad, but I can sure tell the difference.
Ditto mind thinks the same
Best thing I did was go to a strict carnivore diet it’s truly put me to a place where I do not feel old body anymore for the most part (my brain knows to not be stupid though)
Wake up never slept better (always had sleep issues)
no joint sore mornings anymore do I feel 20 nope but no morning oh get going feeling anymore
no more brain fog feel 15 years younger easily in so many ways
No more cravings for junk food or wanting anything cravings
Maybe lucky could eat anything never got heartburn just choose not to these days
I think one can handle junk easier when younger but love meat so eating it everyday is fine with me :)
Wish I did this since my 40s rather then in the last year or so
Check out for a start
https://www.youtube.com/user/KenDBerry
This guy inspiration for being in his 50s
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5apkKkeZQXRSDbqSalG8CQ/featured
So what would be good to get back ? No real responsibility:)
Reckon the ability to be stupid and do stupid things for fun like jump off cliffs etc... with no thinking this could hurt kinda thoughts I could be outa work the just lets go do this get off work and go hey let’s go hunting or fishing or golf or free diving etc... miss that the most
teufelhund1918
04-03-20, 05:33
Lol...opps, I misunderstood the question.
I wish I had not abused my body so much when I was younger. A lot of my aches go back to old football injuries or work injuries. Wish I would have kept in better shape with running and weights. I believe keeping active through your whole life is the key to being healthy and living a longer life. Diet has a lot to do with it too.
Exercising the brain to keep sharp. Seems like I have a bit of brain fog anymore. Not all the time, but some days it is hard to get going or to concentrate good.
Being active using my hands to make things. I enjoy that, but it has been a long time since I've done anything like that. One thing I wanted to do when I was younger was buy a big lot of remote land and build my own log cabin off grid. I moved around so much during my life for jobs that it just wasn't possible. I was never much of a wood worker, but it is something that I've always wanted to do and hopefully will be doing some soon.
Motivation... gosh what to say here. I lack it pretty bad any more.
Still wish I had selective X-ray vision and could fly like Superman.... I use to have very vivid dreams where I could fly. It was fun and I woke up in a happy mood after them.
An old trainer used to say, watch what you eat all week and whatever you want on the weekends. Half the time, I'm just throwing stuff together for the nutrition. I do cook some tasty things though and the wife and I enjoy some good meals like a Ribeye or lasagna, etc. Like yesterday for the range trip, just threw a almond bar, protein shake and banana in a Walmart bag, beats a burger when I don't need it, breakfast was a quick one, 2 boiled eggs, banana and a handful of mixed nuts. Fell apart at dinner, made Nachos.
I do watch what I eat mostly, but also enjoy stuff as well.
Sleep, One thing I usually enjoy, solid 8 at least. I fall out within a minute or two. Good thing for the alarm and dog. When younger though I was deprived a. lot, some by choice, others just the job.
Still active, while I don't powerlifting any more, still on the weights, bike and Kayak. Right now though, it's Bike, Kayak, Max Trainer and ammo cans (gym closure-c19) I do the basic power movements but the weight isn't what it used to be. I remember when I turned 40, right knee was bothering me. Go to the doctor and he ask me how old, activity, etc. and pretty much, actually said getting old isn't for sissies, get used to it. Actually have 3-4mm of excessive movement in my knees and the biggest thing is keep moving and strength train(within reason) helps support them. I can tell after a day of fishing if I go to the jetty as you are standing at odd angles, etc all day on the rocks.
This was years after but an ortho told me the joint supplements do work for most people. He suggested a pharmaceutical grade as the store brands are iffy. 30-40% of people it won't work on, if no improvement after 2 months, don't waste your money.
Keep the mind sharp! I fiddle a lot, reloading, etc and always using my brain, still do math in my head quicker than most can get out a phone and do it. I think you have to otherwise you start slipping not having that stimulation.
The last one, yeah, I can undress a pretty lady mentally still and have a good imagination. Wife and I do things when we want, not counting, etc. though. But for sure, I'm not the all night kid of years past for sure.
All in all, not bad I guess. I think one has to start early, keep things in perspective and keep active. The young folks you see that don't are setting themselves up for failure later as very few will wake up one day and say "I'm getting in shape!" Discipline is important.
Pretty much nailed it...the warrantee has fallen off.
I miss my young eyes & irks me when someone wants me to look at something & the grannys aren't around.
Strength as well...I have a 21yr old who's catching up & wanted to arm wrestle the other nite. It was a struggle & won but not worth it the following day. Wasn't that long ago I was jumping out of the truck bed & humping two 50lb bags of corn up a ladder to fill feeders, now all of those are converted to crank ups & 1 bag at time. Wish I hadn't played football and paying for it.
The focus issue bugs me the most & wish I could figure out how to retrieve the desire to get personal projects accomplished with desire vs what now has turned into something more of a honey do for my own crap.
No complaints on the intimacy...married my HS sweet heart & been with same gal for over 30 years. While not the same back in the bullet proof days, I'm blessed to have a wife who enjoys it as much as I do from listening to other friends stories.
Wish I could at least sleep in at least 1x a week. Getting up to wiz & loosing that extra hour or two is irritating.
I turned 60 last month, but for the most part everything is fine except for:
1. Loss of some hearing in both ears due to all those years around the high pitched whine of rotorcraft engines
2 Bad right knee with two surgeries. Never have gotten total strength in it - I won't be fleeing from any fights - I don't run as well as I used to
3. Can't eat as much as I did in the past - weight stays on unless I am working hard physically. Not a problem but I watch it
Adrenaline_6
04-03-20, 09:04
Very similar story for me:
My eyes piss me off. Having perfect vision up to my forties, then slowly see it degrade down to the point I am now has been definitely frustrating. I guess one advantage for people who always had vision problems is you never miss it because you never had it.
Bouncing back physically after you pushed yourself is also missed. Coordination, speed and reaction time had definitely gone down as well. I used to rely on those 3 things to gain advantage in most things or bail me out if need be. Not anymore. I still have the good coordination for the most part, the speed and reaction time has slowed though.
Sex drive is still there for the most part, it just has a calmer, more rational thought process. I definitely would not want to be back in the "do almost anything to get laid" mindset. That was a lot of money, effort and stupidity that you can't ever get back.
I have always been able to sleep well. I am very good at compartmentalizing. When it's time to sleep...it's time to sleep.
I definitely miss the eating anything, anywhere, anytime. I never had a weight problem, even now that my metabolism has slowed and I have been inactive for awhile due to a herniated disc in October and a L4/L5 fusion surgery in Feb. It's healing nicely though. Once it fully heals, I will get back into the groove with BJJ and Kickboxing and should get back in shape again. I can't wait. Not being able to bend over a lot and pick up any real weight is such a PIA.
Overall, I could be a lot worse and have seen people my age (53) and younger a lot worse, so no real complaints in the grand scheme of things.
Sight
Hearing
Flexibility
Endurance
Being able to get out of bed without pain.
Hell yes, all of the above.
My body's warranty expired when I turned 40, though, not 50. I got cancer, had multiple orthopedic surgeries, started having borderline kidney disease.
I don't sleep near as well as I used to, it is so much harder to keep weight off, and every morning when I get out of bed I sound like a box of Rice Krispies and it takes me 20 minutes before I can stand full upright.
I have six kids, aged 9 to 18, and they keep me young. I have friends who are my age who have grandkids, and they're settling into the whole grandparent routine.
I always ran up steps rwo at a time after 9th grade wrestling. Around 50 it became an effort. A couple more years and I needed to get a run and swing both arms to leap up on to a loading dock. A couple more and the spring was shot - leap height maybe 50%.
Sleep decay beginning in mid 60’s is the worst. Getting up to pee was never the problem. I could get back snoozing in two minutes. But would wake after 5-6 hours total and not be able to sleep more. Now in my 70’s I can’t sleep more than 1.5 to 3 hours at a stretch and need to stay awake for a couple hours to get back to sleep. Often only 4-5 hours total. About once a month I crash and get 8-9 in a couple segments. At least I’m retired and doing things at all hours does not interfere with a job.
P2Vaircrewman
04-03-20, 11:01
I am 75 and would be over joyed if I could still do what I could do at 50.
Mid 50's checking in here. I resemble the remarks in the OP.
I used to joke my work out buddy-he would say "wait 10 years" He was about that older, so true.
I am 75 and would be over joyed if I could still do what I could do at 50.
What did I eat for breakfast? Haha, yeah I think it's "normal" to forget something here and there, etc. Actually that's what I hear from doc's. The issue is if it happens way too often. I think it's more of us taking on more than one should. You could go island style-what doesn't get done today, can get done tomorrow! Not a grocery trip made without forgetting something. I joke the cashier(if you have one anymore) when they ask if I found everything-won't know until I get home and remember what I forgot-list are for sissies!
This sums it up for me.
61509
What I hate is every one older than me telling me all about what horrors and systemic failures I have to look forward to... Let me live in blissful ignorance, will ya???
The eye sight thing is particularly disappointing for me. I was hoping to dodge that bullet, but it is slowly getting worse.
The thing I hate the most is waking up with pulled muscles, joint pain, and other soreness for no reason. Didn't do anything the day before. Just walking and the normal stuff, and I wake up after a good night's sleep injured and limping, or with a sore neck or back. For NO reason! Makes me mad. Also makes me appreciate the magic of my chiropractor. That guy is a miracle worker.
Sex drive hasn't changed and I don't think it will. My grandfather was trying, unsuccessfully, to get the nurse into bed with him for "one more time before he goes" while laying in his hospital death bed at 86 years old. He was ready, willing, and able. Cruel nurse turned him down. I sat next to my 2 year old aunt at his funeral. No joke. My father's 2 year old sister. My aunt. Fathered by my grandpa at 84 years old. I'm told that I'm just like him.
Yeah, I forgot the eyesight thing. Mine isn't bad, but I so used to enjoy having perfect vision. At a glance I could tell you if the date on a dime was 1968 or 1966. Now I need readers for just about everything, my computer monitor is set for "grandpa font" and I need my scripts to drive when it's dark.
At least I was smart enough to use aviators for my prescription glasses so they would be my default shooting glasses.
The_War_Wagon
04-04-20, 07:42
I miss being ABLE to have sex... but my wife DOESN'T... so it balances out. :dirol:
Eyesight, hearing and not living with joint/back pain would be nice. I don't think I find the same joy in things that I used to. On the flip side, we are secure financially and I even have a little pocket money for toys.
Sight
Hearing
Flexibility
Endurance
Being able to get out of bed without pain.
That’s a great starter list. I’ll add memory to it, or at least instant recall of memory.
P2Vaircrewman
04-04-20, 10:44
Scuba diving was my passion, I started diving at age 13 in 1957. I made my last dives 5 years ago. What I find is that I would still like to dive but now it's just seems like too much work. If I could do it in my back yard it would be great but loading up the gear in the truck, driving X number of miles to the site, loading everything on a a boat then repeat on the way back for maybe 90 minutes underwater just isn't worth the effort anymore.
I do do more shooting now, I built a range 10 minutes from the house so when ever I feel like it I can go shoot.
You just mentally adjust to not being able to do what you could do when you were younger but it doesn't mean don't miss it.
FromMyColdDeadHand
04-04-20, 12:06
The vision thing is a 40s thing. I’m just about to break the 50 barrier and what I notice is:
-I have to read directions for assembling things
-I used to be able to break most everyday objects with my bare hands.
-I used to be warm all the time, now I can actually get cold. I have a little blankie to watch TV.
-Drinking hurts, and I sleep like crap when I do.
-Time flies. A week is like a day used to be. No project takes less than a month it seems. I’ve already put projects out to 2021 to do.
-2003 was yesterday.
- I get tired of people lying to me about things I lived through...
-starting to be one of the older guys at the range completions, that involving moving.
titsonritz
04-04-20, 15:19
Eyesight is turning to shit.
Hand strength is going.
Healing is much slower.
Can't remember the last time I slept a full night without waking up multiple times.
Short term memory is...errr. what was I saying?
Dirk Williams
04-04-20, 16:44
At 63 I'm doing well. Have a lot of metal pieces and parts, hearing, and sight are going. Just had three discs changed out, and a metal plate attached to my spine. Sex is still good, but then I do testosterone weekly, my wife runs when she sees me checking her ass out. She's 60 and still smoking hot. Lil Norwegian lady.
I hate that I spend so much time at medical appointments. And the day to day pain is a drag, like life, you just deal with it. I read everyday at least an hour to keep my mind sharp. And I build vintage motorcycles, tie flys, load bullets to keep my finger dexterity decent.
Don't know that I'd change a thing, frankly. Our lives are blessed, plenty of money, awesome friends associates. My walk with God has been decent.
I know. After 25 years in law enforcement, I find myself be frightened by some things, which never use to occur. Don't know if that's young bull, old bull stuff, or the wisdom at recognizing the difference. And I find my patience with rude people to be not so tolerant. Which is a huge change for me. I also find myself feeling remorse, and sad when I think about my brothers and sister no longer with us. May they all rest in peace.
I know I'll live into my 90s, my entire family has.
In reading all your responses, I realized a lot of my feelings aswell. Men are generally not good at sharing this kinda stuff.
Thanks for you all sharing.
DW
FromMyColdDeadHand
04-04-20, 16:45
The one super power I am getting is patience. I'm getting a it more understanding. After you have so many plans go to crap and you realize that you are nothing special, it just becomes more clear that no matter how hard I try, I can't make a dent in the stupid out there. I still try to 'educate' people, but I don't expect it to make a difference.
titsonritz
04-04-20, 17:20
The one super power I am getting is patience.
Yeah there's that, I think it's a byproduct of losing the old super powers (you have no other choice)*.
* The problem is the brain has a problem catching up with the body.
I am grateful to be 50 and still mobile. I thank God for my wife, family, friends past and present, and the absolute unbelievable luck to be born and raised and live here. The super power I miss most is, stupidly, size and strength. Of course the size and strength got me the shoulders, elbows, knee and back that keep me up at night in the first place. Love the comment about sounding like rice krispies that totally nails it.
Adrenaline_6
04-09-20, 09:44
At 63 I'm doing well. Have a lot of metal pieces and parts, hearing, and sight are going. Just had three discs changed out, and a metal plate attached to my spine. Sex is still good, but then I do testosterone weekly, my wife runs when she sees me checking her ass out. She's 60 and still smoking hot. Lil Norwegian lady.
I hate that I spend so much time at medical appointments. And the day to day pain is a drag, like life, you just deal with it. I read everyday at least an hour to keep my mind sharp. And I build vintage motorcycles, tie flys, load bullets to keep my finger dexterity decent.
Don't know that I'd change a thing, frankly. Our lives are blessed, plenty of money, awesome friends associates. My walk with God has been decent.
I know. After 25 years in law enforcement, I find myself be frightened by some things, which never use to occur. Don't know if that's young bull, old bull stuff, or the wisdom at recognizing the difference. And I find my patience with rude people to be not so tolerant. Which is a huge change for me. I also find myself feeling remorse, and sad when I think about my brothers and sister no longer with us. May they all rest in peace.
I know I'll live into my 90s, my entire family has.
In reading all your responses, I realized a lot of my feelings aswell. Men are generally not good at sharing this kinda stuff.
Thanks for you all sharing.
DW
Make sure you have your doctor check into the blood clot thing associated with taking testosterone. Wouldn't want that to happen to you and it mess up your living into your 90's plan.
Don’t really want superpowers: I’d probably hurt myself. However, I can pass along some instructions from the “guys over 50 handbook.”
-don’t let an erection go to waste;
-don’t pass up a chance to pee;
-never trust a fart.
I’ve made 73 trips around the Sun, and I know these work.
Early 60s here... Superpowers I miss?
- ability to easily drop weight if needed
- knees that did not hurt most of the time and badly if I step wrong
- waking up with my hands not hurting (how can your hands hurt after sleeping all night??)
- Having average hearing. I'm slowly going deaf, combination of genetics and noise exposure. Ironically, vision is now better (20-20, 20-15)than when I was young, but I have to use reading glasses up close. I've started trying to learn ASL, may need it someday.
Have maybe 15k dives under me :)
Taught for 15 years and fun lots more moved away from the islands in my 40s and miss the diving was also a big time free diver
Don’t dive these days from where I live but miss it reckon one day live on the water again so it’s just walk out go in fun to see other scuba folks
Scuba diving was my passion, I started diving at age 13 in 1957. I made my last dives 5 years ago. What I find is that I would still like to dive but now it's just seems like too much work. If I could do it in my back yard it would be great but loading up the gear in the truck, driving X number of miles to the site, loading everything on a a boat then repeat on the way back for maybe 90 minutes underwater just isn't worth the effort anymore.
I do do more shooting now, I built a range 10 minutes from the house so when ever I feel like it I can go shoot.
You just mentally adjust to not being able to do what you could do when you were younger but it doesn't mean don't miss it.
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