The pursuit of youth is one that has kept us occupied for centuries. We don’t like admitting that we’re getting older and so we want to go back to a time when we were fresher, purer, and more innocent. We’ll try almost anything to achieve this. From living a lifestyle that a nun might consider to be ‘restrictive’ to eating the blandest, additive-free foods or smearing all kinds of concoctions on our faces, there are no lengths to which our vanities won’t take us.
Liu Yelin must surely have been drinking from the fountain of eternal youth. If you had to hazard a guess how old she was after looking at her picture, it’s not unreasonable to assume that she’s somewhere in her mid-20s.
In fact, she’s 49-years-old. She has a 22-year-old son and passers-by assume that the two are a couple when they’re seen out and about!
It’s understandable because Liu looks absolutely nowhere near the age she actually is. Naturally, everyone wants to know her secret but she insists that her youthful appearance is not down to chemical intervention or living a boring life. Instead, she credits regular exercise for her line-free and fresh face. Liu has been a renowned swimmer for more than three decades and exercises with dumbbells every day of her life. The groundwork has been done, so you can’t miraculously get an appearance like hers if you start walking for an hour a day when you’re already in your 40s. But it’s clear that if you’re prepared to put the time in from an early age, the rewards will follow. Liu probably follows quite a healthy diet to maintain that lifestyle too, but she claims she indulges too.
It might be too late for some. For those who it’s not, get on the fitness train today. Look at what can be achieved!
Some people say that life begins at 40, while others dread that big birthday. There’s no doubt that life changes in your 40s, it feels like your body behaves differently and you just don’t bounce back as easily as you used to. Sometimes it creeps up on you. However, there are serious benefits to getting over the big 4-0. Practically everyone has more money in their 40s than when they were younger, and feel more stable in their lives. With that said, there are some things that you should try and do before you turn 40. Number 1 on that list is camping. If you have never pitched a tent, slept in the great outdoors, and experienced the beauty of being so close to nature then it is a must-do. Why do we suggest that you do it before you’re 40? Mostly because a younger, able body finds it much, much easier. Sometimes when you go camping, nature doesn’t play nice and you may end up soaked to the bone or scorched out of your tent at dawn.
When you’re younger, it feels like part of the fun. As you grow older, those extra hours of sleep seem necessary so you may feel grumpy and miss out on the best parts.
So how should you go about this trip? It’s up to you! You can jump in the car with your loved one and kids, even bring the dog if you want to. You are likely to have a camping spot no further than 90 minutes from wherever you live. Alternatively, you can take off to Europe, get a rail pass and plan to camp in different spots across many different countries. It helps to be prepared though - get a good, warm sleeping bag, and a waterproof tent. Make sure you have a torch as it gets very dark in nature. A map is another must-have. You can add other luxuries if you like, but if you have to carry it all in a backpack, it might get heavy. This is a great trip to do with friends as you can look back at the memories you’ve made for years to come.