In Your 30's

Pros: You're still relatively young, and your muscles are still in pretty good shape. You're probably being kept busy with work and/or children. Thanks to increased maturity, you're taking better care of yourself and you're likely to have found what works for you when it comes to fitness routines and diet. You're at your sexual peak, which can add some nice passionate energy to your life.

Cons: If you're a mom, the changes that happen to your body following the birth of your children will be your primary challenge. The metabolism starts slowing down in your 30's so the fitness tricks that worked for you in your 20's may not be as effective now, plus, added family responsibilities can get in the way of "you time," which is vital to your mental and physical health.

What to Do: Help yourself get back into shape after childbirth by doing a gentle routine that focuses on regaining your core strength and conditioning your pelvic floor muscles. As your little one grows, you can turn your attention to losing some of that baby weight. Just remember to keep the metabolism burning. Play with your kids or take the dog on nice long walks. Always providing for the needs of others and ignoring your own needs isn't beneficial to your health. You may end up overeating to dull your emotions or becoming sedentary from depression. Always take some time out to pamper and enjoy yourself with activities you love.

Your 40's

Pros: The 40's tend to be the decade of gaining real self-confidence and comfort in your skin. This contributes to your fitness because as you learn what works for you, you can put it to use in ways that work for your body type and needs. Family-wise, the picture varies. Women these days are having children at widely disparate ages, so at 45 you may have a young school-age child to run after, while your friend of the same age may be facing empty nest syndrome as her kids leave home.

Cons: Your muscles are on the wane, so you may start to notice the dreaded "sag" if you haven't already. You may not have quite as much energy and flexibility as you did a few years ago, and realizing this might get you down.