Young and 'Invincible'

Herbal Deity

I'm 20, and I think I'm going through that 'invincible' phase that young men are said to go through.

I had a think about it the other day and I really can't fathom anything incredibly bad happening to me in the grand scheme of things. I don't really think about my long term health much. I don't think much about what I eat, I don't exercise a huge amount, I go out quite a lot, I drink quite a bit, I smoke when out and do drugs every now and then.

It's not the healthiest lifestyle, I know, but that never seems to bother me, apart from now and then when I sit down and think about it.

I'm wondering if anyone else is going through this phase, or went through something similar in their 20s? Do you one day just stop and think "I need to start thinking about my health"? Right now, I have a "fúck it" attitude to anything that might be bad for me in the long term, and I've no idea if this is a good thing, a bad thing, or something I'll grow out of...

Thoughts?

hobochris

I'm 24, I used to think like that way a couple years ago, I had a health scare in the past year(false alarm) which gave me some well needed perspective. I am now a little more heath conscious,I watch what I eat and drink(don't binge drink as much), If I notice something unusual I go to the doctor and get it checked.

Caoimhín

I thought like that when I was 20'ish. Now im 30 and my spine is fooked, knees are dodgy, hair is leaving, tummy ulcer and utterly neurotic. In fact, i have worked out the only part of me that is still working is my left hand.

BrianD3

Well when I was that age I ate junk non stop - battered sausages (my favourite!) most days, burgers, chips, snackboxes, loads of vinegar and salt, ice cream, chocolate, crisps, all washed down with 2-3 litres of coke per day. No exercise. But no drinking alcohol or smoking though. I only started to clean up my diet and do some exercise when I turned 25.

When my mates were 20, in terms of diet and exercise they were better than I was. But they would drink 30+ cans/pints every weekend. Most of them got that sort of drinking out of their system and now drink very moderately.

The hardest thing to cut out is probably the cigarettes. Anyone I know who smoked when they were 20, still smokes 10-15 years later.

Khannie

At 20 I drank a lot, smoked a lot, ate very badly and never worried about any of it. I think at that age you need motivation to eat well, or not drink, or not smoke if I'm honest. For me the motivation has been finding a sport that I enjoy enough to look after myself. The benefits are _unbelievable_ though. I'd say if you know how good it's possible to feel you'd never go back. At 20 and treating myself the way it sounds like you do, I can safely say I had no idea how good it was possible to feel.

But yeah....I think it's common.

I_am_Jebus

I'm 26 and while I never smoked or took drugs I think I am still in this phase.

I am single for the first time in years and basically for the last number of months I've been hitting clubs and pubs most weekends and partake in the binge drinking that goes with that.

Food wise, well I probably eat a bit too much junk mostly peanuts and sweets etc... but most of the time I eat proper healthy(ish) meals and rarely eat fast food.

I think it all depends on what's happening in your life to be honest.

When I was in relationships I drank less but ate more.

Now I drink way more, try to exercise to improve my physique to hopefully, look a bit more attractive to the ladies.

I do think about the long-term health consequences of the things I do and don't do. But I still think that 90%+ of my mentality is "ah I'll be grand 'till I am 40 then I better cop on"

I'll come back to you in 15yrs and let you know how that one went :rolleyes:

OldGoat

Just like to point out to ye youngsters that it's much easier to start looking after yer health early in life then it is to start late in life. Much much easier. If ye think it's hard to quit smoking now how much harder do ya think it's going to be in 10 or 15 years?
Take small steps in the right direction now and that will save you a whole heap of heartache (perhaps litterally).

Healthier people have better sex.

/quest for motivation.

Herbal Deity

OldGoat wrote: »

Just like to point out to ye youngsters that it's much easier to start looking after yer health early in life then it is to start late in life. Much much easier. If ye think it's hard to quit smoking now how much harder do ya think it's going to be in 10 or 15 years?
Take small steps in the right direction now and that will save you a whole heap of heartache (perhaps litterally).

Aye, I don't smoke a huge amount day to day, maybe one or two the odd time, but mainly I smoke a good bit when out. I do keep an eye on how much I'm smoking and I try to avoid slipping into a routine of smoking more often and more heavily, but I probably should try to actively lessen the amount I smoke.

Should....

amacachi

I don't think I'm invincible, I just don't really care.

Snowie

as a kid i suffered that trouble.. things i used to do... i would never do or things I have done i cringe i did them.

I think it can come in all ways for instance first car, most young men tend to drive like nut case's...

then just things of all types then some one you know get hurts and you begin to second guess your behvour in that way...

as far as health id say my teath really got messed up i used to work a kind ajob that would be on the piss 7 days a week and in work the next morning kids beach clubs that kinda thing so brushing my teath was never on the highlist at 28 its one of my biggist regrets. but its a lesson...

I just sya enjoy it because even now Im only 28 and still pretty young i find hangovers leave me nackered for longer and genrally health is important, only thing really holding me back is the fact thta im on the dole and i dont have the cash to do sports id like to do...

mickman

you were on the piss 7 nites a week and didnt wash ur teeth - jeez man you must have smelled rank

helimachoptor

Never really went through that phase after basically ending up in a fight for my life at 15, came off badly but did enough to f**k the other guy up and get away. Up until I was 22 though i was the usual young lad out on the beer (no smoking or drugs->hard pressed to take a lemsip/paracetemol!) Always got drunk but never started fights or acted the twat. Eat like a pig, used to work in Tesco so myself and a few othes would go to McDonalds and no joke spend £10 on food, Supersize big Mac meal, extra chips, extra burger, 2 choc donuts (wish they still made them ) and then stop off at the chipper and get bag of chips and a batter sausage we did this every Saturday. I'm 5'11 and from about 17-22 i was 9 stone despite eating like that every weekend and drinking, I was in the gym a good bit though and walked/cycled everywhere!

Got a car then and put on 3 stone, which beleive me was needed as I looked like a concentration camp victim. But in the last year I've really taken to getting in shape quite a bit, as i was CV wise unfit for a while.

As I get older though 27 now, I drink more moderately but obviously still have the odd mad night out. Eat pretty healthy due to the GF and her style of cooking, and the fact that i pretty much use the George for cooking everything! Pretty much have given up sweet stuff and I'm getting a lot of work done at the moment, so honestly this is probably the best i've felt in about 3-4 years.

My bro on the other hand is 21 and is a spa, always getting into fights each weekend due to being hammered, he's never really ha d aserious girlfriend but he seems to have one now and she seems to have calmed him down a bit. He's pretty immature for his age but he'll grow up eventually:rolleyes:

@ OP, you'' grow out of this phase, you'll realise there are more important things in life than getting wasted and getting into fights each weekend

L31mr0d

OldGoat wrote: »

it's much easier to start looking after yer health early in life then it is to start late in life.

If only hindsight was a drug.

Professey Chin

23 and still invinclible to an extent with me.
Never taken any drugs/smoked and am a light drinker with the exception of a bender that occours every 3 months or so but according to doc im in some of the best condition of a lot of people he sees.
That said Ive lost count how many times ive been hurt over the years but never seriously injured.You on bike vs a Tree : The tree always wins

az2wp0sye65487

25 now and I think I'm past that phase. When in late teens / early 20's I was always the one who could & would drink their own body weight on a night out. Ate some amount of crap i.e. junk food & take aways. Got a car, so drove everywhere too. Basically just grew outwards!

At the moment though I think I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in. Running & gym regularly. Hoping to do the Dub Marathon in 2010. Lost a lot of weight over the last year (and when I see pictures of how I used to look it scares me). I do still LOVE food & beer though! but I just stay away from the junk. Moderation is the key. I still have the odd beer too, a 4 or 6 pack would last me a whole weekend for example. I like to have 1 or 2 at a time, with my dinner and enjoy the taste of a good beer!

Coming up to Christmas I've 2 weeks off work, and I've decided that although I'll still be exercising, if I want a piece of cake / chocolate / packet of crisps / whatever.... I'll have it as it's Christmas!

But then back on track from January.

Caoimhín

I am really disapointed with you young lads. Ye shower of little girls what with your "oh oh i drink a whole 7 pints of beer when i go out" or "ohh oh, i ate a burger last week in one go!!)

When I were a lad we used to drink whiskey by the barrel, snort all sorts of stuff and eat from the chippers 3 times a day...

Pussies.

mickman

do you want a medal caoimhin

Pherekydes

Caoimhín wrote: »

I am really disapointed with you young lads. Ye shower of little girls what with your "oh oh i drink a whole 7 pints of beer when i go out" or "ohh oh, i ate a burger last week in one go!!)

When I were a lad we used to drink whiskey by the barrel, snort all sorts of stuff and eat from the chippers 3 times a day...

Pussies.

Haha. You're the one who posted he was falling apart at 30.

Caoimhín

Pherekydes wrote: »

Haha. You're the one who posted he was falling apart at 30.

Oh. I just made the connection. Oh...

c4cat

Herbal Deity wrote: »

I'm 20, and I think I'm going through that 'invincible' phase that young men are said to go through.

I had a think about it the other day and I really can't fathom anything incredibly bad happening to me in the grand scheme of things. I don't really think about my long term health much. I don't think much about what I eat, I don't exercise a huge amount, I go out quite a lot, I drink quite a bit, I smoke when out and do drugs every now and then.

It's not the healthiest lifestyle, I know, but that never seems to bother me, apart from now and then when I sit down and think about it.

I'm wondering if anyone else is going through this phase, or went through something similar in their 20s? Do you one day just stop and think "I need to start thinking about my health"? Right now, I have a "fúck it" attitude to anything that might be bad for me in the long term, and I've no idea if this is a good thing, a bad thing, or something I'll grow out of...

Thoughts?

You know what? life is just a game that you are playing and there is one sure bet, that is you are going to lose it. in the meantime just enjoy playing the game whilst you can............................

amacachi

Caoimhín wrote: »

I am really disapointed with you young lads. Ye shower of little girls what with your "oh oh i drink a whole 7 pints of beer when i go out" or "ohh oh, i ate a burger last week in one go!!)

When I were a lad we used to drink whiskey by the barrel, snort all sorts of stuff and eat from the chippers 3 times a day...

Pussies.

I'm taking it handy for a while because 3 weeks ago I had two bottles of vodka and was still conscious, so I'm hoping to lower my tolerance a bit.
I don't have the money to be buying enough drink to get wasted. :pac:

OldGoat

Back on track please Gentlemen. Banter in the Clubhouse if you wish.

nkay1985

I was only thinking about this exact thing today!

What got me thinking abuot it was driving to work just before midnight. I remember when I'd accelerate a lot quicker and have a quicker average speed for the same journey than I did tonight. It's not that I feel less invincible, I think I'm just growing up a bit.

But I give my health no condsideration whatsoever.

I'm 24. I eat really unhealthily and this has led to me putting on weight for the first time in my life in the last two years. Still grand by most standards but I'm about a stone heavier than I'd like to be. I only exercise once a week which really isn't enough. My job has me walking thousands of steps every day so that helps somewhat.

I've only started feeling remotely bad about this stuff in the last few months and I think I'll be like one of the earlier posters and start looking after myself a little better within the next year.

I saw the exact same thing happen with my brother who's 3 years older than me. He spent his first two or three years out of college not doing a whole lot either. I'm lucky that my natural build is taller and thinner than him and that I don't really love to eat so I probably don't have to work as hard.

Judging by almost every post so far, it seems to be a stage of life for us men!

congo_90

19 years old.
went through (still kinda am)
going through a crazy phase of excess everything except smoking which I quit last year at some point.

I drink a lot. Eat a lot but sometimes healthy.
I occasionally cycle. I sleep with as many women as I can.
I go out 3,4 maybe 5 times a week depending on how I feel and how the money looks.

I have sat back and said calm down and have just a tad with the occasional piss up now down to a week. Still. I'm posting at 5.40am.. never good!

Of course I'm only entering my prime yet I still feel i've a general mature outlook on life. anyways off to sleep with me. Morning

KevR

I'm 21 and not really sure if I went through that phase.

Never smoked or done any drugs. Didn't/don't see the point in smoking and always felt that I could enjoy myself without going near drugs. Also, smokes and drugs are expensive - there are loads of things I would rather spend my money on. And there is the fact that my old man would beat the living daylights out of me if he ever found out I took any drugs.

I do drink a fair bit when I go out or am at football. Some weeks I could go out a couple of nights during the week and then head over to England for football at the weekend. Other weeks I might not go out at all or go to any football. I think I know my limit fairly well when it comes to drink - I've never been in such a state where my mates have had to carry me home or I have been kicked out of a pub/nightclub. Got sick a few times from drink but that's about the worst of it.

My diet wouldn't have been the best up until a year and a half ago. I was eating too much junk food with no nourishment whatsoever in it which meant I was a bit too skinny, felt tired a lot of the time and my mood wasn't great sometimes. Joined the gym and decided to gain a bit of weight by eating better food - I'm very happy with my weight now, feel a lot more energetic and my mood has improved a lot aswell.