Charli Hodgson, ADINJC General Council

Introduction

Have you ever noticed that you reach a certain point in life where everything suddenly feels like hard work?

Not the dramatic, life-changing stuff mind you, I’m talking about the simple things.
Drinking enough water each day
Feeling energised when you wake up in the morning
Actually being ready to grab the day by the horns instead of hitting snooze four times and having the usual internal debate about whether coffee counts as breakfast

Then there are the bigger things. Adulting. Regulating emotions. Understanding why you’re suddenly annoyed about things that wouldn’t have bothered you ten years ago.

And have you noticed something else?

Your friends, colleagues, and family members all seem to be saying the same thing:

  • “I’m exhausted”
  • “I don’t know how you do it”
  • “I need a holiday”

Meanwhile, you’re sitting there thinking…
Neither do I.

How Our Bodies Change Over Time

As I left my twenties and stepped into my thirties, I naively thought:

“Nothing will change. Age is just a number.”

Well… that illusion didn’t last long.

In my mind, I was still the same person who could jump out of bed at 5:00 am, take the dog for an hour walk, smash through a full work day, and still have enough energy left for a two-hour gym session in the evening.

Reality had other ideas. By the time I hit 32, my body and brain simply didn’t function in the same way they did at 22. Shocking, I know. I can practically hear the collective eye roll but the truth is, you don’t realise how much changes until it happens to you. You assume you’ll always be able to do the things you’ve always done.

Until suddenly… you can’t.

When Your Body Stops Playing Ball

Being active has always been a big part of my daily routine, and nutrition has always been something I’ve paid attention to.

But over time, I’ve started noticing something strange. The workouts I was doing weren’t producing the same results. The foods I was eating weren’t making me feel the same way. Something had shifted.

For years I followed the typical “little and often” eating approach — food every two hours, high protein, lots of supplements, protein powders, and quick convenience foods.

Eventually I decided to experiment a little.

Instead of eating every two hours, I stretched that to every four hours. I also started reducing processed foods and relying less on protein powders.

At first it felt strange, but after a couple of weeks something interesting happened.

I started to feel… better.

You know that internal “clean” feeling you sometimes get after a detox? Like your body has finally remembered how to do the jobs it was designed to do?

That.

Listening to Your Body (Instead of Fighting It)

One thing I’ve realised as I’ve got older is how important it is to actually listen to your body. If it wants carbs, it will tell you.

Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have entertained the idea of stepping “off plan” and demolishing a big plate of pasta. That was strictly forbidden territory.

Now? If my body asks for it, I listen. Because more often than not, there’s a reason.

There’s also a lot more information available now than there used to be. We understand far more about food intolerances, inflammation, and how our bodies change over time.

As I edge closer to my forties, this is something I’m definitely experiencing.

Bread and very sugary or salty foods don’t agree with me anymore. My body feels like it rejects them. My stomach bloats and oddly enough, my skin becomes sensitive to touch, almost like the feeling of mild sunburn.

And yet… Sometimes I’ll see a baguette that looks and smells incredible.

In those moments I completely forget about the bloating, the stomach pain, and the sensitive skin… and proceed to eat the entire thing anyway.

I never learn.

The Positives of Getting Older

The good news? I actually feel better now than I did in my early twenties.

That might sound strange, but it’s true.

The difference is that it requires more awareness. More maintenance. A bit more care.

I now think about things like:

  • Joint mobility
  • Stretching
  • Recovery
  • Sleep
  • Nutrition quality

Because, like it or not, I’m not 20 anymore.

Why This Matters for Driving Instructors

If you’re a driving instructor, you can probably relate to a lot of this.

Your job involves:

  • Sitting for long periods
  • Managing other people’s stress and emotions
  • Staying mentally alert all day
  • Working irregular hours
  • Carrying the pressure of responsibility for learner drivers

It’s not just physically tiring, it’s mentally exhausting.

And when your energy levels dip, everything becomes harder.

Patience becomes thinner. Focus becomes more difficult. Even the simplest lessons can feel like a marathon.

Looking after your health isn’t just about fitness or appearance. It’s about being able to show up at your best for every lesson.

Staying hydrated, eating properly, stretching between lessons, and listening to what your body needs can make a huge difference to how you feel at the end of a long teaching day.

Because when you’re spending hours helping nervous learners navigate roundabouts and clutch control, the last thing you want is your own body working against you.

The Ongoing Learning Curve

The biggest lesson I’ve learned through all of this is simple:

Your body changes……… and that’s okay.

The key is paying attention. Understanding what works for you now, not what worked ten years ago, and giving yourself permission to adapt. Even if that occasionally involves eating an entire baguette and dealing with the consequences later.

After all… we’re only human.

Charli Hodgson
ADINJC General Council

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