Our bodies constantly change as we age. When you hit your 30s, your metabolism will slow down, your testosterone levels will decline, and the risk for diseases increases. Find out how you can address those changes.

When you’re in your 20s, you feel invincible. During this life stage, it’s easier to keep weight off, your body is more attuned to physical activity, and muscles heal much faster. But when you hit your 30s, almost every aspect of your health is going to go through some changes — some more drastic than others.

To address these changes, here are the best pieces of nutrition advice for men in their 30s:

Continue exercising

If you’ve reached your 30s with a good exercise routine — whether through a belly fat weight loss program or some other type of regimen — don’t stop now. And if you don’t have an exercise routine in place, it’s not too late to start.

When you hit your 30s, your metabolism will start to slow down, your muscle mass will decrease (due to reduced testosterone), and your muscles will not heal themselves as fast as before. These changes can lead to increased fat levels, especially around the abdominal area where men tend to store excess fat, and eventual weight gain.

One of the best ways to keep the weight off is to exercise regularly with the right combination of cardio and strength training. Regular exercise can help increase testosterone levels and keep your metabolic rate elevated post-workout, which will not only help maintain a healthy weight, but will also decrease your risk of developing diseases.

Eat right

The older we are, the fewer calories we need to eat due to the changes our bodies go through. Since your metabolism is slowing down, you don’t need as much food to maintain your energy as you did when you were 23. This is especially true if you have reduced physical activity because of your job, family, or some other reason.

That said, tweaking your diet is crucial when you hit your 30s. Aside from reduced calorie intake, you also have to pay attention to what those calories are made of. Your body may not be able to convert those greasy take-outs and energy drinks as well as it used to when you were in your 20s. So instead of foods that are high in saturated fats, sodium, preservatives, and not much else, opt for whole foods that are rich in unprocessed nutrients.

However, this doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your favorite foods. You can still indulge in a bowl of ice cream or bag of chips from time to time, but with moderation as with everything else.

Moderate alcohol intake

One gram of alcohol contains 7 calories, which is almost the same as one gram of fat. If you think about it like that, alcohol is a calorie-dense substance, and that’s not counting the sugar that may come in beer and cocktails.

With this in mind, start moderating your alcohol intake as early as possible. Otherwise, the excess calories you consume from alcohol may lead to weight gain, and in some cases, android obesity where most of the fat stored is in the abdominal region.

Even if you aren’t feeling the effects of aging yet, start incorporating these changes in your lifestyle as early as possible. In this way, when your body does start manifesting age-related changes, you are already one step ahead to address them.