Age Ain't Nothing but a Number:
Sport Nutrition Tips for Older Athletes; Nutrition
by Nancy Clark
One hundred years ago, life expectancy was 42 years. Today,
most of us will live twice as long. As we age we acquire not only wrinkles and gray hair,
but also wisdom, an appreciation for our mortality and desire to protect our good health.
If you are an older athlete, you also desire to remain competitive and may wonder if your
sports nutrition needs differ from those of younger athletes.
To date, research suggests older athletes do not have
significantly different nutritional needs besides optimizing their sports diets so they'll
have every possible edge over younger competitors. Their biggest nutrition concern should
be to routinely eat quality calories from nutrient-dense, health-protective foods that
support top performance, enhance recovery from hard workouts and reduce the risk of heart
disease, cancer, osteoporosis and other debilitating diseases.
The following tips can help older (and aging) athletes
create a winning food plan that's appropriate for every sport, including the sport Of
living life to its fullest! Don't end up like Mickey Mantle, who once said, "If I'd
known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself."
Carbohydrates
Focus your meals on wholesome carbs. For example,
multi-grain bagels, rye crackers, brown rice and oatmeal fuel muscles and protect against
cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Carb-rich bananas, orange juice, yogurt and/or
smoothies also do the job. If you recover slowly from workouts, remember immediate,
post-exercise refueling optimizes recovery.
Protein
As people age, their protein needs increase slightly--but
not enough to require a separate protein recommendation for older athletes. Just don't
skimp on protein-rich foods. Be sure to include protein in at least two meals per day to
build, repair and protect your muscles. Peanut butter on toast, a turkey sandwich using
multi-grain bread or spaghetti with meat sauce will do the job.
Red meat, reputed to be bad for heart health, can actually
be a welcome addition to a sports diet as long as it is lean. In fact, beef's cholesterol
content is similar to that of chicken and fish. Lean beef offers not only protein but also
iron, zinc, B-vitamins and other nutrients important for athletes. Protein-rich fish
(e.g., salmon, swordfish, tuna and other oily fishes) also offer health-protective fats
that reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and the discomfort of rheumatoid arthritis.
Target on consuming 12 ounces offish per week (i.e., two to three servings).
If you prefer a vegetarian diet, enjoy generous amounts of
beans, nuts and soy. Consuming a protein-rich plant food at each meal can supply adequate
protein. For example, enjoy chopped walnuts in oatmeal, hummus in a pita pocket of tofu in
a stir-fry.
Fat
Certain plant and fish oils have a health-protective,
anti-inflammatory effect. Since diseases of aging, such as heart disease and diabetes, are
thought to be triggered by inflammation, consuming plant and fish oils that reduce
inflammation is wise. For example, people who eat peanut butter five of more times per
week reduce their risk of heart disease by 50 percent. Enjoy a little healthy fat at each
meal--slivered almonds on granola, trail mix with nuts for snacks, fish with dinner or a
sprinkling of olive oil on salads. Fat not only abates hunger and satiates, but also is an
important endurance exercise fuel.
Calcium
Although your bones have stopped growing, they need to be
kept strong with resistance exercise and daily calcium. This advice applies to men (who
plan to live beyond 70 years) as well as women. By including a calcium-rich food at each
meal (including soy of lactose-free milk products), you'll invest in bone health. This
could easily be milk on cereal, yogurt with lunch and a latte for a snack. Since having
strong muscles is also essential, do strengthening exercises, such as lifting weights, at
least twice a week.
Fiber
Eat enough fiber-rich foods to have regular bowel
movements; this not only enhances sports performance comfort but also invests in good
health. The fiber in oatmeal, for example, reduces cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
Foods richest in fiber include bran cereal, bran breads and whole grains, while fruits and
vegetables are second best.
Vitamins
Colorful fruits and vegetables are the best all-natural
vitamin sources, By eating a rainbow of foods (e.g., blueberries, orange carrots, red
tomatoes, green beans, etc.), you consume not only lots of vitamin C, potassium and folic
acid for heart health and blood pressure control, but also numerous phytochemicals
considered cancer protective. While there's no harm in taking a multi-vitamin pill for
health insurance, it is best to have at least a generous amount of fruit at breakfast
(e.g., banana on cereal and eight ounces OJ) and a pile of colorful veggies at lunch
and/or dinner (e.g., big salad or lots of broccoli). Also, keep exercising: the more you
exercise, the more you eat--and the more vitamins you consume.
The body responds to extra exercise by producing extra
antioxidants. The body also responds with a larger appetite. The trick is to eat more
vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables than cookies and desserts. These wholesome foods offer
compounds that work synergistically and more powerfully than vitamin supplements.
Antioxidant vitamin supplements, such as C and E, are popular among older athletes, but
research has yet to support the benefits of this supplementation. The 2003 American
College of Sports Medicine meeting revealed the latest research didn't find any benefits
in vitamin C or E with regard to muscle recovery.
Fluids
The older you get, the less sensitive your thirst mechanism
becomes. In other words, you may need fluids but not feel thirsty. To reduce the risk of
chronic hypohydration, drink enough so that you urinate every three to four hours. Urine
should be a light color--not dark and concentrated. You are also not limited to drinking
plain water--the water in fruit, yogurt, salads, soups as well as coffee and tea counts
toward your fluid requirement.
Weight
Even elite older athletes gain a little weight with age.
Non-elite folks have been known to gain a lot! Staying active -- and eating quality
calories that invest in staying healthy enough to keep active -- is your best
weight--management technique.
The Bottom Line
Eat wisely, drink plenty of fluids, exercise regularly,
lift weights, refuel immediately and enjoy feeling young. Let wholesome food and enjoyable
exercise be thy winning edge!
Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., nutrition
counselor at SportsMedicine Associates in Brookline, Massachusetts, is author of the new
third edition of her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook, available at www.nancyclarkrd.com or by sending $23 to Sports
Nutrition Services, 830 Boylston St. #205, Brookline, MA 02467.
Copyright 2004 Gale Group, Inc. ASAP
Copyright 2004 Aerobics and Fitness Association of America American Fitness March 1, 2004 |
