Sports Nutrition Advice
for the Older Athlete
by Lynn Paulow

Every day I watch many older athletes or exercisers work religiously through their workouts. It is so commendable to see their commitment to exercise.

Just recently I came across an article that had some good information about the nutritional needs for the older exerciser. Nancy Clark, a reputable nutrition counselor, has these thoughts about how the needs of an older athlete's needs differ from those of younger athletes.

One hundred years ago, life expectancy was 42 years. Today, many of us will live twice as long. Our goal is to protect our good health, and one of the biggest nutrition concerns should be to eat quality calories from nutrient-dense and health-protective foods. These foods 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!

CARBOHYDRATES -- The focus should be on wholesome carbohydrates. These would be multi-grain bagels, rye crackers, brown rice and oatmeal. 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 recommendations 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 is also 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 (example: salmon, swordfish, tuna or other oily fishes) also offer health-protective fats that reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and the discomfort of rheumatoid arthritis. Two to three servings are recommended per week.
If you prefer a vegetarian diet, eat lots of beans, nuts and soy. Add chopped walnuts in oatmeal, hummus in a pita pocket or tofu in a stir-fry.

FAT -- People who eat peanut butter five or more times a week reduce their risk of heart disease by about 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 is satiating, and 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 applies to both men and women. Try to include a calcium-rich food at each meal. This could 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 sport performance 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 (blueberries, carrots, tomatoes, green beans) 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. Think banana on cereal for breakfast and a pile of veggies at lunch or dinner!
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 dehydration, drink enough so that you urinate every three hours or so. Urine should be a light color. You are not limited to drinking plain water- the water in fruit, yogurt, salads and soups as coffee and tea counts toward your fluid requirement.

WEIGHT -- Even elite older athletes gain a little weight with age. Staying active- and eating quality calories that invest in staying healthy enough to keep active- is your best weight-management technique.
Nancy Clark sums it up like this: Eat wisely, drink plenty of fluids, enjoy exercise regularly, lift weights, refuel immediately after exercise and enjoy feeling young!

Lynn Paulow is a personal trainer and fitness instructor at the Sports Core in Kohler with more than 30 years of fitness experience. Before engaging in any exercise and/or diet program, consult with your doctor. The materials and comments discussed in this article are to be considered general information only and may not apply to your particular health situation. Send questions to Sports Core, 100 Willow Creek Drive, Kohler, Wisconsin 53044 or Sports. Core@DestinationKohler.com. Copyright 2006 The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI) All Rights Reserved The Sheboygan (Wisconsin) October 18, 2006