Nutrition After 50: Eating to Support Strength, Recovery and Adventure

Exercise gets most of the attention when we talk about fitness.

But training is only part of the equation.

If you want to build strength, recover from exercise and remain physically capable as you get older, what you eat matters too.

The good news is that nutrition doesn't need to be complicated.

Protein becomes particularly important

Protein provides the amino acids your body needs to maintain and repair tissues, including skeletal muscle.

As we age, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important because muscle mass and strength are associated with physical function and independence.

That doesn't mean you need to start drinking protein shakes all day.

It means paying attention to getting enough protein from foods such as:

• Eggs

• Fish

• Chicken

• Lean meat

• Greek yoghurt

• Milk

• Cottage cheese

• Beans

• Lentils

• Tofu

• Other soya products

For people who exercise regularly, spreading protein intake across meals can be a practical approach.

Don't forget carbohydrates

Carbohydrates sometimes get a bad reputation.

But if you're training for an adventure challenge, hiking several hours or doing regular endurance exercise, carbohydrates are an important source of energy.

Foods such as:

• Oats

• Potatoes

• Rice

• Wholegrain bread

• Pasta

• Fruit

• Beans

• Wholegrain cereals

can provide useful carbohydrate alongside fibre and other nutrients.

For someone preparing for a long-distance trek, chronically under-fuelling can make training harder and recovery poorer.

Healthy fats have a place too

Fats are an important source of energy and help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

Good options include:

• Nuts

• Seeds

• Olive oil

• Avocado

• Oily fish

A generally balanced diet is more important than obsessing over individual foods.

What about vitamins and minerals?

A varied diet provides many of the vitamins and minerals required for normal health.

For older adults, nutrition and hydration can become particularly important because appetite, thirst and dietary intake may change with age.

The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) recommends individualised approaches to nutrition and hydration in older people and highlights the importance of maintaining adequate nutritional status. 

Hydration matters

You don't need to carry a huge bottle everywhere you go.

But dehydration can become a problem, particularly during prolonged exercise, hot weather or activities where fluid isn't readily available.

For longer adventures, practise your hydration strategy during training rather than waiting until event day.

Think about:

• How much you normally drink

• The weather

• Exercise duration

• Sweat rate

• Access to water

• Whether electrolytes are appropriate

The ESPEN guideline specifically highlights older people as potentially being at risk of low-intake dehydration and recommends encouraging adequate fluid intake. 

Nutrition and strength training work together

Think of strength training as the stimulus.

Nutrition and recovery provide some of the resources required to adapt.

If you're consistently training hard while eating too little, recovery may suffer.

This is particularly relevant for people who want to lose weight while simultaneously maintaining muscle.

A sensible approach is generally better than aggressive dieting.

For people with osteoarthritis who are living with overweight or obesity, NICE recommends discussing weight management because weight loss can improve quality of life, physical function and pain. 

But the objective shouldn't simply be to make the number on the scales smaller.

For an active person over 50, the goal may be better described as:

maintaining muscle, improving fitness and achieving a healthy body composition while fuelling activity adequately.

What might a simple day look like?

There is no single perfect menu, but a straightforward pattern might look like:

Breakfast: Porridge with milk, Greek yoghurt, berries and nuts.

Lunch: Wholegrain bread or a baked potato with eggs, tuna, chicken or beans, plus vegetables.

Snack: Fruit and yoghurt.

Dinner: Fish, lean meat, tofu or beans with potatoes, rice or wholegrain pasta and plenty of vegetables.

After training: A normal balanced meal or snack containing protein and carbohydrate.

This is much less complicated than many social-media nutrition programmes make it sound.

Don't chase supplements before fixing the basics

Supplements can have a role in certain circumstances, particularly where someone has a diagnosed deficiency or has specific dietary requirements.

But they shouldn't distract from the fundamentals:

Eat enough.

Eat enough protein.

Eat a wide variety of foods.

Eat plenty of plants.

Stay hydrated.

Fuel your training.

Recover properly.

And if you have kidney disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal disease, are taking medication or have specific nutritional requirements, speak with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making major dietary changes.

References

1. Volkert D, Beck AM, Cederholm T, et al. ESPEN practical guideline: Clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics. Clinical Nutrition. 2022;41:958–989. 

2. Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Bahat G, Bauer J, et al. Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age and Ageing. 2019.

3. Deutz NEP, Bauer JM, Barazzoni R, et al. Protein intake and exercise for optimal muscle function with aging: recommendations from the ESPEN Expert Group. Clinical Nutrition. 2014.

4. World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. 2020. WHO Guidelines

5. NICE. Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (NG226). 2022.