Eating for the Body You Want to Keep

Eating for the Body You Want to Keep: Ageing With Resilience

When we talk about nutrition, the conversation has a habit of drifting towards weight.

Eat this to lose weight. Avoid that because it is fattening. Count this, restrict that, cut something else out altogether.

But as we get older, perhaps we need to start asking a different question:

What does my body need if I want it to keep working well for the next 20, 30 or 40 years?

Nutrition is an important part of ageing with resilience because our bodies need the raw materials to maintain muscle, support our bones, recover from activity and provide enough energy to actually live an active life.

One of the biggest considerations is protein

We naturally become more vulnerable to losing muscle mass and strength as we age. This process, known as sarcopenia when it becomes significant, can eventually affect everything from climbing stairs and carrying shopping to balance and independence. The British Dietetic Association advises that getting enough protein, alongside resistance exercise, becomes particularly important for maintaining muscle as we get older.

That doesn’t mean you need to live on protein shakes! Really, it is better to eat whole foods and see protein added ultra-processed products as a back up plan on tricky days.

Fish, eggs, yoghurt, cottage cheese, beans, lentils, tofu, meat, nuts and other everyday foods can all contribute. Rather than worrying obsessively about numbers, a useful starting point is simply looking at your meals and asking, where is my protein? The BDA recommends including a source of protein with each meal for older adults.

Then there are our bones

Calcium, vitamin D and protein all play important roles in maintaining healthy bones and muscles. This becomes increasingly relevant as we age, particularly for people at increased risk of osteoporosis. Dairy products, fortified alternatives and other calcium rich foods can contribute towards calcium intake, while vitamin D deserves particular attention in the UK due to having less sunshine than other countries. Except maybe for this summer!

But resilience isn’t built from one nutrient.

Fruit and vegetables provide fibre, vitamins and minerals. Wholegrain carbohydrates, potatoes, rice and other starchy foods provide useful energy, particularly if you are active. Healthy fats have their place too. A varied diet is far more useful than continually searching for the latest food we’re apparently supposed to eliminate.

And don’t forget something incredibly simple: drink enough.

Our awareness of thirst can become less reliable as we get older, making hydration something we may need to be a little more conscious of.

Most importantly, ageing well isn’t about eating less and less.

Food is fuel

If you want to walk, lift weights, garden, travel, play with grandchildren, practise a sport, go dancing or simply remain capable of doing your own shopping and carrying it into the house, your body needs enough energy and nutrients to do those things.

There is something wonderfully rebellious about changing the goal from How little can I eat? to How well can I nourish this body? And thinking, How strong can I be? Rather than How Skinny can I get? In an increasingly image obsessed world… be rebellious.

At Astral Fitness, I talk a lot about movement, strength and keeping your body capable. Nutrition belongs in that conversation too.

You don’t need a perfect diet. You don’t need an expensive cupboard full of supplements and you certainly don’t need to fear food.

Eat a good variety. Prioritise protein. Look after your bones. Drink enough. Enjoy your food.

Then give that well fed body plenty of reasons to stay strong

I offer Personal Training tailored to exactly where you are now, and if you feel there is a bigger issue at play that needs resolution before you embark on a regular exercise regime, then why not book in for a massage instead? Head over to www.astralfitness.co.uk to book a massage, or email me [email protected] to enquire about Personal Training.

Thank you for reading this weeks blog, Eating for the Body You Want to Keep.

Thanks for reading,
Chloe