FUELLING YOUR RUNS THROUGH THE DECADES

Your body’s needs evolve as you age. These nutrition strategies from Lauren Antonucci, sports dietitian and author of High-Performance Nutrition for Masters Athletes, will more efficiently fuel your runs, while also helping to maintain muscle

mass to preserve strength and metabolism.

IN YOUR 40S

Stop running on an empty stomach.

High-carb, low-fibre foods such as bananas, toast and yoghurt before a run will boost your glucose uptake and aid performance.

Make hydration a habit.

Thirst response declines with age. In general, we need two to three litres of liquid a day, half from food and half from water. Take in an additional

350-400ml per hour of exercise.

IN YOUR 50S Bookend runs with protein:

eight to 10 grams before a run and 30-40g after a run is ideal. An egg, a serving of tofu or 240ml of Greek yoghurt will do it prerun, while two scrambled eggs with black beans and turkey

after your run will promote recovery.

IN YOUR 60S Carbs, carbs, carbs!

Within 30 minutes of ending a run, fast-absorbing carbs help restore your glycogen, promoting better subsequent workouts. Try sweet potatoes

and brown rice, or pancakes or waffles.

IN YOUR 70S AND BEYOND Fuel with a meal.

Eating something balanced 90-120 minutes before you run will

boost immune function and decrease inflammation. Try a turkey sandwich with avocado on wholegrain bread.

Have a bedtime snack! Studies show that eating foods containing slow-digesting casein protein increases metabolic rate.

Dairy is rich in casein.