5 Key Ways Your Diet Should Change as You Age

I want to thank Tricia Silverman, a registered dietitian and certified wellness coach for her recent workshop called “Active Aging Nutritional Insights” which I attended virtually. Here is a link to her website if you would like to learn more: https://www.triciasilverman.com/

The workshop reminded me that as we age our nutritional needs change and we need to change our eating habits. Below are the 5 key ways your diet should change as you age:

1. You are probably not eating enough lean protein:
   You should be eating 1-1.2 g per kg of bodyweight of lean protein daily.  For example, if you weigh 150 lbs= 68 kg.  Your daily protein intake should be between 68-81 g of protein per day. Food log for the next week looking at the protein in your food and track it.
2. You may be drinking too much alcohol:
   Canadian guidelines are:
   • 10 drinks/week for women, with no more than 2 drinks/day most days (1 drink if you are 65 or older)
   • 15 drinks/week for men, with no more than 3 drinks/day most days (2 drinks if you are 65 or older)
   Many experts are questioning if these guidelines need to be reviewed including Adam Sherk from the Canadian Institute for Substance Use who says “…these limits are too high.”.   Alcohol impacts sleep, adds empty calories to your diet and increases your risk of liver disease and many types of cancer including liver, throat, breast and bowel cancer.
3. Eating these foods positively affects your Telomeres (cellular biomarkers of aging)
   • Folate: green leafy vegetables, beans, Brussels sprouts asparagus
   • Niacin: chicken, turkey, salmon, light tuna, brown rice, peanuts
   • Vitamin A/Beta Carotene: sweet potato, spinach, pumpkin,
   • Vitamin D: sunshine, egg yolk, salmon, rainbow trout, vitamin-D fortified foods
   • Vitamin C: citrus, strawberries, red pepper, broccoli, kiwi, Brussels sprouts
   • Vitamin E: hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, spinach
4. Only eat until you are 80% full
   Japanese communities who live well the longest use this concept called Hara hachi bu which means you stop eating when you feel 80% full giving your body the chance to get the message from your brain that you have had enough food.
5. Your skin will look better if you eat these foods:
   • Vitamin C rich foods
   • Vitamin E rich foods
   • Fish and Omega-3 fats
   • Beta Carotene Rich Foods 

Vintage Fitness has launched a 4-week nutritional coaching program which complements our personal training program.  Book a call to learn more and change your eating and stick with the changes in the long term:

Book a call to for  free consultation

Good Luck!

Erin

Vintage Fitness

Vintage Fitness is an in-home personal training company in Toronto, Canada. We specialize in energizing the lives of people over 50 with exercise.