High-Performance Nutrition for Masters Athletes

Lauren Antonucci, RDN, CSSD, CDE, CDN, is the owner and director of Nutrition Energy, where she creates individualized plans that fit the lifestyle of each client, helps them develop a healthy relationship with food and their bodies, and guides them to reach their nutrition and health goals. She is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), is certified by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD), and is certified by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators as a diabetes educator (CDE). Antonucci has been running, swimming, and cycling for as long as she can remember and has completed 13 marathons (PR 3:09), three Ironman Triathlons, and countless other running and triathlon races. She is a sought-after presenter on the topic of sports nutrition and hydration, and she has presented at many professional conferences, including American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), USA Triathlon International Coaching Symposium, the Greater New York Dietetic Association (GNYDA), and many New York Road Runners (NYRR) events and New York City Marathon Expos. She has also presented to numerous collegiate athletic teams, most running and triathlon teams and clubs in New York City, and many corporate organizations. Antonucci wrote a nutrition column for Triathlete magazine for three years and wrote for New York Road Runners magazine for over a decade. She has appeared on several television programs to provide practical advice on a wide array of nutrition and health topics, and her advice has also been featured in Runner’s World, Ironmanlive.com, NYTimes.com, Diabetes Self-Management, Time Out New York, Metrosports, and many other publications. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from Binghamton University, was awarded a fellowship in nutritional biochemistry at University of California at Berkeley, and earned a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University. She lives in New York City with her husband and three children and is a proud Masters athlete.

Part I. Changing Physiology of the Masters Athlete

Chapter 1. Defining the Masters Athlete
Age is only a number. Masters athletes continue to compete and participate in sport in growing numbers. Masters athletes may be grouped according to age, but that doesn’t mean they have to slow down.

Chapter 2. Demystifying Age-Related Changes
Aging may bring wisdom, but it can also bring physiological changes that affect strength, maximal oxygen uptake, metabolism, bone health, sleep, and more.

Chapter 3. Nutritional Strategies to Manage and Prevent Disease
No diet can make you immortal, but research suggests that smart nutritional changes can help you manage and possibly prevent diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, and cancer.

Part II. Smart Fueling

Chapter 4. Nutrition Principles for Masters Athletes
We all know how to eat, right? But how are we to know how our food choices affect long-term overall health and sport performance in our ever-changing food landscape?

Chapter 5. Energizing Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate is key for energy during training or competition and for recovery. Learn to match your carbohydrate intake to your sport and goals, choose carbohydrates that fit your needs, and optimize intake for peak performance.

Chapter 6. Muscle-Building Protein
Activity and adequate protein intake keep muscles strong for healthy aging and impressive performance. Learn to time protein intake for maximum effect before, during, and after a training session or competition.

Chapter 7. Healthy Fat
Don’t be afraid. Dietary fat is a key part of a healthy diet for Masters athletes. Learn to incorporate it into your meals and snacks for optimum health.

Chapter 8. Supplements
Which supplements have scientific backing and which are a waste of money? Look past the hype to discover which supplements might be worth trying and which ones to leave behind.

Chapter 9. Fluid Needs
Eight glasses of water a day, right? Well, maybe not. Many factors influence fluid needs, including environment and activity level. Wade through the science to learn what to consume and when to consume it to keep tissues hydrated and thirst at bay.

Chapter 10. Underfueling
Tough competition and hard training can lead Masters athletes to unhealthy eating behaviors that jeopardize their health and sport goals. Early recognition and intervention are key to successful recovery from disordered eating and eating disorders.

Part III. Nutrient Timing

Chapter 11. Precompetition Fueling
Is carbohydrate loading necessary? How much fluids and protein should you take in? Learn to prepare your body for competition by feeding it what it really needs.

Chapter 12. Competition-Day Fueling
Proper fueling on the day of competition leads to better performances and happier, healthier Masters athletes at the finish line.

Chapter 13. Recovery Nutrition
After the competition, you need to feed and rehydrate your cells for proper recovery. After all, there’s always the next training session or competition to look forward to.