Written by Dawn Rhys, Certified Functional Nutritionist
Staying in performance shape as we age becomes a bigger and bigger challenge. Today I want to share with you three ways you can retain and increase muscle while still maintaining a long and lean dancer body.
- Increase protein – Our needs increase as we age because our bodies do not respond the same as it did in our 20’s. Most of us consume our highest amount of protein late in the day and this should be reversed. Start your day with your highest levels of protein to stimulate muscle building and recovery and taper off as the day goes on. Most of the protein consumed at night cannot be utilized and is a waste of calories.
- The Type and quality of your protein is important – Research shows that soy protein vs whey or beef protein is less effective in stimulating muscle building. Even though soy is a complete protein (has the same amino acid make up as meat) it seems as though it is processed differently in the body. Mainly, the protein in soy is digested slower resulting in less of an increase in amino acid levels in the blood and thus decreased stimulation of muscle protein synthesis. Very careful nutrition planning is necessary if you are an older dancer who adheres to a vegetarian or vegan diet.
- Collagen and Creatine Supplements – Before beginning your workouts, rehearsals and performances, try adding a combination of creatine and collagen powder to your protein, hydration formula or pre-workout drink. Muscles store phosphocreatine and it is a substrate that can quickly and easily be used to provide energy for activity lasting only 5-15 seconds. It is an anabolic stimulant, meaning the higher storage of creatine results in increased muscle protein synthesis and recovery. The theory is that the more creatine in the muscle, the harder you can train, thus getting a better workout while getting a larger response of muscle strength and recovery. Research shows that proper dietary strategies + weight training + creatine supplementation can result in additional muscle building, increased strength and also an increase in functional movement in older adults.
As we age, nutrition has an essential role to play in our health and wellbeing. Food can help fuel our bodies, keep our muscles strong, maintain our functionality, decrease our risk of chronic medical conditions, and overall help us age gracefully and continue doing the thing we love the most, DANCING!
For more information about how you can keep your body healthy as you age, speak with a certified Functional Nutritionist today.