Powerlifting over 70 ……”ain’t for sissies”
( Part 1 – Nutrition).
For Powerlifters over 70 the will to train and the concern for injury or illness certainly are prominent thoughts in our lives. A cold gym doesn’t help either!!
Some of us have been Powerlifting or Strength training our entire lives….while others…have got the bug later in life. Often when we look in the mirror at what has become of our once lithe and supple bodies. The “creaks” we hear are disconcerting and sometimes even embarrassing in public. We are worried about energy levels and strength. We have concern over the acquired damage to our skeletal system and internal body organs. To our credit we understand that adopting a sedentary lifestyle is not only dangerous but out of the question. Here are some strategies to help deal with theses issues based on “real world” experience.
Nutrition: Yes it comes first!!
If your like most of us arthritic pain is a daily issue, Low energy levels haunt us, and a host of other aches and pains and bodily malfunctions are served up every day. It’s no wonder we might have trouble getting excited about a visit to the Gym. Well, if our fuel for these workouts is of poor quality it’s kind of like running a car on Kerosene instead of High Octane Gasoline. Additionally if our fuel (food) is poisoning us and further contributing to our various maladies, it just compounds our difficulty with our aging health. So what is the number one offender here? ….Anything that causes Inflammation. Inflammatory processes in the human body are responsible for a plethora of ills…
- A wide array of health problems, including but not limited to chronic pain, obesity, ADD/ADHD, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, migraines, thyroid issues, dental issues, and cancer are all rooted in inflammation, which must be properly addressed if you wish to be healed
- The majority of inflammatory diseases start in the gut with an autoimmune reaction which progresses into systemic inflammation. To truly be effective at managing or hopefully overcome a disease it needs to be addressed on all levels
- When the intestinal lining is repeatedly damaged due to reoccurring leaky gut syndrome, damaged cells called microvilli become unable to do their job properly. They become unable to process and utilize the nutrients and enzymes that are vital to proper digestion. Eventually, digestion is impaired and absorption of nutrients is negatively affected. As more exposure occurs, your body initiates an attack on these foreign invaders. It responds with inflammation, allergic reactions, and other symptoms we relate to a variety of diseases (1)
The trick here is to first recognize the source of our problems and second to implement a strategy that is not just a solution for Seniors, but to everyone eating todays adulterated foods and complaining of various bodily ills. Let’s do something about it!…We are not young and invincible anymore…Let’s use our “Senior Wisdom” a bit here and take charge of our lives to the point we can maintain a healthy lifestyle well into 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and even 100’s !!
- Foods with high amounts of sugar or starch
- Lectins ( some variance here according to personal sensitivity)
- Milk and non-organic Dairy Products
- Processed foods
- Trans fats / refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils
- Unfermented soy products, including soy milk and tofu
- Carbonated beverages and fruit juices
- Fruits with high amounts of fructose
- High amounts of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats
- Meat or products from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)
Foods to Eat
Protein
- Grass fed Organic Meat and poultry
- Organic Pastured Eggs
- Safe fish (Wild Caught)
- Raw Organic Dairy
Healthful Fats and Veggies
- Healthy Fats -Coconut Oils, Grass-fed Butter, Avocados, Olive Oil, Butter & Raw Nuts-Raw Organic Vegetables
Fruits
- Consume Fruit in Moderation.
- Limit Fructose to 25g per day, including 15 grams from whole fruit.
Grains and Sugars (here comes the bad news!)
- Minimal to NO consumption
- Includes Complex Carbs such as: Bread, Pasta, Cereal, Potatoes, Corn, Rice and Grain Products.
By conforming to these guidelines one can expect to drastically reduce your chances of acquiring diseases of Aging like Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Liver Disease, Metabolic disease, Heart Disease, and the list goes on .. certainly we need to give ourselves a reasonable chance to be healthy enough to engage in Strength Sports. If my health suffers, my lifting goes to S…@#$%T. I have now completely eliminated all major medicines with the notable exception of Levothyroxine for my thyroid. You can see my total intake each day here: Courtney Intake
My ability to recover from two major Orthopedic surgeries was significantly enhanced by implementing “mindful” strategies such as Lectin Avoidance (Inflammatory foods) and Ketogenic awareness. I am not 100% perfect in this pursuit but I have implemented a personal plan that works for me. I ingest more carbs on training days and continue to eat Tomatoes for their Lycopene (Think Prostate). But again I am constantly experimenting with Carbs and Protein…I do not though, consume refined sugars of any kind, or eat any processed foods. I am now also trying very hard to overcome the hormonal pull of Ghrelin (Hormone) and avoid eating late at night.
End Part 1 – Part 2 will focus on Training
Author: Courtney Stanley