Eating Like You're Still 30: Nutrition Mistakes Masters Athletes Make, With Taryn Richardson

Most masters athletes are still eating the way they did at 30. The training has changed, the body has changed but the nutrition hasn’t. And that gap is quietly costing them muscle, recovery, bone density and performance.

Taryn Richardson is an advanced sports dietitian based in Brisbane who spent six years as the sports dietitian for Triathlon Australia, working with elite and para-triathlon athletes all the way to Olympic level. She also runs a private practice and hosts the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast. She has been working with triathletes for two decades and has seen pretty much everything. This conversation is specifically focused on masters athletes, the physiological changes that drive different nutritional needs after 50, and what to actually do about it.

IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER:

Why nutritional requirements start changing in your 30s, not your 50s, and why laying groundwork early matters

Protein as the non-negotiable foundation for masters athletes, how much you actually need, and why most are not getting close

The barbecue study and what it reveals about protein timing and muscle protein synthesis

Plant-based athletes and what to watch out for when animal protein sources are removed

The male and female differences in nutritional needs as we age, including calcium, vitamin D and the hormonal changes that drive them

The tension between body composition goals and performance fuelling, and why lighter does not mean faster

Recovery nutrition and why getting the bookends of training right is the highest leverage move most athletes are not making

Gut health, fibre, fermented foods, and why 70% of your immune system lives in your gut

A practical habit stacking action plan to change one thing at a time without getting overwhelmed