This is something I’ve been wondering. And the older I’ve gotten, the more it feels like I need to eat to recover even from cardio, let alone weight training. When I was young, recovery from medium-intensity cardio didn’t seem to require any extra caloric intake.
As you get older it take longer to recover. I noticed this the first time around 35 and now at 51 it take even longer to recover. I also notice that real food feels a lot better compared to when I was younger, especially benefitable for me have been to eat more meat which make it possible for me to not to eat directly after training. In general I read that the digestion gets worse the older you are and you need to provide more high quality food ie no pop tarts.
Any recovery takes more time as you get older. Heck, if I exert myself I don't even feel the damage the next day like when I was young. It hurts on the day after the next.
Not sure about food though. I don't feel any different.
