Weight Loss For Golfers
The golf season is now well underway, and most golfers will be looking to their swing to see improvements this year. But what I’ve found, is that eating and drinking right and getting in shape is a very overlooked way to cut strokes from your game and feel better all round.
The benefits of being lighter on your toes are clear;
• Improve concentration
• Less fatigue through the round
• Improved blood sugar regulation
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower cholesterol
• Less joint pain
• Less inflammation
• Live longer (maybe long enough to see your handicap come down)
If this doesn’t boost your score (which it should), it will certainly boost the rest of your life. So, what are some of the important considerations to keep in mind specifically for golfers losing weight?
Energy
In order to lose weight, we have to find a way of cutting energy in our body. This usually comes in the form of exercise (to increase energy burned), or diet (to decrease energy in). Out of the two, diet has been shown scientifically to have the biggest effect, but the combination of diet and exercise is more powerful.
The issue golfers have is that we need to have good energy levels during our play. So, how to we create an energy deficit (in order to lose weight) while still performing well?
During the Round
The answer to this is to eat just enough food during the round of golf to cover 75% of the energy lost. For example, if you burn 1200 calories during a round of golf (this is a typical amount for someone walking), try to eat around 900 calories (75%) during the round. This could be 3 cereal bars, or 150 grams of nuts, for example.
The body will use the fuel you supply it, and also will burn some body fat at the same time to cover that 25% deficit. If you spread this food out evenly during the round of golf, your body will also better handle that energy.
After the Round
After your golf, eat just less than enough food to cover your metabolic rate. For example, an average sized male may need 2500 calories in a day to maintain their weight, so eating around 2000 calories (as well as the small calorie deficit created during the round) should produce a nice sustainable weight loss, without hindering your golfing performance.
Notes
• During weight loss, cover 75% of the caloric needs of the round – around about 700-1000 calories per round
• Try to eat lighter around the rounds of golf. Aim to eat about 500 calories less than you need to maintain your weight each day.
Fuel4Golfoffers nutritional strategies specifically for golfers. Our online courses can help you gain muscle, lose weight or perform better on the course. We also give you meal plans so everything is worked out for you. Check us out at www.Fuel4Golf.com for more information.
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