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Techniques/Strategies for Optimal Health/Fitness
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barb@optimallifestylesinc.com
Fuel Your Golf Machine for Performance
During this time of New Year’s Resolutions about dieting, exercise and getting your golf game in shape, remember to fuel your golf machine – your body, that is. It is not like a car: when it’s not running well, you can’t turn it in for a new one. Often, we take better care of our cars than our bodies! As golfers, we need to learn to eat well to handle “game” stress and to get the proper nutrition for our active lifestyles.
As we talk about fueling for performance, where do we start? It takes time management and good planning to fuel well and responsibly. The best energy booster is breakfast. If you’re playing a round of golf, definitely start with a full tank. Breakfast improves the overall quality of a diet, prevents the need for sugar fixes and enhances performance.
Make sure you get adequate carbohydrates and proteins when you fuel. We need carbohydrates to fuel our muscles and protein to build them. Choose whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and low fat dairy/calcium rich foods – and yes, a little bit of healthy fat – on a daily basis. Take in enough fluids to prevent dehydration and drink before you get thirsty. If you eat healthier, you will have more energy and perform better on the course. In addition, weight management becomes easier.
Examples of good whole grain choices are wheat, rice, oats and corn. Good fruit choices include oranges, grapefruit, melons, bananas, strawberries and kiwi. Vegetables that hit the target are broccoli, spinach, carrots, peppers, tomatoes and squash. In addition to starting with a good breakfast, it helps to fuel during the active part of the day. It is not true that more is better. Quality, not quantity, is what works best for performance.
Here are some tips for better energy: Eat before you get hungry. Don’t let yourself get too hungry because you are more likely to get careless about what you eat and treat yourself for having a hectic day rather than fueling for performance. Divide your food into four meals a day because most bodies get hungry about every four hours. If you don’t fuel well you end up with an inadequate diet and fatigue.
Think about it. You wouldn’t put bad gas in your car, right? To perform your best during golf season, be responsible and fuel your body on a regular, healthy schedule. If you need a food coach, a sports nutritionist is a phone call away. Contact Barb with Optimal Lifestyles, Inc. at 314-984-0592.
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Optimal Lifestyles, Inc. provides personal training, golf fitness and yoga for golfers. The owner, Barb Michael is the Fitness Education Sponsor for the Gateway PGA. The information provided by Optimal Lifestyles is for education purposes and should not replace care or advice from your physician. Please consult with your physician before beginning an exercise program or suspect you are ill. The information for this article is from Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD Sports Nutrition Guidebook and Nutrition Seminar. |
