How Your Favourite PGA Pros Treat Their Nutation

Nutrition is one of the most import aspects for the most elite professional golfers to succeed on the course. For these pros to be at peak performance they need to eat the right foods to give them the energy to last through their lengthy rounds of golf.

Jordan Spieth is one of the best young golfers in the world and he knows that nutrition is an aspect of golf that he can control to maximize his performance. Since Jordan is constantly training, competing and recovering, he consumes between 3200-3700 calories a day to have sufficient energy. Now his diet does not consist of any empty calories meaning he cuts sugar and unhealthy fats out of his diet. His meals consist of plenty of carbohydrates and protein to give him the energy needed to function as an elite athlete. One of the big takeaways anyone can take from Spieth's diet is that calorie quality matters just as much as quantity.

Tiger Woods is the arguably the greatest golfer of all time and there were many factors getting him there. Tiger has disciplined eating habits starting with trying to eat a healthy diet with a lot of fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish and chicken. Also, something he has learned is the importance of good hydration and how it can keep himself focused on the golf course helping him to the most career PGA wins ever. During tournaments, Tiger eats a mixture of fruits and nuts and occasionally a sandwich and he'll drink Gatorade and water to stay hydrated.

The advice Tiger gives to other golfers is to "make eating well a habit and part of your daily routine. Once you make proper eating a part of your life, you'll feel so much better. When you see the results, you won't want to go back to your old ways." If any golfer wants a way to improve their game or even just there overall health, eating well will give those results.

The strongest pro golfer in the world right now would probably have to be Dustin Johnson and like the rest of the elite golfers, he takes his diet very seriously. He works with a chef who helps him get the proper nutrition and energy out of food that he needs. Like other golfers, his meals are high in protein and carbohydrates, but Dustin Johnson also stresses the importance of proper hydration while on the golf course. Since he exercises and competes so often he drinks plenty of water and other fluids throughout the day to stay hydrated. Staying Hydrated is especially important while on the course as you need to have the energy for every swing to limit mistakes from fatigue.

Most of the top professional golfers take their nutrition very seriously and it is a big part of their success. Every golfer should look at them as examples by trying too avoid empty calories and eating enough to have the energy to get through a four hour plus round of golf.

Schiffman, R. (2011, August 11). Fitness Friday: Stay hydrated in severe heat. GolfDigest. Retrieved from https://www.golfdigest.com

(2016, July 16). Eat Like a Major Champion: The Secret Behind Elite Golfer Jordan Spieth's Diet. Myfitnesspal. Retrieved from https://www.myfitnesspal.com

Charles, D. (2018, February). Dustin Johnson Revealed The Diet And Workout Regimen He Uses To Stay In Shape On Tour. BroBible. Retrieved from https://brobible.com

advertisment

New Callaway Epic Flash

The Callaway Epic Flash driver was engineered using AI technology to create the fastest face ever. The Epic Flash also brings pack Callways game-changing Jailbreak Technology to increase ball speed and has more carbon on the crown than any Callaway driver before to create more clubhead speed.

Get a Leg Up on Your Golfing Buddies

Practice is probably the most import part of golf to become as good of a golfer as you can get and there is no replacement for that. But, practice can only take you so far and takes time to make improvements. Another way to maximise your game is through nutrition before, during and after your rounds of golf.

An average round of golf takes just over four hours and during these rounds, you are walking over 10 000 yards leading to a loss of about 2250 calories. To have enough energy for this you should eat enough food before the round and during to Keep sufficient energy.

Four hours before a round, a large meal should be consumed (takes 3-4 hours to digest) consisting of 140-330 grams of carbohydrates to give energy for entire 4.5 hours and improve athletic performance. An additional snack consisting of carbohydrates should be consumed an hour before to give energy during the round. A Pre-snack will also have the athlete not feeling hungry or leaving undigested food in the stomach.

Carbohydrates are the most important nutrient to have in your food to give you energy for your round. Carbohydrates are the most easily metabolized source of energy for the body. even though proteins and fats provide some necessary energy they are not as effective at creating energy for your round as carbohydrates are. Carbohydrates are also the only macronutrient that can be broken down rapidly enough to provide energy during periods of high-intensity exercise. This is very important for the golf swing as it is a very intense, explosive movement.

In a panel full of sports nutrition researchers and practitioners ran by Doctor Mitch Kanter where the topic of carbohydrates and their effectiveness was discussed, they would come to a common conclusion. "all the experts who participated in the panel discussion endorsed the concept of consuming a majority of daily calories in the form of high-quality, high-carbohydrate whole-food sources such as potatoes as a means of improving physical performance and recovery from exercise" (Mitch Kanter PhD).

Hydration is the most important aspect of preparation for a round a golf. To stay properly hydrated during a round of golf the golfer should drink 500 ml of water two hours before the round with another 250 ml 30 minutes and 15 minutes before. It is also important to drink more water during the round. It is best to have 150 ml per hole to stop yourself from getting dehydrated. A good practice would be to take a drink of water after every shot. The most important this is to avoid drinks with over 10% sugar as these are not digested very well and can leave you dehydrated.

Schiffman, R. (2011, August 11). Fitness Friday: Stay hydrated in severe heat. GolfDigest. Retrieved from https://www.golfdigest.com 

Wells, G., & Collier, D (2011). Golf Nutrition - Eating Right to Win. The Royal Canadian Golf Association, P. 2-14

(2017, June 5). Role of Carbohydrates in Athletes. Sugar Research Advisory Service. Retrieved from https://www.srasanz.org 

Advertisment

Matt's Golf Bottle

Matt's Golf Bottle is the only water bottle you'll ever need for your rounds of golf. This water bottle holds a litre of water and is made of the lightest metal known to man which is found on the moon. This water bottle will fit well in any bag and holds enough water to last you about 9 holes while keeping it cool and refreshing. Purchase yours today for $32.99

Is Protein Important in an Active Life

Protein is one of the important macronutrients in your body. Your body uses it to build and repair tissues which are important for an athlete. Unlike the other micronutrients, protein cannot be stored by the body which is why it is very important to consume enough protein on a regular basis.

Now, this does not mean everyone should be eating protein all day long. Most people will only need 2 servings of protein a day with some men and teenage boys being the exceptions. Too much protein can lead to unhealthy weight loss, future osteoporosis from calcium loss, and increased risk of heart disease, strokes, diabetes and cancer.

The most important functions protein has in your body are firstly it helps your body with growth and maintenance of tissues. Protein also causes biochemical reactions in your body to help with digestion, energy production, blood clotting and muscle contraction. Protein acts as a messenger between cells, tissues and organs. Protein provides structure for your cells and organs. Protein helps to maintain proper pH levels in your blood. Protein bolsters immune health. Protein transports and stores nutrients through your bloodstream and into cells. Finally, protein provides your whole body with a source of energy.

It is important to choose your protein wisely. Fish, poultry, beans, nuts and whole grains are the best sources for protein as they eliminate a lot of saturated fats that meats would give you. Large consumptions of meat can lead to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and colorectal cancer from the consumption of these saturated fats.

A study was done on 42 strength training, collegiate, male athletes by using a survey asking them about what their perceived thoughts on protein were. Their actual protein intake was also tracked using a three-day food record. All these athletes did realize that they do need more protein than the average person, but they did not know how much they should consume and most consumed much more then recommended.

Fox, E., McDaniel, J., Brietbach, A., & Weiss, E. (2011, August 9) Perceived protein needs and measured protein intake in collegiate male athletes: an observational study [Abstract]. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Osterweil, N. (2012) The Benefits of Protein. WebMD. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com

Walle, G (2018, June 20) 9 Important Functions of Protein in Your Body. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com

Advertisement

Max Golf Protein Bars

Max Golf Protein Bars are the best mid-round snack for any golfer. These bars are filled with the essential macronutrients needed to have the energy to get through a round of golf. Eating one of these bars throughout your round will give you the needed protein and carbohydrates for you to beat your friends.

Hydration is key

When playing golf or your doing any exercise, keeping your body hydrated is key. Drinking plenty of water during exercise helps replace the water lost from sweating and prevents fatigue and poor physical performance. When playing golf, feeling thirsty is not the best indicator of when your body needs water. This is because thirst occurs after your body is already dehydrated. Also, your thirst is usually satisfied even before your body's water supply is fully replaced meaning should drink water even if you do not feel thirsty.

It is recommended to drink a total of 3L of water between an hour before your round and the end of the round to stop yourself from dehydrating. This 3L should have about 500ml consumed before the round and the other 2.5L to be split between the round. A good practice is to take a sip after and before every shot.

Some tips to help while on the course is to during cool water instead of cold because it is absorbed quicker. Another tip is not to drink soda pop or juices because drinks with more than 10% sugar are not absorbed well during exercise.

A large group of golfers enjoy having a drink on the course but this is one of the worst things you can do. Drinking alcohol actually dehydrates you because the body stops the production of the anti-diuretic hormone, which is used by the body to reabsorb water. This results in a larger loss of fluids through urination leading to dehydration. Especially on a really hot day, alcohol should be avoided to perform at top performance.

Schiffman, R. (2011, August 11). Fitness Friday: Stay hydrated in severe heat. GolfDigest. Retrieved from https://www.golfdigest.com

(2018). Dehydration and Alcohol. Gastrolyte.Retrieved from https://gastrolyte.com.au

Why Should I be Active and What to Eat

Everyone Knows that working out and gaining muscle while losing fat is good for them. People do not realize how important exercise is as the 15% of Canadians who are active enough will have a decreased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Being active will also protect your body from injuries and will give you a confidence boost along with an energy boost, but you must make sure you are eating the right way so that your body can be active.

3 hours before you are active it is good to have a meal with a good amount of carbohydrates to give you energy. It is also important to drink a sufficient amount of fluids prior to make sure you are hydrated. Just before exercising a snack which is easy to digest should be eaten with some light carbohydrates to give more energy. Again, it is important to keep drinking fluids to stay hydrated for the exercise. During the exercise, it is important to keep drinking water and if the exercise is over an hour in time, it may be a good idea to snack on some fruit to get some extra energy.

As you start to exercise, breakfast becomes very important as well. It will give you the needed fuel for your day as well as help you recover from the exercise you have been doing. Eating breakfast in the morning will also stop you from being hungry throughout the day and overindulging in unhealthy foods. It is also a good idea to pack a lunch so that you don't have to search for a healthy option to eat at restaurants which can be tough. Time should be made in the morning to make and eat breakfast and it should not be supplemented.

A very popular trend in the past years was to have Protein Drinks to supplement meals which is something which should be avoided. There are many risks to having Protein Drinks including many of the protein powders including toxins. Up to 25 times more than the allowed limit of BPA. This is possible because of lenient restrictions on regulations on what is inside dietary supplements. It is hard to know if what is on a manufactures label is even what's inside the product. Along with the fact that it is unknown what the long-term effects of high protein intakes are from supplements, it is probably best to start eating the Meat and Alternatives suggested on the food guide.

It is very important for Canadians to be active and eat well so that they can have a happier healthy life. Even if the activity they get is from leisure sports like golf or just going for a walk or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, anything will help make you healthier. 

(2019). Nutrition and Fitness. Body and Health Canada. Retrieved from https://bodyandhealth.canada.com

(2018). Dehydration and Alcohol. Gastrolyte.Retrieved from https://gastrolyte.com.au 

(2018, September). The hidden dangers of protein powders. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu