Golfers looking to lose weight, Start here...

Many golfers I see are looking to improve their golf, but also lose a bit of weight and feel a little healthier. Exercise can certainly help with this, but if weight loss is the goal, what you eat and drink is usually going to have a bigger impact than how much exercise you do.

That doesn't mean you need to go on a strict diet or completely change what you eat. In fact, I’d usually recommend starting with something much simpler;

1. Track

Write down what you eat and drink for a few days, or use an app if you prefer. You don't have to do this forever. The aim is simply to get a better idea of what is actually going into your diet.

If you don't want to track everything, make a conscious effort to pay attention to what you are eating. Most of us eat a fairly similar selection of foods from week to week, so you can often spot a few obvious habits quite quickly.

2. Check & Reflect

Now have a look at what you've recorded. Are you regularly skipping meals and then getting very hungry later? Are you eating enough fruit and vegetables? Are you getting a decent amount of protein and fibre? How often are you reaching for processed snacks, takeaways, alcohol or sugary drinks maybe due to a lack of planning?

There isn't necessarily a 'good' or 'bad' answer to these questions. It's about spotting the habits that might be making it harder to reach your goal.

3. Make a Small Change

Rather than trying to change everything at once, pick one thing you could improve. It could be adding an extra portion of vegetables to your evening meal, swapping Coke for Diet Coke or water, having a more protein-rich breakfast, or taking a healthier snack with you when you play golf. Small changes might not feel like much, but they are much easier to stick with and make a big impact over time. 

What about eating on the golf course?

This is an area where I see a lot of golfers struggle. It's easy to grab a chocolate bar, crisps or a sugary drink at the turn, particularly when you've got another nine holes to play. 

Instead, try taking a few things with you. Fruit, nuts, a protein bar or a sandwich can all be useful options. You don't have to completely avoid the things you enjoy either. It's about having some better options available so you're not relying on whatever happens to be available at the halfway house.

The same applies to the 19th hole. A beer after your round is not going to ruin your diet, but if you're having a couple every time you play, it's worth considering how that fits into the bigger picture.

Weight Loss That Supports Your Golf

If you're carrying a little more weight than you'd like, losing some body fat can have benefits beyond simply changing how you look. Combined with regular strength training and staying active, gradual weight loss can help you feel better moving around the course and make it easier to maintain your posture and movement as the round goes on.

You don't need a quick fix or a completely different diet. Start by understanding what you're doing now, identify one or two things you could improve, and build from there. Better diet and nutrition doesn't have to be complicated or perfect. It just needs to be something you can stick with.