Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36GoodGolfStartsattheTrainingTable BY SHAWN MEHRING G olf’s ever-increasing competitiveness makes it important for players to get the right nu- tritional foundation, in order to perform at their best. Athletes must know what types of nutrients they need to consume before, during and after training, practice or competition. Lis- tening to your coaches and trainers is important, but if you do not take care of your body the way you take care of your swing, it could hinder your performance. When competing, athletes will pretty much do anything they can to gain an edge over their opponent. Nutritionally, a golfer will typically seek out an energy boost. This often leads to loading up on energy bars, drinks and supple- ments that have synthetic nutrients, high sugar concentrations and stimulants (like caffeine). If that’s you, prepare for the dreaded crash after a short duration of high energy levels. A sugar crash can cause confusion and difficulty with concentration, hunger, irritability, headaches, fatigue, lethargy and anxiety. Also, eating sugar the night before a round can lead to restless sleep and morning sluggishness. SEEKINGTHE RIGHTBALANCE So let’s see what a balanced diet for a compet- itive athlete should look like. Keep in mind that everyone’s metabolic functions are different, so there are no hard and fast rules. Some variations may apply. We do know that foods rich in nutrients offer a lot of health benefits. Examples of these foods are wild-caught Alaskan Salmon, kale, sprouts and organic pastured egg yolks. WATCHTHOSE SUGAR LEVELS At the same time, you can manage your glyce- mic intake and lower your blood sugar levels by eating less grains, breads and starches. Re- member, you want to avoid that troublesome “sugar crash.” On the other hand, eating foods that are relatively low in the glycemic index will help fight excessive body fat, fatigue and blood sugar imbalances. You’ll also want to consume various superfoods because they contain high levels of vitamins and minerals that are essential for the body. They help reduce cell damage and help prevent dis- ease. Some examples of superfoods are acai, goji berries, cocoa and chia seeds. They may sound exotic, but try them – you’ll like them. DON’TFORGETYOUR FATS And here’s something you might not know: 20%-35% of an athlete’s diet should be fats. Less than 10%, however, should be from satu- rated fats such as fatty beef, lamb, pork, poultry with the skin cooked, lard, cream, cheese and milk products. Healthy fats such as Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role, however. They are found in fatty fish, grass-fed beef, eggs, some nuts and seeds. These fats are necessary for the immune system and help with the hair, skin, brain and nervous system. Young athletes should also consume 1½ to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (assuming a normal diet is in place). Amino ac- ids, the building blocks of protein, help the body regenerate cells and aid in muscular recovery. Good protein sources are lean meats such as chicken and turkey, fish, eggs and some dairy. CARB UP,TO A POINT Be sure to get your carbohydrates too, about 5-6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Keep in mind, though, that the higher the carb is on the glycemic index, the more detrimental it is to your body. The highest on the index is the sugar maltose, and the lowest is peanuts. IT’S A FLUID SITUATION Finally, drink plenty of water. The human body is 50%-65% water, and the amount of water an athlete should drink in ounces should equal his or her body weight in pounds x 0.5 to 1. This recommendation takes in consideration the amount of fluids lost during a weight training session, practice session or competition. In order for athletes – that includes golf- ers – to achieve optimal performance, they need to have a foundation in nutri- tion. Every athlete is different in how their body reacts to training, nutrients, stress and determination, but the information here can be applied to all athletes wanting to achieve those performance goals. Shawn Mehring is the Director of Performance for International Junior Golf Academy (IJGA). 4 | December 2016 #juniorgolfmag Visit us at juniorgolfmag.net FITNESS ZONE