The Overlooked Factor Influencing Golf Performance
In every sport or endeavor there are numerous co factors that influence results and outcomes. People in the know and those with a high level of commitment discover what these co factors are and apply them in order to improve their results. One often overlooked influence on golf performance is nutrition status.
In this article I will talk about how nutrition influences golf performance the day of the event. However keep in mind that the larger nutrition picture on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis also has an impact and will be discussed in an upcoming article.
What you eat and when you eat it the day of a golf tournament or golf event influences how you feel and how you perform. How you manage your food intake influences your degree of mental acuity, cognitive function, mood, and ultimately your quality of blood sugar balance and the quality of neurotransmitter activity in the brain. This then impacts the quality of your golf game.
Managing and cultivating your inner game will influence your golf performance. Managing your nutrition intake is part of managing your inner game because doing so effects your state of being.
The ultimate downstream effect of food on mental, cognitive, and overall human performance is felt about 2 hours after consumption. Have you ever had a meal and 2 hours later felt like you were hit with an elephant tranquilizer ? That result tells you that you consumed too many calories, consumed the wrong combination of foods, consumed foods that you may have a food allergy to, consumed food that was highly processed or high in sugar, or a combination of the above. This is a short list as there are other variables.
Ideally, you want to consume meals / food that creates an even / homeostatic level of mental and physical energy throughout the day. The opposite of that and what you want to avoid is a series of peaks and valleys which will detract from the quality of your golf game.
The 3 macronutrients are protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Let’s talk about protein. Examples of high quality protein include chicken, fish, steak, turkey, and eggs. Proteins are broken down into amino acids during digestion. Conversely, amino acids are the building blocks of protein. What’s more important is that neurotransmitters influence brain function and they are modulated by amino acids. Neurotransmitters facilitate communication between brain cells. So, the take home message is high quality protein positively influences brain performance which ultimately influences golf performance.
Many people mistakenly reach for a caffeinated drink for a mental lift when what they really need is a small to moderate sized meal that includes protein.
Amino acids, which are the breakdown byproducts of protein increase the production of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. These 3 up-regulate levels of alertness and increase energy. Keep in mind that nutrients have a direct relationship with and influence on neurochemicals that optimize brain activity.
Begin to become more aware of how your food intake and nutritional supplementation influences the quality of your day to day life and your golf game. You can then begin to make adjustments as you go forward.
Optimum Performance / Human Performance Systems and Dr Joseph Sale can be reached at 480-241-2621
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