Golf for fitness

[126849660]

Me and the wife were talking about how most golfer not all always look trim and in good shape. I said when i started that i might finally get a 6 pack ? Ive been about 3 stone overweight for the past 10 years.
Over the last maybe 10 years ive gradually put weight on, did boxing all through my 20s and when I stopped i basically did nothing and would go for lunch everyday with mates or the wife and eat out everyday. About 2 years ago wife and I decided to join a gym but never lost anymore that 7lbs just found it boring but this golf game ? ive lost 25lbs in the past 2 months. Bit shocked to be honest, been tracking my weight with a app and now might finally after 10 years realistically get to my idea weight. So im delighted about that.
Wanted to see how other people find golf as a way to keep fit and in shape.

 

[126849660]

I probably put a stone on over lockdown just before i took golf up. For the last 11 days i did start fasting. So ive only been eating in a short window of 3/4 hours and fasting the rest of the day but in that few hours ive been eating whatever i want so i cant really call it a diet but it seems to be working ?

 

[Doh]

At the rate you’re going by playing every day you can expect to loose weight especially if you did nothing before. You will be walking over twenty miles a week. It will level out once you calm down.

 

[AmandaJR]

Golf for health - yes. For fitness - less so.

 

[jim8flog]

I have never seen golf for fitness or weight loss apart from a good walk.

Does not really get the heart going except on that 3 footer for the win.

At one time I put on 4 stone whilst playing golf 3 times a week.

 

[Neilds]

I have never seen golf for fitness or weight loss apart from a good walk.

Does not really get the heart going except on that 3 footer for the win.

At one time I put on 4 stone whilst playing golf 3 times a week.

That was the bacon butty before each round and the booze afterwards that did it!?

 

[pendodave]

I put my wife's fitbit on once when playing golf to get her step count up (lol). I'm pretty fit, but my heart rate was still raised throughout the round so there is obviously some benefit to be had. I would say it's an ideal first step into regular exercise for the couchbound. The fact that it goes on for 3 hours and you cant just give up is a good thing for a start.

 

[Hacker Khan]

From my experience golf on its own does very little in terms of weight loss. And I'd be willing to bet the weight loss is down to the change in diet. I have walked roughly the same number of steps every day for ages now as you do in a round of golf. Yes golf will be more strenuous if you are carrying a bag or even puling a trolley, but during that time I put weight on. It is only since I changed my diet and ensured I did at least 2 cardio-vascular exercises a week in addition to the walking that the weight has started to drop off. I could have kept walking for over 7 or 8K a day and nothing much would have changed, at best my walking may have been preventing me from putting slightly more weight on.

 

[Beedee]

It depends on your starting position. I'm overweight and unfit and recovering from heart problems, so for me the walking involved in a round of golf is great exercise. For plenty of people who are generally fit and active when not playing golf, it's effect will be negligible.

 

[clubchamp98]

From my experience golf on its own does very little in terms of weight loss. And I'd be willing to bet the weight loss is down to the change in diet. I have walked roughly the same number of steps every day for ages now as you do in a round of golf. Yes golf will be more strenuous if you are carrying a bag or even puling a trolley, but during that time I put weight on. It is only since I changed my diet and ensured I did at least 2 cardio-vascular exercises a week in addition to the walking that the weight has started to drop off. I could have kept walking for over 7 or 8K a day and nothing much would have changed, at best my walking may have been preventing me from putting slightly more weight on.

I could have wrote this myself.
I think you must eat less exercise more to lose weight.
Maybe the time you spend on the golf course is stopping you eating

 

[HampshireHog]

With a Bacon Roll after 9 and Beer in clubhouse I reckon I’m about even on calories in and burnt.

Regardless it’s better for me than sitting on my backside.

 

[HowlingGale]

I was running 20 miles a week during lockdown and lost no weight. 20 miles equates to over 2000 kCals in used energy. In fact, I put weight on. I've now changed my diet and eating less and the weight is coming off.
If you carry clubs it will overall be better, but I play golf for enjoyment, not to get fit. I run to keep fit.
You do expend a lot of energy playing golf but put it back on because you're hungry after it and stuff your face. Or at least I do ?.

 

[hovis]

I have never seen golf for fitness or weight loss apart from a good walk.

Does not really get the heart going except on that 3 footer for the win.

At one time I put on 4 stone whilst playing golf 3 times a week.

You don't need to get the heart rate up to lose weight. As long as the energy expenditure is there.

This has come up alot recently. People need to understand that a 5 to 6 mile walk is a substantial amount of exercise. As far as fat burning goes a 6 mile run is nearly as equal as a 6 mile walk. Most of your mates don't walk 12 to 18 miles a week I can guarantee that

 

[Hacker Khan]

I could have wrote this myself.
I think you must eat less exercise more to lose weight.
Maybe the time you spend on the golf course is stopping you eating

I think what you say is the simple way to lose weight healthily. But the mental side of it makes it seem less simple. Also you could argue the way the whole food and at times drinks industry is marketed and sold is kind of encouraging you to consume more than you kind of really should do.

 

[Hacker Khan]

You don't need to get the heart rate up to lose weight. As long as the energy expenditure is there.

This has come up alot recently. People need to understand that a 5 to 6 mile walk is a substantial amount of exercise. As far as fat burning goes a 6 mile run is nearly as equal as a 6 mile walk. Most of your mates don't walk 12 to 18 miles a week I can guarantee that

Interesting as I did about 35 miles walking a week and still put weight on. And whilst my diet was in no way super healthy, there were much worse things I could have been eating. May be my portion sizes were way out of kilter. I found drinking a couple of beers before a meal also got me as it made me even more hungry.

 

[hovis]

Interesting as I did about 35 miles walking a week and still put weight on. And whilst my diet was in no way super healthy, there were much worse things I could have been eating. May be my portion sizes were way out of kilter. I found drinking a couple of beers before a meal also got me as it made me even more hungry.

For an average man a 35 mile walk is 3500 calories. That's 500 calories a day. So you could easily eat back the energy you've burned. You can walk a 100 miles a week but if you eat too much your not going to lose weight.
Think of it this way. You would have put even more on if you didn't do the 35 miles. Coincidentally 3500 cals is what's in a pound of fat

 

[HowlingGale]

The science is simple. For the vast majority of people if you consume more energy than you expend you will put weight on. Nearly everyone overestimates the amount of calories they burn while 'exercising' and underestimate the amount of calories they consume.

 

[cliveb]

I retired (from a desk job) 5 years ago and started playing 4 times a week instead of twice.
After about 4 months I had lost 10kg, and it's stayed that way since.
Can't say I feel any fitter, though.

 

[Neilds]

Remember to factor in your mental health as well as physical health. Nice relaxing 3-4 hours in the fresh air with your mates does you the world of good?

 

[Hacker Khan]

Remember to factor in your mental health as well as physical health. Nice relaxing 3-4 hours in the fresh air with your mates does you the world of good?

You haven't seen me play golf have you.