If you want to lose a further 2 stone of ugly, unwanted fat, cut your head off
:rofl: You obviously don't have any mirrors in your house, eh Plug
How good is golf as aerobic exercise?
- Thread starter delc
- Start date
:rofl: You obviously don't have any mirrors in your house, eh Plug
ADB
Journeyman Pro
It seems the more modern way to exercise is in short bursts with rest inbetween - rather than long aerobic activity. Therefore, a brisk walk to raise the heart rate - even if there is rest inbetween - is more valuable than a steady plod round the course.
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
thepodgster
Head Pro
Some interesting comments on here - and some total garbage in my opinion.
For what it's worth: A round of golf (long walk) will be beneficial to the older generation as the rise in heart rate will potentially (probably) move you in to the fat burning zone whether this be for a sustained period or not is irrelevant as it will be of some benefit. Let's be honest it is a form of exercise, although not targeted towards a specific training session - although mine is ruined by the Bacon and Egg role at the end of the round.
What I would be looking at within the original post is what has changed for you. As your initial weight loss was 20Kgs and you have now gone back up 8Kgs - I would assume you are doing something different. Quite a lot of initial weight loss (not knowing over what time frame it took you to lose your 20Kgs) is likely to have a lot to do with liquid retention in the body hence a large loss. I would look at analysing what you have started to do differently that has resulted in the extra 8Kgs appearing.
This is likely to be down to diet (i know you have said you don't do bacon, but think more away from the course) and lifestyle away from the course. Since you are now retired do you spend more time sitting around and snacking?
One thing that would guarantee to see the weight drop off again (or certainly see you become more healthier) would be to implement a 40-60 minute walk 3 to 5 times a week - nice pleasant walk in the afternoon after lunch.
Just my opinion as I am not aware of your lifestyle or diet.
For what it's worth: A round of golf (long walk) will be beneficial to the older generation as the rise in heart rate will potentially (probably) move you in to the fat burning zone whether this be for a sustained period or not is irrelevant as it will be of some benefit. Let's be honest it is a form of exercise, although not targeted towards a specific training session - although mine is ruined by the Bacon and Egg role at the end of the round.
What I would be looking at within the original post is what has changed for you. As your initial weight loss was 20Kgs and you have now gone back up 8Kgs - I would assume you are doing something different. Quite a lot of initial weight loss (not knowing over what time frame it took you to lose your 20Kgs) is likely to have a lot to do with liquid retention in the body hence a large loss. I would look at analysing what you have started to do differently that has resulted in the extra 8Kgs appearing.
This is likely to be down to diet (i know you have said you don't do bacon, but think more away from the course) and lifestyle away from the course. Since you are now retired do you spend more time sitting around and snacking?
One thing that would guarantee to see the weight drop off again (or certainly see you become more healthier) would be to implement a 40-60 minute walk 3 to 5 times a week - nice pleasant walk in the afternoon after lunch.
Just my opinion as I am not aware of your lifestyle or diet.
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
Golf alone is not sufficient exercise unless you are playing regular 3 hour 18 hole rounds.
I enjoy a brisk 2 mile walk with my dog most days. Couple of times a week it extended to 5 or 8 miles.
5 miles takes me about 1 hour 10 mins.
8 miles is a bit hillier and takes nearly 2 hours. A constant 4mph walking pace.
A quick round of golf nowadays is 4 hours....average length of a golf course 4-5 miles.
That keeps my weight where I want it to be whilst eating the odd bit of unhealthy food.
I enjoy a brisk 2 mile walk with my dog most days. Couple of times a week it extended to 5 or 8 miles.
5 miles takes me about 1 hour 10 mins.
8 miles is a bit hillier and takes nearly 2 hours. A constant 4mph walking pace.
A quick round of golf nowadays is 4 hours....average length of a golf course 4-5 miles.
That keeps my weight where I want it to be whilst eating the odd bit of unhealthy food.
Norrin Radd
Tour Winner
Well I try to eat sensibly and avoid sugar and sugary drinks as far as possible. My big weakness is a love of hot spicy Indian curries, but I try to keep those to one a week. My last job was pretty sedentary, as it consisted of sitting behind a computer for 8 hours a day. As soon as I started being more active the weight seemed to fall off me, but it was almost as if my body got used to this increased level of activity and I started putting weight back on. I didn't as far as I am aware change my diet.
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Oddsocks
Ryder Cup Winner
Delc, do you have a smart phone?
I would like a medical opinion here. Why is it that some people can eat like a horse and stay thin, whereas others put on 5lbs if they as much as look at a lettuce leaf? I seem to be in the latter category, but a non-golfing friend of mine has to eat three hearty meals a day to keep his weight up to an acceptably healthy level. I would be about 40 stone if I ate what he eats! I don't think it is just diet and exercise! Must be more down to metabolic rates and the efficiency of one's digestion system!
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D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Metabolism - some people digest food very quickly
The Human body is different in every single one of us
Yes. Why? :mmm:
hovis
Tour Winner
At the end of the day a 6 mile walk is a damn sight better than nothing. With my golf and dog walking i rack up 50 miles per week. That has to be beneficial
Oddsocks
Ryder Cup Winner
Del for what it's worth, I like you had a very inactive job as a sale rep and three years ago went on a health kick.
I downloaded an app called my fitness pal which based on your weight, lifestyle and age gives you a daily calorie allowance abd covers every food out there. You can add exercise and so on to readjust your allowance for the day. According to the app a 3hr round burns 1400 calories and a 4hr round burns 1800
Anyway I used the app to educate me not only of what foods are crap for you but also portion sizes. I lost 2 stone in just under 5 months eating more than I've ever eaten but eating the right foods. You can now link that app to one called pacer which will automatically work out the length of walks and adjust your calories for the day.
I got real lax on monitoring it this year and have put one back on but I reckon 6-12 months on that would sort you right out mate, the only down side is measuring portion sizes but it does help educate you on just how much we over eat portion wise and on the wrong foods
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Ethan
Money List Winner
Golf is reasonable low intensity exercise, especially if carrying or on a hilly course. It might get the heart rate up a bit but not into the aerobic zone 65-85% of maximum (220-age). You really need to run, cycle, row or something for that. In terms of weight loss, diet usually beats exercise. If you can cut out the rubbish from your diet and adopt sensible portions you will lose weight. Exercise will certainly contribute but it takes a lot of exercise to burn off a McDonalds meal or a late night kebab. Exercise at decent aerobic intensity raised the basal metabolic rate and may contribute to the development of the right sort of fat which is less harmful to health. However a slightly overweight person who exercises is likely to be healthier than a thin person who doesn't.
the_coach
Journeyman Pro
speaking to the original Q the answer gotta be no, it's not an aerobic exercise.
but any regular exercise is better than none
but if medically folks need to lose weight then they gotta follow advice from the Docs office
to lose weight you gotta control diet, do some exercise that raises & keeps the heart-rate up for some continuous time (again medical advice as to whether folks are able to start this & how)
plus some kinda exercise that increases some muscle structure
this is what sometimes is more difficult for older folks, as with age normally folks lose muscle cells & gain fat cells as part of the aging process
metabolic rate is just all the chemical processes that are happening all of the time through the body to keep organs, all body processes functioning 'normally' to support life
this requires energy - the smallest amount of energy folks need for all the chemical processes to work is called as the 'basal metabolic rate' - bmr - which folks normally refer to as a 'slow or fast' metabolic rate (more accurate it's 'low or high')
bmr is anything between 40%-70% (ballpark figure) of folks day to day energy needs dependent on age/lifestyle
muscle cell require more energy to maintain than fat cells - folks who have a higher muscle to fat ratio usually have a higher bmr
the blame is not really down to the efficiency of the bmr (according to medical studies)
most folks actually eat a whole bunch more than they believe they do plus the nature of the 'stuff' they eat (US as a nation real culpable in this for sure) - as to why folks most times are asked to write down everything they eat/drimk in a day for a week
often times too the 'eating' happens too much at the wrong end later of the day
reason for the majority of folks putting on weight is not down to a 'slow' (low bmr) metabolism just simply down to eating/drinking more calories
staying to the amount of calorie intact is big key to losing weight along with some kinda regular 'aerobic exercise' & sound kinda of even if a small amount of muscle building work
plus having 1 day a week that is a 'fast day' so water only throughout the day (again should be run by the Docs office) but this plus the daily small aerobic walking exercise (below) & controlled calorie intact will lose weight & keep weight off
-just gotta to commit to doing it everyday ....
for the aerobic folks can do easy do enough to make a difference in the local around their home with just a 'stop watch app'
just everyday walk as fast as possible for around a minute & half, note the 'landmark' of how far in distance that is, rest a for 30 secs & repeat trying to beat the distance traveled by small amount - start off say with reps of 3 attempts or 5 as time progresses increase the number of reps - (any age folks should check with the Docs office - & certainly folks should that are starting aerobic plan whilst being of an 'age' ......)
no doubt if folks are struggling with weight biggest influence is the amount of food being consumed plus the aging process of losing muscle structure plus lack of the right kinda exercise that's needed to aid weight loss
but any regular exercise is better than none
but if medically folks need to lose weight then they gotta follow advice from the Docs office
to lose weight you gotta control diet, do some exercise that raises & keeps the heart-rate up for some continuous time (again medical advice as to whether folks are able to start this & how)
plus some kinda exercise that increases some muscle structure
this is what sometimes is more difficult for older folks, as with age normally folks lose muscle cells & gain fat cells as part of the aging process
metabolic rate is just all the chemical processes that are happening all of the time through the body to keep organs, all body processes functioning 'normally' to support life
this requires energy - the smallest amount of energy folks need for all the chemical processes to work is called as the 'basal metabolic rate' - bmr - which folks normally refer to as a 'slow or fast' metabolic rate (more accurate it's 'low or high')
bmr is anything between 40%-70% (ballpark figure) of folks day to day energy needs dependent on age/lifestyle
muscle cell require more energy to maintain than fat cells - folks who have a higher muscle to fat ratio usually have a higher bmr
the blame is not really down to the efficiency of the bmr (according to medical studies)
most folks actually eat a whole bunch more than they believe they do plus the nature of the 'stuff' they eat (US as a nation real culpable in this for sure) - as to why folks most times are asked to write down everything they eat/drimk in a day for a week
often times too the 'eating' happens too much at the wrong end later of the day
reason for the majority of folks putting on weight is not down to a 'slow' (low bmr) metabolism just simply down to eating/drinking more calories
staying to the amount of calorie intact is big key to losing weight along with some kinda regular 'aerobic exercise' & sound kinda of even if a small amount of muscle building work
plus having 1 day a week that is a 'fast day' so water only throughout the day (again should be run by the Docs office) but this plus the daily small aerobic walking exercise (below) & controlled calorie intact will lose weight & keep weight off
-just gotta to commit to doing it everyday ....
for the aerobic folks can do easy do enough to make a difference in the local around their home with just a 'stop watch app'
just everyday walk as fast as possible for around a minute & half, note the 'landmark' of how far in distance that is, rest a for 30 secs & repeat trying to beat the distance traveled by small amount - start off say with reps of 3 attempts or 5 as time progresses increase the number of reps - (any age folks should check with the Docs office - & certainly folks should that are starting aerobic plan whilst being of an 'age' ......)
no doubt if folks are struggling with weight biggest influence is the amount of food being consumed plus the aging process of losing muscle structure plus lack of the right kinda exercise that's needed to aid weight loss
Tiger
Money List Winner
Dell on the days you don't golf try to go for a brisk 5 mile walk. It will do you no end of good. If you've got high blood pressure getting a dog woukd get you out walking and help lower your BP 
Craigg
Q-School Graduate
Straight forward equation really.
Weight loss = Calories burned>Calories eaten.
Simples.
Weight loss = Calories burned>Calories eaten.
Simples.
Oddsocks
Ryder Cup Winner
Exactly and that's were I found that calorie app worked well, have your treat days on days where you have burned more, trim back on days you haven't
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Fair play Smiffy. Well spotted for spotting another veiled thread about slow play. To be surely followed by the supplemental "lets make the hole bigger" post
Of course golf has to be beneficial in that you're walking in the open but it's hard aerobic is it. Hit it, stop and wait for others, repeat until you finish the hole and repeat. Not exactly full on but if it gets seniors out and walking that has to be good but it won't make a difference to anyone who scoffs the pies and sups the ales
