Meal plan for an active golfer by James Collier

As with all active sports, in order to excel in golf, you need optimum nutrition. A well planned diet will not only help you keep fit and energised for a long game, but will also help your concentration, maximising your skill potential.

The meal plan below is an example for an active golfer to follow for a day on the golf course:

Time	Food
Breakfast	Large bowl of porridge made with rolled oats + 200ml skimmed milk + water with a tsp of sugar and raisins if desired. 250ml fresh fruit juice Tea/coffee
Mid- AM	2-3 Oatcakes with low fat soft cheese Item of fruit Drink
Lunch	Sandwich made with granary bread + olive oil based spread with lean ham/chicken Mixed salad Low fat, low sugar yoghurt Drink
Mid-afternoon	2-3 Oatcakes with low fat soft cheese Item of fruit Drink
Evening meal	Lean fillet steak or chicken breast or fish + herbs to taste Boiled new potatoes or basmati rice or dry roasted sweet potatoes Loads of vegetables Low fat, no added sugar yoghurt
Additional	Have a few small handfuls of mixed unsalted nuts or seeds during the day as a snack Plenty of water

This plan is merely a general guide, and there is no mention of portion sizes on purpose so that you can adapt it to suit yourself; remember men will generally require larger portions then women! You must eat a variety of different meats/fish, complex carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables every day, and drink plenty of water.

Porridge for breakfast is not only a hearty, filling meal, but provides slow releasing energy. Oatcakes are a cheese-type biscuit of different varieties which can be found in supermarkets. They are a convenient snack food and again provide slow release energy. The above plan provides sufficient levels of all nutrients and will be ideal to keep you going through a long game on the golf course.

James Collier BSc Hons RNutr is a World renowned nutrition consultant and writer, visit: Healthy Action www.healthyaction.co.uk