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Golfing Healthy Lifestyle – Snacks to Attack the Back Nine

Cate Ritter of Cate's Nutrition Kitchen

Cate Ritter: Cate's Nutrition KitchenLeaving the house with a healthy meal under your belt, doesn’t mean your work is done! A day on the course requires that you keep your body fueled and your mind sharp for the long haul.

Too often golfers think of snacks as something they throw in their bag or grab at the turn. Unfortunately, many snack choices are processed foods high in sugar and or refined carbs, such as pretzels, crackers, cookies, granola bars, etc. In addition, they’re usually low in quality protein and natural fats. Consuming such nutritionally inadequate foods will give you a good chance of riding the bogey train on the back nine!

Eating Right is our Responsibility
Eating Right is our Responsibility

Make a commitment to consuming more nutritionally balanced, whole foods. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail. Plan ahead and enjoy delicious treats that provide consistent energy and maximum focus. Start by replacing refined carbs such as pretzels with simple whole foods like walnuts. Stop focusing on calories and start focusing on nutrients. Make it your goal to consistently choose whole foods over processed products. Always read labels and, although it might seem obvious, avoid foods containing words you can’t pronounce.

Enjoy snacks with natural fats, like avocado, nuts, nut butters, seeds, etc. Sustainable energy is NOT about eating low-fat, but rather finding low-sugar alternatives. If you like something that has a bit of a sweetness, try including some fresh fruit. Always balance carbs with protein and fat when possible. Fat lowers the glycemic load of any type of carbohydrate, meaning the sugar from that food enters the blood at a much slower rate. The lower the glycemic load of the food, the better. Fat also provides high satiation, keeping you full long after you eat so you can focus on the shot at hand instead of your growling stomach.

Eating Healthy doesn't mean starving.  Just focus on better foodsPack From Home
Almond Butter with Apple, Cucumber or Celery
Beef Jerky + Walnuts + Pear
Cheese + Apple + Ham
Chicken + Olives + Hummus + Carrots
Hardboiled Eggs + Guacamole + Tomato
Organic Peanut Butter + Celery
Red Pepper + Carrots Sticks + Olive Oil + Balsamic
Yogurt + Blueberries + Pecans

At The Turn
Beef jerky, mini bag of walnuts and a pear
Sausage, couple slices of cheese & an apple
Tuna on 1 slice of sourdough with tomato & avocado

Keep Golf Healthy!

Cate Ritter of Cate's Nutrician KitchenCate’s Bio
Cate Ritter is a Primal Nutrition and Kitchen Coach for Cate’s Nutrition Kitchen in Pebble Beach CA. With a successful career as a top junior and collegiate golfer, Cate knows the importance of nutrition when it comes to having a competitive edge on the course. Previously a Resident Nutritionist at the Staley Performance Institute, part of the Performance Team at the ASU Karsten Golf Course Ping Learning Center and an active Nutrition Coach at The Raven Golf Club Academy in Phoenix.   Cate’s success in Scottsdale and Phoenix, AZ have allowed her to expand Cate’s Nutrition Kitchen (CNK) to Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Jose, the San Francisco Bay Area and surrounding areas of Northern California. Cate’s coaching services are part of Make The Turn Performance at Poppy Hills Golf Course, NCGA (Northern California Golf Association), Youth On CourseSanta Lucia Preserve, Carmel Valley Athletic ClubOm StudiosMethod Athlete, and Nike Junior Golf Schools. Her work has been featured on ABC15 News, U.S. News and World Report, Golf Digest, GolfWRX, Golf Tips, Golf Today Northwest, PopGolf Mexico, GolfPunk UK, and The Arizona Republic.  Read more athttp://www.catesnutrition.com/about-cate/

Keywords:  golf, golf course, nutrition, heath, golfing healthy lifestyle