We all know Disc Golf is a fun sport to play, but while your game improves you may not realize that your health is improving too.
It’s no secret that exercise helps you to lose weight, and playing Disc Golf and even walking the course is an excellent way to burn calories and lose weight. In fact, a lot of disc golfers have attributed playing Disc Golf to their weight loss.
Alongside other tweaks for a healthier lifestyle, you can definitely lose weight while enjoying a sport you love.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at just how good Disc Golf can be for your physical well-being and how it can help with weight loss, as well how many calories a game of Disc Golf can burn, and what other lifestyle changes work in tandem with playing Disc Golf when it comes to losing weight.
Why Disc Golf Can Be Good For You
It’s Good, Physical Exercise
It makes sense that a day on the Disc Golf course is good exercise. Not only are you racking up the miles, you’re getting some fresh air and often navigating some uneven terrain. This all makes for a full-body workout that not only helps you shed some pounds, but strengthens your muscles too.
Reduces Stress
The psychological effects of exercise can’t be denied. We all know that exercise releases endorphins that can improve our mood, but Disc Golf doesn’t just give you a hit of endorphins, it’s a great way to socialize and make friends, which is also great for our wellbeing.
Can Improve Your Heart Health
We’ve already mentioned how Disc Golf can help you strengthen your muscles, and your heart is the most important muscle of all! Good exercise helps strengthen your heart, which makes your heart pump blood more efficiently around your body.
Can Improve Sleep
If you’ve ever played a few rounds of Disc Golf in a day, you’ll know how exhausted you are when you get home! Any sport is a good way to expel energy, and Disc Golf is no exception. This helps your body to relax come bedtime and helps you slip into a deeper, more restful sleep.
How Many Calories Can You Burn Playing Disc Golf?
You can burn around 400 to 500 calories playing a single round of Disc Golf. You can also rack up 6000 to 7000 steps playing one round of Disc Golf, which works out to 3 miles in total.
How To Lose Weight (And Get Healthier) Playing Disc Golf
Regularly playing Disc Golf is just one way to lose weight, and needs to be a part of a healthy lifestyle in order to truly see results. Let’s look at a few lifestyle changes you can make, so you can lose weight while playing Disc Golf.
Play More Disc Golf
Those who play Disc Golf regularly will feel the health benefits of the sport more than those who play occasionally.
But this also needs to be coupled with more exercise in general. It’s not enough to play one round of Disc Golf a week and expect to lose weight, you need to play at least two rounds a week to really see a difference.
Working Out
To play weight whilst losing Disc Golf, also try to work out at least 3 times a week. Some people like to work out during the week, perhaps after work, and then do the more fun workout (Disc Golf) on the weekend as part of their leisure time.
As for what workouts you should do, it all depends on what interests you and what fitness goals you’d like to achieve. But you can’t go wrong with cardio, crossfit, lifting weights, or maybe playing other sports as well.
Eating Healthy
When adopting a healthier lifestyle you need to be kind to your body, and the best way you can be kind to your body is by eating healthily.
A healthy lifestyle is all about finding the balance between exercise and nutrition. All the exercise you do on the Disc Golf course is negated if you eat unhealthy food, and likewise you can eat as clean as you want to lose weight, but you won’t see results unless it’s coupled with exercise too.
Try to cut down on junk food and fast food, and focus on healthier, less processed foods.
Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard
Disc Golf can help you to lose weight, but so much of your day is spent off the Disc Golf course, and it’s how you treat your body during this time that really matters.
After playing Disc Golf or exercising in any way, give your body time to rest. Avoid using certain muscle groups for at least 2 days.
For example, try to avoid playing intense rounds daily, and also avoid leg workouts for a day or two after you’ve played a game of Disc Golf. If you want to play Disc Golf multiple times a week, try to space this out to reduce the physical toll.
Proper stretching and applying heat or ice is also an effective way to speed up recovery. These should be coupled with healthy eating and drinking plenty of water to keep you hydrated.
Getting Plenty Of Sleep
We cannot overstate how important sleep is. As far as recovery goes, getting proper sleep is the best thing you can do to achieve it. Six hours or more should be enough for your body to recover.
Final Thoughts
We don’t need to tell you how great Disc Golf is, but you may not have considered just how beneficial it can be for your health, and that it can aid weight loss. Playing Disc Golf isn’t just a great way to inject some competitiveness in your life, learn a new skill and make new friends, but it is an excellent workout too!
However, you can’t lose weight with just Disc Golf alone. Combined with healthy eating, drinking plenty of water, and getting proper rest, Disc Golf can help you to stay fit and lose weight.