Make the Best of the Winter Blahs

The winter in DC has been a record setter. Here we are in February and instead of seeing the usual bare trees and the dormant grasses, we have 2-3 feet (YES FEET!) of snow. What's a golfer to do? ! ?
Before you decide to pack up the truck and move to Bermuda, try to think of some ways to get yourself ready for a wonderful season of golf.
Here are a couple of considerations for this time of year:

Get your diet in order.
If you are like a lot of people in the winter, you have a tendency to be dormant and eat like you are not dormant. In the wintertime you can sustain yourself with much less food and try to consume more liquids (water preferred). Check up on your vitamin intake. With so little outdoor time you should consider supplementing your diet with some sort of vitamin D and calcium. These two have been proven to be blockbusters for aiding the body. Vitamin D is typically gotten from being outdoors, so unless you are venturing out in the cold on a daily basis for an extended period of time, I would suggest supplementing. You might even see your mood lift with vitamin D supplementation. Calcium is used for a variety of things in the body and most people don't get nearly enough in their diets. A good supplement contains both D and Calcium. Try a liquid version for easy assimilation by the body.

Stretch
If you don't have a daily stretching routine, you are missing one of the easiest ways to stay healthy. Just 15 minutes of stretching can give you tons more energy and ensure that your musculo-skeletal system is balanced. Golf is a one sided sport and the body requires a balancing act with stretching and exercises to maintain stability. Try the simple but thorough routine spelled out in the following link. If done every day, you will not only learn more about your body and its current state, but you will also gain a great deal of energy and flexibility at the same time!
click here for stretching exercises

Get some Cardiovascular Exercise
Kick the clothes off of the treadmill or exercise bike and start logging some miles. You don't have to ride the Tour de France every day or run the Boston Marathon. You just have to get on there and make a point of helping your body. When I say "help" I mean paying attention to the intensity of the exercise and the length of time you are spending. Start out ly and give yourself time to build up to at least 20 minutes of pretty intense exercise.
An appropriate intensity level can help you build your foundation for a healthy year and and a strong swing not to mention better cardiovascular health.

If you can get yourself into some sort of routine where the exercises and stretches become part of your daily activities, you are one step closer to keeping the body strong and healthy and ready to enjoy the warmth (whenever it arrives)!!!