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ST. GEORGE — It may not be the first sport that comes to mind when you think about a good workout, but a round of golf actually provides many health benefits for our bodies and our minds. It reduces stress levels while providing healthy exercise for your heart.
In fact, the leisurely sport has kept a pair of friends motivated and on the move. The women, retired and looking to maintain their health and mobility, turned to the Intermountain LiVe Fit program.
“So what brought them together is not only their desire to improve their lives, but also a desire to spend time with each other and to have that common bond to be the healthiest they can possibly be,” says Kevin Weston, exercise physiologist with the Intermountain Live Well Center.
After a full-body assessment Karen McKelvie and Marsha Boex got the bottom line.
“They did our measurements of body fat and muscle and found out some very revealing numbers,” McKelvie said
“Oh, revealing is the right word,” Boex added.
The ladies personalized exercise prescription: get in shape and ready to play 18 holes of golf.
“They enjoy golf because it’s a game where you’re focusing on really competing against yourself,” Weston said.
McKelvie started by “working on leg muscles to get down and pick up my ball off the green and to have a look at the green and see where the flow, the roll is going to be.”
After her workouts and a few rounds, Boex noticed that “I’ve got a lot more stamina to play 18 holes of golf and to walk an 18-hole course.”
This summer, four days a week, the golf course is where you’ll find Boex and McKelvie and two other women who make up the foursome.
“We have a lot of fun, and we’ve become friends and we worry about people when they’re gone,” said McKelvie. Boex agreed saying, "Working out with friends, I think, is very important.”
And these rounds of golf could prove life changing, even lifesaving.
“When I age and I’m much older, I would like to remain at home and be able to care for myself, and I think doing this kind of exercise will permit me to do that,” McKelvie said.
These ladies have worked their way up to a pretty vigorous exercise schedule, but Boex said it’s best to start small. “Get off the couch, go for a walk, buy a Fitbit and set a goal for how many steps.” Jenniffer is a Special Projects Producer who heads up the Your Life Your Health, Zero Fatalities and High 5 initiatives. For questions, feedback or possible story ideas, please email jmichaelson@ksl.com.
