Swimming for weight loss

RATM

I'm just trying to get a handle on how effective swimming is as a weight loss exercise in comparison to other activities. I've just got back into training and want to lose about 10% of my body weight. I tend to do 40 minutes cardio (bike, treadmill, rowing and cross trainer after which I'm puffing and panting. Then I go for a 20 minute swim where I do the breaststroke but I am not very sure about how effective this stroke is, the reason being is that I'm never all that much out of breath. I'm a slow swimmer, by that I mean it takes me about 18 minutes to cover 500m when doing the breast stroke. Some times I change over to front crawl but my arms tire out quickly and I revert.

My other problem is when swimming is that my mind goes wandering and my body into auto mode. Before I know it the kicks/strokes I put in aren't that powerful- what do swimmers do to combat this? Does counting your strokes tend to help or any other tips ?

Anyway I'm going on a big trek to Mount Everest in October so need to shed the excess weight I have by then. So whilst I love swimming I'm beginning to wonder would I be better off spending that 20 minutes still doing cardio? How does swimming tend to stack up against things like cycling or rowning in terms of calories burnt ?

Also is there any way for figuring out how many calories my swim is burning ? My Fitness Pal lists a 20 minute breaststroke swim as 368 calories burned but it doesn't give an option for the intensity of the swim, I don't want to overstate my burnt calories when use the app so keen to know what a slow swim like mine ought to be

Freedive Ireland

H Ratm I think you can loose weight swimming but the intensity has to be high high high. Front crawl all the way and take breaks if you have to but keep them short and build up the distance between. Lik erunning I think slow low distance swimming is less effective for weight loss in comparison to sprints. I usually do a mix so 750m warm up then drills then some sprints so you end up doing about 1500-1800m in the 50min session. Time wise you should aim for 750m in 13/14 mins or under. Not saying you have to do that today but aim for it as a goal. technique makes a massive difference in swimming so maybe visit a one on one swim coach to get it right. Otherwise for weight loss go running. I hate running but still do it to try and keep in shape.

pc11

RATM wrote: »

I'm just trying to get a handle on how effective swimming is as a weight loss exercise in comparison to other activities. I've just got back into training and want to lose about 10% of my body weight. I tend to do 40 minutes cardio (bike, treadmill, rowing and cross trainer after which I'm puffing and panting. Then I go for a 20 minute swim where I do the breaststroke but I am not very sure about how effective this stroke is, the reason being is that I'm never all that much out of breath. I'm a slow swimmer, by that I mean it takes me about 18 minutes to cover 500m when doing the breast stroke. Some times I change over to front crawl but my arms tire out quickly and I revert.

My other problem is when swimming is that my mind goes wandering and my body into auto mode. Before I know it the kicks/strokes I put in aren't that powerful- what do swimmers do to combat this? Does counting your strokes tend to help or any other tips ?

Anyway I'm going on a big trek to Mount Everest in October so need to shed the excess weight I have by then. So whilst I love swimming I'm beginning to wonder would I be better off spending that 20 minutes still doing cardio? How does swimming tend to stack up against things like cycling or rowning in terms of calories burnt ?

Also is there any way for figuring out how many calories my swim is burning ? My Fitness Pal lists a 20 minute breaststroke swim as 368 calories burned but it doesn't give an option for the intensity of the swim, I don't want to overstate my burnt calories when use the app so keen to know what a slow swim like mine ought to be

Unfortunately, many people find swimming is not great for weight loss as it can be appetite stimulating, whereas running is appetite suppressing for many.

If your main goal is a trek, frankly I would be doing very little rowing and swimming and making sure I'm on my feet mostly. That means hill-walking, some running, some weights. Some swims and biking for recovery are fine, but not as a main focus.

The_Morrigan

OP I started swimming six weeks ago and three weeks ago I introduced gym sessions into the mix (weights & cardio) working with a PT. He encourages me going swimming in between my sessions with him as it is not too strenuous on my body, but it stops me lying on the couch complaining that I'm sore!! I've gone from a total slob to being in the gym six days a week.

For the swimming though, first two weeks I was barely able to swim 400m, now I can comfortable do 2km. I predominantly do the breast stroke, as like you, my arms ache if I do the front crawl. However, over the past few weeks I've included the front crawl in my sets of 10 lengths, firstly 1, then 2 etc I'm now up to 4 consecutive lengths doing the front crawl and then I revert to the breast stroke to give my arms and my heart a break. After those 4 lengths I feel like I'm sweating and out of breathe and I need to take a break before starting the next set of lengths.

In the last six weeks I haven't lost any weight, but I can see my body toning up and I can feel myself getting stronger and fitter by the day - the weight loss will come.

Just gradually increase the lengths you do and the number of front crawl lengths vs breast stroke.

RATM

The_Morrigan wrote: »

OP I started swimming six weeks ago and three weeks ago I introduced gym sessions into the mix (weights & cardio) working with a PT. He encourages me going swimming in between my sessions with him as it is not too strenuous on my body, but it stops me lying on the couch complaining that I'm sore!! I've gone from a total slob to being in the gym six days a week.

For the swimming though, first two weeks I was barely able to swim 400m, now I can comfortable do 2km. I predominantly do the breast stroke, as like you, my arms ache if I do the front crawl. However, over the past few weeks I've included the front crawl in my sets of 10 lengths, firstly 1, then 2 etc I'm now up to 4 consecutive lengths doing the front crawl and then I revert to the breast stroke to give my arms and my heart a break. After those 4 lengths I feel like I'm sweating and out of breathe and I need to take a break before starting the next set of lengths.

In the last six weeks I haven't lost any weight, but I can see my body toning up and I can feel myself getting stronger and fitter by the day - the weight loss will come.

Just gradually increase the lengths you do and the number of front crawl lengths vs breast stroke.

Thanks for the advice from you and others on the thread. I take on board what you say about introducing a few lengths of the front crawl into my routine and I'm going to do that and hopefully build up to doing 50% breaststroke and 50% front crawl and in time even weighting it towards front crawl as it is the better workout.

n1st

I'm looking to lose some lbs, 6 in fact, have you a 4 program?

I'm currently swimming 3 times a week, maybe doing 10 -15 laps front crawl.

I've been back swimming since November. After 6 weeks I got to 20 laps, I kept it up for a few weeks but since March I've regressed.
I got bored with the 20 laps front crawl.

Now I'm looking to lose 6lbs or so in a short period.
Has anyone a program? 4 weeks

ballooba

I lost 15 kg in 3 months last year from swimming, diet and cycling/walking instead of driving / busing. My cardio was swimming a mile every day mixed frontcrawl and breaststroke, together with walking 40 minutes each way to work. I tried to cut out carbohydrates from my diet as much as possible and increase protein/fat. I was counting calories too using my fitness pal, I was running a huge deficit every day so could indulge in a few pints once or twice a week.

I've been back sitting on the couch eating cheesecake and boozing my brains out for the last year so am looking to get back at it now. When you're in the habit you feel silly for being unhealthy and don't feel you'll ever go back to that lifestyle again. It's getting into the habit that's hard. You need to build a routine that works and stick to it. I think drinking lots of water is important too, I'm no scientist but as I understand it the fat comes out through your wee.

n1st

That's a touch regime. Swimming a mile per session is an awful lot of time.
I'm thinking sprints might be a better option.

ballooba wrote: »

I lost 15 kg in 3 months last year from swimming, diet and cycling/walking instead of driving / busing. My cardio was swimming a mile every day mixed frontcrawl and breaststroke, together with walking 40 minutes each way to work. I tried to cut out carbohydrates from my diet as much as possible and increase protein/fat. I was counting calories too using my fitness pal, I was running a huge deficit every day so could indulge in a few pints once or twice a week.

I've been back sitting on the couch eating cheesecake and boozing my brains out for the last year so am looking to get back at it now. When you're in the habit you feel silly for being unhealthy and don't feel you'll ever go back to that lifestyle again. It's getting into the habit that's hard. You need to build a routine that works and stick to it. I think drinking lots of water is important too, I'm no scientist but as I understand it the fat comes out through your wee.

ballooba

n1st wrote: »

That's a touch regime. Swimming a mile per session is an awful lot of time.
I'm thinking sprints might be a better option.

It does also depend on how much weight you're carrying, I've put 8kg back on and I find it a lot tougher now. I'm pulling more weight through the water, I'm out of shape and I'm a less hydrodynamic shape.

bradnailer

I've lost a stone since January swimming three times a week in an Endless pool. Started out at 2.44min/100M now I'm at 2.03min/100M. Doing half hour swims and hour swims. No drills just front crawl. Gave up sugar last year and foods with high sugar levels so that has helped. Probably quicker ways of loosing weight but I figure if you loose it slowly your less likely to put it back on.

MojoMaker

Weight loss is approx 85% diet and 15% exercise, so that sugar reduction is the main culprit - have no doubts.

The swimming keeps the motivation high to stick to the diet, and the combination of a good (better) diet and higher motivation is what is yielding the results.

To lose weight from swimming alone, with no change to diet, you'd want to be swimming Michael Phelps sets (7k calories per day) and even then you'd be so hungry you'd probably snack badly and undo all the good work.

bradnailer

MojoMaker wrote: »

Weight loss is approx 85% diet and 15% exercise, so that sugar reduction is the main culprit - have no doubts

I suppose like most things there's the norm and then other factors come into play.

I cut sugar out of my diet and reduced my carb intake at the end of January 2014. I weighed 19.5 stone, without any regular exercise i'd lost a stone by December 2014 18.5 stone.

In the summer of 2014 I was lucky enough to be asked by a guy that i do maintenance work for if I'd heard of an Endless pool and would it be possible to fit one in his property, I replied yes to both queries . In January 2015 I had access weekdays and most weekends to a pool. Six months into 2015 I weigh 17.5 stone, so with the swimming my rate of weight loss is up 50% on last year.

I know a big contributing factor is where I'm swimming, if I swim for half an hour it's constant no turns breaks etc and when I'm getting comfortable with my pace I swim for an hour or up the speed to the next level so I'm swimming hard most of the time. That's all front crawl, no drills, floats, paddles. In the six months I've had no injuries sprains, cuts, blisters etc which I don't think would the case if I'd chosen some other form of exercise.

All that said if you set goals and made a program of some sort I don't think it matters where you swim as long as your pushing your limits, it possible to loose weight through swimming as the op was asking.

mojitojoe

You'll nerver out train a bad diet with any sport. As MojoMaker said 85% diet 15% exercise.

ballooba

Isn't a calorie deficit the key to weight loss? I found apps like MyFitnessPal and Libra (weight tracker) great for tracking calorie burn/intake and progress. When you know where your calories are coming from (and where they are spent) you can prioritise. Advocates of certain lifestyles/diets will tell you that carbs are bad because they have to be converted and stored as fat before they can be burned. That we eat too much carbs as a proportion of our diet, and increasing intake of healthy fats and protein helps keeping weight off. I do tend to believe this and try to limit carbs.

mojitojoe

ballooba wrote: »

Isn't a calorie deficit the key to weight loss? I found apps like MyFitnessPal and Libra (weight tracker) great for tracking calorie burn/intake and progress. When you know where your calories are coming from (and where they are spent) you can prioritise. Advocates of certain lifestyles/diets will tell you that carbs are bad because they have to be converted and stored as fat before they can be burned. That we eat too much carbs as a proportion of our diet, and increasing intake of healthy fats and protein helps keeping weight off. I do tend to believe this and try to limit carbs.

Low carb not no carb. Timing and the type of carbs you eat are important too surely. Also your activity level must be considered. I think some people are more sensitive to carbs than others.
There is alway some new craze or faze to follow. The closer your food is to its natural state, as in less processed you should be ok.
Using MyFitnessPal really dose make you think about what you put in your mouth. saying that not all calories are equal.