General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Can you loose weight swimming ? Rss Feed  
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2013-06-13 8:23 AM
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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by brigby1

Originally posted by bzgl40 Sure you could lose weight swimming, if you didn't replace the calories you burned with food.  If you want to lose weight start with food, not exercise.  Exercise for the joy of it, not to lose weight

Very much so. Many activities work towards weight loss, but it's matching the diet that really brings on results there. So for the OP, yes, swimming can work well for weight loss. And it will work better when following some of the later advice on how to do the swimming.




X3 on this. I have lost about 65 pounds since the start of 2012 (250 down to 185). Nutrition is more important then exercise IMHO. That's not to say that exercise is not important either, it needs to be used in tandem.

Eat healthy, eat lean. Resist the urges (I still need a lot of work on this, I want to drop another 15lbs).

And remember weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time and dedication.



Edited by Justin86 2013-06-13 8:24 AM


2013-06-13 8:25 AM
in reply to: axteraa

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by ChineseDemocracy agreed. but I don't know about you guys...with me, swimming makes me hungrier than anything. good luck bigdave!

Get in the hot tub for 10-15 mins after swimming.  It will help curb the post swim munchies.




Sounds interesting!
Why is that?
2013-06-13 9:41 AM
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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by Lynn00

Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by ChineseDemocracy agreed. but I don't know about you guys...with me, swimming makes me hungrier than anything. good luck bigdave!

Get in the hot tub for 10-15 mins after swimming.  It will help curb the post swim munchies.




Sounds interesting!
Why is that?


Sounds like placebo to me, but whatever works

Edited by Dnn 2013-06-13 9:41 AM
2013-06-13 9:56 AM
in reply to: Dnn


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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
I saw a study several years ago that claimed that swimming wasn't a particularly great method of weight loss for obese folks - something about cold water hitting the face triggered the brain to start packing on the fats. The control group was burning the same number of calories as the test group, but the test group ended up gaining an average of 7+ pounds over the course of a month.

I'd say that swimming can be a great way to keep your workouts from getting stale, but if I'm at the pool at the same time senior aqua aerobics is going on, I'd swear that time in the pool does nothing for weight loss.
2013-06-13 10:04 AM
in reply to: Dnn

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by Dnn
Originally posted by Lynn00
Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by ChineseDemocracy agreed. but I don't know about you guys...with me, swimming makes me hungrier than anything. good luck bigdave!

Get in the hot tub for 10-15 mins after swimming.  It will help curb the post swim munchies.

Sounds interesting! Why is that?
Sounds like placebo to me, but whatever works

It may very well be but it works for me.    I've read suggestions that it helps bring your core body temperature back up but that may be pure speculation.  I just know it works for me.

2013-06-13 10:06 AM
in reply to: bzgl40

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by bzgl40

Sure you could lose weight swimming, if you didn't replace the calories you burned with food.  If you want to lose weight start with food, not exercise.  Exercise for the joy of it, not to lose weight


The two go hand in hand, diet to control and reduce calorie intake, exercise to increase calorie expenditure, but also to avoid muscle loss. It's not one or other, it's usually both.

Strength training as mentioned is a good idea, it stimulates building more muscle, and muscle burns calories even when you don't do exercise. Combining cardio and strength training is possibly the best.

If you work with your fysio you may get a set of strength exercises that can strengthen the musculature arround the knees and reduce pain when riding.

BR


2013-06-13 10:14 AM
in reply to: erik.norgaard

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
I have found that regular exercise (of any sort) is important for losing weight....but not because of the calorie burn. It is important becuase it keeps you "fitness minded". If you realize that the 45 minutes you spend in the pool only burned 400 calories then you are less likely to "undo" that calorie burn with 2 slices of pizza. Bust your butt running 5 miles and then think that just 2 beers will erase those 5 miles.

One other thought......anything exercise you do tends to build/maintain muscles. Muscles, unlike fate, are metabolically active and burn calories 24/7. So the more muscles you have the higher your basel metabolic rate will be.
2013-06-13 11:04 AM
in reply to: Rogillio


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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?

Re: swimming vs biking question

According to my various Garmins (Garmii?), twenty minutes of actual swimming at about 2:00/100yds ( a little faster on a good day) burns about 200 calories. Twenty minutes of biking at 17mph burns about 330 calories.

Biking burns more calories.hour. Biking (for most) is easier to do for long distances. Also, swimming has a special appetite enhancement factor. I think that biking is really the pony to bet on for weight loss.

Also, biking involves sweat - pounds and pounds of it. Its not real weight loss but it is certainly fun to weigh in after a long ride.
2013-06-13 11:56 AM
in reply to: north_north_west

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by north_north_west

According to my various Garmins (Garmii?), twenty minutes of actual swimming at about 2:00/100yds ( a little faster on a good day) burns about 200 calories. Twenty minutes of biking at 17mph burns about 330 calories.


Skip the Garmin for caloric expenditure calculations; instead, use these equations to get you in the ballpark:

Swim - 100Cal per 400m
Bike - .35Cal per km per kg of body mass
Run - 1Cal per km per kg of body mass

Shane
2013-06-13 12:55 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by gsmacleod

Originally posted by north_north_west

According to my various Garmins (Garmii?), twenty minutes of actual swimming at about 2:00/100yds ( a little faster on a good day) burns about 200 calories. Twenty minutes of biking at 17mph burns about 330 calories.


Skip the Garmin for caloric expenditure calculations; instead, use these equations to get you in the ballpark:

Swim - 100Cal per 400m
Bike - .35Cal per km per kg of body mass
Run - 1Cal per km per kg of body mass

Shane


I have always used this:

Swimming: 10 calories/min so a 30 minute swim = ~300 calories
Running: 100 caloies per mile so 3 miles = ~300 calories
Biking: 50 calories per mille so 6 miles =~300 calories


I think trying to pin it down more than that is misleading. There are multiple factors that effect an individual's calorie burn including weight, gender, BMI, basel metabolic rate, environment temperatrue, elevation change, your physical condition (effects how long your HR remains elevated and how long your burn calories at an elevated rate after exercise) etc. I also think the calories listed on food labels are only within about 10%, if that.

Anyway, my approach has always been to keep it simple and just 'ball park' the numbers. YMMV (literally!)
2013-06-13 1:53 PM
in reply to: Dnn

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?

Originally posted by Dnn You must be mindful of the fact that it's very easy to swim without actually training. You can move forward but it won't do much for your fitness or weight loss. Besides, and this is important: weight loss is 95% your diet. Learn to watch your calories in vs. calories out. It's literally the only thing that works. You can eat McDonalds every day if you want as long as you don't eat too many calories. It's also why those miracle cures always fail; they're not lasting solutions and don't teach people the basics of weight loss.

x2.

Swimming is fine exercise of course, and you can burn calories.  However, you can burn a lot more a lot longer using your legs as the primary muscle group vs your arms.  they're just bigger and stronger.  Cycling is possibly the best, as you can pedal pretty hard for hours at a time.

another data point:  Whales.



2013-06-13 3:59 PM
in reply to: Rogillio


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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by Rogillio

Originally posted by gsmacleod

Originally posted by north_north_west

According to my various Garmins (Garmii?), twenty minutes of actual swimming at about 2:00/100yds ( a little faster on a good day) burns about 200 calories. Twenty minutes of biking at 17mph burns about 330 calories.


Skip the Garmin for caloric expenditure calculations; instead, use these equations to get you in the ballpark:

Swim - 100Cal per 400m
Bike - .35Cal per km per kg of body mass
Run - 1Cal per km per kg of body mass

Shane


I have always used this:

Swimming: 10 calories/min so a 30 minute swim = ~300 calories
Running: 100 caloies per mile so 3 miles = ~300 calories
Biking: 50 calories per mille so 6 miles =~300 calories


I think trying to pin it down more than that is misleading. There are multiple factors that effect an individual's calorie burn including weight, gender, BMI, basel metabolic rate, environment temperatrue, elevation change, your physical condition (effects how long your HR remains elevated and how long your burn calories at an elevated rate after exercise) etc. I also think the calories listed on food labels are only within about 10%, if that.

Anyway, my approach has always been to keep it simple and just 'ball park' the numbers. YMMV (literally!)


As you both say - I've looked at your calculations, and end up with numbers closer to 200 cal for both activies, and looked at various other calculators where the numbers vary from 200 up to 250 cal or so. I guess there really is no way of knowing for sure. But the Garmii are confident that biking burns a lot more. (And I do think my heart rate is significantly higher when biking)
2013-06-13 4:11 PM
in reply to: dbrook1

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
5 years ago when I decided to get fit I started with swimming. One year later I was 50 lbs lighter without any serious changes to diet. I always swam one hour minimum though. Also what helps is if you follow up the swim with time on the saddle for a little brick. That cardio time after 45 minutes is where you can put a dent in the weight.
2013-06-13 4:22 PM
in reply to: north_north_west

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by north_north_west

As you both say - I've looked at your calculations, and end up with numbers closer to 200 cal for both activies, and looked at various other calculators where the numbers vary from 200 up to 250 cal or so.


Which is pretty reasonable; assuming 175W-200W for cycling, you're looking at 210-240Cal for twenty minutes of cycling and 800m of swimming would be about 200Cal.

I guess there really is no way of knowing for sure.


There is but it involves lots of expensive equipment and is not really practical for training. Fortunately we know the formulae given above are a good starting point to estimate caloric expenditure.

But the Garmii are confident that biking burns a lot more. (And I do think my heart rate is significantly higher when biking)


It may be confident in that but just because the results are precise doesn't mean they are accurate.

Shane
2013-06-15 11:01 AM
in reply to: Bigdave001

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Subject: RE: Can you loose weight swimming ?
Originally posted by Bigdave001

Originally posted by erik.norgaard

Swimming and cycling are both good ways to loose weight without putting too much stress on joints as both are non-weight-bearing. In swimming, in particular if swimming crawl you don't put any stress at all on the knees, while in biking you can control it and change gear, cycling will never have the high impact on the knees as running does.

Generally swimming burns more calories per hour, but as many do not swim well and take plenty of rest, cycling may be the more efficient way of shedding some excess pounds.

A typical pitfall when you start out is to feel hunger after workout or to justify that extra chocolate bare because you just did a good workout. Well, you need to suppress those feelings if you're trying to loose weight. Regardless of what kind of exercise you do, you need to be in a calorie deficit to loose weight.

BR


Thanks i have been doing some gym biking and burning about 500+ cals in 35 mins so i thought i would back it up with a swim each day to try and shift the old weight i have been carrying mostly around the waist - rest of body quite trim (ISH)



I guarantee you that you are not getting anywhere near 500 calories burned in 35 minutes on a stationary bike. It is just not happening (others can correct me if I am wrong). That is a huge problem with exercise equipment that gives you a 'calories burned' number. It is very often off by a significant amount. People then go home and say, "I burned 500 calories today on the bike, this extra (cake, ice cream, chocolate, whatever) is OK."

As everyone else has said, creating a calorie deficit is the secret and it is sometimes hard to do, especially if you are using bad numbers.

Like others, I am hungrier on my swimming days. However, I notice that when I am swimming a lot, I tend to be at my leanest. The all over workout seems to really help me torch the calories.
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