Swimming - is it fun or a fat burner?

Quronos

I’ve recently joined a gym with a swimming pool and after 2 days of hitting the gym, I decided to take today’s session in the pool.

I feel that my activity in the pool was high enough to burn some calories, indeed I was tired and out of breath. So I’m sat here now wondering, is the swimming an effective fat burner?

cwolfman13

Quronos wrote: »

I’ve recently joined a gym with a swimming pool and after 2 days of hitting the gym, I decided to take today’s session in the pool.

I feel that my activity in the pool was high enough to burn some calories, indeed I was tired and out of breath. So I’m sat here now wondering, is the swimming an effective fat burner?

Exercise burns calories. Yes, swimming burns calories. Everything you do burns calories...just being alive burns a *kitten* ton of calories. You burn fat when your calories coming in are less than your calories going out. Fat is just stored energy and you burn stored energy when you expend more energy than you take in.

ETA: exercise in general can (and IMO should be) fun. Do you know how many calories kids burn running around playing and having fun? Most of my exercise is physical recreation that I consider fun and I burn plenty of calories mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, etc...I guarantee you any one of those things is going to burn more calories than my 60 minutes in the weight room (which is the only thing I do in the gym)

Corina1143

For me, I burn a few calories in the pool, but I feel so energized that I accomplish much more and burn more calories through the day. Is that why other people go to the gym?

AnnPT77

Corina1143 wrote: »

For me, I burn a few calories in the pool, but I feel so energized that I accomplish much more and burn more calories through the day. Is that why other people go to the gym?

Some of them, I hope most, go to the gym for reasons like that.

Pretty sure some go because they feel like it's obligatory, or because they think they need to do something miserable and punitive in order to get fitness improvements or calorie burn. That's sad.

@Quronos, things can be fun and a calorie burner both. That's ideal. If swimming is fun for you, I think you have a winner.

Jacq_qui

I think swimming is fabulous for cardio, stamina and all over strength without putting significant impact on joints. I am not a big cardio fan, but with swimming I can push myself and tire myself out in a much more enjoyable way. It definitely burns calories, and I always feel it works muscles in a way I can't replicate elsewhere. (I mostly lift)

Melwillbehealthy

I do some fitness classes, dance class and swim. I probably love swimming the most, and would swim every day if I could fit it in. I’ve read it’s a good calorie burner, but even more important are the wonderful health benefits for your body. It allows movement some people otherwise couldn’t achieve. My goal is to eventually look like a swimmer- strong!

ridiculous59

In my 20's I worked across the road from a swimming pool and I swam 40 lengths every lunch hour. I also did a bit of running and a few weights (maybe once or twice a week?). So my main exercise was swimming. The fitness level that I had in my 20's is my gold standard and a dream I've been chasing ever since.

Also, think of it this way: when you run or bike, you mainly use your lower body but when you swim you use your whole body. To me, that's just a super efficient use of my time.

ninerbuff

Quronos wrote: »

I feel that my activity in the pool was high enough to burn some calories, indeed I was tired and out of breath. So I’m sat here now wondering, is the swimming an effective fat burner?

ANY CARDIO is to burn calories.
Here's the thing......you could walk at a moderate pace 5 days a week, and eat a 500 calorie deficit from your TDEE or swim at a high rate of intensity for 5 days but only eat 100 calorie deficit from your TDEE and you'd lose more weight from the walking.
Fat loss still comes down to eating less that you burn regardless of what exercise program you do.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Quronos

Thanks guys! Some really positive and helpful stuff there.
My next question I guess is how to track calorie burn whilst swimming. I don't find fitness trackers to be particularly durable around swimming pools etc.

claireychn074

Look for a tracker which explicitly includes swimming; I used to use a speedo lap tracker (which also estimated calorie burn), my mum uses a Fitbit and I believe garmin do one which works in the pool.

lisakatz2

My Mom (R.I.P.) used to swim at the community pool, 4-5 times a week, up until the point that her dementia became pronounced. She had the lats, back, arms, legs, even at 80! Yes, swimming is definitely legitimate exercise and if you enjoy doing it, continue!

cmriverside

Quronos wrote: »

Thanks guys! Some really positive and helpful stuff there.
My next question I guess is how to track calorie burn whilst swimming. I don't find fitness trackers to be particularly durable around swimming pools etc.

I used a Polar watch with a chest band for a while for swimming. I also used to be on the high school swim team so I kinda sorta know what I'm doing in the water. The Polar held up well, not sure if they even make them anymore, though.

I found that the calorie burns were crazy high...like 900 calories for 45 minutes or something like that. Yeah, no.

I think I just picked a number that sounded good (like 400 calories) and used that.

All exercise calories are estimations based on heart rate and a device is not going to be accurate. My suggestion is pick a (reasonable) number and use it for a month or so and see what your weight does. Adjust at the end of that period of time when you have some good trending data.

tomcustombuilder

The more you suck at swimming the more calories you burn doing it. A really good swimmer has to swim a lot farther to burn the same amount of calories as a poor swimmer.

Bottom line is swimming calorie burn numbers are really inaccurate in most cases.

As far as swimming in general. It’s about the best thing you can do exercise wise. Works everything and is easy on the joints.