Anyone else swimming for weight loss??

ratherbeskiing

I am swimming:happy: I do it Mondays- Wed's and Fridays :happy: I might also add a thurs in there and I heard they have tri training on Tues- so I might join that. I am not sure if I am ready for a Tri but I feel like anything that it for my goal is better then nothing:bigsmile:

kyle4jem

As I don't like running, and my knees hate it I decided to do a couch to 5K but in the pool rather than running.

Managed a 5K swim none stop a couple of weeks ago after only being able to swim about 100m none stop at the start of the year, (but you have just added me as a friend)

I can't run for toffee, but I love swimming. I go 4-5 times a week and regularly swim for 60-90mins a session.

I'm not a fast swimmer - I can only swim breaststroke - but I can swim length after length and rarely get tired, although sometime when I come out my back aches for a while.

I'm signed up for a 5K swim at the end of April. Thus far I've swum 4.5km a couple of times, so I'm positive it shouldn't be too much to go the extra 500m.

It's certainly helped me shed more lbs than I could have with just going to the gym and I certainly don't feel the need to eat back all my swimming calories, but everyone's different I suppose.

Sweet_Potato

I have a free pool one block from my house! I really should go more often, but there are some logistical issues... anyone have tips on how to overcome these things?

1. I have a really hard time getting a swim cap on. Once it's on it gives me a headache and it ends up falling off anyway. I only wash my hair once or twice a week (it takes a full day to dry) so I hate having to wash it every time I swim.

2. I wear goggles with contact lenses, but I've heard you're not supposed to do that because it could cause a serious eye infection. So it always makes me nervous. But I'm blind as a bat without them. I'm sure I could get prescription goggles but they must be very expensive.

3. I get bored really easily with swimming. I alternative between freestyle, breaststroke, and treading water to make it more interesting, and I try to focus on improving my form, but I still find it SO incredibly boring.

4. After half an hour I always have to pee, and I don't feel like getting back in the pool after that.

5. I am always ravenous after swimming and end up eating back all the calories I just burned. For some reason this is the only exercise that has that effect on me.

gymshoe42

there's lots of discussion / debate if swimming is a great weight loss exercise. Nobody disagrees that it's a great full body cardio and resistance exercise, ..but for weight loss... it probably depends on the person. Many people tend to overeat after swimming cause you're starved. Women seem to hold onto fat differently than men when swimming. I include swimming (or try to) into my weekly routine just to have variety but when i'm focused mostly on swimming ..the weight becomes harder to shed.

Kooraloo

I have a free pool one block from my house! I really should go more often, but there are some logistical issues... anyone have tips on how to overcome these things?

1. I have a really hard time getting a swim cap on. Once it's on it gives me a headache and it ends up falling off anyway. I only wash my hair once or twice a week (it takes a full day to dry) so I hate having to wash it every time I swim.

2. I wear goggles with contact lenses, but I've heard you're not supposed to do that because it could cause a serious eye infection. So it always makes me nervous. But I'm blind as a bat without them. I'm sure I could get prescription goggles but they must be very expensive.

3. I get bored really easily with swimming. I alternative between freestyle, breaststroke, and treading water to make it more interesting, and I try to focus on improving my form, but I still find it SO incredibly boring.

4. After half an hour I always have to pee, and I don't feel like getting back in the pool after that.

1. You might be wearing the wrong type of cap! I usually use latex because it stretches easily to accommodate hair/head, but several of my friends use silicon. Silicon is a bit more expensive but it also lasts longer and is more comfortable.

2. I wear goggles with contact lenses, too. I haven't had a problem with them, and I've been swimming for all my life. During waterpolo season I normally skip the goggles and just swim eyes open with contacts in. Prescription goggles ARE pretty expensive-- but also really nice. If your perscription doesn't change a lot and you're willing to fork over the money, I'd say go for them.

3. It seems like you're more of a short distances vs long course swimmer. Try doing things like 4 x 100s of IM or sprints. I personally love long & med course, but I know some people are different.

4. I.. I have no suggestions for this. There's always the "pee in the pool!" suggestion, but that's gross.

blondiEyyc

I swim 5x a week in the mornings. It is great to tone up, but I also hit the gym 5 times a week.

bregalad5

I have a free pool one block from my house! I really should go more often, but there are some logistical issues... anyone have tips on how to overcome these things?

1. I have a really hard time getting a swim cap on. Once it's on it gives me a headache and it ends up falling off anyway. I only wash my hair once or twice a week (it takes a full day to dry) so I hate having to wash it every time I swim.

2. I wear goggles with contact lenses, but I've heard you're not supposed to do that because it could cause a serious eye infection. So it always makes me nervous. But I'm blind as a bat without them. I'm sure I could get prescription goggles but they must be very expensive.

3. I get bored really easily with swimming. I alternative between freestyle, breaststroke, and treading water to make it more interesting, and I try to focus on improving my form, but I still find it SO incredibly boring.

4. After half an hour I always have to pee, and I don't feel like getting back in the pool after that.

5. I am always ravenous after swimming and end up eating back all the calories I just burned. For some reason this is the only exercise that has that effect on me.

1) I don't wear a cap. I wet my hair thoroughly prior to getting in the pool and haven't had trouble yet.

2) I have pretty bad vision (like, I wear my glasses to the pool so I can check to see which lanes are free because once I take them off I can't tell anymore), but can't wear contacts and don't have a problem once I'm under water. Not sure why but my goggles make it easier for me to see under water than above water. They're Speedo ones with blue tint.

3) Same here, or else I'd be swimming a mile or more each time I get in the pool. I do one lap breaststroke, one lap freestyle in a kind of HIIT sort of deal. I keep numbers in my head and sing music to myself. But yeah, I get super bored.

4) Hmmmm not sure on this one. I make sure I'm super hydrated, but always pee before I get in whether I have to go or not.

5) Unlike most, I actually DON'T have this problem. Not sure if it's because I have a 1.6 mile walk home after I get out, or what, but I'm not more hungry after swimming than any other exercise.