Swimming to lose weight

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sarahnc_
sarahnc_ Posts: 47 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Anyone swimming as part of their weight loss program? What do you do in the pool, or what are your favorite swimming workouts? I've been swimming and running but because of back problems I'm now restricted to only swimming, so I'm looking for ways to keep up the weight loss with swimming as my main activity.

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  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
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    Swimming is great. I don't do much of it. (I do none to be honest) But it's something I want to try and do more of in future!

    It's a perfect full body workout!
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    Swimming and Yoga here. I never learned to swim at school. Learining to swim was a gift to myself as an adult and it has taken me to some wonderful outdoor places that I have been able to experience from a completely different viewpoint.
  • lhs1965
    lhs1965 Posts: 99 Member
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    Love water aerobics and feel I get a good workout.
  • cook6609
    cook6609 Posts: 182 Member
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    I love to swim, but I have a small above ground pool. I would love some ideas/exercises that I can do while I swim in there (once summer hits here). I don't want to have to spend money for a membership for a pool, if I can do a workout in my own. Sure I won't really get the laps, but I'm sure there's other things I could do.
  • schicksa
    schicksa Posts: 123 Member
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    I was a competitive swimmer for 16 years and am just now getting back into the pool. It's one of the best low-impact calorie burning activities you can do! I recommend the book "Swimming Past 50," it's got some great stroke technique information and workouts; one of my previous coaches co-wrote it.
  • funhouse77
    funhouse77 Posts: 179 Member
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    Swimming is great cardio, especially of you have any injuries. I tend to swim laps freestyle (I used to swim competitively when I was younger) this will give a good calorie burn and use all the muscles.
  • ms_leanne
    ms_leanne Posts: 523
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    I used to swim competitively when i was younger too. One thing I did find was I never got bingo wings even when I weighed over 200lbs.

    I think it's a great exercise!
  • lbesaw
    lbesaw Posts: 267 Member
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    I "water jog" --Major calorie burn--I highly recommend it! I still have arthritis but no longer have the inflammation that accompanies it.....I am convinced it's the swimming that keeps it at bay. I had to start slow 2 nights per week but my goal was to keep moving for 90 minutes. Could only water jog 15 min at the beginning then I would tread water until I felt I could go at it again. Now I do 90 minutes without stopping 4 nights a week and feel wonderful, and 65 pounds lighter. I am halfway to my goal but I can see myself still doing this a couple nights a week when I finally reach my maintenance period. Good luck.:smile:
  • ZozoMonster
    ZozoMonster Posts: 270 Member
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    I have back problems too and swimming is my main exercise as well as using the elliptical.
    I try to swim every weekday; a mile in 55 minutes, mixing up backstroke and breaststroke.
    Swimming and improving my diet, I've lost 2 stone :)
  • MrFit59
    MrFit59 Posts: 2
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    Swimming is a great exercise try doing different strokes for variety and using the different muscles you could also try water aerobics our club has water Zumba fitnessor if your competetive water polo great fun
  • babyhazelz1
    babyhazelz1 Posts: 39 Member
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    I swim for an hour about 4 days a week. I tend to alternate what I;m doing. I'll swim 10 lengths free, 10 back, 10 breast, 10 kick and 10 with a pulley. I do that twice so about 100 laps total. I started only doing about 60 but have worked my way up. Its the only thing I've tried that has helped me lose weight.
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    I don't now but I did a while back (3-4 years ago) and was pretty successful with it, I definitely changed my body shape which was nice.
    I just did laps and set myself new targets every week, adding 5-10 more laps at a time.
  • angelaryherdbrown
    angelaryherdbrown Posts: 4
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    I do deep water tread class once a week, it's an awesome workout, LOVE IT!! I also do water aerobics 2x weekly.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I do all of my high intensity cardio in the pool (I have arthritis so "land-based" cardio just wouldn't work). I do lap swimming occasionally (even though I find it pretty boring) but mostly I do pool exercise. Most public pools have varying levels of intensity based on fitness. I started with "Joint Effort" which is specifically designed for those who have musculo-skeletal problems (especially arthritis and those who have had joint replacements). Others take the course to help their rehabilitation for bad fractures. The next level is regular "Aquacize" which I have recently "graduated" to from Joint Effort. The next level after that is AquaZumba. And finally, there is Aqua Boot Camp (I've watched it---pretty brutal!) LOL Good luck--I predict that, if you love the water, you will love it! :smile:
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I love to swim, but I have a small above ground pool. I would love some ideas/exercises that I can do while I swim in there (once summer hits here). I don't want to have to spend money for a membership for a pool, if I can do a workout in my own. Sure I won't really get the laps, but I'm sure there's other things I could do.

    Why not take one class and they will teach you the moves that they do? You could attend one class at our public pool for $5, and we pretty much do the same moves (to music) every time.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I "water jog" --Major calorie burn--I highly recommend it! I still have arthritis but no longer have the inflammation that accompanies it.....I am convinced it's the swimming that keeps it at bay. I had to start slow 2 nights per week but my goal was to keep moving for 90 minutes. Could only water jog 15 min at the beginning then I would tread water until I felt I could go at it again. Now I do 90 minutes without stopping 4 nights a week and feel wonderful, and 65 pounds lighter. I am halfway to my goal but I can see myself still doing this a couple nights a week when I finally reach my maintenance period. Good luck.:smile:

    You too? I thought it was just me. But I DEFINITELY noticed a lowering of inflammation when I started exercising in the pool. I eat a low-inflammation diet and take a few anti-inflammatory herbs as well. My joints feel as good as they did 25 years ago now. :smile:

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