Do people lose weight via swimming?

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  • Macstraw
    Macstraw Posts: 896 Member
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    I do swimming for my fitness and have not been losing weight. I invested in a heart rate monitor (polar ft4), turns out I wasn't working NEARLY as hard as I thought I was. Those ridiculous calories MFP had been giving me for my swim workout had been completely wrong. Now I make sure I keep my heart rate in between the zone and log the calories burned that my Polar reads out. I highly suggest you invest as well, best decision I ever made!! :)
    that zone is a useless indicator of anything. push yourself hard and aim to improve every workout.

    ^ This. We get too caught up in #'s & gadgets. Just get out there & move, whether it's swimming, running, jumping rope, rowing. ANY activity will require energy & make your body burn calories. Combine that with controlling what you eat & you will lose weight. Save money, save time & save stress by not worrying about gadgets & what their readings mean. One thing I've noticed in my time on MFP is that for every person who says how you should do things to lose weight, what tools you should use, what #'s are important there is somebody else who makes just as credible an argument for the other point of view (see all the threads on whether to eat back exercise calories, starvation mode, lifting vs. cardio, etc.). Just get out there & do what works for you..........
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I do swimming for my fitness and have not been losing weight. I invested in a heart rate monitor (polar ft4), turns out I wasn't working NEARLY as hard as I thought I was. Those ridiculous calories MFP had been giving me for my swim workout had been completely wrong. Now I make sure I keep my heart rate in between the zone and log the calories burned that my Polar reads out. I highly suggest you invest as well, best decision I ever made!! :)

    Yep. If you are not breathing somewhat heavily, you are not burning many calories. I've lost 20 pounds since I started "aquatic exercise" in August of last year, and have completely changed shape (almost 10 inches off my waist!) One thing I notice about the lap swimmers is that many of them don't even breathe heavy at all. They just swim at a very leisurely pace. The other thing is that I hear some of them talking in the change room and going out for coffee and doughnuts with their friends after they swim. I think they have been told that they will lose weight from swimming , but we all know that without watching what you eat, you might be more fit but you probably won't lose body fat.
  • allysonvb
    allysonvb Posts: 236 Member
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    I don't know if it's been discussed, but you have to get your heart rate up during swimming to lose weight, leisurely swimming will not have nearly the affect. Also, vary the stroke you do, the number of times you stroke before breathing, etc. do some long course sets and some sprints. The theory of muscle confusion applies here, too. I was a swimmer through college, and I was a distance swimmer, so I can get in te water and swim a mile no problem. For me, I'd have to do some sprint sets and drills to feel the burn. You may be the same.
  • Hadabetter
    Hadabetter Posts: 941 Member
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    I don't know if it's been discussed, but you have to get your heart rate up during swimming to lose weight, leisurely swimming will not have nearly the affect. Also, vary the stroke you do, the number of times you stroke before breathing, etc. do some long course sets and some sprints. The theory of muscle confusion applies here, too. I was a swimmer through college, and I was a distance swimmer, so I can get in te water and swim a mile no problem. For me, I'd have to do some sprint sets and drills to feel the burn. You may be the same.
    Muscles don't get confused.
  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
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    the bad thing with swimming is that the better u get is the more efficient u get and thus less cals burned. but its a total body exercise.
  • allysonvb
    allysonvb Posts: 236 Member
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    I don't know if it's been discussed, but you have to get your heart rate up during swimming to lose weight, leisurely swimming will not have nearly the affect. Also, vary the stroke you do, the number of times you stroke before breathing, etc. do some long course sets and some sprints. The theory of muscle confusion applies here, too. I was a swimmer through college, and I was a distance swimmer, so I can get in te water and swim a mile no problem. For me, I'd have to do some sprint sets and drills to feel the burn. You may be the same.
    Muscles don't get confused.

    No, you're right, they don't. I just meant vary te exercises so you are hitting many muscle groups instead of the same ones over and over!
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    the bad thing with swimming is that the better u get is the more efficient u get and thus less cals burned. but its a total body exercise.

    What I do is keep pushing harder and faster as I get more fit. The best thing is to go for breathing heavy--it is an easy thing to keep track of, doesn't require any fancy hardware and is a pretty good marker of whether or not you are getting a good workout. Some of the people in my aquacize group will rest between sets of moves and I keep going. I fill in with other moves because I want to work as hard as I can. Seems to work for me. :smile:
  • CudyBug
    CudyBug Posts: 742 Member
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    I lost 50 lbs before getting pregnant and it was all from walking, calorie counting and leisurely swimming with my children. I didn't do laps I mostly walked the current pool with them or made sure if I was standing still I was still moving.
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
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    Here's another question for the swimmers.

    I love swimming, I love being in the water. But I don't have the stamina to swim for 30 solid minutes. I can do 10 minutes. Then I'm physically exhausted, and mentally losing my concentration. So I usually do 10 minutes, then sit and read my book, then 10 minutes, then read, then 10 more minutes. It still adds up to 30, obviously. But is it still an effective workout? Should I push myself to go longer, or is this just fine? It's not the only cardio or strength I get, but I like to do it once or twice a week in the spring/summer.
  • ScottishMrs
    ScottishMrs Posts: 254 Member
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    Yes, people lose weight via swimming because it's a burn. That's how my SIL keeps her weight down. Also, when I lived in residence there was a girl there who had been a competitive swimmer in highschool and stopped swimming when she got to university. She gained 40lbs in first year because she still ate like a swimmer but didn't swim anymore. Proof that it definitely burns well if you work hard!
  • FireRox21
    FireRox21 Posts: 424 Member
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    I have been a swimmer for 16 years. I started in college and swam 2 years for my college team. I now compete with US Masters Swimming. Nope, never lost a pound. All of my workouts now average 2500-3000 meters daily. I was swimming 5 days a week, but a few months ago, switched it up to include Zumba, a weight lifting program and other cardio.

    It wasn't until I started dryland training that I saw ANY weight loss success. Also, the fitter I got out of the water, the less calories I burned in the water. All of my workouts include all four strokes, (I am an IM'er) and usually take an hour to complete.

    So from a long time swimmer...no, you can't lose weight from swimming alone. You truly do need other cardio AND weight training. I can't stress the need for weight training enough!!!
  • underwater77
    underwater77 Posts: 331 Member
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    I log my swimming calories according to MFP but I try not toeat them back because I know they aren't accurate and I don't have a HRM that I can wear in the pool. I swam 4000 meters today, but only about half of it was really "hard" - the rest is just a relaxing way to get a little exercise, a little sun, and some endurance swims in. Because I was raised a swimmer and never really stopped, it isn't a challenging workout for ME. But when I swim with people who aren't familiar or those who have less than stellar technique, it's a hell of a workout. You can certainly lose weight with swimming, but I will say that most of the swimmers I swam with never were really thin - but they were in the best shape of anyone I know - to this day. I think that swimming helps every other form of exercise I do.
  • spaghetti93
    spaghetti93 Posts: 140 Member
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    Swimming is fantastic exercise, but it depends what approach you take. When I was on a swim team I gained weight but stayed the same size since I put on muscle - but this is the program my coach designed for us. I definitely ate tons more too.
    If you're swimming more recreationally, and keep track of calories burned/consumed, you can definitely lose weight.
  • mdburciaga
    mdburciaga Posts: 1
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    Swimming is the best excersise you can get.. It's the one sport that works out every muscle in your body.. But try switching it up a few days a week.. Do a class at your gym, or if your not a member, than go on a hike, ride a bike, jog.. You get the point. But take advantage of this app and try a 1200 calorie diet.. Trust me, it's enough to eat good and stay healthy.. I lost 11 pounds and it's week two.. It's total discipline combined with determination. Good luck!
  • a2o3
    a2o3 Posts: 11
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    I watched a study about it on Discovery Channel once so the reliability of my info is up to your discretion, but according to the experiment, high intensity swimming does burn INSANE amounts of fat. But don't expect the scales to tip too much because swimming also packs on quite a bit of muscle.
  • elyseology
    elyseology Posts: 44 Member
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    I do swimming for my fitness and have not been losing weight. I invested in a heart rate monitor (polar ft4), turns out I wasn't working NEARLY as hard as I thought I was. Those ridiculous calories MFP had been giving me for my swim workout had been completely wrong. Now I make sure I keep my heart rate in between the zone and log the calories burned that my Polar reads out. I highly suggest you invest as well, best decision I ever made!! :)
    that zone is a useless indicator of anything. push yourself hard and aim to improve every workout.

    Maybe some of us, like myself, need that "zone goal" to strive for in order "push ourselves".
  • elyseology
    elyseology Posts: 44 Member
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    I watched a study about it on Discovery Channel once so the reliability of my info is up to your discretion, but according to the experiment, high intensity swimming does burn INSANE amounts of fat. But don't expect the scales to tip too much because swimming also packs on quite a bit of muscle.

    Wow! Really great to know! Might explain a lot to my situation. Thanks for sharing! :smile:
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    So from a long time swimmer...no, you can't lose weight from swimming alone.
    What a strange statement. Of course you can swimming is like any other exercise if you have the calorie deficit you will lose weight.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I have been a swimmer for 16 years. I started in college and swam 2 years for my college team. I now compete with US Masters Swimming. Nope, never lost a pound. All of my workouts now average 2500-3000 meters daily. I was swimming 5 days a week, but a few months ago, switched it up to include Zumba, a weight lifting program and other cardio.

    It wasn't until I started dryland training that I saw ANY weight loss success. Also, the fitter I got out of the water, the less calories I burned in the water. All of my workouts include all four strokes, (I am an IM'er) and usually take an hour to complete.

    So from a long time swimmer...no, you can't lose weight from swimming alone. You truly do need other cardio AND weight training. I can't stress the need for weight training enough!!!

    Years ago, I used to do lap swimming for exercise, and I felt great but never lost any weight. Now, I have been doing water exercise with a class, since last fall and find that it is a pretty good cardio workout--more so than lap swimming (plus, I find it a lot less boring than lap swimming). You are right about the weight training! Since I added weight training to my regimen, I'm losing a lot more body fat! :smile:
  • mikeatmichael
    mikeatmichael Posts: 92 Member
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    Here's another question for the swimmers.

    I love swimming, I love being in the water. But I don't have the stamina to swim for 30 solid minutes. I can do 10 minutes. Then I'm physically exhausted, and mentally losing my concentration. So I usually do 10 minutes, then sit and read my book, then 10 minutes, then read, then 10 more minutes. It still adds up to 30, obviously. But is it still an effective workout? Should I push myself to go longer, or is this just fine? It's not the only cardio or strength I get, but I like to do it once or twice a week in the spring/summer.

    You just need to build up the stamina. Count how many laps you do in the first 10 minutes. Then the next time do a couple more in the first two sets and deduct them from the third set. When you're comfortable with that do it again. Keep doing that and in a short time you'll be doing the same amount of laps in two sets and then in one. The increased stamina is one of the greatest benefits of lap swimming.

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