Any other swimmers?

Options
onwarddownward
onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am way overweight. Eating my way to a million pounds. Anyway, I hate exercise, but I like swimming and Lord knows I have buoyancy, so I got myself a membership to a local pool at a hotel. I have been swimming about five to six days a week for over a month now. I am still at about the same weight, I guess. I haven't stepped on a scale in all that time, but I am stronger.

My swimming skills used to be limited to thrashing around in what just barely passed for a paddle. I have been reading online and watching swim skill videos and have been able to bring my skills up. I bought a SUPER pair of Speedo goggles, which really helped in the water. I never need to care about water in my eyes anymore. I have also taught myself to breathe while doing the crawl. That was hard.

I thought I was ok when I was doing the crawl with my head out of the water, but when I finally learned to breathe correctly, man, it all has fallen into place.

Two days ago I got the Butterfly stroke started and am working hard on that. I have been trying it on and off and just not getting any propulsion until today. I finally got it.

So, I came out of the pool, showered and left feeling like I had run three miles after my 45 minute swim. I was just wondering if there are any others who are doing the same.

Replies

  • mpotter8876
    mpotter8876 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    I just start doing deep water aerobics. I have back issue so my days of lifting or almost anything is over, It's a good workout. Once it is warm I'm going to do the same as you and join the local pool and swim. Hate what it will do to my hair.
  • shrinkingbrian
    shrinkingbrian Posts: 171 Member
    Options
    I do lap swim Monday-Friday at the local high school in the mornings. I get an annual pass for $90. I usually get a lane to myself. It's a nice indoor pool and good exercise when the weather is bad. Swimming can be a great workout. If you swim vigorously, you can burn a ton of calories and it's good for toning. I can now do a mile swim in about 39 minutes. I started at 405 pounds and I'm now at 227 pounds. Swimming and walking have been my main cardio exercises. Swimming is also good because it's low impact with low risk of injury. Just make you stretch your arms and shoulders first and then do a warm up and cool down. I do mostly crawl but also mix in some breastroke and backstroke. I read an online post by a guy who used to run marathons who had a double knee replacement surgery who is now swimming. He said he wished he would have started swimming 20 years ago and saved his knees.
  • midwesternwind
    midwesternwind Posts: 20 Member
    Options
    I started out 329 pounds 60 days ago and due to walking off and on and dieting and aqua arobics I am down to 314. Not a lot but it's going. In my water arobics class we do jumping jacks, lunges, water walks (deeper water is better impact), walking forward and backwards, we do toe touches (bring your hand down and leg up) we do all this fast. We start out with one set of something for a couple minutes to do the next and so on an so on then go back to the first thing and start all over again for an hour. We use water weights and do arm lifts in the water, we always keep our arms moving for toning. We use "noodles" and do leg lifts with the noodle behind us so we are in a sitting position. There are a lot of exercises we do. I love the class. I am not like you where I can swim, I can't even float. I probably could but I am scared of deep water or going under...but I do what I can. I go 2 days a week.

    I wish you the best in your weight loss journey.
    Karen
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
    Options
    I wear a swim cap. It looks goofy, but it works. But there is a trick to it. Get one big enough and when you shower before getting into the pool, wet your hair completely, turn the cap inside out and wet that completely and then put in on. Then use shampoo after swimming and a good conditioner.

    I got 14 inches of hair cut off last summer. I was having headaches and thought it was the long thick hair. Well, it was an allergy to splenda (and all other sweeteners, including sugar).

    So now I am growing it back. I just put in a little pony tail and tuck that into the cap, wet. I use a non-elastic band, otherwise I would never get it out of my hair wet.

    I went swimming early with my son Charlie and I just feel so tight now, like underneath all this FLAB, I can feel toned muscles. I really need to take some monthly photos.
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
    Options
    Wow, that is a super testimony to exercise! I used to be a runner twenty years ago, but I ruined my knees, so water is it for me. I may not be sweating in the water, but I sure am once I get out of it! It's a great workout.
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
    Options
    Karen,

    I am so glad that you have a class that really suits you. I have such social anxiety that I can't do a class. I am more of a loner. I'm an 'eat a loner", too.

    I was thrown into a pool by my dad when I was three or four, he was drunk and I guess that technically, I drowned, but they brought me back. I remember sinking in the water, eyes opened and seeing the bubbles as I fell to the bottom of the pool. I don't remember getting out.

    But despite that fear that always kept my head out of the water, I learned first to float and then to swim in a sort of doggy paddle stroke. Thanks to You Tube videos, I have been able to get the hang of how to breathe underwater. Here is the video that helped me so much http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMSE65dWcl8

    I don't know if the board will let me post it.

    Happy exercising! Every day in water is a good day.

    Jan
  • frugalafterfifty
    frugalafterfifty Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    Inspiring stories and congrats to all of you for getting in the water. I swam as a kid in the summers. All my kids were swimmers (and played water polo - they were water rats) in High School and two in college on scholarships. They've done the lifeguard bit too. As a matter of fact one is a lifeguard at the local Y and I was just considering attempting to swim again. I'm not all that excited about putting a swim suit on, but realistically I know that it would be good for me and certainly help exercise different muscles and tone me up. Thanks for bringing up this topic. I might just give it a go. ~ Terri
  • ciaobelly
    ciaobelly Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    Wow, that is a super testimony to exercise! I used to be a runner twenty years ago, but I ruined my knees, so water is it for me. I may not be sweating in the water, but I sure am once I get out of it! It's a great workout.

    Hiya!

    I'm a swimmer too. Swam for an hour today and even if I could feel the exercise, I was left energised.

    FYI, you do sweat when you swim. You just don't feel it because, well, you're wet! That's why it is important to keep hydrating while swimming.

    C
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
    Options
    I am way overweight. Eating my way to a million pounds. Anyway, I hate exercise, but I like swimming and Lord knows I have buoyancy, so I got myself a membership to a local pool at a hotel. I have been swimming about five to six days a week for over a month now. I am still at about the same weight, I guess. I haven't stepped on a scale in all that time, but I am stronger.

    My swimming skills used to be limited to thrashing around in what just barely passed for a paddle. I have been reading online and watching swim skill videos and have been able to bring my skills up. I bought a SUPER pair of Speedo goggles, which really helped in the water. I never need to care about water in my eyes anymore. I have also taught myself to breathe while doing the crawl. That was hard.

    I thought I was ok when I was doing the crawl with my head out of the water, but when I finally learned to breathe correctly, man, it all has fallen into place.

    Two days ago I got the Butterfly stroke started and am working hard on that. I have been trying it on and off and just not getting any propulsion until today. I finally got it.

    So, I came out of the pool, showered and left feeling like I had run three miles after my 45 minute swim. I was just wondering if there are any others who are doing the same.

    I posted a similar topic last month because I was not a fan of running and enjoyed swimming. My first day I couldnt make it a full lap without a five minute break...Now I just keep going lap after lap for an hour with only ten second breaks. I swim for exactly 60 minutes straight, but I loose a pound after each workout atleast. Which leads me to believe that if you are not seing any weightloss maybe you are not pushing hard enough or not eatting right possibly too much...maybe I am no dietician but I do try to keep it under 2000 cals a day when I swim. People have been telling me that interval training is really good in the pool, push your self real hard for two minutes and then lightly swim a minute, I am starting that next week. Hope this gives you some ideas
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
    Options
    Part of the reason I can't post any weight loss is that I'm not weighing myself. But my jean's waistband doesn't hurt to sit down in anymore and when I'm walking, they keep slipping down! So that's progress!

Categories