Swimming as exercise

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sharon75uk
sharon75uk Posts: 51 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Been going swimming most days and swimming 25 -30 lengths of a 25 metre pool. This is taking me about 30 - 40 minutes.
Do I need to log these calories as I don't really want to start eating the calories I earn?
Oh and just how good an exercise is swimming - I am currently 223lbs, female and 5feet5. Been loosing about 3lbs a week for the past 4 weeks.

Replies

  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    Been going swimming most days and swimming 25 -30 lengths of a 25 metre pool. This is taking me about 30 - 40 minutes.
    Do I need to log these calories as I don't really want to start eating the calories I earn?
    Oh and just how good an exercise is swimming - I am currently 223lbs, female and 5feet5. Been loosing about 3lbs a week for the past 4 weeks.

    1) 3 pounds a week is a lot of loss and may not be advisable because you can lose a lot of lean mass. Slow that down.

    2) If you are eating on MFP's plan, please eat back your exercise calories.

    3) Yes, swimming is good exercise. Your pace is what I would call a moderate one and is a decent calorie burn.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    As you are seeing swimming is excellent exercise, but yes you should be logging and eating back at least 1/2 of your exercise calories. Your current loss rate of 3 pounds per week is very fast, and will lead (and probably already has) to a loss of muscle mass should you continue at that pace. Pull back and target 1 to 2 pounds per week, and if you do choose 2 pounds then don't plan to keep that rate up very long either. Two pounds per week is at the top end of where you should be and most people who have been where you are will suggest 1 pound per week. The idea is to lose the weight while also building habits that you can sustain for life and a much more moderate calorie deficit will help you with that.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I completely agree with BeachIron and BeachGinger. You're meant to eat back your exercise calories; they're there for a reason.
  • sharon75uk
    sharon75uk Posts: 51 Member
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    I am eating 1350 calories a day - up to 1500 some days as I am a little hungry at nights. Will keep this up for another few weeks and then eat a little more.
    Thanks
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    I am eating 1350 calories a day - up to 1500 some days as I am a little hungry at nights. Will keep this up for another few weeks and then eat a little more.
    Thanks

    The Beaches are correct. MFP is designed in such a way that you are supposed to eat back calories burned through exercise, as you are already on a reasonable deficit. I urge you to listen to them.
  • Andrea8985
    Andrea8985 Posts: 107
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    Swimming is excellent exercise. Honestly, I used to swim a lot and I was in much better shape. Where I live now, it's usually too cold to swim outside and I don't like having to pay to swim at the gym. Swimming and dancing are the exercise I like the most.

    Three pounds per week is a lot. I tend to be much happier when I lose one to two pounds per week. Rapid weight loss is never sustainable.
  • 1PatientBear
    1PatientBear Posts: 2,089 Member
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    I am eating 1350 calories a day - up to 1500 some days as I am a little hungry at nights. Will keep this up for another few weeks and then eat a little more.
    Thanks

    The Beaches are correct. MFP is designed in such a way that you are supposed to eat back calories burned through exercise, as you are already on a reasonable deficit. I urge you to listen to them.

    ^^^ This. Plus, your 3 pound a week weight loss will not continue long term. You need to create smart eating habits now to avoid becoming discouraged later and focus on losing 1-2 pounds a week max for healthy and sustainable weight loss.
  • melrunnerbean
    melrunnerbean Posts: 9
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    Swimming is an excellent form of exercise and i would say that normally you would eat the calories back but thats only if you need it.

    If your not hungry then no point in forcing yourself to eat the extra calories.

    Plus when your heavier you lose weight a lot quicker than someone who is near the end of their weight loss journey so i really don't think that losing 3lbs a week is a lot when you have a fair bit to lose...

    I weigh 125lbs and I'm 5 ft 5. I'm trying to loose 5lbs and the prospect of losing 3lbs a week would be incredible as I'd be there in 1.5 weeks but when your at the bottom end of your weight loss journey its a lot harder to shift the pounds...

    Swimming seems to work for you so I'd deco keep it up. I cycle on my stationary bike daily and go to the gym and walk a lot but i've been trying to shift some weight for the last 3 weeks and I've lost nothing!

    I think i'm going to have to be a lot more drastic if i want to see results!
  • sharon75uk
    sharon75uk Posts: 51 Member
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    It is more difficult to loose the last few pounds. Thanks for replying hope you get to your goal soon.
  • sharon75uk
    sharon75uk Posts: 51 Member
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    Will take another look at my calories and will start to log them - hadn't been logging them.
    Thanks for replying
  • sharon75uk
    sharon75uk Posts: 51 Member
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    I am eating 1350 calories a day - up to 1500 some days as I am a little hungry at nights. Will keep this up for another few weeks and then eat a little more.
    Thanks

    The Beaches are correct. MFP is designed in such a way that you are supposed to eat back calories burned through exercise, as you are already on a reasonable deficit. I urge you to listen to them.

    ^^^ This. Plus, your 3 pound a week weight loss will not continue long term. You need to create smart eating habits now to avoid becoming discouraged later and focus on losing 1-2 pounds a week max for healthy and sustainable weight loss.


    Will take another look at my calories and will start to log them - hadn't been logging them.
    Thanks for replying
  • melrunnerbean
    melrunnerbean Posts: 9
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    Thanks. I'd log it as light/moderate. I swim 50 laps in 30mins and count that as light/moderate... I usually do 100 laps when i go to the pool though...

    Are you doing front crawl or breaststroke as obviously you'd be slower doing breaststroke and the calorie burnt would be more than if you were doing front crawl as its harder...
  • Camera_BagintheUK
    Camera_BagintheUK Posts: 707 Member
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    As you are seeing swimming is excellent exercise, but yes you should be logging and eating back at least 1/2 of your exercise calories. Your current loss rate of 3 pounds per week is very fast, and will lead (and probably already has) to a loss of muscle mass should you continue at that pace. Pull back and target 1 to 2 pounds per week, and if you do choose 2 pounds then don't plan to keep that rate up very long either. Two pounds per week is at the top end of where you should be and most people who have been where you are will suggest 1 pound per week. The idea is to lose the weight while also building habits that you can sustain for life and a much more moderate calorie deficit will help you with that.

    What he said :smile: Excellent advice!
  • sharon75uk
    sharon75uk Posts: 51 Member
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    Thanks. I'd log it as light/moderate. I swim 50 laps in 30mins and count that as light/moderate... I usually do 100 laps when i go to the pool though...

    Are you doing front crawl or breaststroke as obviously you'd be slower doing breaststroke and the calorie burnt would be more than if you were doing front crawl as its harder...

    I am doing a mixture of breast stroke, crawl and back stroke. Will just go with the light/moderate.
  • dnunny70
    dnunny70 Posts: 411 Member
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    For sure log it!

    I went to the pool for about 2.5 hours today, but I didn't do a lot of "swimming". I was in the water and moving the entire time-I was playing with my boys. Not sure how to log that?
  • sharon75uk
    sharon75uk Posts: 51 Member
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    For sure log it!

    I went to the pool for about 2.5 hours today, but I didn't do a lot of "swimming". I was in the water and moving the entire time-I was playing with my boys. Not sure how to log that?

    Aquafit perhaps? 2.5 hours is a fantastic time to have had fun with your boys :)

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