Swimming to lose weight

LemonLizard
LemonLizard Posts: 86 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I'm currently around 145-150 lbs, the scale's kind of wonky so it's kind of hard to tell.

I'd like to get down to 120-125 lbs.

How many of you have experienced weight loss through swimming - how long did it take to see results? Were you around my weight or did you weigh more/less?

Did you enjoy swimming more than other types of exercise? I have knees that don't quite cooperate with running, so I'd prefer to swim or use an elliptical.

Anything about swimming as exercise you'd like to put out there I'd love to hear.

Replies

  • misskariw
    misskariw Posts: 171 Member
    I'm inconsistent at best when it comes to my water exercise. That part aside, I do notice that if I'm going to the pool, the scale is moving down (even if, for me, it's tiny increments.) It moves faster than walking, and it doesn't make my knees, my back, my feet, my legs, or my sides hurt. There's a lot of resistance in movement in the water even though you don't realize it during the actual exercise. Start swimming, or doing water aerobics, or just take your walks in the pool, and see how tired you are at the end of the day. You're definitely getting more than just walking on land. I think you'll enjoy it, and your joints will thank you, and you'll get some good burn from it, too. Put your water activity into the exercise log here on MFP and see just how much you burn during your workout. Then compare it to a walk, or the same amount of time on the elliptical (this thing still hurts my knees.) Good Luck!
  • virpemvic
    virpemvic Posts: 5
    swimming is the only real exercise I can do because of arthritis but it really works - I try to swim at least 1/2 hour a day, sometimes 60 minutes and by keeping to 1200 calories and the swimming have lost 22 pounds in 2 months - hope it will help you as much as it has me!
  • mustapekka
    mustapekka Posts: 59
    I started at 171 and got down to 149 in two months, doing mainly swimming in the beginning. I eat about 20 percent below tdee.
    Swimming is a great way to lose weight and build endurance! Best of luck to you!
  • mustapekka
    mustapekka Posts: 59
    I'm 5'9 btw
  • SelenityJ
    SelenityJ Posts: 168 Member
    I lose weight and inches when I'm swimming at least half an hour every day. I was also a competitive swimmer so I have that experience to draw upon as well. What I normally do is this:

    Warm up swimming, usually about 100 yards of kicking using a kicking board.
    50 yards of easy freestyle
    then gradually increase how fast I'm swimming each 50 yards until I'm going all out.
    Then i do all out swimming for 300 yards and then gradually decrease it down.

    I alternate what i'm focusing on each set usually the order goes, freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly.

    Butterfly is my favorite stroke to do and also one of the best for working out with in my opinion and experience. I recently joined up at a gym and I am excited to start going swimming every day again.
  • peterjasper
    peterjasper Posts: 41 Member
    I am pleased to hear people are achieving weight loss through swimming. I recently injured myself doing crossfit so I have taken up swimming as an alternative while I heal up. I am surprised how relaxed and re-invogorated I feel after a swim. I am really enjoying it. I swim 30 minutes a day.
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    if your knees are bad, the whip kick for breaststroke is not great for them. Do the front crawl or backstroke instead
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    Love, love, love swimming - favourite exercise (apart from riding) because it's comfortable where high impact stuff isn't and I find it tones my stomach muscles up a treat.
  • blackcloud13
    blackcloud13 Posts: 654 Member
    I'm glad to see swimming works well. I'm planning on cutting my running down in about two weeks and learning (yes, learning!) How to swim. Hoping I won't gain too much weight - but looks like it can be pretty effective too.
  • LemonLizard
    LemonLizard Posts: 86 Member
    Thanks so much for the replies! Its really encouraging!

    Glad to see it works for so many people, I'll definitely be giving a try. I'll mix it in with some el trailer and see how it goes.
  • FizikallyFit
    FizikallyFit Posts: 180 Member
    Bump cuz it is interesting and I love to swim

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