swimming for excercise

erinmunguia
erinmunguia Posts: 1 Member
in Introduce Yourself
hello my name is Erin. I am 32 years old, mother to my amazing 4 yr old son. I weigh 468 pounds an am extremely unhappy. For the first time I have stuck to diet and exercise but only for a week. I'm cooking healthy not reaching my daily calorie goals but staying under. I hurt when I walk but for first time I have been going outside and walking for five minutes which is very difficult for me but Im hoping to get stronger, just wishing it would happen faster. I do love to swim, but my question is has anyone actually loss weight from exercise? It seems too easy. If yes I want to get membership to swim classes, Because until I lose some weight Im not going to be able to do much on ground. I am able to walk do things around house its just more difficult and I have been feeling this way for past yr. My activity level went down after my sciatica was so painful, until recently I realized Ive been using that as an excuse for past year that after sitting on couch not doing anything other than taking care of my son, that my sciatica is not even what hurts me anything, its my thighs burning after taking 10 steps, my stomach being weak not able to support myself standing. I need help and encouragement.I have so many goals like walk my son to the park on a daily basis without thinking about how painful it is going to be.But I want to also be able to take him to Disneyland by next july for his 5th birthday.Oh this is so hard meaning willpower and not giving into temptation, but I want to live and see my son grow into the wonderful man that he is. Im just introducing myself sharing a little of myself and only thing im really asking for is if anyone has ever lost an extreme amount of weight only by swimming. thank you for reading.

Replies

  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    Swimming is very good. I used to take aquacise classes and loved it. It's much easier on your body, especially if walking a short amount of time is painful for you. You can't go wrong getting your body moving. :heart:
  • thegreatcanook
    thegreatcanook Posts: 2,419 Member
    Move more, eat less! If you are swimming and eating at a calorie deficit, it will work! You can add me for support if you'd like.
  • gelendestrasse
    gelendestrasse Posts: 204
    Swimming is good because it's not going to stress your joints and will build muscle all around. But it's going to take a LOT of swimming to burn the calories. Still, I think it's the best way to start. Enroll your son in lessons and hit the lap pool at the same time if you can.
  • mar36jen
    mar36jen Posts: 7
    Love the water idea, never seems quite like working out. Water Aerobics is an awesome thing to move into as it will put less stress on your joints and work muscles using the water resistance instead of weights, this way you do not have to be a strong swimmer but still get a great workout. The first steps are always the most important, or in the case the first splash. Enjoy getting wet. Good Goals to have.
  • dqrunsalot
    dqrunsalot Posts: 7 Member
    Big +1 for swimming. I've been an active distance runner for decades but literally ran out of cartilage in my knees and foot resulting in osteoarthritis in both knees, bone spurs in my foot and now a completely torn meniscus root. In conjunction with MFP and counting calories, I've been able to lose some weight swimming laps which lessens the load on the bad knees. Most pools have foam weights that you can also use for additional resistance for workouts. It may not seem like a lot of work moving around in the pool at first, but once you get comfortable enough to join in the aqua-aerobic classes or workout with the foam weights on your own, you realize you're burning calories without the pain when on dry land. The more comfortable you are in the water, the more you'll stay moving in your sessions and if you watch your caloric intake, the weight will come off which benefits your muscular/skeletal structure. Good luck!
  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
    all the above.
    best exercise for you.
    enjoy
  • BernadetteChurch
    BernadetteChurch Posts: 2,210 Member
    Any exercise will help while you're trying to lose weight, but it's the counting calories and eating properly that will really make the weight come off. That said, swimming is fantastic exercise especially if you're struggling to do anything else. Try and keep up the walking, though, if you can. This week you might only be able to do 5 minutes at a time, but next week you might increase it to 6 minutes and before you know it you'll be walking for an hour. Everything starts with baby steps.
  • btsinmd
    btsinmd Posts: 921 Member
    Swimming is great.

    If you have access to a water aerobics class also, I would highly recommend it! It's a lot less impact but can really get you moving. It is terrific exercise when you have a lot of weight to lose.
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    Swimming is great because you work all of your muscles. You can put yourself in a deficit by following your plan and adding swimming. You will not put strain on your joints.

    That being said...your diet will determine your weight. Eat at a deficit. Swimming will enhance the deficit but your food intake is key.

    There is a swimmers group here. Go for it!
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
    Stay Positive and work towards your goal. Good Luck

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  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Congratulations on your choice to improve yourself. I've been swimming for 19yrs now since I have OA. Swimming is easy on your joints and I love it. First of all to lose weight you have to cut your calories. Exercising will tone and strengthen you as you go so you will feel better. At first you should watch to not overdo---take things slow, to up your stamina. Exercising burns more calories so you can eat more, but at first you might not be able to do alot. This is a long term thing and will work---just don't give up, and don't be in a hurry. Your son will thank you one day, and you'll be glad you started. I wish you all the best. :smile:
  • DanZiehm
    DanZiehm Posts: 152 Member
    Due to some severe knee injuries and back pain, my exercise options were limited. Like you, I used those as excuses to not do anything. Once I finally did start moving, I chose to swim. I started small. I was lucky if I could swim 5 laps in the pool. Now, after being active on MFP for just over 100 days and doing swimming as my exercise, I have dropped 42 pounds. I have increased my swimming to 1 hour a day, six out of seven days a week. I am now swimming between 5 and 6 miles a week. My back pain is GONE. My knee pain is significantly reduced. Swimming works, but you have to move. I see some people come to the pool and just float around. Swim laps. In addition to the swimming, make sure you have a calorie deficit. The pounds will come off. Good luck with your journey! Let me know if you have any questions about my swim routine.
  • keelybird57
    keelybird57 Posts: 63 Member
    I drop weight FAST when I get in the water. I don't always swim. Sometimes, I just walk laps. My goal is to move for 30 minutes. It's the best exercise for me! I hope you try it, too.
  • NBFL
    NBFL Posts: 8 Member
    Most of my summer exercise has been in the water. Either swimming or some form of water aerobics or jogging. Yes you can and will lose weight if you keep it up. Good luck!
  • sandymayhew2014
    sandymayhew2014 Posts: 75 Member
    YES IT CAN!!! I have only be with this for about 6 weeks and i love to swim, due to bad knees, sciatica and spinal stenosis. It is wonderfull. I even jog in the pool, swim laps, do step ups, aerobics and feel wonderful afterwards. I have lost about 25 pounds. I am dreading the winter when I have to close my pool.
    Feel free to add me as a friend.
  • Juliarosemary66
    Juliarosemary66 Posts: 64 Member
    When I started my weight loss journey I started swimming, and I lost weight and toned up. It is great as it doesn't put any pressure on your joints. I have gone from managing a very small time doing a sedate breaststroke to now being able to power up and doing a front crawl mile. I built up slowly, started also doing aqua aerobics. I also walk and jog in the pool. I think it is important to remember that it took a lot of time to reach your current weight and it will take time to get it off. But counting your calories and exercise will pay dividends and you will be amazed how your fittness will improve. I just love swimming, that feeling of stretching out! Good luck!
  • drabbits3
    drabbits3 Posts: 140 Member
    YES--SWIM!!! I started swimming about 7 years ago--I'm 44-- and it's truly the only thing I love enough to keep doing. I will walk, do the elliptical, recently added running, but I really love to swim. I can only do front crawl with a kick board--cannot put my face in the water--but I am pretty good at back stroke. We belong to the Y-all kinds of people swim, so I am not embarrassed at my spazzy way of getting up and down the lanes!!! The funniest thing is my 15 year old son has been a fish since he was 5. He is currently on 2 swim teams, plays water polo and life guards. Hubby and I cannot figure out where he got it from--hubby doesn't swim and I just started so recently and really am not very good at it!!!!
    I find it very meditative and calming too. I focus on my breathing, the form of the strokes, and counting the laps. I'm not comfortable enough to mentally make my grocery list or something, so it's like chanting or something for me.
    love it!!!!

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