Good diet for swimming?
MidnightBecky
Posts: 6 Member
Hey, I've just started my diet & exercise and I current weigh 76kg (168lbs) and I'm 5ft2. I'm looking to lose about 30lbs (hopefully by October but there's no rush). I swim 6x a week for an hour to an hour and a half, burning between 800 and 1000 calories per session. I have no idea what diet I should be on! Should I drink protein shakes, take vitamins etc? And just generally eating I don't really know what to avoid apart from the obvious junk foods. Any advice on a good diet would be appreciated 
Also does limiting my food intake to 1,200 sound right?
Also does limiting my food intake to 1,200 sound right? 0
Replies
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At 5'2", 1200 calories sounds right as a goal before exercise and then you can eat back 50% of your exercise calories.
As for food, calorie counting makes it so easy -- nobody is going to tell you no or that you have to. You can eat what you want, when you want -- as long as it fits your calorie and nutritional goals.0 -
That's a pretty extreme amount of swimming. I say this as someone who swims 3 or 4 miles/week.
Why not alternate swimming with some weight-bearing exercise? By only swimming, you are missing out on some the benefits of regular exercise--most importantly, developing good bone density. Another problem with swimming is that calorie counters like this one are VERY inaccurate in estimating swim calories--they only use time in the water, not speed. In addition, things like FitBit do not work for swimmers. We really have no dependable way to estimate burns. I can swim a mile in half an hour--I get the same number of calories estimated as someone who loafs around and swims a quarter of a mile in the same amount of time.
Certainly do not eat back all of the calories that you swim off.
There is no particular diet necessary for swimming.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »That's a pretty extreme amount of swimming. I say this as someone who swims 3 or 4 miles/week.
Why not alternate swimming with some weight-bearing exercise? By only swimming, you are missing out on some the benefits of regular exercise--most importantly, developing good bone density. Another problem with swimming is that calorie counters like this one are VERY inaccurate in estimating swim calories--they only use time in the water, not speed. In addition, things like FitBit do not work for swimmers. We really have no dependable way to estimate burns. I can swim a mile in half an hour--I get the same number of calories estimated as someone who loafs around and swims a quarter of a mile in the same amount of time.
Certainly do not eat back all of the calories that you swim off.
There is no particular diet necessary for swimming.
Yeah I see what you mean, currently I'm swimming approx 6 miles a week and tbh I'm feeling really run down, I've maintained this for 2 weeks now but I don't think I can sustain it in the long run.
So now, with your advice, I'm thinking of doing 4 days of swimming then 1 to 2 days of weight-bearing exercise, would going up & down the stairs for 20 minutes do? I do have a step machine, but it only cost £5 and is a bit rubbish tbh 0 -
Fish?6
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Eat what you like but in moderation, and weigh everything on a digital scale.
One thing: your calorie burn from swimming does sound a bit high. I'd rather think it's more like half of that. May I ask what kind of style to swim and how fast? Distance and water resistance seem to influence the calorie burn for swimming most, thus if you swim slowly you'll burn quite a lot less calories than when I swim fast - and MFP and most other websites doesn't have an indicator of swimming speed in it's calorie estimates.0 -
You really should not set such extreme goals as 30 lbs in 3 months at your weight. You should not be aiming to lose more that 1 lbs a week. 1200 kcal is really low for someone with your level of activity and it is not sustainable. I did 1200 kcal diet BUT I'm mostly a couch potato that does only some walking for exercise. I'm 5'2 (and 1/4!) , started at 150 lbs in January and currently at 127 lbs (goal at about 120-125). I averaged about 1 lbs loss and that is what is advised at this size...now I slowed down to 0.5 lbs a month to preserve as much muscle mass as possible. Exercise is great but weight loss is achieved with calorie deficit - so your eating is the most important part. If you are feeling run down it is no wonder. Go with something you could do every day for the rest of your life...that's the key to success. Of course exercise is great and you should do it..but not to the point where it's making you feel bad instead of good. Start smaller and build up if that is your goal. Good luck!0
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Eat what you like but in moderation, and weigh everything on a digital scale.
One thing: your calorie burn from swimming does sound a bit high. I'd rather think it's more like half of that. May I ask what kind of style to swim and how fast? Distance and water resistance seem to influence the calorie burn for swimming most, thus if you swim slowly you'll burn quite a lot less calories than when I swim fast - and MFP and most other websites doesn't have an indicator of swimming speed in it's calorie estimates.
I usually do 40 minutes of front crawl, 30 sec break after 3 lengths (33m each). Then 30 minutes of breast stroke then 20 minutes of mixing it up, so front, back and breast. I have no idea on the speed, I just swim as fast as I can, when I go today I'll try and time myself providing the clock there is working.0 -
KorvapuustiPossu wrote: »You really should not set such extreme goals as 30 lbs in 3 months at your weight. You should not be aiming to lose more that 1 lbs a week. 1200 kcal is really low for someone with your level of activity and it is not sustainable. I did 1200 kcal diet BUT I'm mostly a couch potato that does only some walking for exercise. I'm 5'2 (and 1/4!) , started at 150 lbs in January and currently at 127 lbs (goal at about 120-125). I averaged about 1 lbs loss and that is what is advised at this size...now I slowed down to 0.5 lbs a month to preserve as much muscle mass as possible. Exercise is great but weight loss is achieved with calorie deficit - so your eating is the most important part. If you are feeling run down it is no wonder. Go with something you could do every day for the rest of your life...that's the key to success. Of course exercise is great and you should do it..but not to the point where it's making you feel bad instead of good. Start smaller and build up if that is your goal. Good luck!
Well I'm aiming for 2lb a week and that doesn't seem extreme? and I'm upping the calorie intake to 1500.0 -
MidnightBecky wrote: »KorvapuustiPossu wrote: »You really should not set such extreme goals as 30 lbs in 3 months at your weight. You should not be aiming to lose more that 1 lbs a week. 1200 kcal is really low for someone with your level of activity and it is not sustainable. I did 1200 kcal diet BUT I'm mostly a couch potato that does only some walking for exercise. I'm 5'2 (and 1/4!) , started at 150 lbs in January and currently at 127 lbs (goal at about 120-125). I averaged about 1 lbs loss and that is what is advised at this size...now I slowed down to 0.5 lbs a month to preserve as much muscle mass as possible. Exercise is great but weight loss is achieved with calorie deficit - so your eating is the most important part. If you are feeling run down it is no wonder. Go with something you could do every day for the rest of your life...that's the key to success. Of course exercise is great and you should do it..but not to the point where it's making you feel bad instead of good. Start smaller and build up if that is your goal. Good luck!
Well I'm aiming for 2lb a week and that doesn't seem extreme? and I'm upping the calorie intake to 1500.
Consider doing the 1 pound per week and not 2. This 2 pounds a week is pretty aggressive. IF you do up the cals to 1500 does this take you back to 1 pound a week, if so then do this as you stated above.
Eat back 1/2 the swim calories that you burn along with your 1500 calories to eat per MFP..0 -
Good on you for having goals, while they may seem a little unsustainable - that's a lot of swimming and exercise and very little calories! - it's so important to have goals.
Can I be the first to say, make sure you take enough rest days these are SO important for recovery and actually create better training methods.
As for your diet, I found high protein snacks benefited me when I was swimming (roughly a mile a day 3-4 times a week). I also found that I was hungrier after swimming then pretty much any other form of exercise(!) and asked a dietician about this and she confirms that because of the energy expenditure of all your muscles during training you do end up hungrier and 'tireder'
Basically try eating what you want, and what fits in with your calories, know that better choices will fill you up better and then once you've got your schedule set and the habit formed see how you can change it to benefit from the training.0 -
janetennet wrote: »Good on you for having goals, while they may seem a little unsustainable - that's a lot of swimming and exercise and very little calories! - it's so important to have goals.
Can I be the first to say, make sure you take enough rest days these are SO important for recovery and actually create better training methods.
As for your diet, I found high protein snacks benefited me when I was swimming (roughly a mile a day 3-4 times a week). I also found that I was hungrier after swimming then pretty much any other form of exercise(!) and asked a dietician about this and she confirms that because of the energy expenditure of all your muscles during training you do end up hungrier and 'tireder'
Basically try eating what you want, and what fits in with your calories, know that better choices will fill you up better and then once you've got your schedule set and the habit formed see how you can change it to benefit from the training.
Yeah, first 2 weeks were hell! I was sleeping a lot more and feeling super hungry and a bit faint at first! I'm pretty much testing out things at the moment, going to try eating oats or toast for breakfast, then sardines an hour before swimming (they have like 22g protein per small tin), a protein shake after swimming, a small portion of pasta with vegetables when I get home, then for dinner some sort of meat with vegetables, for snacks its either a few nuts or fruit. Keeping in mind I'll strict all this to 1200-1500 calories. Will also start taking supplements, I think I'm vitamin D deficit since I rarely go outside, other than cycling to the swimming pool/to a friends house.0 -
Finding what works can take some trial and error, but when I was swimming that much, I was able to lose about 2lb/week eating 1700 cal/day. You need to fuel your workouts, which explains the exhaustion.
ETA: The 2lb/week is appropriate when you have much more to lose.0 -
MidnightBecky wrote: »KorvapuustiPossu wrote: »You really should not set such extreme goals as 30 lbs in 3 months at your weight. You should not be aiming to lose more that 1 lbs a week. 1200 kcal is really low for someone with your level of activity and it is not sustainable. I did 1200 kcal diet BUT I'm mostly a couch potato that does only some walking for exercise. I'm 5'2 (and 1/4!) , started at 150 lbs in January and currently at 127 lbs (goal at about 120-125). I averaged about 1 lbs loss and that is what is advised at this size...now I slowed down to 0.5 lbs a month to preserve as much muscle mass as possible. Exercise is great but weight loss is achieved with calorie deficit - so your eating is the most important part. If you are feeling run down it is no wonder. Go with something you could do every day for the rest of your life...that's the key to success. Of course exercise is great and you should do it..but not to the point where it's making you feel bad instead of good. Start smaller and build up if that is your goal. Good luck!
Well I'm aiming for 2lb a week and that doesn't seem extreme? and I'm upping the calorie intake to 1500.
2 lbs a week is too much for someone your weight. Losing weight that fast will mean losing not only fat but muscle tissue as well. 2 lbs is reserved for people with 50-75+ lbs to lose...And when getting to the last 10-15 lbs it's advised to go for 0.5 lbs. It takes time and patience. But it is much easier on your body (physical and mental health). Creating daily deficit of 1000 kcal (2 lbs loss/week) get more and more difficult the smaller you get. Your TDEE will get lower and you would have to exercise like a mad person and starve yourself to achieve it...why take that road? I lost 23 lbs since I started...average 1 lbs/week with absolutely no issues. No pain no suffering. I personally found it easy... didn't change what I eat, just implemented a bit more portion control. I feel great, my BMI is down to 23 now and I feel like I have complete control over my weight. That's what taking more time gives you...it changes your core habits and makes you successful in a long run. 3 months of starving and crazy exercise MIGHT get you to your goal...but if you don't keep it up forever ...and go to you 'normal' everyday life..weight is coming back and plus some.0 -
Foods that are rich in carbohydrates protein. Avoid eating fatty food.0
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Eviedawson wrote: »Foods that are rich in carbohydrates protein. Avoid eating fatty food.
Please ignore this.1 -
Eat what you like but in moderation, and weigh everything on a digital scale.
One thing: your calorie burn from swimming does sound a bit high. I'd rather think it's more like half of that. May I ask what kind of style to swim and how fast? Distance and water resistance seem to influence the calorie burn for swimming most, thus if you swim slowly you'll burn quite a lot less calories than when I swim fast - and MFP and most other websites doesn't have an indicator of swimming speed in it's calorie estimates.
Timed myself, on front crawl it took me 35 minutes to swim a mile. I really think my technique is wrong, need to practice it a lot.0 -
Do not worry about eating the calories you burn from swimming. As an example, if you set MFP to lose 1.5-2 pounds/week and start the day with 1400-1500 calories, you can eat 1900-2000 calories (if you weigh your food and log meticulously) and still lose 2 or more pounds/week. Most people find it hard to believe that swimming burns so many calories but it is true. I've swam 5 out of 7 days this week, eaten back ALL my exercise calories (500-900/swim), and lost 1.4 pounds. I do not take breaks, though. I keep going for either 30, 45, or 60 minutes depending on how I feel. Your proposed diet sounds awesome. You should have no problem losing 30 by October if you keep your goals and do not get too exhausted.
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I always eat an apple or banana as soon as I get out of the pool (whilst I'm getting changed). I find that stops me feeling too run down for the rest of the day.0
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kommodevaran wrote: »Eviedawson wrote: »Foods that are rich in carbohydrates protein. Avoid eating fatty food.
Please ignore this.
What are the benefits of fat? Carbohydrates give you energy that can be burnt during swimming, proteins aid recovery, what benefits do fats bring?0 -
Fats provide sustained energy and provide all the fat soluble vitamins.0
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MidnightBecky wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »That's a pretty extreme amount of swimming. I say this as someone who swims 3 or 4 miles/week.
Why not alternate swimming with some weight-bearing exercise? By only swimming, you are missing out on some the benefits of regular exercise--most importantly, developing good bone density. Another problem with swimming is that calorie counters like this one are VERY inaccurate in estimating swim calories--they only use time in the water, not speed. In addition, things like FitBit do not work for swimmers. We really have no dependable way to estimate burns. I can swim a mile in half an hour--I get the same number of calories estimated as someone who loafs around and swims a quarter of a mile in the same amount of time.
Certainly do not eat back all of the calories that you swim off.
There is no particular diet necessary for swimming.
Yeah I see what you mean, currently I'm swimming approx 6 miles a week and tbh I'm feeling really run down, I've maintained this for 2 weeks now but I don't think I can sustain it in the long run.
So now, with your advice, I'm thinking of doing 4 days of swimming then 1 to 2 days of weight-bearing exercise, would going up & down the stairs for 20 minutes do? I do have a step machine, but it only cost £5 and is a bit rubbish tbh
Sure...or even just walking. Are you getting your 10,000 steps every day?
I also dance (dance fitness and social dancing) and lift weights. Really, you could combine just about anything with swimming--it is good recovery from higher-impact exercises.0 -
ConicalFern wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »Eviedawson wrote: »Foods that are rich in carbohydrates protein. Avoid eating fatty food.
Please ignore this.
What are the benefits of fat? Carbohydrates give you energy that can be burnt during swimming, proteins aid recovery, what benefits do fats bring?
For absorbing a whole range of vitamins, essential fatty acids for proper cell functioning, your brains and nervous system need fat to function properly, cell membranes need fat, your digestion needs it for a good poop (avoid fat for a few days and see how you feel then), some hormone production need fats... oh, and fat means flavour. If you eat fat free or reduced products then those products are usually stuffed with additional sugar, salt or artificial crap. Fats are good and essential for you.0 -
That is a lot of swimming. You might enjoy it more if you change up the distance and intensity and/or mix in some different activities. Most people get bored with the same thing week after week if there's no goal or variety.0
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MidnightBecky wrote: »janetennet wrote: »Good on you for having goals, while they may seem a little unsustainable - that's a lot of swimming and exercise and very little calories! - it's so important to have goals.
Can I be the first to say, make sure you take enough rest days these are SO important for recovery and actually create better training methods.
As for your diet, I found high protein snacks benefited me when I was swimming (roughly a mile a day 3-4 times a week). I also found that I was hungrier after swimming then pretty much any other form of exercise(!) and asked a dietician about this and she confirms that because of the energy expenditure of all your muscles during training you do end up hungrier and 'tireder'
Basically try eating what you want, and what fits in with your calories, know that better choices will fill you up better and then once you've got your schedule set and the habit formed see how you can change it to benefit from the training.
Yeah, first 2 weeks were hell! I was sleeping a lot more and feeling super hungry and a bit faint at first! I'm pretty much testing out things at the moment, going to try eating oats or toast for breakfast, then sardines an hour before swimming (they have like 22g protein per small tin), a protein shake after swimming, a small portion of pasta with vegetables when I get home, then for dinner some sort of meat with vegetables, for snacks its either a few nuts or fruit. Keeping in mind I'll strict all this to 1200-1500 calories. Will also start taking supplements, I think I'm vitamin D deficit since I rarely go outside, other than cycling to the swimming pool/to a friends house.
You're not eating enough. At 5'2", 1200 calories might work as a base, but eat back at least 50% of your exercise calories. I eat back 100% of my swim calories and lose weight. Your MFP calorie allotment is for BEFORE exercise.
When you plug your stats into MFP and tell it you want to lose 1 pound a week, how many calories does it give you?
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According to Calorielab.com, a person weighing 168 lbs, swimming at 50 yards per minute (the speed you said you were swimming, converted) will burn an additional 536 calories per hour.
Going 50% faster (or taking 1/3 less time for the same distance) will burn 765.
These may still be a little high because it doesn't differentiate gender.0
This discussion has been closed.
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