Swimming tips for weight loss
josephsoto200
Posts: 2 Member
Any swimming tips for weight loss what do you eat and how long you swim for?
Feel free to add me I'm new to the app
Feel free to add me I'm new to the app
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Replies
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Weight loss is a function of consuming fewer calories than you expend, you can lose weight without exercising.
The most important thing is that you log your food accurately and eat at a modest deficit to lose at a sustainable rate and adopt eating habits that you can live with for the rest of your life as opposed to rapid weight-loss using unsustainable crash diets.
As to how much to swim......that depends on your schedule, your current level of fitness, and your goals. Personally I try to hit the pool 3 to 4 times weekly and swim 1,500 to 2,000 metres per session but that's part of my triathlon training. Other than weight loss do you have a fitness goal in mind?
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The longer and harder you can swim, the more calories you will burn. Exactly what that means depends on your current fitness level and swim skills. Eat less than you burn on a daily basis. I usually like a few extra carbs before and after swimming. Be careful, it's easy to feel ravenous after a hard swim session.5
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i eat pretty much the same things as when i'm not swimming, my calorie goal is about 1400 per day before exercise. I started at 20 minute sessions and just this week increased to 40 minutes at what would be considered a low-to-moderate workout. 40 min burns approx 400 calories according to the MFP app (which I generally eat back about half of the recorded calories for exercise). Once a week I have a hard/vigerous workout which ups the calories earned a bit.
i paid for swim lessons in September and have been able to use that to increase my efficiency and workout out generally... prior to this i couldn't do even half a lap. I'm still kind of awful, but I improving awful. I now have a pretty set warmup, drills, and workout which helps me feel like i'm getting somewhere and i can generally track my improvements in the water, as well as on the scale.
the hunger after swimming is real so be prepared for it. definitely make sure you have your snacks and all that ready to go, or you'll overeat and waste the effort in the water
good luck!0 -
enyagoboom - how many laps are you swimming now? I just took 3 group lessons and have been going to the pool 2x week. Feel like I'm getting worse. Curious how fast others progress.1
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I just wrote it all out and it's approx 15 laps total. I was going twice a week but I didn't see progress in my endurance until i hit 3-4 times a week.
My current sets are kind of sad but I figured I'd write them all out:
Warmup:
1 lap with board, freestyle kick
1 lap with board, back stroke kick
1 lap with board, breast stroke kick
(my legs are jelly at the end of this)
1 lap with pull buoy - i need to up this. I hate the pull buoy.
Drills:
2 laps, freestyle with snorkle
1 lap, resting hands freestyle
1 lap, fingertip drag freestyle
Workout:
3-4 freestyle half, return backstroke
2 backstroke
1 breast stroke
cooldown:
1 lap with board, walking in pool, etc.
@mimc66 what are you having trouble with? My biggest issue is breathing which really inhibits my endurance, which is why I use a snorkle during the first part of my drills.3 -
I'm going swimming tomorrow. I use to swim couple of hours. But, now 40mins to an hour. Constantly do laps with minium breather to catch your breath back if your tired.0
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Enyagoboom - yr much more structured than me. I usually do the kick board to warm up and then just repeats of freestyle with rest mid-post lap. End with treading water - I just sink unless I moving like crazy. My biggest problem is breathing and treading water(makes me nervous in the deep end when I get tired). For freestyle, I am either a.) raising my head way out of the water b.) not breathing out all my air before taking another breath or c.) getting water up my nose while going up/back from breathing. Only breathing to one side on every stroke with right hand. I have good cardio fitness but I'm exhausted from doing one lap so it's really frustrating. I guess I swim about 5-10 laps total when I go at lunch with plenty of rest mid-post lap. I took 3 group lessons already and am trying to improve on my own. The rec center has package of 6x30min private lessons which would be next step for me but feel like I should improve some (ie. breathing) before taking them. Does something just click on day and you improve dramatically?0
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Enyagoboom - yr much more structured than me. I usually do the kick board to warm up and then just repeats of freestyle with rest mid-post lap. End with treading water - I just sink unless I moving like crazy. My biggest problem is breathing and treading water(makes me nervous in the deep end when I get tired). For freestyle, I am either a.) raising my head way out of the water b.) not breathing out all my air before taking another breath or c.) getting water up my nose while going up/back from breathing. Only breathing to one side on every stroke with right hand. I have good cardio fitness but I'm exhausted from doing one lap so it's really frustrating. I guess I swim about 5-10 laps total when I go at lunch with plenty of rest mid-post lap. I took 3 group lessons already and am trying to improve on my own. The rec center has package of 6x30min private lessons which would be next step for me but feel like I should improve some (ie. breathing) before taking them. Does something just click on day and you improve dramatically?
As with all fitness, I find swimming improvements to be gradual. But every once in awhile something new clicks, like how to improve a kick, a head turn, or an arm. I really try to pay attention to different aspects of my strokes and figure out what I need to do to become more efficient.
I think swimming cardio is the hardest kind of cardio. The endurance aspect is harder than breathing thru a 5k for me and I’m no runner.
I also encourage everyone to supplement swimming with full body strength training.3 -
Enyagoboom - yr much more structured than me. I usually do the kick board to warm up and then just repeats of freestyle with rest mid-post lap. End with treading water - I just sink unless I moving like crazy. My biggest problem is breathing and treading water(makes me nervous in the deep end when I get tired). For freestyle, I am either a.) raising my head way out of the water b.) not breathing out all my air before taking another breath or c.) getting water up my nose while going up/back from breathing. Only breathing to one side on every stroke with right hand. I have good cardio fitness but I'm exhausted from doing one lap so it's really frustrating. I guess I swim about 5-10 laps total when I go at lunch with plenty of rest mid-post lap. I took 3 group lessons already and am trying to improve on my own. The rec center has package of 6x30min private lessons which would be next step for me but feel like I should improve some (ie. breathing) before taking them. Does something just click on day and you improve dramatically?
You sound like you are pretty much where I was when I started a few months ago. I can tell you what helped me with the caveat that your mileage will vary
1. It sounds like you're breathing out correctly (I didn't know about this until my lessons! it was a shocker!!) and I still have a lot of issues with breathing which is why I use a snorkle when I start my drills. I also spend some time in the warm up doing bi-lateral breathing practice and swimming on my side, taking a few breaths in the rest position until I'm ready to get back into it. I also have the issue where I don't expel all my air before breathing in, which creates a delay when I try to come up for air and finish breathing out. I am aware of it, but at this point it's a bit further down my list to work on
2. Going slow. My instructor noticed that my form and endurance are much improved during drills when I'm going slow and focusing on placement. It means that I might breathe every other stroke rather than every three when I'm not using my snorkle, but if my form is good and I have those habits, the breathing will follow. My leg strength has dramatically improved in four weeks - when I started with the kickboard he was practically tugging me down and back because I wasn't moving, it was like I was a very fat noodle. Now I can motor around with no problem at all. I'm tired at the end of it, but I have momentum.
3. If you have good cardio/endurance and one lap is exhausting, I would suspect (tho someone more qualified can clearly explain this better or tell me I'm wrong) that the breathing with the water is the main issue. Have you tried a snorkle? I look so stupid with it, but goodness it has helped.
4. Practicing keeping my head in the water in rest position and in swim. My gut reaction is to jerk my head up which causes my hips and feet to sink, which creates drag, which makes everything harder to do and wastes energy without any benefit.
5. Sticking to the outside lanes until I was a bit more confident. I always had a wall there even in the deep end, so I never felt panicked about being literally out of my depth. (what is making you nervous in the deep end specifically?)
I don't know that something clicked exactly - my last lesson was honestly hysterical with how bad it was after I had spent all week making some serious improvements. It was like I froze up trying to show the instructor how good I had gotten - fail! But I have noticed improvements in my endurance, bit by bit. Maybe trying some structured drills and going a bit slower for a couple weeks? Also I don't really time my laps. Every so often I'll see how long it takes me to do a 1/2 crawl and backstroke lap, but that's more for morbid curiosity (I'm at like 2 minutes. Slooooow)
I do think going 3x a week was kind of the thing that finally helped me put the lessons together with muscle memory.
I hope you stick with it - I have never been a swimmer so this is a whole new world for me and I finally feel like something is working, I have an activity that I have to work at but it brings me a whole lot of enjoyment.
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Hi all. Lots of great tips, glad I checked out the thread. New to swimming as cardio exercise. Like enyagoboom I took some swim lessons back in Spring at local pool. They helped my stroke but am still far from a strong swimmer. Just trying to do what I can to get in any kind of cardio over the winter. Hopefully by end of winter will all start to become routine
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So interesting to read all the above!
I just tell myself to do 20 laps minimum at any speed. Then I might do a few more if I feel like it. Practice some dance steps maybe walk a lap or two.
With breathing I take a breath every 3rd stroke so I’m using both sides but I tend to ‘roll’ my body a bit to each side when doing so there is not much neck or body movement. I try to swim in the morning and drink only water beforehand but don’t eat till afterwards. I log this as 20 min leisurely swim.3 -
i'll throw this out there - swimming doesn't burn nearly as many calories as people think it does/how hungry you feel after a workout (for reference, i'm 5'3", 150lbs and a 3000yd workout will burn about 280cal)3
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Thanks for the great feedback. I have not tried a snorkel but maybe it's worth a try. I don't want to get reliant on it but I think I would be more enthusiastic if I manage to swim a few (4-5) laps without stopping to hang on the side of the pool + maybe more use to being in the right position with my head down. I get nervous in the deep end because I have not figured out how to tread water. It's literally 2x the work as just swimming. I can float on my back so will practice transitioning to back so I can go closer to exhaustion. I really need more confidence in swimming which besides breathing seems to be a big problem. As with anything, the harder it is the more I seem to enjoy it as I improve. Happy I set this goal to be a better swimmer (medium term goal is swim 1 mile continuously). I am enjoying the pool and being a little outside my comfort zone.1
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I used to swim a lot, 1-2 miles several times a week for cardio. I exercise for stress relief and overall health and fitness, of course it helps with weight loss but I'll echo others in saying the main thing is to keep your diet on-point. Stick to your calorie limits, eating good nutritious food is of course important for your health and I think better satiates most people, but it's even more important when you exercise because you have to give your body what it needs to recover and grow stronger.
Anyway swim as much as you like, maybe figure out if you're more tilted towards speed or endurance. I usually chose longer as opposed to faster sessions. It really helps to mix up the stroke every few hundred meters; butterfly and freestyle will probably torch the most calories but kicksets are killer!
The absolute most important thing for me to actually use swimming as a weight loss aid was taking a hot shower or warming up in the sauna afterwards. I get cold easily, and if I didn't do this I'd be chilly all day and want to eat everything in sight.
Good luck
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GoodnightJulia wrote: »Anyway swim as much as you like, maybe figure out if you're more tilted towards speed or endurance. I usually chose longer as opposed to faster sessions. It really helps to mix up the stroke every few hundred meters; butterfly and freestyle will probably torch the most calories but kicksets are killer!
This makes a lot of sense. I think generally I'm just looking for endurance anyway. I'm not planning on ever being competative with this And yes, warming up afterwards helps a *ton* I usually schedule a stop at my favorite health restaurant for a big bowl of salad and quinoa. I'm ravenous after my lesson and it's a nice, healthy treat.
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Thanks for the great feedback. I have not tried a snorkel but maybe it's worth a try. I don't want to get reliant on it but I think I would be more enthusiastic if I manage to swim a few (4-5) laps without stopping to hang on the side of the pool + maybe more use to being in the right position with my head down.
This is exactly why I use the snorkle. I was so tired after three laps that it wasn't an effective workout and I was more frustrated than anything. If I only used the snorkle, I'd be worried about it, but I essentially use it for one part of the warm up and then get busy with just goggles. You can totally do it! 0 -
I found using the pull buoy helps a lot. I resisted it for a long time, but it raises your hips which gives you better alignment and less drag, plus some extra buoyancy. Of course the goal is to learn how to raise and align your hips properly without it. It took a few laps to get used to but I've got the hang of it now and use it for at least half my laps.3
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Advice courtesy of Finding Nemo:
"Just keep swimming!"
Seriously though, great advice above.1 -
@mimc66
I am a Masters coach & a swim instructor. I would recommend having someone look at your stroke sooner rather than later. A trained eye will be able to give you tips and tricks to improve your stroke, body position, timing, breathing, endurance, etc. Which should make your time swimming more productive or at least less tiring.
I am interested to find out how you arrive at 280kcal/3000yds? If you walked 3000yds outside you would burn about the same amount of calories you just listed. The added resistance of water along with the additional time it takes to swim or water walk that distance would increase your caloric burn unless you never increase your heart rate out of the rest zone which let's assume is about 100bpm.deannalfisher wrote: »i'll throw this out there - swimming doesn't burn nearly as many calories as people think it does/how hungry you feel after a workout (for reference, i'm 5'3", 150lbs and a 3000yd workout will burn about 280cal)
@josephsoto200
We would love to help you. Maybe give us some more background on what you are looking for in terms of guidance. What are you hoping to achieve in the pool? How long do you swim for? What are you currently eating pre-swim? Feel free to message me as well.2 -
i just want to point out that i was able to do a full hour with different drills and really gave the crawl a solid shot without the snorkle tonight. it went really well and my form has improved so much from the beginning of the semester. i stopped counting after 15 laps.
so what I'm trying to say to folks who find this exhausting is stick with it, definitely get lessons if you can... i was a hot, splashy mess in September. now i'm just a mess 1 -
YosemiteSlamAK wrote: »@mimc66
I am a Masters coach & a swim instructor. I would recommend having someone look at your stroke sooner rather than later. A trained eye will be able to give you tips and tricks to improve your stroke, body position, timing, breathing, endurance, etc. Which should make your time swimming more productive or at least less tiring.
I am interested to find out how you arrive at 280kcal/3000yds? If you walked 3000yds outside you would burn about the same amount of calories you just listed. The added resistance of water along with the additional time it takes to swim or water walk that distance would increase your caloric burn unless you never increase your heart rate out of the rest zone which let's assume is about 100bpm.deannalfisher wrote: »i'll throw this out there - swimming doesn't burn nearly as many calories as people think it does/how hungry you feel after a workout (for reference, i'm 5'3", 150lbs and a 3000yd workout will burn about 280cal)
@josephsoto200
We would love to help you. Maybe give us some more background on what you are looking for in terms of guidance. What are you hoping to achieve in the pool? How long do you swim for? What are you currently eating pre-swim? Feel free to message me as well.
That is what my garmin, calibrated for age/height/weight gives me - with well beyond rest periods - depending on the workout - 10-20x50/100yds (1:50/100 avg swim) - depending on the workout with warmup/cool down0 -
Last half ironman swim (just shy of 2000m) - 42min - 280cal1
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I can only walk laps for 30 minutes due to a torn Achilles’ tendon do you think that counts as swimming or walking. I’m unable to walk on a treadmill at this time0
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I'm probably an outlier here.
I swim at least 4 miles a day, 5 to 6 days a week.
I have arthritis in my feet do any impact aerobic would is a no go for me.
Sometimes on a Saturday morning ill swim 4 miles them go into a spin class.
We all find our own rhythm and what works for us.
With swimming, just think of doing one more lap. As in one more lap than you could do the previous week. Anybody can do just one more lap.
I'm not a life long athlete. Nor was i ever a competitive swimmer. I just found that i like the therapeutic effect of swimming. Very meditative.2 -
Noreen2014 wrote: »I can only walk laps for 30 minutes due to a torn Achilles’ tendon do you think that counts as swimming or walking. I’m unable to walk on a treadmill at this time
i'd probably count that as walking. swimming uses breathing, arms, core in a different way than walking laps. still though, you're moving and walking in water has resistance so it's very good!
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even if i split the difference between fast and slow (because they haven't quantified what those speeds mean - are we talking 1:30/100m, 2:00/100m or what)...that still gives me nearly an additional 100cal over my tracked/logged swim of 40min (2/3 of the difference between 493 and 704 - as i'm 150lbs) - when I get 290...0 -
http://www.swimmingcalculator.com/swim_calories_calculator.php
^I have used this for the last year - doesn't seem too far off as you can calculate by multiple areas. Speed, distance, time etc1 -
deannalfisher wrote: »
even if i split the difference between fast and slow (because they haven't quantified what those speeds mean - are we talking 1:30/100m, 2:00/100m or what)...that still gives me nearly an additional 100cal over my tracked/logged swim of 40min (2/3 of the difference between 493 and 704 - as i'm 150lbs) - when I get 290...
It sounds like you have figured out what works for you and that is awesome! for me, taking what MFP gives me and halving it is working. If I went out and ate 500 extra calories after swimming, I'd get nowhere
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enyagoboom wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »
even if i split the difference between fast and slow (because they haven't quantified what those speeds mean - are we talking 1:30/100m, 2:00/100m or what)...that still gives me nearly an additional 100cal over my tracked/logged swim of 40min (2/3 of the difference between 493 and 704 - as i'm 150lbs) - when I get 290...
It sounds like you have figured out what works for you and that is awesome! for me, taking what MFP gives me and halving it is working. If I went out and ate 500 extra calories after swimming, I'd get nowhere
That's my point - I'm finding MFP and these calories are highly overestimating calories burnt (at least for me) - so if I were to eat them back I may not have been as successful as I have been0
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