Workout by swimming

Options
2»

Replies

  • TheLaser
    TheLaser Posts: 338 Member
    Options
    For another perspective, I eat a very low carb diet and I've been swimming competitively with the Master's team for well over a year. Everyone has to figure out what works best for her/his own body in terms of carb/protein/fat ratios.

    How much or how hard to swim? I personally think it's about quality, not quantity. My old Master's team swam for 1 hour, with about a 600-800 yd warm-up and another 200 or so cool down. But in the middle we swam HARD intervals, with more active rest than rest at the wall. I pretty much feel like I am dying for a good portion of the main set.
  • Rachiepie6
    Rachiepie6 Posts: 423 Member
    Options
    For another perspective, I eat a very low carb diet and I've been swimming competitively with the Master's team for well over a year. Everyone has to figure out what works best for her/his own body in terms of carb/protein/fat ratios.

    That is true, I'm only going off what I've been told by several coaches over several year.
    In saying this, I don't restrict other food, and by the calories expended, you need more food in general :p
    "Pasta is a swimmers best friend" one phrase that comes to mind :p
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Options
    Any tips such as how many laps or how many hours to get an optimal result?

    Swimming is like any other cardio exercise. I think the best results would be from doing sprint intervals like you are, and making sure you use your legs. It's all about kicking on every stroke, never let up and you'll get your burn.

    The other posters are right, too...because you don't feel yourself sweating so much, it can be easy to think you're not doing a serious cardio workout, but you are. Make sure you are eating a good, healthy diet and balancing your calories well or you will start feeling tired and sluggish. You don't necessarily need to load on carbs right away, but I would recommend noting your energy levels and mental focus and mood each day to make sure you can get ahead of any adjustments you need to make.
  • Rachiepie6
    Rachiepie6 Posts: 423 Member
    Options
    The other posters are right, too...because you don't feel yourself sweating so much, it can be easy to think you're not doing a serious cardio workout, but you are.

    On that note: Don't forget to drink water before during and after, it is very easy to become dehydrated whilst swimming,.
    You are sweating, you just don't notice because you are in water :p
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Options
    Thanks trelm249!!!

    In contrast, I reduced my portion of foods even though I am reaaly hungry each time I finish swimming...I thought swimming + less food can lose weight quickly? Or I do it in a really wrong way?

    If you are swimming, and particularly if you are swimming hard and/or long, you WILL NEED TO UP YOUR FOOD (CARB) INTAKE!
    All of my coaches have ALWAYS told me to eat more carbs for swimming.
    Since you are trying to lose weight and become more physically healthy, the deficit in net calories that MFP has already given you means that you should definitely eat your exercise calories back!

    Your aim shouldn't be to lose weight quickly, your aim should be to live a healthy and active lifestyle, in doing that you will lose the belly :)

    Ooops! My bad! I will try to change my protion of carbs then :) My perception of losing weight is really messed up! Thank you Rachiepie6!!!

    NO! Do not up your carb intake if you want to lose weight. Carbs are good for PERFORMANCE, NOT WEIGHT LOSS. If you want to compete in a swim race, then up your carbs. If you want to lose weight, avoid refined carbs and focus on increasing your protein intake.

    EDIT: carbs are fine as a pre and post workout snack. Otherwise, don't snack on any refined carbs, ever.
  • nonafit
    nonafit Posts: 582 Member
    Options
    I am looking some feedbacks on swimming. I enjoy swimming. I try to swimming at least once a week for a minumum of an hour. However a friend had been discouraging me. She had read some where that if one stop swimming they will gain back all the weight that had been lost. Is that true?

    If I can't swimming due to some reason can I replace with othe workout and reap the same benefit.
  • dgoods123
    dgoods123 Posts: 3
    Options
    Utter nonsense that if you stop swimming you will gain the weight back. However, if you stop exercising, and continue to eat the same amount of calories as when you were exercising, you will gain the weight back. The rate that you gain it back will be dependent on how m any calories you burn while exercising.
  • nonafit
    nonafit Posts: 582 Member
    Options
    Utter nonsense that if you stop swimming you will gain the weight back. However, if you stop exercising, and continue to eat the same amount of calories as when you were exercising, you will gain the weight back. The rate that you gain it back will be dependent on how m any calories you burn while exercising.

    Any link you can suggest for my reading? One of the article said that body will preserve fat to retain heat due to cold water. Something to that effect.

Categories