What do swimmers use for electrolyte replacement and/or meal replacement shakes, etc? I am trying to loose weight but despite all my swimming, it's not happening. I think it's got to be because I'm hungrier, but have a hard time gauging my calories, so I'm looking for a meal replacement system that will help me meep track but that will also have adequqate protein and vitamins for maintaining training. Any suggestions? Thanks!
I could tell you what I eat, but it honestly isn't the stuff a swimmer should be eating. Especially to lose or maintain weight, but somehow it works for me!! I'll have to start cutting back on all the "bad food", since I won't be young forever! :)
I seem to recall some lengthy threads here regarding swimming and weight loss... if you can find them in the archives, that may help you more. As I recall there was no real consensus, but that maybe the result was swimming was not the most efficient means of weight loss.
Based on my personal experience, I can say that swimming 6K+yds/wk, and eating a lean and simple diet, that is enough to slim down. It does not happen lightning fast, but I can do it.
I think the biggest variable though is differences in metabolism. I'm getting older (53) and slower, but I can still burn up the calories fairly efficiently, so if I eat a lean diet, I do not have much trouble keeping my weight down. I do have a weakness for ice-cream and cookies however, so I am carrying a few extra pounds.
:">
I believe most folks can loose weight simply by eating well and doing some exercise on a regular basis. What is eating well? I believe the most important part of that is to eat high quality foods, as close to their natural state as possible.
If you do some study on the subject, you may be surprised to learn some things about your food sources. One documentary that I usually suggest first is: "King Corn"
king corn documentary - Google Search
.
Be Well... Have Fun!
:-)
What do swimmers use for electrolyte replacement and/or meal replacement shakes, etc? I am trying to loose weight but despite all my swimming, it's not happening. I think it's got to be because I'm hungrier, but have a hard time gauging my calories, so I'm looking for a meal replacement system that will help me meep track but that will also have adequqate protein and vitamins for maintaining training. Any suggestions? Thanks!
I always shyed away from this stuff in the past, but am now using an electrolyte tablet in my water bottle for when I'm swimming. It has really helped in 2 ways:
1. I actually feel hyrated and satisfied after drinking a smaller amount rather than needing to refill my bottle before the end of my workout.
2. I no longer come home and want to devour the entire contents of the fridge (including the ice-maker!).
I struggle to lose weight (always have and always will), and unfortunately the only way I can lose it is by eating hardly anything and then feeling crap in the pool. Did it in 2001 and think I may need to go there again after Christmas. So I'll be keeping an eye on this thread so see if there are any new ideas on weight loss out there :bolt:
Definitely diet is an easier way to lose weight than exercise (both together is ideal) but the studies on swimming and weightloss I suspect are flawed.
There is no way some random out of shape person who is not a trained swimmer can do 30-45 minutes of swimming at even a remotely vigorous pace whereas almost anyone with no training can hop on a treadmill and push themselves... I would suspect the results of many of these studies ended up having the people running doing actual running whereas the swimmers, in order to be able to swim for 30-45 minutes straight were doing easy breaststroke and essentially just floating around in the pool.
As for the comparisions in athletes body fat, body fat % has less of a detrimental impact on swimmers than athletes in many other sports which probably explains part of it ... there are many other obvious differences as well...
The only thing that may make sense is if there is some propensity of the body to store a layer of fat for insulation for people who swim on a regular basis but that seems unlikely as well.
I seem to recall some lengthy threads here regarding swimming and weight loss... if you can find them in the archives, that may help you more. As I recall there was no real consensus, but that maybe the result was swimming was not the most efficient means of weight loss.
Based on my personal experience, I can say that swimming 6K+yds/wk, and eating a lean and simple diet, that is enough to slim down. It does not happen lightning fast, but I can do it.
I think the biggest variable though is differences in metabolism. I'm getting older (53) and slower, but I can still burn up the calories fairly efficiently, so if I eat a lean diet, I do not have much trouble keeping my weight down. I do have a weakness for ice-cream and cookies however, so I am carrying a few extra pounds.
:">
I believe most folks can loose weight simply by eating well and doing some exercise on a regular basis. What is eating well? I believe the most important part of that is to eat high quality foods, as close to their natural state as possible.
If you do some study on the subject, you may be surprised to learn some thongs about your food sources. One documentary that I usually suggest first is: "King Corn"
king corn documentary - Google Search
.
Be Well... Have Fun!
:-)
I always shyed away from this stuff in the past, but am now using an electrolyte tablet in my water bottle for when I'm swimming. It has really helped in 2 ways:
1. I actually feel hyrated and satisfied after drinking a smaller amount rather than needing to refill my bottle before the end of my workout.
2. I no longer come home and want to devour the entire contents of the fridge (including the ice-maker!).
I struggle to lose weight (always have and always will), and unfortunately the only way I can lose it is by eating hardly anything and then feeling crap in the pool. Did it in 2001 and think I may need to go there again after Christmas. So I'll be keeping an eye on this thread so see if there are any new ideas on weight loss out there :bolt:
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you aren't hungry while dieting, you are unlikely to lose significant weight... 'hardly eating and feeling like crap' is by far the most effective way to lose weight...
I've used the following three books to guide nutrition and training and have lost about 20 pounds in 5 months, and have been building muscles (denser and heavier than fat) without purchasing any special meals or following any special diet - just eating and driniking much smarter.
Training Plans for Multisport Atheletes - Gail Bernhardt
Complete Conditioning for Swimming - Dave Salo and Scott Riewald
The Triathlete's Training Bible - Joe Friel
All three have great sections on nutrition including weight loss. Bernhardt's book shows you how to evaluate calorie intake and needs. She and the others make the point that you don't have to count calories daily. Salo and Riewald's book provide a great deal of nutritional information for for swimming training and compettion, and Friel's nutritional information covers nutrition for athletes in great detail, and especially addressing changes as one ages.
You need to be aware of basic nutrtitional information and intake of these essential nutrients:
Carbohydrates
Protein
Fat
Vitamins
Minerals
Water
While special meals might help for a little while, eventually you will probably go back to eating foods from normal sources. Its far better to learn about proper nutrition, especially for athletics, and combine that learning with exercise to make the life changes needed. You can probably lose 2-4 pounds per month this way and have a better chance to keep it off.
One final thought, your body burns fat from low to moderate intensity excersie, but uses up muscle glycogen when high intensity exercising and you need to replace this glycogen to keep muscles recovering and then rest for muscle adaptation. Running is more effective at burning calories than swim, bike or dryland. These three books provide good informatin on how to refuel and avoid over fueling the tank so that you drop weight at a comfortable rate. Hope this helps.
There are lots of ways to lose (not "loose" :nono:) weight out there, and believe it or not, losing weight does not always mean having to feel hungry. My wife and I both eat a 60% fat, 20% protein, 20% carbohydrate diet that is both healthy and incredibly satisfying (fat in food increases the sense of satiation). Both of us have lost significant amounts of weight and sustained that loss over time. Google "paleo" or "primal" + "diet" and you'll find plenty of information.
