I saw this article online and it really dampen my spirit since swimming is my favorite sport and I am trying to loose weight at the same time. Any comment??
SWIMMING IS NOT GOOD FOR WEIGHT LOSS
If you want to lose weight, lower cholesterol, or help to control diabetes, swimming is better than nothing, but not that much better (1).
A recent report from the University of Colorado shows that obese people who start a supervised swimming program do not lower their fasting blood sugar, insulin, total cholesterol, good HDL cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol levels. They also did not lose weight or redistribute their body fat (2).
These results are different from people who start land-based sports such as running, aerobic dancing, racquetball and cycling. When you exercise on land, your body is surrounded by air which insulates you, causing your body to retain heat and your body temperature to rise for up to 18 hours after you finish exercising. Increased body temperature speeds up your metabolism and helps you to lose weight and lower cholesterol. On the other hand, when you swim, your body is surrounded by water which is an excellent conductor of heat away from your body, preventing your body temperature from rising. If you want to lose weight by swimming, the best way is to do it is by using a swimming machine on dry land.
I'm Dr. Gabe Mirkin on Fitness.
1) H Tanaka, DR Bassett, ET Howley. Effects of swim training on body weight, carbohydrate
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My experience is very much like Fritz's. I went from 185 to 170, with considerable redistribution of weight from fat to muscle. My diet actually got worse, as I use my swimming to regain the beer-a-day habit that I had to give up, and I am less restrictive of snacks than I used to be.
My workouts are relatively intense, interval workouts, about 4-5/wk and 15,000+ yds/wk. My heart rate regularly gets above 180/min, and I am 45 years old. Lap swimming is a sure way to increase appetite.
My experience is very much like Fritz's. I went from 185 to 170, with considerable redistribution of weight from fat to muscle. My diet actually got worse, as I use my swimming to regain the beer-a-day habit that I had to give up, and I am less restrictive of snacks than I used to be.
My workouts are relatively intense, interval workouts, about 4-5/wk and 15,000+ yds/wk. My heart rate regularly gets above 180/min, and I am 45 years old. Lap swimming is a sure way to increase appetite.