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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Former Member
Hi All,
First, thanks Meg for the kind words..
Second, to answer Fritz's questions:
Originally posted by Fritz
how much of Bills loss was due to swimming and how much was due to change in diet?
There were two factors that contributed to my weight loss -- exercise and nutrition. I couldn't say that either of these factors was more influential than the other. Both factors accompanied and complimented one another, and it is very important to note that these factors were approached as permanent lifestyle changes.
Originally posted by Fritz
He was swimming before he took off weight.
Actually, I was sedentary. Participating in Masters meets once or twice a year (without training) should not be confused with having a regular swimming routine.
Originally posted by Fritz
Did he swim more?
Yes. The routine changed from swimming once every six months to swimming once every 24 hours. Until recently, the daily volume was only 1600 meters in a 25 meter pool, with no other exercise activities.
Originally posted by Fritz
or was it really more a change in diet?
The two things went together. One of the most intriguing observations is when you start a regular swimming routine, you may become much more interested in good, balanced nutrition.
Good questions! Thanks for asking.
Swimmer Bill
Hi All,
First, thanks Meg for the kind words..
Second, to answer Fritz's questions:
Originally posted by Fritz
how much of Bills loss was due to swimming and how much was due to change in diet?
There were two factors that contributed to my weight loss -- exercise and nutrition. I couldn't say that either of these factors was more influential than the other. Both factors accompanied and complimented one another, and it is very important to note that these factors were approached as permanent lifestyle changes.
Originally posted by Fritz
He was swimming before he took off weight.
Actually, I was sedentary. Participating in Masters meets once or twice a year (without training) should not be confused with having a regular swimming routine.
Originally posted by Fritz
Did he swim more?
Yes. The routine changed from swimming once every six months to swimming once every 24 hours. Until recently, the daily volume was only 1600 meters in a 25 meter pool, with no other exercise activities.
Originally posted by Fritz
or was it really more a change in diet?
The two things went together. One of the most intriguing observations is when you start a regular swimming routine, you may become much more interested in good, balanced nutrition.
Good questions! Thanks for asking.
Swimmer Bill
