Swimming to lose weight?

Craig, Yeah, I was hoping that point hadn't gone unnoticed. It seems my ADD can't keep up with my long thoughts, and my original point gets lost in the muck. Thanks. As for the obese thing, I think there's a big difference between being naturally larger, and being grossly overweight. Especially when you're an athlete, the BMI indexes, and weight things can be "slightly" off. For instance, I went to a new doctor this week. Since I'm from Ohio, and I live in Pittsburgh, I thought it might be time to get a doc. I called for a new patient appointment, and one of the nurses took a lot of my standard info over the phone, age, height weight, for records, though they would do it in the office less than a week later. Now, I'm a tall girl, at 5'10", and I weigh 196 pounds. I've been 140 pounds, when I was 14 and my tallness was new to a gawky teenager, and let me tell you, it wasn't pretty. I was all arms and legs and sticks. I have a medium frame, so I don't look horribly overweight, and I wear a size 12 to 14 jean and a large top. To my surprise, the nurse gravely informed me, before asking the proper questions, that according to my height and weight, I was obese! After the initial shock reaction, I almost laughed her off the phone. She failed to see the humor, and informed me that there were serious health concerns involved. I assured her that I know there are health concerns, but I certainly didn't feel I fit the obese category. She double checked her information, and then proceeded to tell me I was indeed obese, and I should ideally weigh between 124 and 153 pounds. There was more laughing. Do you have any idea what 124 pounds looks like on 70 inches? It's all ribs and hips and shoulder bones. Very nasty stuff, especially on me. As a reward for that long story, you all get a scoop of ice cream (or a cheesburger, in a couple cases). My point is, I went in for my appointment, and blood pressure, tests, and everything was normal. Muscle does weigh more than fat, and people who have (literally) bigger bones tend to weigh more without actually having their health in danger. Athletes, and even people who exercise frequently (more than a half hour on a treadmill), have trouble fitting into these mass categories. Like football players. I've read the stats, and there are quarterbacks who weigh 230 pounds, and they're my height, but they're in much better shape than I'm in, including their health. So it is possibly to be bigger and healthy. I think so, anyway.

Originally posted by Mary R. Now, I should 'fess up that I am still quite overweight...but it is indeed possible to be overweight and fit as many of us know. I'm really not trying to stir things up here, but I have increasingly heard this fat and fit claim and am confused about it. We know that obesity is a risk factor for many of the major healt issues that shorten life (diabetes, hpb, heart issues, etc). I guess, conversely, you don't have to be skinny to have those health issues but, from what I've heard, it is much more likely that an obese person will have them over a thin person. I'd be interested in information on this fit and obese claim that is curculating so that I can modify my opinion. Obviously, NFL offensive lineman are very fit and very fat but I don't think we should use those spectacular examples as indicative of the overall claim.

Originally posted by aquageek Obviously, NFL offensive lineman are very fit and very fat but I don't think we should use those spectacular examples as indicative of the overall claim. I've also heard the life expectancy for an NFL lineman is somewhere around 55. So even these guys, who might have the best claim to being "fit and fat" suffer the health consequences of obesity.

Originally posted by LindsayNB Body Mass Index is an attempt at approximating percent body fat based on typical build. Body Mass Index will provide a poor approximation of percent body fat for people who don't conform to the assumptions about body type and amount of muscle. If you want to know if you are obese and prone to the health risks associated therewith have your percent body fat measured. . This is what I was trying to say. They make BMI the indicator and my BMI indicates overweight, but I have had my fat % measured and it was 21%, which is a normal range, not lean by any means, but normal. So BMI, which is based soley on height and weight, is not as good of an indicator as clothing fit. And benching 200,WOW!

Originally posted by aquageek One's own perception of their ideal weight is quite different than the medical definition of obesity/overweight. You may think all is well but that's a personal impression. Carrying too much weight sets you up for many maladies, slower swimming being one. Just because everyone is getting bigger and the perception of ideal weight has shifted does not mean that the problems associated with being heavy have also shifted. Actually, that's not true. It's not the weight, it is the BMI. You can be 5'10 and 196lbs and be as healthy as a racehorse. BMI measures the amount of fat on a person's body. BMI calculator Yes, that calculator claims that being 196lbs at that height is overweight, but that's a putzy little computation that's never looked at the big picture. Muscle is heavier than fat, which would contribute to the mass. By your definitions, a lot of German athletes are overweight or obese. German females are notoriously large women. That's just how they are. Not everyone fits into the obese/overweight box. Amount of fat on a body doesn't automatically mean healthy/unhealthy. What if you're 220lbs and 5'10, but you're male, you get an extreme cardio workout 3-4 times a week and you have a resting heart rate of 56? That's not obese. It all depends on the person.

Whoo! I wasn't trying to start an argument, nor is this a shallow topic. I'm sorry you think I was speaking in vanity, geek. I truly wasn't. dorothyrde seems to have gotten the point I was trying to make, and I apologize if I offended anyone, or came across as being shallow or in denial about anything. It truly does depend on the person, and BMI's don't take into account the athletics, muscle mass, or several other factors. I am 196 pounds because, bearing in mind that I'm still a girl, I benchpress 200 pounds. This isn't walking around the track with 10 lb dumbbells in each hand. This is free weights. There is also the consideration of my five times per week swim practice, and my resting pulse of 52. This is not a vanity post, to anyone who thinks so, I'm sorry, once again. I was just trying to show that there are different levels of being healthy, and that just because a chart says you're overweight if you weigh this much, it's not neccessarily taking in all the factors. Conversely, just because you're 5'10 and weigh 129 pounds, that doesn't automatically make you healthy. There are too many factors to take into account to narrow it down to just height and weight. Call it thinking outside the box.

Studies and reality...my reality is that in the five years that I did not swim regularly (posted overseas where there was no proper pool!) I gained 15 pounds and a lot more fat than that. Back to swimming I am regaining my stamina and more, have lost the 15 pounds already and two dress sizes. It is slow but that should be better in the long run... Now, I should 'fess up that I am still quite overweight...but it is indeed possible to be overweight and fit as many of us know. I'm not there yet but swimming is an important part of this. I lift weights as well. The real issue in my mind is not can you lose weight swimming -- several of us have -- but to keep in mind that to lose weight you need to exercise more and eat less. And, I fully agree that to lose weight swimming you need to swim either long or hard or preferably a bit of both.

It seems to me that some distinct concepts are being mixed up: Fitness is an ability to carry out physical activity Obesity is measured by percent body fat Health is an absense of adverse medical conditions Body Mass Index is an attempt at approximating percent body fat based on typical build. Body Mass Index will provide a poor approximation of percent body fat for people who don't conform to the assumptions about body type and amount of muscle. If you want to know if you are obese and prone to the health risks associated therewith have your percent body fat measured. Swimming is unusual in that excess percent body fat interferes with performance less than in many sports, such as running.

I think the main difference here is that between being 'fat' and being 'obese'. You can be 'fat' - meaning over your ideal body weight, and still not be obese. Plus, when calculating things like body mass index (BMI), which is often used to determine relative obesity, there is often a disclaimer that conditioned athletes don't fit well into the categories, because of the "muscle weighs more than fat" thing. In which case, they generally recommend athlete track their body fat percentage. We also have to ask ourselves how we define 'fat'. Most anorexics would consider themselves fat because that's what the disorder does to you. Some studies suggest that women, in general, see themselves as being heavier than they are and men, in general, see themselves as being thinner than they are. Being in your 'ideal' weight range is a Good Thing, but I'm a firm believer than only one's doctor can make the decision if a person's health is in danger because of their weight. I swim because it makes me healthier (OK, and the ice cream thing). Before I started swimming again (after a 8 year hiatus for the end of high school, college, and graduate school), I had a fitness assessment done at the university health clinic. The first thing I was told was that I was obese. Then they were astounded as my blood pressure, heart rate, and lung capacity numbers came out in the range of an athlete. According to the woman doing the assessment, this was unbelievable. I think that's what's meant by fit and fat - if a doctor looked at everything but your weight, they'd say you're in great health and a model for others. One look at the scale, and suddenly, you're at death's door..... Kae

It is a lie that NFL linemen are in good shape. Even though there are many reports that big football players are well trained atheletes, many linemen have 15-25% body fat or more. It is almost incredible that they even live to be 55 years old.