Articles about Swimming not being good for weight loss
Former Member
Hello everyone,
I recently happened to have read a few (probably misleading) articles about swimming and weight loss. I have started swimming 3 months ago as a replacement for other cardio exercises due to knee injury. I enjoy swimming greatly but also I want to lose weight.
What I read is that because of the cold water the body tends to build a layer of fat underneath the skin to heat the body... that also the body doesn't burn as much fat because the cold water keeps it from heating... and that the cold water causes the apetite to rise.
Is any of this scientific? Does it make any sense?
It is beyond non scientific, it is beyond urban legends, it is totally wrong! Look at all the fat people (why call obese, what is obviously fat?) around you who never enter the water. Your body temperature is always the same, unless you have a fever, irrespective of the temperature around you, be it air or water. Your appetite depends on so many factors, least of which is the cold water. The reason swimming might be less of a weight loss as compared to running or lifting weights is the simple math of caloric expenditure. If you swim enough to spend more calories than you are eating than you will lose weight.
While I agree with the premise of your response, namely that swimming can help with weight loss, the sentence I bolded is incorrect. Temperature around you can in fact change your body temperature when at extremes. For example, leave someone in a hot car with windows closed for 1 hour, and their core temperature will rise. Likewise, people end up in ERs with hypothermia all the time due to cold exposure. The body tries to maintain homeostasis, i.e. avoid extremes, but it has its limits.
Of course, the extra layer of fat insulation theory is garbage.
It is beyond non scientific, it is beyond urban legends, it is totally wrong! Look at all the fat people (why call obese, what is obviously fat?) around you who never enter the water. Your body temperature is always the same, unless you have a fever, irrespective of the temperature around you, be it air or water. Your appetite depends on so many factors, least of which is the cold water. The reason swimming might be less of a weight loss as compared to running or lifting weights is the simple math of caloric expenditure. If you swim enough to spend more calories than you are eating than you will lose weight.
While I agree with the premise of your response, namely that swimming can help with weight loss, the sentence I bolded is incorrect. Temperature around you can in fact change your body temperature when at extremes. For example, leave someone in a hot car with windows closed for 1 hour, and their core temperature will rise. Likewise, people end up in ERs with hypothermia all the time due to cold exposure. The body tries to maintain homeostasis, i.e. avoid extremes, but it has its limits.
Of course, the extra layer of fat insulation theory is garbage.
