I have determined that when I swim, based on my heart rate, I am burning an enormous amount of calories. The other day, I wore my HR monitor and based on my average HR, time spent swimming, and my weight, I burned 1053 calories. Now, the next day, I ran for 40 minutes and burned 453 calories.
I have noticed that when I just swim over a number of weeks, my LDL cholesterol readings go up and my body fat goes up as well. When I just run and don't burn as many calories (according to my HR monitor) my LDL drops, my HDLs go up, and my body fat decreases. I've noticed this now over the course of 13 years.
Anybody know of any studies out there that might explain this? Why would an activity such as swimming that obviously burns a bunch of calories cause an increase in body fat?
Parents
Former Member
Here is a great article that debunks the "research" that points toward swimming not being an effective weight loss exercise. I keep this puppy bookmarked because the myth is out there that swimming won't help you lose weight.
There is the theory out there that the coolness of the water makes your body hang on to fat. But then you read other weight loss articles that say to do silly things like turn down your thermostat or drink cold water because it makes your body work harder to keep warm and you will burn more calories. So which is it? :dunno:
I think you would have to take readings over the course of a longer period of time to measure HDL and LDL levels and you'd have to control for diet as well. The change would have to be statistically significant and correllate with the exercise/diet to see if there is any possible connection. Likewise, body fat would have to be accurately measured in the same fashion. Kind of a complex thing.
runningdoctor.runnersworld.com/.../does-swimming-c.html
Here is a great article that debunks the "research" that points toward swimming not being an effective weight loss exercise. I keep this puppy bookmarked because the myth is out there that swimming won't help you lose weight.
There is the theory out there that the coolness of the water makes your body hang on to fat. But then you read other weight loss articles that say to do silly things like turn down your thermostat or drink cold water because it makes your body work harder to keep warm and you will burn more calories. So which is it? :dunno:
I think you would have to take readings over the course of a longer period of time to measure HDL and LDL levels and you'd have to control for diet as well. The change would have to be statistically significant and correllate with the exercise/diet to see if there is any possible connection. Likewise, body fat would have to be accurately measured in the same fashion. Kind of a complex thing.
runningdoctor.runnersworld.com/.../does-swimming-c.html
