Body composition and swimming

I really think there is something to the swimming thing and lipid profile. My doc is a an athlete himself and is a big believer in preventative medicine. I have had physicals done by him for the last 13 years. Every time I have one done, my blood is taken first thing in the morning and I have fasted at least 10 hours beforehand. My diet when I was focused mainly on running was much worse than when I focused on swimming. My best readings came at a time when I would eat a chocolate chip muffin for breakfast and a candy bar every afternoon. Here is what I discovered: 1995 to 1999: Swam an average of 14,000 yards a week. Little or no running. LDL average was 123 and HDLs were 50. 2000 to 2004 - Main emphasis was running and cycling. Averaged 20 miles a week running and averaged 4,000 yards a week with swimming. LDL average 101. HDL average was 70. 2004- June 2008 - Swam average of 12,000 yards a week. Little or no running. Some cycling. Average LDL was 135. HDL 57. Trigylcerides are always very low - range from 33 to high of 70. On the HR monitor, I don't take the calorie count as completely accurate, but I do put stock on my average HR. Average HR is often higher or same as a run. It is much easier to swim for 1.5 hours to 2 hours than run for the same amount of time. I think it is safe to assume that if I am swimming intensely, with a high HR, I'm going to burn plenty of calories over a 1.5 hour period, probably much more than a 45 minute run. I may just have a real funky metabolism, but thought I would point it out so others might take note of their own cholesterol readings. I am just wondering it there if some kind of hormonal reaction the body has to water below body temp that causes it to produce more LDLs. If somebody loses weight and some can lose weight by swimming, then their LDLs will drop simply because of the weight loss. Over the 13 years I have had physicals done, my weight has been pretty stable. I've never gone below or over 8 pounds from where it was in 1995. So, for somebody who has kept a consistent diet (and I'll admit not always a perfect diet), who is kept their weight appropriate for their height (I'm 5'9.5 and have kept my weight between 138 and 146), why are my LDLs going up and my HDLs going down when I just swim? I really hope there will be some kind of study done on this at least as to females because I think there is something going on that has yet to be explained. Mary - Thanks for the article. What was interesting to me is that in the studies using women, the subjects gained weight swimming while in the studies using men, the subjects lost weight. I've noticed that the best way for my husband to lose weight is to swim intensely. I've found, however, that it does not work well for weight control in many women, including myself.

I really think there is something to the swimming thing and lipid profile. My doc is a an athlete himself and is a big believer in preventative medicine. I have had physicals done by him for the last 13 years. Every time I have one done, my blood is taken first thing in the morning and I have fasted at least 10 hours beforehand. My diet when I was focused mainly on running was much worse than when I focused on swimming. My best readings came at a time when I would eat a chocolate chip muffin for breakfast and a candy bar every afternoon. Here is what I discovered: 1995 to 1999: Swam an average of 14,000 yards a week. Little or no running. LDL average was 123 and HDLs were 50. 2000 to 2004 - Main emphasis was running and cycling. Averaged 20 miles a week running and averaged 4,000 yards a week with swimming. LDL average 101. HDL average was 70. 2004- June 2008 - Swam average of 12,000 yards a week. Little or no running. Some cycling. Average LDL was 135. HDL 57. Trigylcerides are always very low - range from 33 to high of 70. On the HR monitor, I don't take the calorie count as completely accurate, but I do put stock on my average HR. Average HR is often higher or same as a run. It is much easier to swim for 1.5 hours to 2 hours than run for the same amount of time. I think it is safe to assume that if I am swimming intensely, with a high HR, I'm going to burn plenty of calories over a 1.5 hour period, probably much more than a 45 minute run. I may just have a real funky metabolism, but thought I would point it out so others might take note of their own cholesterol readings. I am just wondering it there if some kind of hormonal reaction the body has to water below body temp that causes it to produce more LDLs. If somebody loses weight and some can lose weight by swimming, then their LDLs will drop simply because of the weight loss. Over the 13 years I have had physicals done, my weight has been pretty stable. I've never gone below or over 8 pounds from where it was in 1995. So, for somebody who has kept a consistent diet (and I'll admit not always a perfect diet), who is kept their weight appropriate for their height (I'm 5'9.5 and have kept my weight between 138 and 146), why are my LDLs going up and my HDLs going down when I just swim? I really hope there will be some kind of study done on this at least as to females because I think there is something going on that has yet to be explained. Mary - Thanks for the article. What was interesting to me is that in the studies using women, the subjects gained weight swimming while in the studies using men, the subjects lost weight. I've noticed that the best way for my husband to lose weight is to swim intensely. I've found, however, that it does not work well for weight control in many women, including myself.