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?
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Former Member
Sorry,but the "fat burning zone" as the best way to lose weight myth is not good physiology.Yes in the so called"fat burning zone" you are using primarily fat for fuel and at faster speeds you are primarily using glycogen for fuel,but that is not the whole story.At faster speeds you are still burning some fat,but you are burnung more glycogen.You are also burning more calories and if you do not eat more after a hard workout than after an easy work out you will lose more weight.Your body will draw from the fat to replace energy stores.There is an additional advantage to the harder workout,namely you take longer to recover and that recovery takes energy.Further,sprint type workouts build more muscle mass and muscles burn calories at rest.
I made a point of not saying lose weight. I agree fat is burned at all levels. And more calories are burned at high intensity levels. When glycogen is depleted, the body replaces it. Where does it replace it from? With carbohydrate and fat.
A style of dryland training called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is intended to do much of what you say. Short intense periods of exercise, followed by recovery periods. It is similar to many types of swimming sets.
A good article on energy pathways:
sportsmedicine.about.com/.../aa080803a.htm
Sorry,but the "fat burning zone" as the best way to lose weight myth is not good physiology.Yes in the so called"fat burning zone" you are using primarily fat for fuel and at faster speeds you are primarily using glycogen for fuel,but that is not the whole story.At faster speeds you are still burning some fat,but you are burnung more glycogen.You are also burning more calories and if you do not eat more after a hard workout than after an easy work out you will lose more weight.Your body will draw from the fat to replace energy stores.There is an additional advantage to the harder workout,namely you take longer to recover and that recovery takes energy.Further,sprint type workouts build more muscle mass and muscles burn calories at rest.
I made a point of not saying lose weight. I agree fat is burned at all levels. And more calories are burned at high intensity levels. When glycogen is depleted, the body replaces it. Where does it replace it from? With carbohydrate and fat.
A style of dryland training called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is intended to do much of what you say. Short intense periods of exercise, followed by recovery periods. It is similar to many types of swimming sets.
A good article on energy pathways:
sportsmedicine.about.com/.../aa080803a.htm
