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?
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?
I agree with Elise. Running makes me skinny and swimming makes me fat. Don't think it can all be attributed to diet or age. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I really think it depends on the individual. All I know is that I lost 45 lbs when I started to swim, and that's all the exercising I did for a while. Now, I run, do weights, and swim.
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 b
Water temperature. Your body has to work harder to keep itself warm. Being immersed in 80 degree water is no where near the same as running in 80 degree weather. Your body is protecting itself. Just my guess ....
Running makes me skinny and swimming makes me fat.
When most of us "run," we tend to go longer distances in the aerobic zone, at or just below our lactate thresholds - and, at this rate and over extended periods, the male or female body generates the necessary energy primarily by burning fat. Some swimmers, in contrast, prefer to blast down the pool at top speeds - their heart rate might not race as high, perhaps, as when they run (in part because they are horizontal and cool, among other factors, and in part also because their sprint workouts include recovery time). In the sprint-paced swims, the body is more likely to draw energy from muscle glycogen rather than fat.
If one were to train on the track only for the 100-meter dash, and if one were to build their aerobic base in the pool - in other words, if one were to reverse their training practices - isn't it likely that the effects would be reversed?
I have several heart-rate monitors, and I think they are great tools that really help with training. But I don't think anyone should take seriously the "calories burned" calculation. My opinion is that this calculation is based on a formula that's entirely arbitrary, that can't possibly be right from one individual to the next or from one exercise method to the next and, in any case, probably isn't meaningful.
+1
I have a hard time believing swimming would raise your LDLs. Are there any research articles on this?
This would be based on his diet. Who knows, if he's swimming and buring more calories he may be eating more/different than when he runs? Just speculation.
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
How are you testing cholesterol so often? Are you fasting properly before the tests? If not I think the testing is completely irrelevent.
I have read several studies that show swimming produces lower maximum heart rates compared to running or cycling for similar perceived effort because the water cools the body more effectively. The body produces significant heat during exercise and uses significant energy to cool itself. So the water does the opposite of what Flyqueen posted above.
I easily see the difference in fatigue when the pool water is 80 deg vs. 84 or 86 like my pool sometimes reaches.
Why would an activity such as swimming that obviously burns a bunch of calories cause an increase in body fat?
I heard somewhere that swimmers tend to develop a thin layer of insulation under the skin (even the leanest ones).
Granted we do get warm, and can easily overheat, but the water is always cooling us off.
This may explain why some people develop a very thin layer of protective fat.
