I need to drop 150 lbs.

I also vote for swimming, because in the water you feel good and are not so aware of weight. It's an equalizer. And if you find you enjoy it, you will keep doing it. I have seen heavy people swim beautifully and quite fast. I vote for swimming (but then, I hate to run; I do like the cross-country setting on the elliptical machine, but gyms are lonely for me). So again, I encourage you to find a masters team and start slowly, like my brother did, just doing what you can and want to, so you'll keep wanting to go back. A good coach will let you do that.

For the OP - remember a few things: 1. it took you 10 years to add 150 lbs - or about 15 lbs a year. You should set reasonable goals. You can probably lose 1 lb per week - maybe slightly more for a 50 lbs loss per year. 2. you must gain control of your eating. It is not a diet. You need to look at it as a permanent lifestyle change. Learn the calorie content of the foods you eat and count the calories you consume. You probably eat some very unhealthy food now. 3. 1 lb = 3500 calories. If you burn an extra 500+ calories per day you will lose 1 lb per week. You may need to burn more than that if you are currently gaining weight. You may need to burn 300 calories just to hold steady. 4. swimming is a very good exercise for you, especially early on because it is joint friendly. As you get lighter you may want to add other exercise to stay motivated.

so if you want to compliment your swimming with running, try running in place in the pool. lots of track people do it when they have chinsplints. ...Or walk/run up and down in a middle-deep (chest high water) lane, which provides some low-impact resistance training, like walking/running upwind. We had a gentleman at our community center who started out at nearly 400lbs, and used this method of supported walking (along with diet) every day to drop about 100 pounds in 6 months.

We put that extra weight on because we continue to eat as if we are still competing and training. Eat smaller meals, walk and swim. I was 335 lbs and had laid off for over 25 years. I am now 250 and heading for 235, my goal weight. I have not worked out very much but walk everyday and a little swimming. It has taken me 10 years to lose this weight but just 15 more lbs to go. I am in no hurry.

I've actually gained weight since a took up swimming again 9 months ago (from 175 to 185) b/c it has increased my appetite and I converted alot of muscle to fat. So don't look at the pounds, you'll be doing your heart wonders. Get a waterproof mp3 player so you have something to distract your mind. Join a masters swim club, go 3+ times per week Change your eating habits Put your head down and don't look up for a few months. Do NOT weigh your self every day or even every week.

Just for curiosity, you're a former football player so even if you're a former CB/S, plus 150lbs, we're talking about a weight of 330lbs? can I ask you why do want to swim just out the bat to start loose weight? I think that a change of your eating habits with works on treadmill/elliptic, stretching & agility works will improve your shape and help you to shed weight better that anythings else. Swimming is one of most technical sport/hobby out of there, with a lot of "baggage" to move it'll not be easy at all. You'll ramp up the time that you can exercise more easy running/walking hard that swimming in the same timeframe; burning more calories in less time. Your "baggage" will limit what you can do in the pool, even more if you're not a good swimmer already. I don't know for you, but for me to see a lot of beginners passing me easy all the time, and I unable to do anythings to stop it for a while, drive me crazy. This is a swimming forum so you'll find a lot that recommend swimming over anything else. But if you main goal is only to shed pounds and your knees/back are in good conditions, and obviously swimming isn't relevant in your life now IMO swimming isn't the highway to your dream. If you like to start swimmings for the pleasure to do it, this is another story and you just go for it without any other reason. The key is changing eating habits, eating whatever you want all the time will limit heavy your quest to drop that much. Be disciplined, workout 3-4 times for week and you'll get result, just not overnight. Last year a friend of mine, way out shape, 5'10 - 250lbs, jump into the pool and loose nothing in 7 months, swimming in very pathetic way, his weak core drag him down too much. he put effort into it, but his eating habits wasn't changed. I graduate High School at around 200lbs. I was an active weightlifter who ran more sprints and plyometrics than distance. I'm 28 and it has gotten to the point where I cant run anymore and I am having problems with my knee which I had surgery on. I want to wait on the weightlifting till I have dropped a certrain amount of weight, even though I have experienced and know of the benefits of muscle building. In short, I want to use swimming as a weight to get enough weight off that I can run and bike, etc and lift weights again.

For the OP - remember a few things: 1. it took you 10 years to add 150 lbs - or about 15 lbs a year. You should set reasonable goals. You can probably lose 1 lb per week - maybe slightly more for a 50 lbs loss per year. 2. you must gain control of your eating. It is not a diet. You need to look at it as a permanent lifestyle change. Learn the calorie content of the foods you eat and count the calories you consume. You probably eat some very unhealthy food now. 3. 1 lb = 3500 calories. If you burn an extra 500+ calories per day you will lose 1 lb per week. You may need to burn more than that if you are currently gaining weight. You may need to burn 300 calories just to hold steady. 4. swimming is a very good exercise for you, especially early on because it is joint friendly. As you get lighter you may want to add other exercise to stay motivated. I actually eat no more than what I did in high school. My problem is skipping meals, because I hate cooking.

Now, I've been doing some reading on the internet and from what I've been reading, it appears as if some put on body fat?????????? If you're 150 lbs overweight, I guarantee your body fat percentage will decrease if you start a good swimming regimen.

Since you do have such a large amount of weight to lose, I'm assuming you've already consulted with a doctor on this? He/she may give some suggestions for the best way to go about things. That said, I personally think swimming is a great way to start, along with diet. From there, once you get comfortable, you can add in other stuff. For those interested, Costco now has their 2-year 24 Hour Fitness certificates back! $290 for 2 years, not a bad deal, I may even do it, as a backup for swimming and weights, and could use it while traveling. Info here.

You are not in highschool anymore. You must change your eating habits. You say you skip meals, maybe you should miss more but when you miss meals your body goes into starvation mode this is not good. I suggest you look up grazing it is an easier way to control what you eat. What we eat as we get older and do not use goes directly to fat storage.