The doc wanted to see me this week in order to refill a medication prescription. Just after 8 holiday parties, I went in and was weighed as usual. Oh boy.
I know I gain during the winter and loose it in the more active summer, but did I need to be weighed right after Christmas? My weight increased so that now for the first time in my life I am considered overweight (but no obese:D), according to the BMI calculation.
I have begun watching calories & keeping track of calories in a written log, (which I understand is good for achieving results.) As part of my 'recovery', I am also discovering how to burn calories.
So how many calories does each stroke burn? From the internet, in a one hour swim (assume that means swimming continuously) for my weight / age:
..backstroke 651
..breaststroke 931
..butterfly 1024
..freestyle fast 931
..freestyle moderate 651
(Note to self: 1 pound of body fat = 3500 calories)
According to my heart rate monitor, I burn more calories on a 100 IM than 100 free.
However it told me that I burnt more calories on Tuesday doing 4800yds than I did today doing 5000yds of similar workout mix. :dunno:
FWIW I always feel I get a better all-round workout if I include some IM work, and it makes things more interesting.
I agree with this. I burn more doing an all-around workout. Also, I can't stand swimming just free. I get incredibly bored and eventually just get so lazy that I start doing 50's of sidestroke!!
Another thing I've noticed is that while swimming definitely tones and shapes my muscles, it doesn't help lose the flab. For that I have to either diet or get on the exercise bike:badday:
Although that's probably just me and my rubbish metabolism
I was delighted to see that *** stroke burns so many calories! I've always said that if you do *** stroke right it's nearly as exhausting and the butterfly!
It's good to know that I can burn an extra 400 calories by taking a nap after practice!! (If only I could!!) My song after practice is: Hi ho hi ho - it's off to work I go. . .
Yesssssss. My weight and BMI are back to normal as of today. 12 pounds gone since this first post with just a little effort. Officially I am not a fatso any more.:bliss:
I had an all-you-can-eat pizza lunch to celebrate.
Congratulations on getting back to normal.
When I went in recently they said I was overweight as my BMI was 25.1. The point 1 put me in the overweight category by 1 pound. I should have taken off all my clothes and gotten weighed again, I then would have been OK.
In terms of burning calories, you will burn the least with your most efficient stroke and burn the most with your least efficient stroke. As our technique gets better in a stroke we burn less calories with it as time goes by. So, if you want to burn calories, just do a lousy stroke.:D
Why wouldn't the slowest stroke (breaststroke) be the one that burns most calories?
By that logic, walking burns more calories than running.
And sitting on the couch burns the most of all...
By that logic, walking burns more calories than running.
And sitting on the couch burns the most of all...
You're exactly right with the running -v- walking. If I walk a mile I'll usually burn more calories than running the same mile, according to my Garmin w/HR monitor. The slower I run (or ride my bike), the more calories I burn for that distance.
Doing nothing does burn some calories, but not as much as doing nearly anything. Heck, eating carrots (for most people) usually results in burning calories rather than adding them.
