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Original poster

To think I can lose weight swimming?

106 replies

PattySlapper · 02/08/2018 20:50

I've always been a typical yo yo dieter, basically losing and gaining the same 3 stone over the last few years. My problem, like many people I'm sure, is that I love good and hate exercise! I've put on a lot of weight again recently! I've had some success before exercising on a small trampoline at home, but I'm thinking about taking up swimming. I do enjoy swimming, but don't really enjoy the experience in a public pool. My dream to have one of those endless pools, I swear if I did I'd be skinny! Grin but will have to make do with the local pool! I'd probably aim to do three sessions a week about 30 minutes a session. Has anyone lost weight / toned up doing similar? And how can I get motivated to actually go this?? It would mean some days going before work, and as mentioned I hate exercise, and love sleeping, so I can see me struggling! I plan to do this alongside following Slimming World.

OP posts:
Lokisglowstickofdestiny · 04/08/2018 08:00

Julian competition swimmers also work out in the gym, those bodies are not just from all the swimming albeit they look damn good!

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 04/08/2018 08:16

OP I agree that weight loss is diet
It took me many years to learn this Grin and I have lost 3 stone !

And - swimming is fab ! I have gone from sedate breaststroke to powering up and down for 30 mins

It’s brilliant exercise as it doesn’t injure you and it’s toned my arms and shoulders no end .it also helps with the core too

So swim swim swim away but do in combination with a diet Grin

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 04/08/2018 08:19

Also bear in mind that swimming doesn’t hurt you ! I have injured myself both running and during a rather hectic yoga class

It’s nit for everyone but for stress , back pain and bingo wings it’s bloody saved me

mermaidbutmytailfelloff · 04/08/2018 08:27

i used to swim every day and did get a fab bum in the end and toned arms.

I used to do a set of reps to make me swim harder. I would do 4 breaststroke easy, then a set of 3 with easy/fast/easy, then two fast then one as fast as i could. Adds to 10 lengths. Between each "set" of 4,3,2 or 1 i would have a short break - 30 secs or so. It really helped breaking it down, not having to count except up to 4, and aiming for 2 lots of 10 or three or whatever.

Worked for me anyway. good luck OP

lightonthewater · 04/08/2018 08:34

I think any exercise that raises your heart rate and lasts at least half an hour is good. I don't buy into the 'sweat , pain and stress' school of exercise . I love walking, and enjoy swimming, but find the chlorine, the amount of people etc off putting.

i would say the key is watching what you eat and exercising every second day for at least half an hour. Cut right down on carbs, eat more protein and vegetables and more fruit. Drink lots of water. Cook from scratch and cut out sugar and alcohol, food and drink with e numbers and preservatives, and nothing with artificial sweeteners. If you make sure you are not exceeding a calorie allowance of 1200 per day , max, and you are exercising (brisk walking, swimming. cycling), you WILL lose weight.

bruffin · 04/08/2018 08:38

I lost nearly 2 stone swimming 4 hours a week and low calorie diet

cheesemongery · 04/08/2018 09:18

@PattySlapper have a lovely hols and it'll be good to hear how you get on on Thursday. I'm going to head to general swim on Monday followed by aqua aerobics. It's a good job my boss just lets me come and go as I please! Start work at 7, go swimming 9-11, go back to work!

Why does swimming make you hungry? Anybody know?

lljkk · 04/08/2018 09:36

An hour of hard swimming burns 400-500 kcal. That should make most people hungry. Plus we tend to go when empty stomach, so due to feel hungry by end of it.

Worthwhile exercise for health benefits is counted in units of at least 10 minutes, btw, doesn't even have to be 30 minutes. METS.

cheesemongery · 04/08/2018 10:00

thanks lljkk - I get hungry though even when I go with DD so am hardly burning the cals! Maybe I'm just a pig Grin

lljkk · 04/08/2018 10:58

If you start with an empty stomach, you were due to be hungry right after swimming, anyway.

There is definitely a social cues thing that happens with swimming, though. Folk expect to eat junk food right afterwards. So many people rush to buy from vending machines afterwards... why? It's the 'done thing' I reckon, since childhood. I don't see the same descent on the machines from folk exiting the actual gym, because they didn't learn the social cue to do so from young age. I sometimes go to supersprint triathlons or 5km & don't see the same sort of eager rush to get snack food afterwards.

GarlicCheeseBread · 04/08/2018 11:24

I was thinking about this too, as I am rarely hungry after swimming, and realised it's because I eat a decent snack before I go.
I can swim much faster and longer when not feeling faint and hungry, so feel it's a better way round.

cheesemongery · 04/08/2018 11:25

Oh I absolutely get the social cue thing. As I child one of my favourite memories is getting a Mars bar from the vending machine and a hot chocolate straight after swimming. I think it's almost expected to come out 'hungry'. On the odd occasion I have been in the actual gym, the calorie counting on the machines directly puts me off from eating anything calorific post exercise. I'll have myself a salad and some protein ready at work as my after swim go to. I'm going to try for at least 2 stone off by Christmas. I used to be able to knock off 7lbs in a week easily, but after years of yoyo-ing and being mid 40's those days are long gone!

bruffin · 04/08/2018 11:36

I always swam first thing before breakfast or just before lunch, so its meal time anyway.

beeefcake · 04/08/2018 11:40

It does certainly help with weight loss and is really good for you but you should combine with some kind of diet to lose weight effectively.

My biggest bit of advice is go first thing in the morning as the water is the cleanest (and so are the changing rooms) and the pools are less busy. I go swimming at 7.30, do half an hour, then shower and get ready for work and then I'm at work by 9.

noeffingidea · 05/08/2018 22:10

I swim on an empty stomach then eat afterwards, about 11am. I never had any money to buy anything from the vending machines when I was a kid so I've never associated swimming with snacking.

Original poster
PattySlapper · 09/08/2018 18:05

Right I'm really sorry I disappeared off the thread, got back from holiday late yesterday. It was a good start to exercise actually as I walked about 20km a day!

Anyway, I made it to my first swimming session today! And it went really well! The whole been in a public pool thing wasn't that bad, it wasn't too busy. I did 30 lengths which took me about 30 minutes, although I did stop a few times but they were short rests. I pretty much just did breast stroke for this session, with just a few lengths of crawl to try it out! I've signed up for the monthly unlimited card so hopefully that will encourage me to keep it up! Planning on going again tomorrow!

My eating hasn't been great today, as I need to sort shopping out after been away and eating out with DH tonight as not seen him since before I went away. Determined to get on track tomorrow though when the the shopping comes!

Thanks again for all the replies as encouragement! Oh, and can anyone recommend a good, but inexpensive, swimming tracker please?

OP posts:
SynchroSwimmer · 09/08/2018 19:18

I can recommend short swim fins to use in the pool (for freestyle or with a float) - you have to work harder, more lung function etc, but really great for toning thighs and abdo.

Also a cheap (£14) waterproof MP3 Music player with some cool music to listen while you swim - a 30 min swim with some bouncy music will easily turn into 1 hour!

LakieLady · 09/08/2018 19:46

Swimming is great but it makes you hungry!

Doesn't it just!

The only way swimming would make me lose weight would be if I never got out of the pool. It's hard to eat while you're swimming.

Etymology23 · 09/08/2018 21:25

I definitely toned up when I was swimming. I was doing an hour or so about 3 times a week and by the end of that training period I was doing about 1.5miles in an hour and had toned shoulders and arms. Need to get back into it. I’ve just started running again; attempting to lose weight and get a bit fitter - I hate it but I only have to go out my door so there’s a much lower activation energy.

CSIblonde · 09/08/2018 21:30

I love swimming but I'm starving afterwards. (went twice weekly x1hour). Short walks daily worked better for me & taking stairs not escalators on work commute & at work (team on 2diff floors).

cheesemongery · 10/08/2018 21:52

@PattySlapper - good for you! 30 lenghts sounds great. I haven't managed to get to a solo swim this week as juggling childcare and work but DD can swim the 30 length metre of the pool so I go alongside her at her pace - it's all exercise! Actually it's got me more used to being back in the water as the first time I attempted I was out of breath doing a length and realised my breathing wasn't right, I was probably over pacing myself, my style wasn't right - so pootling up and down with DD has helped me address these issues.

I'm suffering from lurgy atm so didn't even make work today, let alone pool. Food wise I'm not really eating much due to this so if I drop a few pounds all good, but it's definitely not to be recommended!

Original poster
PattySlapper · 13/08/2018 12:11

Thanks @cheesemongery, I was secretly quite pleased as had vision of dying after a length! Grin Sorry to hear you've not been feeling well, I hope you're feeling better and get chance to get back into it. Good for you using time swimming with the kids to still exercise and work on your technique.

I need a bit of a kick up the bum though as I skipped swimming on Sunday as I was hungover, and today was just about to go but it started absolutely lashing it down so I chickened out. Blush Bad I know. Got to push to go for the rest of the week so I don't fall out of it.

OP posts:
noeffingidea · 13/08/2018 12:59

I need a bit of a kick up the bum though
Yes you do really, if you've already skipped 2 sessions that you could have done. You need to get into the mindset where you don't find excuses for not going. There will always be a reason not to go - it's raining, it's too cold, you have a cold, you're too tired, you're on your period, your legs ache, etc etc.
Getting properly fit does require some effort and discipline, but it's really worth it, because it doesn't just make you physically stronger, it makes you mentally stronger as well.

Original poster
PattySlapper · 14/08/2018 15:43

@noeffingidea that is what I need to hear as I struggle so so much with motivation. I will just find any excuse to not go and be lazy! However, I have been today and I bought one of those weird raincoat / wearable umbrella things so that I can keep dryish on my bike getting there in the rain another time! I'll look a right idiot but never mind!

OP posts:
Airbiscuits · 14/08/2018 15:57

I love swimming and used to do a mile a day, when I had the time (pre children)

However, I did used to see a lot of chubby regulars at the pool. Mostly doing head above the water breast stroke. Which can damage your neck.

Go for it, but you really have to push yourself to lose weight. Move onto different strokes, do at least 2/3 fast front crawl, bilateral breathing etc and cut your calorie intake. Set yourself speed goals. Do drills. Get some proper lessons.