AIBU to find swimming makes me far hungrier than expected?

[Wasabiforlunch]

I’ve recently started trying to lose weight and get a bit healthier, and for the first time in ages I’ve actually found a form of exercise I enjoy , which is swimming. It feels manageable on my joints (I do struggle with joint pain, which rules out a lot of other types of exercise), and I can feel that I’m working harder than I was before. My heart rate is up, my watch shows I’m burning calories, and generally it feels like a positive step.

The problem is the hunger afterwards. I come out of the pool absolutely starving, not just a bit peckish, but properly hungry in a way that’s quite hard to ignore. I am trying to stick to a calorie deficit, so it feels a bit counterproductive if I end up wanting to eat everything in sight after a swim.

Before this, I was fairly sedentary, so I suppose it’s a good sign I’m actually moving.
But I’m finding it quite difficult to balance - I don’t want to undo the benefits of exercising by overeating, but equally I don’t want to feel miserable and hungry all the time.

Has anyone else experienced this with swimming (or exercise in general)? Any tips on how to manage the hunger without derailing weight loss would be really appreciated.

There was a study. And I can't find it, that compared exercise a d weight. Swimmers gained, runners lost.

My theory is that exercise in cold water should make us hungry. Evolutionarily.

I could eat a scabby dog after I’ve been swimming. I eat whole wheat cereal the minute I get home - either mini shredded wheat or weetabix.

Haha swimming makes me starving! Shows how hard you are working - well done you. Advice would be water and a good few handfuls of nuts and raisins for protein.

I remember as a kid always being absolutely ravenous after swimming.

I’m a bit gutted in a way, as I’m really enjoying the exercise in general and it’s getting my heart rate up.
I’ve got to try and stick to the deficit though!

Yes swimming has always made me so hungry. I always fancy a bag of chips after!

Is it a good idea to give it up?
I honestly can’t do running or other impact sports as my joints won’t take it. I have tried in the past and ended up in pain.

This, I’m never hungrier than after swimming and it had to be carbs!

I like the fact I’m building my fitness up but don’t want to end up putting more weight on.

I think it’s because it feels easier than it actually is so we are shocked how hungry it makes us but we are lugging our whole body around. If you eat something filling but sensible after, you should still be ok.

deficit is definitely the only way. I would say intermittent fasting is the easiest way as well as exercising once you find a way that suits. I’d also say keep at the swimming and see if you get into a routine with it. Best of luck.

I'm sure I read something that said the best exercise for weight loss is walking as it burns calories without increasing hunger.

Maybe try taking a protein bar to eat right afterwards?

I would be reluctant to give it up. Swimming is great exercise.

https://www.ncsem-em.org.uk/2020/06/30/swimming-makes-you-hungrier-and-likely-to-eat-more-at-the-next-meal/

I've always considered swimming and cycling to feel like you're putting way more effort in compared to the calories they actually burn.
Could you time your swims just before mealtimes? And then just eat what you would normally? Swimming is fantastic for your core strength so definitely worth sticking with.

Something about water makes you starving!!!!

even when I took my kids and was just standing around / holding them and playing with them - I’d always come out of the pool feeling absolutely famished!!!! - despite doing very little physically - no rhyme nor reason to it !!!

I always find the best exercise is spending half hour in the sea, intermittently swimming against the tide. Always makes me starving. It uses your whole body. Just swim right before dinner so you can eat.

Swimming makes me hungrier than I've ever been, like absolutely ferally hungry. I had to time it to go before I ate a meal I was going to eat anyway or I would be scavenging round the kitchen.

I read before that swimming or any activities where you’re in the water make you hungrier because they make your body colder, all other exercises warm your body. Temp drops, body craves fuel for energy and warmth, makes you hungry. I could never understand why even if I went swimming when definitely not hungry I was always ravenous within minutes of being in the water.

Same here, my blood sugar also crashed after swimming, where as after any other form of exercise its fairly stable.

@Simonjt that’s interesting about the blood sugar, but I really don’t want to give it up just yet as I feel I’ve been really coming on with it.

Could you drink a protein shake before or after to fill you up?

maybe think of swimming as something which is good for your physical and mental health rather than something that will help you lose weight. Concentrate of trying to be in calorie deficit on the days you aren't swimming.

The whole point of exercising isn't weight loss. You lose weight in the kitchen not the gym. Just find a snack you can have after swimming. Whether that's satiating like potatoes or bulk like a smoothie. Experiment and find what scratches that itch.

Chips after swimming are compulsory. It’s always been thus, in the 80’s the pool even had a chip vending machine (utterly revolting).

The amount of calories in most protein shakes, you’d be better chewing on something substantial like a chicken breast with salad unless you’re specifically upping protein.