If I swim 20 lengths of an Olympic-sized pool 4 times a week

[wallyfeatures]

• how long before I am absolutely gorgeous?!?

I am 5'3' and in the last year, due to a job change, have piled on a stone and several inches. I look like a blob and none of my clothes fit. I hate diets, but want to up my activity levels. Swimming is a good one as if I buy a monthly card, I'm so tight, that I feel motivated to get every last penny's worth from it. So, will it make a difference to my weight and figure?

thank you mazylou!

I train with a masters' swimming club. One hours swimming- warm up/ sprints/ drills etc with lots of short rests- burns between 450-500 calories.( My fellow swimmers have those gadgets which calculate).
That might not be as many calories as an hour's fast running? but it's still a big chunk of calories and if you've got hip problems, like me, you won't be doing any running.

If your eyesight is similar in both eyes and no worse than a -8 then eBay have goggles for a few pounds. Dh is -9 with astigmatism (which it doesn't correct) but they make it possible to see. Something like this

Im -10 with astigmatism and have a cheap pair that are good enough to see in the pool, especially if just doing lengths. As well as 120quid proper prescription to order ones. The cheap ones I had were £10 and worked fine... there was a thing somewhere on line which said which to buy to counter the astigmatism (I ended up with lower than -10)

A cracking start to week three (can you see I'm trying to make this sound interesting?!) Another 20 laps in the bag with a time of 29.45. I weighed myself this morning and can confirm a 3 lb weight loss in total . I'm going to weigh again tomorrow morning because I had a roast dinner last night and that tends to sit around for a day or so (If I may put it so indelicately).

Had an active and busy weekend with a long walk on Saturday and a long bike ride yesterday. Successfully swerved free cake yesterday morning (polishes halo) but did have a roast dinner and apple crumble with Greek yoghurt last night. It could have been so, so much worse.

Husband is away until Thursday and have managed not to go crazy on the food front. The same cannot be said about getting my sorry arse to bed at a decent time. It's like I need a proper adult to tell me to get to bed.

I'm enjoying swimming, even if it does get a bit boring sometimes. But the time is great for thinking about things and planning and other stuff. I did almost lose count this morning when I was deep in a discussion with myself about Christmas .

I think it might be my weight that means I burn so many calories OzymandiasFanClub . I've looked at a few websites and they all seem to be saying that someone of my weight swimming fast for an hour, or breaststroke for an hour will burn 704 calories. calories burned

Thanks for the tip shouldwestayorshouldwego , I will look into that. My eyes are different in each eye and I have a severe astigmatism. I used to have a large amount of prism in my glasses, but discovered a few years ago that if the prism is reduced, my brain somehow manages not to see in double vision. I went to a new optician for a sight check last year and didn't tell him and I could see him looking at my prescription and trying to tally that with my answers to his questions about lines and dots and me saying I could get them anywhere near each other, let alone see where they were in relation to something else . Sorry, bimbling on again. I'm hopeful that I won't need fancy goggles, just something in line with level of short-sightedness.

Anyway, have a great swim today fellow swimmers. I'm not sure it's making much physical difference yet, but mood and energy-wise it's brilliant. I'm not a winter person, and dread the dark mornings and afternoons but I think swimming might help to alleviate those feelings. Lets wait and see.

I have been looking at calories burned and the web brings up huge disparities. Even if you are heavier - which I am, there's no way I'd be burning 700 calories I think even though my speed has picked up. I tend to think if I burn 300 ish for 50 minutes then I'd be happy. I have noticed I'm hungrier every 3rd day or so so I'm trying not to eat much more- which is hard. I had no lunch on Saturday and went for a swim and bonked just after half an hour in so I def need a little fuel before I go.

Either way roundturnandtwohalfhitches we are burning calories

I go swimming of a morning and find that I can do ok on a cup of coffee, but then am famished by the time I get home. I have to watch that I don't launch my face into the fridge as soon as the door is opened. Well done on not eating too much. It is hard!

On another note - what are you doing about the eau de chlorine? I am showering, using up all my smelly moisturizing lotions and potions and I can still smell the stuff...

I have been using the Boots sun swim and gym 3 in 1 hair and body. Plus I use the hair masque from that range before I get into the pool to stop my hair getting anymore ruined. I have found Decathlon do a cheaper one I might use for my body and just use the Boots one for my hair. It does seem to work though I don't smell of pool constantly.

On another note - what are you doing about the eau de chlorine? I am showering, using up all my smelly moisturizing lotions and potions and I can still smell the stuff...

I think I've gone noseblind to it

So I need to get myself to a Boots. Unfortunately I'm not in the UK but am hoping to get over there in November/December. In the meantime I will go and have a look around our local Boots type chemist and see if they have anything. You'd think the swimming pool would have some on sale along with all the other paraphernalia. I might suggest it to them!

Anther swim under my belt. I took some photos but am a bit hesitant about sharing them here (even though they are anonymous). If I keep this up I might post a before and after photo at Christmas so we can see if there is any difference. I will give ample warning before doing so!!!!

Will also check out Decathlon as I think there will be one near to where we are going on holiday next month. roundturnandtwohalfhitches

Another 20 lengths done. I put some denim shorts on today that I haven't worn for a couple of weeks and they seemed a bit looser around my thighs. Is that possible?

Well done. I think my legs showed the difference first. I am nearly at 12 weeks and only today did I manage to get into smaller size trousers. I have a stubbornly fat stomach. I swim at my local gym and I marvel at what arseholes some men can be. The number of times I've seen middle age men try to intimidate women out of the swimming lanes is shocking.

You are inspiring me to get back in the water! I’m starting late on Friday so plenty of time for a swim before work. posting here for accountability!

Way to go L238, come on in, the water is lovely!

Heh, just remembered, how did it go today AdventuresRUs? Did you manage to get to the pool?

Twelve weeks? That is so impressive roundturnandtwohalfhitches You're inspiring me to keep going. I had a bit of a mental wobble today after 10 lengths and had to give myself a stern talking to to keep going. And I know exactly what you mean by arseholes in the water trying to intimidate. And they all seem to be of the male persuasion. I had two twits both swimming towards me today and neither wanted to give any quarter. I just kept on straight at 'em.

And a big well done on the smaller trousers victory. Glad to hear that it does make a difference. I am one of those that thinks that I should see results NOW NOW NOW .

No swimming yesterday, but another kilometre wracked up this morning. I forgot to time it, but going by the time on the parking meter and the time I got back to the car I must have been going some!

4 km this week and a running total of 11.7 km since 20 August.

Happy Weekend folks. Wallyfamily has a busy weekend ahead and the weather is not looking agreeable here!

Wally- maybe you could do something like this???
www.aspire.org.uk/Event/aspire-channel-swim

Wow, thanks OzymandiasFanClub, that works out at 3 km a week, which I'm going to be doing anyway. I have a week away in October, but apart from that would have access to the pool. Are you doing it?
Anyone else interested?

I don't like asking for sponsors.... I occasionally do things like this for a personal challenge, then just make a donation to the charity.

I'm in. I hate asking people too so I'll do it as a personal challenge as well and make a donation.

Sounds like a plan ladies, I too hate asking people to sponsor me. So we start on the 10th September, Monday. Pinkie promise.

You're on!

I'll start today as I'm out Monday. I do a mile or so everytime I'm in at a conservative estimate so I need to do 23 swims. Its something else to keep me motivated. It's like swimming in a rough sea our pool whenever there are 2 regulars are in. I call them the Tsunami Twins. My heart sinks when I see them.

I'm in on this from this week!

Does anyone know whether it's better to eat before or after a swim? (I don't mean just before!) Which would burn off the most calories?