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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

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

144 replies

wallyfeatures · 21/08/2018 08:53

  • 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?

OP posts:
IamPickleRick · 09/09/2018 12:10

I’d say you should be prepared to put weight on, and look at your inches instead of the scales. I trained quite intensively as a 20 something and stopped because I put on 5lbs in a month, with a fat and calorie controlled diet too. Even though my arms and legs looked gorgeous, all I was focusing on was the lbs. I tone up very quickly from swimming. I wish I could go back and have a word with myself! Good luck Smile

HollowTalk · 09/09/2018 12:15

Most people would lose weigh though @IamPickleRick if they were swimming several times a week.

Original poster
wallyfeatures · 09/09/2018 16:42

I ate before swimming on Friday and burped porridge for half an hour, so from me, it's a 'no'. But someone may have a more scientific answer Grin HollowTalk

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 09/09/2018 21:59

I meant in terms of burning calories. Say you ate breakfast at 7.00 and went swimming at 9 or 10 am - is that better than eating breakfast at 12?

Alex3101 · 09/09/2018 22:19

I got to my lightest in 8 years through swimming. I was doing between 8-10km a week.
In a 25 metre pool I was doing 2km in around 38-40 minutes in the end. When I started it was around 45-48 minutes.
In a 50 metre pool my quickest 2km was 34 minutes.
That would burn a similar number of calories as a 5km run.

HollowTalk · 09/09/2018 22:30

How many laps (25m) in a km?

It's 64 laps for a mile, so it's about 28 or so is it for a km?

Alex3101 · 09/09/2018 22:34

40 lengths for 1km in a 25 metre pool

HollowTalk · 09/09/2018 22:53

I think my local pool is 25 yards - I thought that was 64 laps to the mile but have just found out it's 70! Arrgh!

Original poster
wallyfeatures · 10/09/2018 09:46

20 lengths (1km) done and dusted this morning. 29 minutes and 5 seconds. 100 m in 174.5 seconds. I am seriously impressed Alex3101 with your speeds. You must have been flying through the pool. I bet you didn't have to swerve out the way of lots of stubborn old men!

Oh no HollowTalk , bummer! You just got me working out how many lengths I have to do. 22 miles is 708 lengths of the pool here.

So, 20 down, 688 to go.

Happy swimming folks.

OP posts:
roundturnandtwohalfhitches · 10/09/2018 10:55

I did 55 mins last night which I reckon is about 2k. I like to pace myself at the beginning of the week - ie I was being a lazy bastard. I'm not built for speed, though I'm much quicker than I was 3 months ago. I'm counting each visit of 50 minutes or so as a mile by my calculations. So only 21 left to go.

Original poster
wallyfeatures · 10/09/2018 11:44

Good going roundturnandtwohalfhitches

OP posts:
Original poster
wallyfeatures · 11/09/2018 12:07

Another km in the bag. 680 lengths to go. Knocked another 5 seconds off my time too. Luckily was able to bag a lane this morning so didn't have to dodge lots of unruly menfolk.

OP posts:
Original poster
wallyfeatures · 13/09/2018 10:41

Looks like I can't do basic maths. It was 678 lengths to go on Tuesday! Rest day yesterday (I woke up a whole big bag of couldn't be arsed) and today I knocked another 20 lengths off the total So now down to 658 lengths to go.

How's everybody else doing?

I'm feeling much firmer all over. Definitely less wobbling. Weight has stayed the same since the initial loss, but I'm not cutting back any food. Maybe I should start to think seriously about my eating regime?

OP posts:
roundturnandtwohalfhitches · 13/09/2018 11:34

I've now done 4 miles. Woo hoo. I was dodging the ferries (the ladies walking up the pool) this morning. There was the usual spashy splashy wanker who suddenly discovered his non splashy stroke after he'd driven 3 OAPs out. I stayed and managed to swallow a tonne of water for my troubles. I was swimming 6 days but actually think I am losing weight by 2 days off instead where I am properly good with food and then the swimming days I def need more calories- though not stupidly more. That seems to work for me. I know its dieting that will make me lose weight but the swimming is making me look and feel better.

roundturnandtwohalfhitches · 13/09/2018 12:21

The other upside of all this is my pelvic floor has sorted itself out. I had a forceps delivery and its never been amazing since, not awful but def not great. Endless exercises and machines etc had some benefit- but if I was sneezing or laughing too hard there was def some leakage. Now. Nothing. I sneezed all morning yesterday with a full bladder and not a drop. That's the benefit of breaststroke apparently. Wish the physio had told me that 8 years ago.

Original poster
wallyfeatures · 13/09/2018 12:38

roundturnandtwohalfhitches I never knew that, or would even have thunk it!!! 2 cesareans here but still have the occasional sneeze accident so that is really good to know. Maybe they should use it in the advertising of swimming to keep fit to ladies of a certain age?!

Well done on the 4 miles! That is seriously impressive and inspiring. How do you find the time for 6 times a week? I can just about squeeze in a swim weekdays before work but evenings and weekends seem to be taken up with family stuff (somewhere along the line I have become a social secretary which was never part of the job description when I said the big 'I will').

I know what you mean about feeling better. Last Friday I ended up, completely unplanned, haring around muddy fields in wellingtons running after the children who were doing a 3 km obstacle course challenge thingy. I was running alongside them and cheering them on and it was not hard. Previously I would have been huffing and puffing and collapsing in a heap.

OP posts:
roundturnandtwohalfhitches · 13/09/2018 14:11

I go in the evening at 9pm. Kids in bed, it's quiet. That's why I joined the gym. Our public pool hours were useless at night. I used to do all sorts of voluntary things in the evenings but gave them up 6 months ago. Suddenly I have time to fill. It's great.

Original poster
wallyfeatures · 14/09/2018 08:51

Evenings do make sense. I just checked out the swimming pool here and it closes at 9pm m-t and 6pm on Fridays, but I could squeeze in a swim before 9pm. Will think on that for when my current card runs out on 20th. I must admit though, to being a morning person.

Another kilometre down so that's 638 lengths to go. I grabbed a lane this morning and then ended up sharing it with a bloke. But it was ok, he was not too splashy, kept to his side and was easy on the eye! It's not all bad. I was almost chasing him up the lane Grin

OP posts:
AdventuringThroughLife · 15/09/2018 13:59

Hello!! Can I rejoin you!?

I posted on your thread under a different Advventures name (obese and got into swimming for 3 months before the hols... then stopped!!) Ive just signed up for the Aspire swim.

Im going to swim properly this week but can do a few lengths tomorrow (with a 6 year old - it wont be tons but get me started !)

I lost the plot with food and exercise over the summer and scared to weigh myself again... but I do love swimming when I do it!

Original poster
wallyfeatures · 15/09/2018 16:37

It's the first time I have a thread all of my very own AdventuringThroughLife,where people have been asking to join. So it gives me HUGE pleasure to say 'of course you can!'. And 'Welcome!'.

Hope you manage to get in the pool tomorrow. I too have a 6 year old and she does a very good limpet impression in the pool - so good luck if yours is anything like mine!

OP posts:
InTheNavy · 15/09/2018 19:30

The pool I swim in is 33 and a third yards long. It makes counting kilometres swum quite challenging!

roundturnandtwohalfhitches · 16/09/2018 12:56

I bought myself a new swim bag today. Just a cheap Speedo one. I was using a horrible beach bag thing but wouldn't let myself buy a proper one because I might look like a whatever the MAMIL equivalent is for a middle aged woman who swims. I decided that I was being a tit and bought a lovely green polyester mesh bag thing. Small joys.

InTheNavy · 16/09/2018 13:12

Shop away- it really doesn't count as spending if it's exercise gear.

paperbattles · 16/09/2018 13:38

Swimming like any physical skill is all about technique.
@wallyfeatures I would say it's not just 'swimming' you need to think about, but which strokes you are doing and how, as well as intensity. I would say that front crawl is good for arms and cardio, but less for legs -some people just do gentle kicks that follow the arms. Breaststroke is good for different leg muscles, but it's easy to get the kick wrong. You also can squeeze your buttocks or not - and that is clearly working muscles or not; or use a float and kick your legs only. Overall you will get a really strong back. I would watch youtube, or even have a lesson - it will make a huge difference to how you are working your muscles.
Losing body fat is really a separate matter from swimming to get fit and toned. Swimming won't change your body shape or how you carry fat, but it will get you very fit and toned.
Kudos for doing 50m lengths btw. It's much harder than 2 x 25m.
I am not a pro swimming teacher or personal trainer so can't advise exactly on the muscles but just speak from experience.

BoogieFeet · 17/09/2018 13:48

Hi, can I join too? :)
I hadn't been swimming for years (used to go once a week with a friend) but in a moment of madness/inspiration signed up for the Aspire challenge.
It's been ok so far, but hard to get motivated to actually get to the pool. Luckily our main swimming pool has just been renovated - so is still all shiny feeling, with changing rooms that don't make you feel like you need another shower when you get home. This is helping, as I like swimming - just not all the faff before and after!