If the headlines are right, we've all turned into couch potatoes. Such articles blame everything from modern-day conveniences like cars and public transport to the ease of internet shopping for our lack of mobility. Granted, these inventions make our life more comfortable but they have made us more sedentary. Especially when you factor in sitting at a desk all day in school or at work.
A sedentary lifestyle is not good for our health. Neither is the quality or quantity of food we have at our disposal. Indeed, poor eating, overeating and under-moving can be a lethal combination.
However, the news is not all bad, particularly in the under-moving department. We have loads of activities to pursue, from leisurely walking through the neighbourhood park to vigorous bicycle rides. If you're looking for indoor pursuits, you might join a dance class or join a gym.
Or you can head to your local swimming pool. It likely has indoor facilities and you can swim as vigorously or leisurely as you wish. Best of all is that swimming is low-impact, meaning you're not likely to damage your knees or back while you swim. You won't break a sweat, either.
Swimming delivers a load of benefits; fine-tuning your body is one of the best reasons to start swimming. However, you have to go about it in the right way to achieve the results you want. This article lays out the best strategies to deploy when swimming for weight loss.
Does Swimming Help You Lose Weight?
Let's get this answer out of the way: on its own, no. Swimming is like any other fitness endeavour; you have to commit to a lifestyle overhaul to see the benefits of swimming. With that said, rest assured that swimming, as part of an overall fitness regimen, can and will help you lose weight. So long as it's done right.
First, you must determine the cause(s) of your unsatisfactory weight. It might be food-related - either the type or quantity of food. Not moving enough could play a role, too. Excess weight may also be due to a medical condition; you should eliminate that possibility as soon as possible.
Once your doctor gives you a clean bill of health, you'll turn to other reasons for your figure displeasure. You must take care of those before swimming can deliver its benefits. Still, as you devise your meal plans and revamp your eating habits, there's nothing wrong with trying swimming just to see if you'll enjoy doing it long-term.
Swimming is great for toning your muscles, building endurance and raising your heart rate. Even better, swimming is a no-impact exercise that you can engage in without worrying about twisting an ankle or hurting your back. However, like any other fitness routine, you have to stick with it to realise its benefits.
If you happen to live in Melbourne near the Sports and Aquatic Centre, you might ask about swimming lessons with a private swim coach. They will educate you on proper nutrition for swimmers and show you how to improve your stroke technique. They will help you decide if swimming will be a part of your fitness plan.
Can Swimming Help You Lose Weight?
As mentioned in the previous segment, swimming can help you lose weight. However, it's not a magic bullet. It only works as a part of a complete regimen that includes healthy eating and a good work-life balance.
How you swim matters, too. For instance, if you're in early adulthood, the gentle type of swimming for elderly people won't do much for you. A poor stroke technique could cause your body to 'burn' inefficiently, meaning your muscles are working but not using energy right. That could cause anything from cramps to getting tired too quickly.
There's some debate about overweight people having an easier time gliding through the water. It's called the buoyancy effect; swimmers who 'enjoy' it don't have to work as hard to stay afloat. However, they have to work much harder to propel themselves through the water because their larger size increases the drag effect - how hard the water pushes back against their efforts to move forward.
Both of these phenomena - the buoyancy and drag effects impact how much energy you burn while swimming. That, in turn, is determined by your stroke technique. An inefficient swimming stroke will use more energy but not in a way that's healthy and beneficial. This waste of potential could hinder your efforts to get the most out of your swimming sessions.
Lots of people focus on burning calories as a basis for weight loss. Science is on the verge of thoroughly debunking that theory but for now, let's say it's valid. To burn anything, you need heat. However, swimming pools are typically much cooler than our body temperature.
But don't start blaming the pool just yet. The burn effect we're talking about happens after you get out of the pool, when your muscles are still glowing from their workout. While you're swimming, the cold water increases your hunger signals; it's your body's way to trying to get back in balance. As a swimmer myself, I'm all too familiar with that gnawing hunger that assails me as I'm drying off.
Eating anything from the swim facility's snack bar will undo any work your muscles are trying to perform. Granola, trail mix and fruit are great snacks for running and walking routines but not for swimming. The best thing to do when you get out of those cool waters is to restore your body temperature. A hot drink and/or meal will get your body back into its 'burning' range; a hot shower will boost those effects.
This is where swimmers feel the glow from their workouts. The muscles kick their work into high gear once they're warm enough to burn their fuel. They use this energy to 'repair' themselves after their workout.
All of this sounds very science-y but it's helpful to know exactly how swimming can help you lose weight. That way, you can prepare yourself mentally for the physical challenge ahead without wasting any effort on inefficient practices. When you start your swimming lessons, be sure to ask your swimming coach about all this. They will likely load you with tips to get the most out of your swimming sessions.
Is Swimming Good for Weight Loss?
What you just read suggests that swimming is good for weight loss as long as it's done right. A coach to teach your kids to swim will offer a different lesson structure with different learning goals than coaches for adult swimmers. If you don't know how to swim, you and your children can take lessons together, just to get the basics down. However, you should soon look for a swimming coach for adult swimming lessons.
Whether you already know how to swim or not, your first step in taking up swimming should be to find a nearby swimming pool. When we begin a new activity, the first few weeks are the most difficult ones. Any obstacle - say, commuting to a faraway pool makes us more likely to give up after the first few efforts. Especially if we don't see immediate results.
In fact, you shouldn't expect to see results quickly. Remember that this is a lifestyle change, not a two-week stint. It's going to take some time for you to look better. However, you will start to feel better almost immediately and that should help you keep your motivation high.
As a weight loss hopeful, it's wise not to pin all your hopes on one weight loss strategy, one form of exercise or even a particular diet. Social media is full of foolproof weight loss tricks that promise the moon but often do more harm than good. Even surgical solutions don't last unless the person makes needed lifestyle changes.
Should you be concerned about swimming after weight-related stress on your body, you might start your journey back to health with swimming for rehabilitation. Your coach will guide you through gentle exercises designed to help you heal. Once you're all better, you can start working on your stroke technique and building endurance.
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Swimming underwater is a great cardio exercise for your entire body | Unsplash - Jeremy Bishop
Swimming for Weight Loss with Superprof
Starting to swim regularly can have a positive impact on your life. Parents seek out baby swimming lessons precisely because they want those beneficial effects for their children as well as themselves. But how do you go about finding the right coach to start exercising as soon as possible?
Superprof has swimming instructors across Australia. On our platform, you can discover them and their classes. You can also read reviews from past students that Superprof has coached.
You can contact Superprof swimming coaches via chat for questions or to schedule lessons. Most Superprof swimming coaches offer their first class for free so you'll have an opportunity to meet them before making your final decision.
Superprof swimming instructors can answer your questions about swimming and weight loss. They'll also help you master stroke technique, breathing while swimming and other strategies to maximise swimming's benefits.
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