The speed at which you can lose weight by swimming depends upon your current weight, your diet and how much you swim. There will be a limit to your weight loss-rate because you cannot cut out all food and exercise all the time; to do so would be suicidal. Some careful calculations will reveal how quickly you can lose weight by swimming, based on the calorie-burning potential of the activity as estimated by the Mayo Clinic.
Step 1
Plan your meals so that you eat a daily total of 1,200 calories from high-quality foods, such as whole grains, lean meats, vegetables and fruits. This number of calories is the minimum you should consume; eat any less and it will be nearly impossible to supply your body with all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients it needs to remain healthy, according to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.
Step 2
Swim laps for as long as you can each day. Multiply your weight in pounds by 3.2. Then multiply the result by the number of hours you swim. The end result is a good estimate, based on the Mayo Clinic's calorie-burning data, of how many calories you burn by swimming. For example, the calculation would look like this for a 215-lb. man who swims for half an hour:
Calories burned swimming = 215 x 3.2 x 0.5 = 344 calories
Step 3
Estimate the number of daily calories your body burns through metabolism and routine activities. To do so, multiply your weight in pounds by 10 if you are a woman and 13 if you are a man. For example, the calculation for a 215-lb. man would look like this:
Daily calories burned = 215 x 13 = 2,795
Step 4
Add the number of calories you burn swimming to the number of calories your body burns naturally each day to determine the total number of calories you burn each day. For example, the calculation would look like this for the 215-lb. man:
Total calories burned = 2,795 + 344 = 3,139 calories
Step 5
Subtract 1,200 from the total calories you burn each day to learn how many net calories you burn each day. For example:
Net calories burned = 3,139 - 1,200 = 1,939
Step 6
Divide 3,500 by the net calories you burn each day to learn how many days it will take you to lose one pound of fat. For example:
Days to burn a pound = 3,500 / 1,939 = 1.8 days
Therefore 215-lb. man who eats 1,200 calories and swims for a half-hour each day will lose 1 lb. every 2 days.
Tips and Warnings
- As your weight changes, so will your rate of weight loss, so you should perform these calculations again at the beginning of each week, prior to starting that weeks' swimming regimen.
- Consult your physician to ensure you are healthy enough to exercise before starting to swim.
Things You'll Need
- Calculator
- Stopwatch
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