Swimming provides you with a full-body workout that can improve your cardiovascular fitness. It makes a good form of exercise for overweight or elderly people since it does not put strain on the leg joints. A consistent lap-based swimming routine can help you lose weight as effectively as other types of physical activity, like jogging or brisk walking.
Calories Burned
A 160-lb. person can burn 511 calories-an-hour swimming laps, according to MayoClinic.com. Heavier people can burn even more calories swimming -- 637 for a 200-lb. person and 763 for a 240-lb. one. Your calorie loss will vary depending on your size and the intensity level of your swimming workout. Opting for water aerobics instead of laps can cut the calories burned almost in half to 292 calories for a 160-lb. person, 364 for a 200-lb. one and 436 for a 240-lb. person.
Effectiveness
To lose a pound of your weight, you will need to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume. If you swim for an hour each day, you can lose a pound a week without any changes to your diet. MayoClinic.com nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky notes that cutting the calories in your regular diet encourages more effective weight loss than exercise alone.
Eliminating 500 calories a day can help you lose a pound a week. By combining this strategy with daily lap swimming sessions, you can lose 2 lbs. a week. Once you reach your desired weight, continue to exercise regularly to maintain your weight loss.
Starting Out
Begin your weight-loss workout by swimming 30 seconds, then resting for 30. Once you get the hang of this, add kicking with fins and a kickboard to your routine. Kick for 30 seconds, then rest for 30. Gradually increase your activity time as you grow more comfortable in the water. Add variety to your workout by trying different strokes, such as the backstroke, butterfly or breaststroke.
Tips and Precautions
When swimming to lose weight, speed and intensity are not as important as the total time you spend swimming. Use the 10-percent rule when increasing your swimming time -- do not increase your distance by more than 10 percent each week. Purchase a waterproof watch to time your workouts. Goggles can improve your comfort in the water. Fins and a kickboard can help you tone and sculpt your legs while hand paddles can improve your pull.
References
- U.S. Masters Swimming: Starting a Swimming Routine; Bill Volckening;
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in One Hour
- "Fitness" magazine: Insider's Guide to Swimming: Pool Workout; Editors of Fitness magazine
- MayoClinic.com: Walking: Is it Enough for Weight Loss?; Katherine Zeratsky
Member Comments