Try Swimming For Weight Loss!
A lot of people think they know the best exercise for weight loss, but I’m a little skeptical. The reason for my skepticism, is that I see an awful lot of heavy folks jogging in the hot sun in their attempt to lose weight. While jogging is certainly a reasonable activity, for some people, definitely not all, there are better options out there. One of the best ones being swimming for weight loss.
Swimming for weight loss is, to me, a no brainer, as there is very minimal impact to your joints, if any, and it burns a lot of calories. Yes, sprinting will usually burn more calories, but sprinting is a bad idea for a great many people because of postural imbalances such as tight hips, hamstrings, etc. Running at any speed when your body is carrying an excess amount of weight is a bad idea in itself, as it simply places more strain and potentially brings more and more damage to your joints, as well as your back.
Another things about swimming for weight loss, versus other activities, is that swimming works a great many muscles simultaneously, whereas running, for example, doesn’t. Yes, bicycling will involve more muscles, but you really have to make it challenging if you want to see the same caloric expenditure from bicycling as you would get from swimming. What’s so great about using a lot of your body’s muscles? Plenty. For starters, it will get your heart rate up, which will get your body burning calories and stored fat, should you be on an empty stomach, as you should be when doing cardiovascular exercise for weight loss. Another great thing about getting those multitudes of muscles firing, is that you are also stimulating your brain and in doing so, reducing your likelihood of suffering from brain function decline, as happens with age. Studies have furthermore shown that swimming for weight loss helps with depression, reduces anxiety, as well as releases endorphins, thus making you just plain feel good when you get out of the pool. A lot of studies won’t place much emphasis on that particular component, but as long as I’ve been a gym owner and personal trainer in Austin, TX, I can assure you with great certainty, that if you enjoy what you’re doing for exercise, and it makes you feel good, you are far more likely to stick with it.
Exercise, no matter the type, isn’t enough to lose weight in a meaningful quantity. With that said, swimming for weight loss is only part of the equation. If you are serious about losing weight, your nutrition must be in place, as well as be consistent. Also, bear in mind that it won’t happen right away. It takes a while to gain weight, and it takes a while to lose weight. If, however, you commit to getting in the pool for 30 to 45 minutes per day, several times per week, and manage to eat a healthy diet along with incorporating the proper portion sizes, you will find swimming a fun, yet challenging way to drop the pounds, build some muscles, boost your brain, and feel better all around.
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Andy
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