Why Swimming is the Best Weight Loss Exercise ?

Updated on February 25th, 2020
Swimming for Weight Loss

Swimming is an exercise for the whole body. At the same time, it is good fun! If you are getting worried about your weight, then you can think about taking up swimming for weight loss. People of all ages from all over the world have got benefits from swimming. So, how does swimming help to reduce weight? What are the good swimming workouts for weight loss that you can try out? In the following article, we would take a look at all such things that you know to get all the benefits of using swimming for weight loss.

Swimming for Weight Loss – How does it help?

Swimming
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People have always known about the health benefits of swimming.  Swimming burns the most calories when compared to similar exercises. So, why is that?

The reason behind this is the resistance offered by water. Water is about 800 times denser than water. Therefore, when you are pushing through it, your body is going to do more work and burn more calories.

An hour of swimming(1) for weight loss would burn about 500 calories and if you push harder that would burn roughly 700 calories.

Studies have also shown that swimming long-term can also help you reduce the cholesterol levels in the body. By lowering cholesterol in the body, it helps to avoid the buildup of fat and excess body weight.

Therefore, as you can see, taking up swimming for weight loss is a smart option. Let us now take a look at how long you have to swim to get the desired results

[Also Read: Effective Weight Loss Remedies That Truly Work]

The Ideal Duration of Swimming

When you are looking at taking up swimming for weight loss, one of the first questions that come to your mind is how long you have to swim to get the desired results.

Well, the math is simple – 3500 calories is equal to one pound.  So, to lose one pound, you need to burn about 3500 calories. Since you lose about 500 calories in a single hour, you need to put in at least 7 hours of swimming to lose about a pound.

According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), it is recommended that put in at least 2 and a half hour of swimming every week to get the desired results. Once that starts to give you the effect, you should keep it up to ensure that you stay in shape.

However, you should not swim every day that would unnecessarily cause fatigue in your body and also increase the risk of injury. Also, don’t overdo things on a single day. The recommended length for a single day swimming is about 30 hours. Doing more than that would increase your chances of injury.

Let us take a look at some of the tips that you should follow when you are picking up swimming for weight loss(2)

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Tips to Use While Swimming for Weight Loss

Weight Loss
Image:ShutterStock

If you are taking up swimming for weight loss, there are a few tips you should follow. Here we’re going to talk about a few of them:

Use the Right Stroke:

Different swimming strokes cause you to burn calories at different rates. So, if you are looking to use swimming for weight loss, then you need to use the right stroke.  The most effective choice is the butterfly stroke. You can lose up to 150 calories in 10 minutes with this stroke. However, most beginners would find it hard to do it continuously for 10 minutes.

If you do find it hard, then you can go for the next effective option, which is the freestyle stroke. It is easier to learn, and you will find it easy to keep up. However, you might have to do it for more extended periods to get the same results as a butterfly.

[Also Read: Walking For Weight Loss]

Use the Right Gear

When you are looking to use swimming for weight loss, you should know about the gear that you should wear to the pool. You would need the following:

  • Swimming Cap
  • Swimming Goggle
  • Swimming Costume
  • Earplugs

There are other things that you might need. However, most of them would be supplied by the swimming pool itself.

Well, swimming is comfortable on your joints. So, this is probably the only exercise that you can use even if you have joint pain. But still, we would recommend that you consult your doctor.

If you know how to swim, then you should take up swimming for weight loss. This is highly effective in burning calories and makes you lean and fit. If you don’t know how to swim, then you can always learn it, irrespective of your age. This is precisely what you need to manage your weight. So, start swimming for weight loss, and we are sure that you will never regret it.

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Let us now take a look at some of the most commonly asked questions about swimming for weight loss


FAQ’s

Let us take a look at some of the most commonly asked questions about using swimming for weight loss.

1. How Many Days Should I Swim Every Week?

You should not swim more than 3 days a week, consecutively. Try to keep rest days in between to avoid any injuries.

2.  What to Eat After Swimming?

When you swim, you will experience something called swimmer’s appetite. You will feel humongous hunger. However, you should keep in mind that should not eat more carbohydrates and proteins as they would impact your health.

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