Swimming doesn't burn fat?

[icedoverfire]

Hi gents,

So I've heard that a swim workout WILL NOT burn fat? I ask because I need to lose the pounds and I can't run for my life (I get really bad shin splints). I like swimming too...
Has anyone else heard this? Heard different? Know anything about this claim?

Thanks,

-ice

[bradyarz]

i don't have any scientific evidence pointing one way or the other, but it is exercise, and your heart rate will go up. plus, you are sweating, you just don't realize it cause, well, you're already wet.

i say that claim is most likely bogus. go for a swim!

[ouch]

You odn't see a lot of fat runners or swimmers.

[pauls51]

i don't have any scientific evidence pointing one way or the other, but it is exercise, and your heart rate will go up. plus, you are sweating, you just don't realize it cause, well, you're already wet.

i say that claim is most likely bogus. go for a swim!

Bingo!!!

A load of rubbish.... I believe swimming is one of those sports that work most of your muscles in your body, so too rowing.. You can't go wrong!

It also depends on what part of the body you're wanting to target

[Walter Sobchak]

Michael Phelps eats, supposedly, 10,000+ calories a day and he doesn't look like he needs to be buying no husky pants. Granted, he's world class and he needs those calories just to survive the hours of training, but swimming IS good exercise. It works a lot of muscle groups.

Shedding the pounds is simple in theory. Burn more calories than you eat. Swimming along with minding your diet will certainly help (says a man who is sometimes taken for Kevin James).

[southernmail]

There have been studies about this -- the main finding was that the body temperature is generally lower while swimming, and coupled with the energy burn from the workout makes you hungry. In any event, I have consistently found over the years that I must not only workout (I run and walk), but I also have to keep track of what I eat. In other words, diet and exercise are an unbeatable combination.

[ajkimmins]

The people with bad knees on Biggest Loser are in the pool a lot! They're losing weight! Swim, count the calories, make sure you burn more than you eat.

[Sal]

I swim a usually a mile 2-3 times a week after lifting. Great non load bearing cardio exercise. You work your arms, shoulders, back, core, and legs all at the same time and burns 3 calories a mile per pound of bodyweight. Great for your lungs and heart also.

[mr_economy]

Swimming will definitely burn fat, as well any combination of exercise and diet where daily calories expended > daily calorie intake. If you like running aside from shin splints, have you done much work on technique? I had gotten hurt every time I tried to take up running (knee problems), but have been a pain free runner since November thanks to a serious endeavor into the Chi Running method.

[TimmyBoston]

Cycling is another great low impact exercise.


Swimming will most definitely burn fat.

[airplanedoc]

Hit the pool, swimming is a great workout.

[Uncle Erik]

Swimming is good for you, no question.

But losing weight is entirely about calories in and calories out. You have to count calories and drastically modify your diet. If you burn an extra 500 calories swimming and eat 1,000 calories more than you need, you will gain weight.

Good explanations of this can be found in the Hacker's Diet (Google for it) or in Carol Lay's book, "The Big Skinny."

I learned this personally - I made a radical change in diet back in June '08. I went from about 260 to around 150 today. No exercise other than walking about half a mile to a mile each day. I'm going to take off another 10 or so, but am well within the Met Life tables and feel great. I haven't put anything back on, either, though I don't diet as aggressively as I used to.

For one, don't drink any calories. No alcohol, no soda. Diet soda ain't great for you, either. Switch to water, soda water, tea, and black coffee. Starbucks milkshakes don't count. Get the sugar out - no more sweets or candy. Don't eat anything fried. Fried foods aren't the end of the world, but they really pack the calories. Cut out sugar and refined flour/pastries, too.

Eat mostly whole - not processed - fruits and vegetables. Grains and some cereal are OK. So is meat, but go for lean cuts (fat has loads of calories) and make meat a side dish instead of the main course. Fill up on bulky fruits and vegetables. They will make you feel full without a ton of calories.

Yes, it is a big change. The good news is that you will adapt to your new foods and begin to crave them. I suddenly crave steamed veggies, burgers, not so much. And I'm crazy about water. I love water now and a Coke tastes like sipping straight syrup. Once you get used to the new foods, you'll just continue to shed weight, no problem.

So take a look at the Hacker's Diet (it's free) and you'll get a better idea of how this works. And it really does work. I had trouble getting into 40" pants, now 30" is just fine. Went from an XXL shirt to a medium, sometimes a small. I feel better than I did in high school, too.

[The_Pastor]

+1 to all - I think you guys summed it up well.

Go for a swim! The workout is great, it will burn calories, but the really good thing is, that it is easy on the joints - especially if you are heavy set. Being big and running can be a bad combo for your knees, back etc. With swiiming you are less likely to have this problem.

[adrian]

"For one, don't drink any calories. No alcohol, no soda. Diet soda ain't great for you, either. Switch to water, soda water, tea, and black coffee. Starbucks milkshakes don't count. Get the sugar out - no more sweets or candy. Don't eat anything fried. Fried foods aren't the end of the world, but they really pack the calories. Cut out sugar and refined flour/pastries, too.

Eat mostly whole - not processed - fruits and vegetables. Grains and some cereal are OK. So is meat, but go for lean cuts (fat has loads of calories) and make meat a side dish instead of the main course. Fill up on bulky fruits and vegetables. They will make you feel full without a ton of calories." -Uncle Erik

+ Look out for Michel Montignac book with Google. Lots of friends lost weight that way.
Good luck

[psychlopath]

While the term "Burning fat," is a little mis leading, ANY activity where: Active caloric usage < caloric intake will slim you up.

That's about as simple as you can make it.

:)

I suggest better shoes and running, but I get no joy out of swimming at all.

[badmammajamma]

If you enjoy running and want to get rid of the shin splints, try going to a running shoe store and they should be able to fit you with some shoes that will handle your foot type better or you could try barefoot running. I know a couple of people who do that now (but use the Vibram Five finger shoes) and love it.

[thebikingengineer]

+1 on the barefoot running. I've actually started running in the Vibram Five Fingers and although they look odd (very odd) they're great. No skeletal or joint pain, just tired muscles after a run in those.

As stated, swimming burns fat just like anything else. Anaerobic exercise (weight lifting) burns more fat for a given time, but you can't do it nearly as long. It all depends on how much time you have to spend on working out. When I was racing bicycles I was eating around 8,000 calories a day, 6'0" 135 pounds with a 28 inch waist, 30 inch thighs, and very poorly fitting pants. That was about 200 miles per week of riding hard (10-12 hours). Put enough time into any activity and you'll burn calories. Just make sure to put in less than you burn if you want to lose.

[TimmyBoston]

If you enjoy running and want to get rid of the shin splints, try going to a running shoe store and they should be able to fit you with some shoes that will handle your foot type better or you could try barefoot running. I know a couple of people who do that now (but use the Vibram Five finger shoes) and love it.

Sorry to go off topic, but I'm am so fascinated by the barefoot runners. There is a guy that runs on the bike path I ride, and he never wears shoes! It shocks me every time I see how. How in the world does someone do this? I had to buy the shoes with the most cushion I could find just to be able to run.

[voerman]

I am not an expert but there are theories that your body will adjust to the conditions you force it to. Running generates a great deal of body heat. Fat on your body will interfere with the body's ability to get rid of that heat. So the runners body will tend to shed the fat.

A swimmer is immersed in water and the swimmer's body is actually faced with trying to retain heat in a hostile environment unless the water is very warm. Fat of course suits that purpose very well because of its insulating qualities.

I am just passing along a theory I have heard.

Lou

[ajkimmins]

While the term "Burning fat," is a little mis leading, ANY activity where: Active caloric usage < caloric intake will slim you up.

That's about as simple as you can make it.

:)

I suggest better shoes and running, but I get no joy out of swimming at all.

Wrong symbol. Caloric usage needs to be >(greater) than caloric intake.