Is Swimming Good for Weight Loss?

Swimming is a high-energy activity that is fun, active and aerobic. This is a sport that is ideal for those who cannot handle the joint stress of running and jumping workouts, and it is a whole-body workout that exercises every muscle group. Controversy surrounds the subject of how much weight loss is possible through swimming, because many studies show that it does not promote weight loss as much as other standard fitness routines, like running. However, if done correctly, yourtotalhealth.com says that professional swimmers burn 25 percent more calories than professional runners do.

  1. Experienced Swimmers

    • According to weightlossforall.com, in order to burn fat, you need to be consistent and experienced in what you're doing, so that the workout is performed at a smooth, constant pace. Because experienced swimmers move at a constant pace, they use more muscles and burn fat. Inexperienced swimmers, however, tend to move at an inconsistent pace while forming lots of splashes, moving with clumsy form and breathing heavily. While the movement burns calories, it uses less than an aerobic workout on land. To increase the amount of weight you lose in a pool, establish technique and mechanical efficiency.

    Pushing Yourself

    • According to the American Heart Association, 30 to 60 minutes of activity three to four days per week will lower you chance of heart disease and other health risks, while burning calories and making you more fit. Any workout that increases your heart rate is burning calories. The U.S. Masters Swimming organization recommends increasing your heart rate while swimming until it has reached the maximum for your age group. To find out what that number should be, subtract your age from 220. To find your heart rate, count your pulse for 10 seconds and then multiply the number by six.

    Swimming & Diet

    • According to thefactsaboutfitness.com, swimmers could actually gain weight by opting to swim as their regular routine. The reason is that running and cycling reduce a person's appetite, but swimming increases it. Swimmers often eat all the calories they burned immediately after working out. Also, swimming tires a person and that person is less likely to be active in other ways throughout the day, compared to athletes of other sports. For swimmers to experience successful weight loss, they must eat a nutritious, calorie-limited diet full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains that create energy, instead of empty calories.