Is Swimming a Good Exercise for Weight Loss?
Sunday April 20, 2008
There is no doubt that swimming is good exercise. But - is it a good exercise choice if your primary goal is to lose body weight? Apparently not, according to research on swimming and weight loss reported on by Louise Burke:
- Many people feel like "eating a horse" after they finish a swim session, and may eat more calories than they just used during that swim.
- Swimmers may be so tired from the training that they sleep, sit or otherwise do generally nothing outside of their swimming workouts.
Comments
i went swimming every night after work for 7 weeks and i lost about 1 stone all in altho it tonned alot of me up !
i think alot of the research dismisses alot of variables. i think the summaries of the lack of weight loss with swimming compared to other forms of exercise is based on people who don’t swim fast and volunteers for the study who want to lose wt. and don’t exercise on a consistent basis. however, the study conducted looking at water temp and increase wt. gain has its merits. i think one can lose wt. with swimming if they reduce their caloric intake and swim fast enough to increase their heart rate. it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to sort this out!
This article seems misleading. I don’t understand how an exercise that is known for working every muscle group in the body can be ineffective for weight loss. People should be more efficient when publishing such articles. This could lead to someone feeling very discouraged.
The article Swimming About is referring too (Louise Burke’s) is based on research that is 20 years old. Whilst it is true that most people gain weight when they start swimming (the body builds up fat layers in the skin to prevent heat loss), it is possible to loose weight in the water if you exercise strenuously for long enough. Competitive swimmers don’t have weight problems, because they exercise intensively for 1-2 hours per day. For more information on swimming making you fat:
http://www.svl.ch/Fatburner/
I was swimming a couple of times a week. I believe it helped me to maintain weight loss. When I had to stop swimming – due to gas prices and the drive to the gym – I gained all my weight back within 6 months.
I don’t know if I completely agree with this study.
I found this article misleading as well. The study most likely did not have a representative sample of the population who actually swim on a regular basis. I have many friends who have lost a lot of weight swimming.
I’m glad I read the comments! When I read the article, I was very disappointed. For the past 2 weeks I have been swimming every other day and cutting back on my food intake. As a result, I’ve lost 7 pounds. I really hope that people read the comments rather than just taking the article at face value!
As a former competitive swimmer, I agree that swimming “for most people” (aka non-competitive swimmers), is not the ideal way to lose weight. Typically these folks don’t maintain the distance or intensity needed to lose significant weight. However, by slowly increasing the intensity and duration over weeks, it can happen. I swim at a health club with an indoor 50 meter pool and have heard these comments from non-competitive swimmers many times. Flexibilty, joint mobility, cardiovascular, back issues….GREAT! For losing weight, not so much!
Exercise is the answer to many of the health complications fat Americans suffer from. All exercise will help you lose wieght especially if you don’t have a history of regular exercise. Remember to modify your diet too, and add a short resistance training program a few times a week after your swims. Swimming is a joy. I’ve been a swimmer for 30 years, and feel like I have yet to master the freestyle. It’s one sport you can pursue your whole life.
Jim
Thanks for the article link Felix Gmuender. That article was definitely more encouraging than this blog because with any type of exercise people can lose weight if they watch their daily caloric intake.
As a 49 year old woman, I swam almost every day last summer for about 30 minutes a day. By the end of summer I had lost 15 pounds. When I stopped swimming (because the pool closed) and I only did the treadmill and some weight training I gained 8 pounds back. I can’t wait to start swimming again this summer so I can lose more weight. I definitely disagree with the article! By the way, I did not “eat like a horse” when I got out of the pool. Because I felt so good I was actually eating better and healthier afater swimming.
Been swimming the last month for 30-60minutes (1000-2000 meters) and have lost 7 lbs. Diet habits have been improved by some cutting back on beer and things like french fries/greasy foods. Also cut back 90% on my coffee & soda drinking and have replaced it with water.
I was in the best shape of my life when I lifted weights three times a week and would swim a mile after lifting (66 lengths of a 25 meter pool). Always trying to swim the mile without stopping and under 30 minutes. On non-lifting days I would swim at least 2 miles without stopping, the first under 30 minutes and after that just trying to finish. On weekends when I had the time I would swim four miles without stopping. I looked great despite having a horrific diet.
The say that the swimmers gained weight, they neglected to mention the difference in body fat between the different exercises. Swimming build lean muscle which in turn burns massive amounts of body fat, while if all you did was run you would not only be losing weight but also lean muscle..
And swimming is also not bad on your joints (ala running).
I agree with the comment and not the article… from personal experience. I 5′6″ @ 206 ( overwieght with bmi 30) started swimming in my backyard pool nightly – not fast, just do laps for 30 – 45 min. although I did experience extreme hunger after, I controlled what I ate. I also lost 15+ lbs. in 1 month with an overall loss of 36lbs in 3 months.
I do think that this was also due to my sleeping better, decrease in stress, more energized and eating better (just because it felt good).
when I lost the pool due to a move, I took up jogging/walking 45 min daily and gained back every single pound within 1 years time.
Now I am back to the pool (started yesterday) and already feeling so much better.
swimming rocks
1500m 3 times a week for 3 months and my BMI has dropped from 31.5 to 29.5 with a 15lb weight loss.
That said, if you are looking to just lose weight, it’s well worth watching what you eat too, but think of swimming as the best exercise you can do for your heart. Almost zero injury rating mean that it is a sport that you can participate in for life…
I think exercise for weight loss is like eating for weight loss – variety! – swimming is part of a good program. One of the best things about it is that people in bad shape can begin exercise easily with swimming, and increase a bit at nearly every workout – the success is encouraging! Absolutely one can lose weight by burning calories swimming – “land” exercise may be more efficient, but both work. And finding what works for you, and will keep you at it for the long haul is key to any exercise/weight loss program.
I’ve been swimming for a year, now doing 1200m three times a week. Haven’t lost weight, but it has sorted out my back issues and improved my cardio. As a former runner with knackered knees, I can say I wish I’d swam 20 years ago, instead of started running.
You will never lose a pound swimming. You stomach will flatten somewhat and it is great for posture and looking fit. I have a pool and swim on the average a half mile a day. The best way to look good is to swim and diet at the same time. You will have a good upper body and small stomach without the need to lift weights. You will also look younger (because of better posture)
One important thing to check. Dont judge fat burned by what you see on the scales with swimming. Take a tape measure, and measure certain area’s of your body and judge it from that. I find I lose very little weight while I swim, but thats mostly due to as I lose body fat, I build muscle. So you may only see a 4 to 5 pound drop in weight on the scales, but in reality lost half of that again. I find swimming to be a fantastic excersise. Not only does it burn fat and tone your muscles, your body feels great once you get out of the pool and it gives you the motivation to get back in the next day.
I have a passion for swimming and do not easily agree with this article. Granted, I am a aggressive swimmer, but I have lost 10 lbs. a year for the last three years and continue to maintain this pattern. Diet is key, as everyone says. “Low Carbs.”
I agree that this could be a discourging article for some folks
I am married to an ex competitive swimmer and we have just recently started swimming again,I have been watching my calorie intake and swimming vigorously for half an hour 4 to 5 times a week and I have lost a few pounds but people are noticing me different which I put down to being more “toned” – at the end of the day you are exercising every muscle in your body so it has to work!! so I have to disagree with the article above!
I started swimming about two years ago, and gradually built up to about three times a week. I have lost 30 pounds during this time; perhaps 5 pounds every six months.
A lot of people here have commented that you don’t lose much weight while swimming. But do you lose inches? Weight loss is not an important factor for me; I’m looking for an exercise program that will get me in much better cardiovascular & respiratory shape, and lost inches would be a definite plus. Would swimmers here recommend swimming in my case?
I’m so pleased I read all the comments. I have only just started swimming and am absolutely loving it. I find it much better than going to the gym, and whilst I haven’t lost weight (yet) I am feeling great. I’m back in the pool tonight.
About 15 years ago I swam 4 days a week for an hour for about 8 to 10 weeks. I lost about 15lbs and my body was so toned and ripped. I loved my body. I have just started back swimming this week and my goal is to lose 15lbs pounds and tone up. I love the water and they say if you love what you do then it makes the workout enjoyable.
Looking forward to my swim tomorrow!
To angela-
I read that gaining muscle can actually make you look chunkier because it builds muscle and you still have your fat. you need to burn calories
Being a swimmer myself for my college team you definitly loose a lot of weight by swimming. Granted I swim about 5000m a day, and not everyone has enough time or the possibility to do that, I still think swimming will in the end cause a drop in weight.
I live in the UK and swim about 4 times a week.
I swim non stop for between 45 mins to an hour.
I’ve noticed that a lot of people go there to hang out in the shallow end and chat. They wont lose weight or tone up doing that !
I feel great and am losing weight.
I find weight bearing exercise like the treadmill deathly boring. Swimming lifts my soul and makes me happy, as well as healthy !
swimming deffinatly makes the body loose weight because i can tall by the way my bod looks.
ALSO DONT MAKE THIS ARTICLE DISSAPOINT ANYONE and dont let it dicourage you from swimming, its a great work out and every one should try it!!!!!!!!!!
there are many contradictory opinions on the web regarding lossing weight by swimming.
I love swimming, 40-60 mins 5 times a week.
I reduced sizes but little weight is lost.
I think that to reduce weigth one needs to be consistent. There is no magic and there is no way to beat the laws of nature; if one takes in more energy than what is burnt, one gets fat!!, simple as that.
So, if you want to lose weight, burn a little more calories than those you eat, be patient, be consistent
This article is very wrong, when I was younger and in school, I was a chubby girl. I played sports constantly it just seemed I was naturally thick. But when I began swimming on the highschool swim team, the chubbiness just melted away. Swimming was the best fat burning exersize I could ask for, now that Im two years out of highschool and had a baby, Im relying on swimming to get my pre pregnancy body back. FACT: A swimmer doing laps for thirty minutes will burn as much if not more calories as a man running six miles in ONE hour. FACT: Swimming is a good cardio workout and helps prevent heart attacks and lowers blood pressure. FACT: Many people think that because you are in water your body doesnt over heat and you dont become thirsty, THAT IS WRONG, Your body can feel like its on fire because the water around you is heating up with your body. I hope I helped, I still believe to this day that swimming is the best full body fat burning exersize there is.
I think that this article is increasable misleading. I swam competitively for about 15 years and, in those 15 years was in the best shape of my life. I could eat whatever I wanted and as long as I got an hour to hour and half workout in 3-5 days a week I was fine. Yes, you do have a bigger appetite after workouts just make sure you don’t over indulge or eat fatty food that would ruin any workout. Also swimming will help burn calories but you need to be doing a weight workout at least once every week as well.
I believe that if you keep your body temperature up after swimming, you can lose weight. I drink a hot liquid after swimming which cuts my appetite and keeps me warm. I’ve lost weight and sizes doing this.
I disagree with this article, I started swimming when I was 4 and joined a swimming club when I was 9, I swam at least 4 times a week, up until I was 20, I gradually stopped swimming, my body suffered, I have recently started swimming again and have a fantastic physique, the excess body fat I had aquired, mainly around my stomach, I had a body fat percentage of 24%, has virtually disappeared, I now have a body fat percentage of 10.5%. Swimming is the best way to tone up your body naturally.
I have to disagree with this article as well…but like some of the other people that left comments, I was a competitive swimmer when I was younger and did triathalons in college.
I actually feel that swimming is the only workout that works for me, in terms of helping me maintain my weight. That said, if I’m not getting in at least 2500-3500 yards a workout I don’t really feel that great when I get out of the pool.
I think if you can get up to a certain level where you are swimming 2000-2500 yards an hour – and of course watching what you eat – you swimming is a great workout.
I find these comments so inspiring. I used to be very fit and go to the gym 3/4 times a week, but I haven’t been for years. I got lazy because I have never struggled with my weight, but now I’m in my thrities and having been very greedy over Xmas, I have gained almost a stone, yikes! Can’t wait to start swimming this week to become fit again and shift those excess pounds!
i loose weight when i swim and it tones me up quite nicely this article is misleading
MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT, WHEN YOU SWIM YOU LOSE FAT BY THE MUSCLE YOU GAIN, THE MUSCLE BURNS MORE CALORIES. THE REASON WHY YOU DONT SEE ANY SIGNIFIGANT WIEGHT LOSS IS BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE MUSCLE. THE QUESTION IS DO YOU LOSE INCHES OF YOUR WAIST.
THE ANSWER FOR ME WAS A DEFINATE YES. YOU MUST LOWER YOUR CALORIC INTAKE, YOU CANT EAT WHAT YOU WANT . I SWAM AN HOUR A DAY DOING LAPS AT A MODERATE PACE WITH SOME FAST SPRINTS MIXED IN.
I have been swimming for over 35 years almost everyday. I find the best results come by adding 2 sessions per week of yoga for flexibility, and 2-3 sessions of light, but high number of reps of weights as well. This adds to weight loss, flexibility and advanced toning. Of course a sensible diet is very important. Good luck to all you swimmers and the most important thing is if you enjoy it, you will be more likely to continue.
My friend Walters claims that you really dont lose much weight from swimming. I just dont believe him one once.
The one thing that people have not mentioned is motivation. I love swimming and look forward to my swim every day. Other forms of exercise seem to be a trial for me but swimming is fun. Consequently I swim on a consistent basis. If you don’t enjoy your workout you might not do it and never have the results you want. Swimming is almost meditative as well as your immersion in water is like returning to the womb…
It is probably a cooling effect, but when I get out of the pool, I am very hungry. When I finish a bike or run workout, I am so overheated that I am kind of nauseated – not hungry at all, so I eat less.
Swimming uses mostly smaller muscles of the upper body. Land exercises that use the bigger leg muscles. It seems that using a bigger engine would burn more calories.
I read this and was very upset. Swimming is amazing! I was swimming 5 days a week because I LOVED IT so much. My husband could hardly get me out of the pool. I was in the best shape of my life. I was also running and eating a lot of fish and egg whites (for protein) On top of the fish and egg whites I ate WHATEVER I wanted and looked great and felt amazing. This article should be taken with a grain of salt. Keep swimming!
I have been swimming for 2 months now and when I started I was 314 pounds.
I’m now 291 and losing about 3 pounds a week give or take.
I also of course have changed my diet and am eating about half what I used to.
I have no pain from swimming and have been swimming 30 min a day 6 days a week.
Experts can say whatever they want, I hate most other forms of exercise and swimming is working for me. I’m not going to say I love it, but it’s enjoyable to feel so much better than I used to.
Find out what works for you, losing weight slowly is almost always better than dropping 20 pounds in two weeks.
Stick with it and just do it!
im so disapointed by this article,i have very resently started to swim primarily to tone up and now i just feel like its pointless….thanks
As long as I can remember I’ve been trying to get to and remain in that size 6 and have tried the gym, walking, and jogging. After an ankle injury I started swimming and recently took up hot yoga. Now I watch what I eat (so NO DIETING), go to yoga 2x,try to swim and jog once a week. I agree that it’s all about the TOTAL PROGRAM! Swimming is great, but never expect miracles just from a few hrs. And I know it’s hard, but don’t look on the scale; HOW LOOSE ARE YOUR PANTS?!!! Time for some shopping!!! ;0)
swimming is very good for loosing waight i went swimming every monday
I have been swimming 5o lenghts a day for five days a week and have lost a stone!!!!!
For the past 4 weeks Ive been swimming about 20-30 minutes at least 6 times a week. The great thing about it you notice changes immediately. When I started I was going half a length and I needed to stop its was embarrasing. Now I can easily go a half hour straight up free style without doing breast ( which I felt helped me recover) without stopping. Ill start throwing in running about 2-3 times a week in there to help me out. But yea swimming is a great motivator when you decide to commit to working and you want quick results. Sure your not losing a ton a weight to start, but seeing how you can swim longer without breaks each time to go is VERY Encouraging and will motivate you to do other things.
i am a jockey and weight is a big thing in my buissness i totally disagree on this actually to me i wont gain weight if i swim i lose alot
I have been reading most of the comments, and i am slightly confused as to what to do. Obviously everyone is different. I want to obviously lose some weight, and tone, ideally i wanted to focus more on my stomache and love handle area, and i thought swimming would be good for this, plus i enjoy it. iv maintained my diet, and my intake is alot less so im not concerned about that, its just more getting the right exercise in.. so im hoping one of you can help me on this
id like to see some difference by the summer..
I COULD NOT DISAGREE MORE WITH THE ARTICLE. I am 31 years old 5′6″ have a large frame (bone structure) and had a starting weight of 272.8 pounds. Through nothing more than Swimming 4-5 times per week, and walking 1-2 times per week and cutting sugar and excess fats from diet I am now 198 pounds slowly heading to my goal of 160 pounds. So long as you don’t expect any amount of weight you are trying to lose to magically vanish in a few weeks swimming is a great way to lose weight and get fit. i have asthma a bad back and a bad hip so land excersices cause me a lot of pain, swimming has been the ideal way for me to achieve my goals. Anyone who doubts it because of these silly articles IGNORE them! kepp doing what you love if swimming keeps you motivated stick with it!
I am addicted to swimming I love it and I feel like a free bird in the pool. I am now up to 50 lengths in 45 min. I also enjoy looking at the young ladies under the water lol.
Swimming is fantastic. I started today and i feel energized! My goal is to lose 15 pounds, tone and revitalize my cardio-respiratory stamina. 7 years ago I started swimming in the University about 4 days a week. In 4 months i lost 40 pounds, just swimming and eating healthy. Just focus, do what you love for exercise and you will get results. I love swimming!!!
To Wayne (comment # 56):
You are a pervert and I really hope that you don’t freak out all the ladies at the pool. Its because of you that some women don’t feel comfortable in public health clubs/gyms. BE RESPECTFUL and don’t be a perv. Cheers.
Hey, me again lol. well im assuming its always good to have some form of a varierty when exercising, im going to start a body pump class today, yay, but even f you swim like 3 times a week plus a class you should see some results or start feeling lighter.. how long should that take?
I was recently diagnosed with MS and was dreading doing the standard routine of exercises. I needed something as I had gained a lot of weight as a result of being given a 3 day course of IV steroids. I started swimming at my gym. At first as a novelty, then I think I became addicted now I go as much as possible. I swim around until I get tired then I walk with the foam weights! Just the thought of getting in shape (which I believe swimming DOES) without overheating and passing out is a big bonus! I also feel my clothes are a little looser. I really don’t care what the scale says, if I’m losing inches, and enjoying myself-that’s all that matters!
When I was in college I weighed just over 200 pounds. During the summer I would walk to the pool(20minutes) and do laps for an hour about four or five times a week. By the end of the summer I had lost just over thirty pounds. You do need to watch what you eat but I find any excercise makes me hungry so its not something exclusive to swimming.
Anyone that doesn’t think swimming burns fat needs to go watch any USA Swimming meet and look at the couple of hundred 15-18 year olds there. Walk through a high school today and half the kids are overweight. None of these kids are. And when’s the last time you saw a swimmer in the Olympics that didn’t look like they were chiseled from stone? Swimming’s just flat out great exercise.
All I have to say is I started swimming about 10 days ago and have already lost 7 lbs. I did cut down on sugar and ate better but nothing much different than I already do other than lay off the candy. I recently had a baby and need to lose 40lbs and hate walking outside because it’s too hot where I’m from. The treadmill is BORING so I always make up an excuse not to get on it even though it is at my house. I am falling in love with swimming and was actually upset that my local pool is closed today for a holiday. I can’t wait to go tomorrow and wish I could go every day. Also, our pool is heated and I sweat after getting out of the pool, don’t know if that matters or not but really I would rather work out than make up excuses not to do all the other forms of exercise I hate.
swimming does loose weight.And i used to swim 40 minutes 6 days a week lost lot of weight,i did not gain back though i did not do any other exercise,but don’t overeat.if u feel hungry after swimming try eat healthy food,keep a check on what you eat after swimming.It’s Eating to live healthy not live to Eat!
it does reduce weight
I totally disagree with this article, swimming uses muscles that you don’t use on a daily basis which means building muscle and therefore increasing your metabolism…muscle burns more calories than fat…also whenever I get out the pool…eating is the last thing I want to do…Swimming actually decreases my appetite not increase it.
I think you can definitely lose weight by swimming; I lost about 15 pounds when I first started. Now, understand that I’m a competitive swimmer (have swam up to 10,000+ m. in a day), so it’s a little different. I do agree with the fact that swimming can increase your appetite, too. I’ve experienced it, and it’s hard to eat less if you stop swimming for several weeks. If you’re going to swim for weight loss, you need to restrict your diet… And that could be hard, depending on how much you swim.
I have been swimming for the past 6 months because I was diagnosed with Rhuematoid arthritis and this was the best excercise choice for my joints. At first I was discouraged because reading up on articles about swimming they always said you won’t lose much weight. I have been swimming just three times a week and swim about 1700 meters each time. I HAVE lost weight. It does work. So don’t be discouraged people get your swim suits on and let’s go.
Swimming for me is an absolutely lovely meditative exercise and it is one of the few workout routines I can keep up and feel like a million bucks afterward… so who cares what the article says.
Swimming for me is truly magical. I swim for 1 hour 5 days a week and lost 40 lbs in 6 months after a back surgery. I did eat as best as I could ,low fat ,low starches high protein(no alcohol). I will be a swimmer for rest of my life. Don’t tell everybody though how much fun it is or the pool will be to crowded.
Wow…I was amazed to say the least by this article…and “amazed” – not in a good way. I do a lot of different types of working out – from walking, running, weights, bootcamps, pilates, yoga, etc., in addition I’ve trained for and completed 1 full- and 6 half-marathon(s). In now training for a 3-Day Walk (that’s 60 miles over 3 days), I had to get some non-impact workouts going on my CT days. Therefore last night I went & swam 1/3 mile & it about wore me out.
I do have some weight to lose, and in just not being so fit at swimming, this took me 30 minutes.
I went to this site to read info on beginning lap swimming & found this article. I was quite discouraged (and even moreso from the link that led me to the “Merik” website (Choosing the Right Exercise). I thought there were many falsies in both articles & had I not been smart enough to realize that I might have stopped swimming all together.
I really do appreciate all the other comments here & people realizing this article is not all fact. I really with About.Com would actually go ahead and remove it.
I would like to share my story with all who are interested in swimming and weight loss. After 2 (two) MI’s, 309 lbs; I started swimming. I startd with 2 length (50 yards). Now, six months later and 89 pounds lost, a low fat diet, I am swimming 3.4 miles 4-5 days per week. Today June 7, 2009 I weigh 220. I am 5′7″ and 50 years old. My physician is happy and I am building collateral circulation to my heart. My plan is simple 25 yards breast stroke as fast as I can go and 25 yards back stroke for a total of 6000 yards per work out. I have been told by others I look better than I did when I was 40. This has not been easy for me but it beats the hell out of walking off 89 pounds. I truly believe one needs to base their execise plan on desired goals, and with the advice of their physician. Just remember to hydrate your body after your workout and count fat grams in your diet. The first length of the pool is the hardest. Good luck to all who are where I am and where I have been.
Ann
I have started swimming to improve my health and love it. At first I was experiencing that ravenous hungry feeling after swimming and would eat a ton of food, which negated my workout. Then on a whim I bought a hot drink after swimming and realized that I wasn’t hungry afterwards. So I started to think . . . that yes it is natural for a person to eat when they are chilly in an atempt to warm themselves up. So the hot drink warms me up and keeps the hunger at bay so that I do not negate the workout. A simple solution. Now I may not have lost a lot of weight but I am down a size in my jeans and that is what counts to me!
so i read through this article and all the comments…heres my story…i already workout 3-5 times a week, doing both cardio and weights at the gym…i dont eat well since im an extremely picky eater…basically im just maintaining weight…ive noticed a little bit of toning up but i would really like to tone up more…im thinking of adding a swimming routine after my gym workouts…as for weight loss, i really only need to lose like 15-20 lbs…i am reasonably toned in certain areas (calves, upper abs and shoulders) but i would like more all over toning…what hinders me the most is my diet, not actual dieting, but diet as in the food i eat…i hate vegetables, other than lettuce and corn basically…i guess i will see what adding some swimming after my workouts will do for me…