Swimming no good for losing weight?

[Oso]

Thanks Oso. Why is cutting out the carbs so important??

cutting out carbs from empty carbs is important. eliminate excess carbs, especially 'empty' carbs that don't contain any micronutrients.

if you have excess body fat, you have no need for more carbs than necessary to keep brain function optimal. and if you eat plenty of low sugar vegetables, you will get ample carbs for resting needs.

any carbs needed for sustained exercise will be metabolized from the stored fat...and, that's the point, right?...that's how it works. you don't 'burn' fat for energy per se...as in your muscles don't use fat/lipids for energy...the fat get's changed to ATP in a process I can't begin to remember or describe...er...

The Energy source for muscle contraction is ATP, which is continuously regenerated during exercise from phosphocreatine hydrolysis, anaerobic metabolism of glycogen or glucose, or aerobic metabolism of acetyl-coA derived principally form the breakdown of carbohydrate or fat. The carbon skeleton of amino acids can be used as a fuel for oxidative metabolism but is not a major fuel for energy production during exercise.

Several factors influence the type of substrate used to fuel muscular work, including substrate availability, diet, intensity and duration of exercise, training status, hormones, prior exercise and environmental conditions. Fat ocidation makes and increasing contribution to ATP regeneration as exercise duration increases. IN exercise lasting several hours, fat may supply as much as 80% of the total energy required.

Endurance training increases the capacity of muscle to oxidize fat.

--from the 'Key Points' summary of Chapter 2, "Sport Nutrition: An Introduction to Energy Production and Performance"
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Authors: Jeukendrup & Gleeson
ISBN: 0736034048


so, my main point being to reduce the availability of other substrates (carbs) so that your body is forced to go for the oxidation of fats for ATP. Which means, in simplest terms: reduce the intake of carbs and exercise long enough to deplete the stored carbs in your muscles and blood so that you start tapping the stored fat. In the beginning that means longer sessions. But, as your daily intake of carbs drops, and your stored glucose/glycogen pools are lowered somewhat, you will start tapping the fat sooner (I think...as that's my opinion)

good luck.



the problem being, for me, to practice what I know...lol.

[madhusudan]

This seems like decent basic introductory information:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health//dci...hys_types.html

You want to eventually incorporate all of the types of exercise listed in that link into your routine.

It is also common advice to seek out chances to move more in daily life. At work I try to stay active by taking a 20 min walk during a break or by doing stances, wall sits and stretching in my office. The more breaks I take, the more work I get done too - to a point.

Developing good habits and making progress towards a desired end is in itself rewarding and will provide you with positive feedback, further reinforcing your decisions and motivating you to do more.

Hope that is useful.

[SoCo KungFu]

Your friend is right. Swimming is great for aerobic conditioning, not so good for shedding inches from your waist. Aerobics and weight loss are not the same thing. His comment on, "it doesn't let you sweat enough" is a symptom. The problem is cutting weight is not about intensely working your body to stress oxygen carrying capacity (aerobic conditioning). Its about a sustained burn over a prolonged period of time. The issue with swimming is this. You'll be in water approx 70-73 degrees F, unless you have access to a heated pool. You'll have a minor increase in metabolism from the effects of your body trying to keep warm. But, and this is important, your metabolism doesn't remain elevated as long after you are done working out, as it would with other exercises. You'll burn calories while swimming, but once you stop, your gains stop there as well. Further, most people experience increased hunger after exposure to cold temps. Rat studies have shown circulating leptin concentration is decreased following cold exposure (leptin deficiency drives hunger sensation). So if you aren't paying attention, you're going to eat more. And if you aren't used to swimming, you are going to be huffing for air very quickly. This means you slow down or stop, meaning less calories burned.

Swimming is a great working, but not very good for losing weight. Of course, if you have a lot to lose, anything is better than nothing. But getting on a bike will be more effective. And nothing will really matter if you don't diet control.

[Vash]

I would disagree with SoCo in a very respectful manner. Technically speaking (according to ACSM and NSCA) swimming is the most metabolically taxing exercise [2nd to martial arts] when trained at full intensity.

Provided the swimming is not leisurely, and you are in a caloric deficit, you'll be able to drop some fat. May not see the scale shift much, but you will have less body fat.

If you're only mildly uncomfortable, you need to increase intensity so that, for a majority of the time, you're basically ready to quit. And have a decent time investment per workout.

Of course, additional resistance training (rep range not super important, so long as the load doesn't make you stop after 2 reps or let you go for 20+) and non-exercise activity would be helpful and healthy.

[SoCo KungFu]

I would disagree with SoCo in a very respectful manner. Technically speaking (according to ACSM and NSCA) swimming is the most metabolically taxing exercise [2nd to martial arts] when trained at full intensity.

Provided the swimming is not leisurely, and you are in a caloric deficit, you'll be able to drop some fat. May not see the scale shift much, but you will have less body fat.

If you're only mildly uncomfortable, you need to increase intensity so that, for a majority of the time, you're basically ready to quit. And have a decent time investment per workout.

Of course, additional resistance training (rep range not super important, so long as the load doesn't make you stop after 2 reps or let you go for 20+) and non-exercise activity would be helpful and healthy.

If by "ready to quit" you're talking about pushing intensity to the point of cardiovascular fatigue, then in the context of swimming, you are now entering anaerobic conditioning. That's a completely different metabolic loop and not very conducive to weight loss. Running or cycling you can still suck air. Swimming you either stop or push through on limited breaths.

I'm not arguing that swimming is not metabolically taxing while you are doing it. But after you stop, the metabolic draw also stops. And which metabolic pathway you are ranged in (aerobic, anaerobic, fermentative [not the same as anaerobic, too many people think that's the case]) depending on intensity, body temp, etc. determines what level of benefit you are getting towards your targeted goal.

[ShaolinDan]

Actually you do sweat when you swim, you just don't realize it. My swim coach in high school was always reminding us to stay hydrated. Anyway, sweating is irrelevant to long-term weight loss.
The reason swimming isn't so great for weight loss is that your heart rate doesn't get as high as it does from running. However, swimming is great for your physique.

[Vash]

If by "ready to quit" you're talking about pushing intensity to the point of cardiovascular fatigue, then in the context of swimming, you are now entering anaerobic conditioning. That's a completely different metabolic loop and not very conducive to weight loss. Running or cycling you can still suck air. Swimming you either stop or push through on limited breaths.

I'm not arguing that swimming is not metabolically taxing while you are doing it. But after you stop, the metabolic draw also stops. And which metabolic pathway you are ranged in (aerobic, anaerobic, fermentative [not the same as anaerobic, too many people think that's the case]) depending on intensity, body temp, etc. determines what level of benefit you are getting towards your targeted goal.

Generally, I agree with this. However, with swimming there is the repeated exposure to the training stimulus to consider; there will often be enough swimming sessions in a short time to elicit a body fat loss. You will be using glycolysis and moving into the Krebs as the dominant energetic method usually. But, if there is sufficient 'exhaustive' effort in each session, fat loss (and attendant subcutaneous water loss) will occur.

Looking at my records of currently active clients, I have nine who, in addition to martial arts training and resistance training, added in 'extra-heavy' swimming sessions for 3-5 days a week, and they saw fat loss in excess of 15% over 6 months. A small sample pool, certainly, but enough in my professional opinion to say swimming would be a much better suggestion for added cardiovascular work for Gowgee's goals of weight loss.

[Gowgee]

Time to put this into practice! Let me get back to you in a few weeks on my progress.
Thanks for your input everyone :-)

[Throwaway Child]

In my opinion swimming is the #1 exercise

except for the dangerous part - where you can drown



Honestly swimming is the best & low impact on the joints

this diet will cost you $100 every two weeks
I buy
70 eggs
4 loaves of bread
70 pieces of fruit
5 gallons of milk
4 - 2 lb bags of carrots -
& for green stuff - I eat Your body needs Green vegetables as well from my home garden

8 am-
egg whites
whole Grain toast 2 pieces
fresh fruit
skim milk - 8 oz

11 am
fresh fruit
whole grain bread
egg whites
skim milk - 8 oz

2 pm
grapefruit
apple
egg white
skim milk - 8 oz
rice

5 pm
orange
egg white
vegetable salad - my vegetable salad usually consists of two carrots
skim milk -8 oz

8 pm
egg white
vegetable salad
whole grain bread

diet taken from the book Hardcore body building - a scientific approach ---- page 193 - an example of a fat loss diet


or go to jail - they won't feed you enough to stay alive -

[Scott R. Brown]

or go to jail - they won't feed you enough to stay alive -

Not in California, they get 4500 calories a day in here!

[kfman5F]

I knew a guy who lost a ton of weight by doing one simple thing. He stopped eating by 7 pm and drank water after. He ate whatever he wanted and did no exercise and the weight flew off. It definitely worked for him.

[David Jamieson]

Cut bread and white sugar from your diet completely and prepare to be amazed.

all bread, all flour.

also, no soda pop, no candies.

eat whole foods only in 1/3 -1/3-1/3 portions. Protein/complex carbs/clear fats
meat, veg and water basically. easy on dairy.

Pretty much guaranteed to cut your weight down even without exercise.
Oh. and portioning is important.

when you eat whole foods, you don't feel hungry all the time. When you eat carbs, you do feel hungry all the time.

[Syn7]

I only eat whole foods too. I find that on the odd occasion when I do indulge, I pay for it later.

If I could only choose one exercise activity, it would be swimming. It also has a liberating element that you just don't get anywhere else, and that appeals to me.

[YouKnowWho]

I knew a guy who lost a ton of weight by doing one simple thing. He stopped eating by 7 pm and drank water after. He ate whatever he wanted and did no exercise and the weight flew off. It definitely worked for him.

This guy doesn't eat after 2pm. He is in his 70 now. He once said that any girl over 18 is too old for him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeAki05r8ZI

[David Jamieson]

Well guys, hate to break a bubble here, but my mom is 77, eats whatever the heck she likes, when she likes, doesn't exercise much beyond walking, enjoys a little alcohol and she smokes since she was a young woman.

The only thing I think of when people go on about longevity is their own fear of dying. Don't be afraid is probably the best health advice you can get. Most of the diet stuff outside of "don't eat a bunch of chemical crap" gets flipped every few years back and forth and really is meaningless.

Eat whole foods to feel better. Avoid chemicals to not feel burnt out. None of it will effect what age you die lest you abuse yourself and who knows, maybe you'll get hit by a meteorite.

We all gonna die. It doesn't matter when we get to. Being afraid to die at an old age is pointless. Eat well and practice for quality of life, not Length of years.