How Can Swimming Help Me Lose Weight?
So, you’ve heard swimming is good for losing weight, but you’re not quite convinced yet? You’ve got more questions, probably? You’re wondering if you can just swim and be fit? Is it possible to change your body shape through swimming or want to know what you can eat before swimming for best results?
OK, ok, a lot of questions indeed, but we’ve got to start somewhere, right? Before we tackle all of them, let’s first see if we can answer “How beneficial would a visit to a fitness center with pools near me be for shedding a couple of pounds?” Oh, this is a lengthy one too.
What happens to the body after swimming?
As much as we’re going on about just how beneficial and great swimming is, it’s difficult to put it into perspective without actually naming what exactly happens to your body when you finish a swimming session.
So, in order to paint as clear a picture as we possibly can, let’s see which parts of your body are affected by swimming, and in what ways:
- Blood – Swimming fosters blood flow throughout your entire body, with the focus of providing your heart with the necessary blood cells.
- Skin – As you warm up by exercising, your body is trying to regulate its heat by releasing it. That is why, after swimming, some people’s skin looks read – the body is rapidly releasing the heat.
- Muscles – When you swim, you work your muscles a lot, although it doesn’t seem like it. Micro tears form, which explains why your muscles feel sore after a good swim, but they take a day to rebuild. This makes your muscles stronger and more defined.
- Lungs – Swimming exercises your lungs too, increasing their capacity to store oxygen over time.
- Heart – Swimming increases your heart rate to move all the necessary oxygen throughout your body, which is a great exercise for your heart.
- Brain – Finally, your brain will love swimming. All the extra oxygen and blood flow through the body will make you awake and alert, all the while releasing endorphins that will make you feel great.
Which style of swimming is best for weight loss?
There’s a single best style of swimming for weight loss, but perhaps it’s too demanding for you to do in the beginning. That is why we’re going to present you with the top 3 swimming styles that will greatly help you shed some pounds quickly and efficiently.
- Butterfly – Butterfly is the best swimming style for losing weight, but also the hardest one to do. It burns around 450 calories every thirty minutes, it’s the best for toning your muscles, and it massively increases your flexibility and posture.
- Freestyle – Freestyle is fast, which is exactly why it holds second place in our weight-loss swimming style competition. It burns approximately 300 calories every thirty minutes, it tones your shoulders and stomach, as well as your back muscles.
- Backstroke – Finally, backstroke is a relaxing style of swimming perfect for beginners. It will burn some 250 calories every thirty minutes, it will lengthen your spine, tone your stomach, arms, and legs, and improve your flexibility.
How many times a week should I swim to lose weight?
This one’s an easy question to answer – you should swim as often as possible. Swimming is a low-impact exercise, so you can freely do it five times a week without risking any type of injury. And that’s it – four to five times a week and you’re golden.
However, since we’ve some time to spare, here are a couple of tips on how to maximize your weight-losing efforts through swimming:
- Swim early in the morning, before eating anything.
- Swim faster and swim harder – increase the intensity.
- Mix up your swimming routine often.
- Begin slow and work your way up.
- Try using water weights.
- Pay attention to your diet.
“What’s the best fitness center with pools near me? I want to swim!”
If you’re looking for a swimming pool near your location, you’re never too far from The Plunge San Diego – the finest fitness center with swimming pools in San Diego. We’re here to make your swimming experience the best it can be.
However, nowadays, swimming is not exactly possible in pools, similar to how you can’t easily pay a visit to the Cabrillo National Museum. But, you can contact us today and see when we’re going to start, and how you can make a reservation. Contact us now!