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Someone recently said that swimming is not great for weight loss, is this true?
By Christina | December 8, 2008
It does appear that although swimming is an excellent exercise which incorporate all the major muscle groups in the body, it is not as effective as running or cycling for weight loss. Considering the muscles used and the cardiovascular effort it is difficult to understand why the workout is less efficient. The calories burned are similar to that of a fast walk or slow jog so why the lack of results?
It appears the temperature of the water makes the difference. A cyclist or runner is typically subjected to much higher environmental temperatures than a swimmer is. The assumption is that swimming in cold water opens the appetite. This assumption is made based on the only variable that has changed between the swimming group and the cycle/run group which is environmental temperature. Runners and cyclists have reported a loss of appetite after working out where swimmers are often ravenous after doing laps.
If you love to swim, keep it up but be aware of the potential for increased apetite and make good food choices.
Topics: Aqua Fitness, Exercise |
