Swimming as a Weight Loss Exercise

Swimmers are known for their slim and sleekly toned physiques. As such, it is not uncommon to see that there are people who advertise swimming as an excellent means of exercise. This is true in the sense that swimming provides a great body conditioning workout, but for those who are interested in a fat loss program, swimming may be a weight loss exercise that is best avoided.

The problem with swimming as a weight loss exercise is a fairly complex one. In the most basic of explanation, swimming involves the body submerging in water. This lowers body temperature and makes fat burning much more difficult. Yes, swimming burns calories and reduction of calories over an extended period of time will yield quite a bit of weight loss, however, swimming throws a wrench into the calorie reduction mix.

When the body's temperature drops, a person will end up getting very hungry as the body feels that it may need warmth. So, after swimming, there is a desire to overeat. This excess food is now going into a body that feels the need to retain fat for insulation against the cold. As one can see, as a weight loss exercise, swimming comes with a huge caveat.

Again, this does not mean that swimming is not an advised method of weight loss, but it is definitely a form of weight loss exercise that needs to be supplemented with other forms of exercise. Lifting weights will always be advised as a supplement to any weight loss program and there are other excellent programs that can be added as well. If a swimming workout is also mixed with a workout of running, playing basketball or any other cardio workout, then swimming may have some benefits. But, as a primary means of a weight loss exercise program, then swimming falls quite short.