When it comes to losing weight in a healthy and enjoyable way, it can be hard to find the right exercise that suits your goals and your lifestyle. Things can get a little more complex when you need to take other factors into account, such as painful joints or trouble with stamina.
Swimming can be a great option for those looking for an exercise that combines a few different exercise goals whilst providing the advantages of water-based exercises. It can be an alternative or supplement to outdoor exercises and might be more appealing during the colder months when going out for a jog isn’t quite as enticing.
Here are just some of the positives of taking to the water for exercise.
A great all-rounder
Swimming offers a whole-body workout, meaning that a large number of your muscle groups across your arms, legs, torso and stomach are pitching in to get you moving through the water. This lets you tone these muscles and build stamina, giving you a good mix of exercise. The water also helps to gently support your muscles due to the added buoyancy, letting you get a sweat on without putting as much stress on joints. This makes it fantastic for those just getting back into exercise, or who need something less impactful.
Move in your own way
There isn’t just one way to swim – you can find the ideal stroke which suits you perfectly or change up your strokes as your confidence grows. If you have any type of joint issue then you can adapt your swimming style to compensate for this, as well as being able to still gently exercise the affected joint as the water offers both resistance and support. If you were to need a knee replacement, swimming can also make for a great exercise on the road to full recovery once you’ve been cleared by your doctor to take up some gentle exercise.
Feel the burn
You might be surprised by how much energy you expend when swimming considering the additional support the water can provided your body. Swimming burns calories and helps to shift fat while also building up your muscles, so it’s natural that all of this would make for a great way of achieving healthy weight loss. Another great thing about swimming is that the resistance in the water is dictated by your own body, so if you are a bit heavier then your workout will be relative to your body and you might even see the results faster than those on the lighter side. An hour in the pool will burn 500 calories on average, but this can be affected by your weight and skills so it’s best to track your personal progress where possible.
If you’re looking to lose weight, it’s always best to talk to your doctor and discuss what the best option for you would be. While we do offer weight-loss surgeries and procedures, we would always recommend that you attempt to lose weight through monitored exercise first as this is a healthier way to achieve your desired results.