swimming and diet (2 Qs)

[Starboy]

1. How much swimming is considered a good cardio workout? Yesterday I did over a mile (6400'), and plan to make this my minimum. Afterwards, I was only a little sore, and breathing a bit harder than usual. I also think I strained a calf muscle, though I feel great today. I don't know how long though because timing it would have been too much of a bother. Regarding my other thread ("cutting down on cardio, bad?"), would it be wiser to not focus on distance and just do swim for an hour?

2. The diet thing is killing me since I started training. I don't have a problem eating the right foods, it's limiting how much I eat. After the mile I did yesterday, I was sooooo hungry. I went home, ate a couple pieces of grilled chicken, then some chicken salad (trying to stick with the protein), a bunch of fruit, a peanut butter cookie, and a little pudding. For breakfast, I had a bowl and a half of multi-grain cheerios with blueberries, and some more chicken salad (it's really good). It's a little after noon now and I'm still kinda hungry, but I'm holding off until I'm more hungry. I know exercising is going to jump start my appetite, but I want to lose the 30lbs. of fat I gained not training the past two years. Any tips? Thanks.

[Knight_Errant]

1. Swimming is an excellent cardio workout as long as you don't succumb to the temptation to take too many breaks by the side of the pool. It also works both arms and legs, so in my opinion is better than running in this respect.
2. If you're feeling really hungry, don't limit the amount of food you eat. Food is good for you!

[KickChick]

Swimming is a great form of cardio and is a full body workout
and is less stressful on the joints than many weight-bearing exercises.
Muscle endurance is the ability to do something over and over again without tiring out such as swimming. It measures your ability to perform cardiovascularly over a period of time it is also a measure of your work capacity.
Distance swimming will increase your muscle endurance while swimming for longer periods will increase cardio endurance.

You should eat every 2- 3 hours (6 meals a day or more)...
If you do so it'll speed up your metabolism....
... 75-90 minutes of threshold swimming 3-5 times per week combined with a proper nutrition program will definately help you lose fat.


btw... love your quote!

[Knight_Errant]

It's also a very good idea if you haven't exercised for a while as it won't jar your joints as much as, say, running.

[YODA]

If you're using swimming as a cardio workout don't forget to keep hydrated.

It's VERY easy to become dehydrated when swimming.

You need fluids just like any other type of cardio - this means keeping a water / fluid bottle at poolside and taking in fluids at regular intervals.

[Tosh]

Originally posted by YODA
If you're using swimming as a cardio workout don't forget to keep hydrated.


And to stretch before and after!

Dynamic streches beforehand and remember to cool down, don't just leap out of the pool and go home. Excellent way to get aches and strains

[YODA]

Originally posted by tosh_spice
And to stretch before and after!

Dynamic streches beforehand and remember to cool down, don't just leap out of the pool and go home. Excellent way to get aches and strains


Good points - it's a workout just like any other - the same guidelines apply.

[WhiteWizard]

i always found swimming to be a great workout both in terms that it works more of you body than running or cycling i feel the effects the next day are far less.

Can't really offer much advice about the dieting apart from if you do eat keep it healthy i'm quite controlled and managed to cut down the amount of rubbish i ate this in turn made my appetite less in general

[Starboy]

Swimming is an excellent cardio workout as long as you don't succumb to the temptation to take too many breaks by the side of the pool.


I figured that much. I only took one short break at the halfway point.


You should eat every 2- 3 hours (6 meals a day or more)...


I really want to start doing this. I read about this a long time ago, but have trouble fitting this into my schedule. Also, I'm really bad at planning small meals. All my cooking skills stem from Italians and the Vietnamese, neither of which have ever showed me a small meal.


75-90 minutes of threshold swimming 3-5 times per week combined with a proper nutrition program will definately help you lose fat


What do you mean by threshold swimming?


btw... love your quote!


Yeah...well my (now ex-) girlfriend sure didn't. Some people have no sense of humor I guess. :p

[Knight_Errant]

Yeah...well my (now ex-) girlfriend sure didn't. Some people have no sense of humor I guess.
If you're serious-You sick, sick person. That's a horrible thing to do to someone. I hope you're proud of yourself.My sister just finished with some guy and I'm looking for somebody to beat up.

[Starboy]

er......easy there, killer....heel, boy...:rolleyes:

[KickChick]

Basically what you should be aware of when beginning a swimming workout program is where your personal anaerobic threshold is.... and train at this particular level.

For more info ..... check this article out

NO PAIN, NO GAIN?!? How hard should you push yourself? (http://www.whidbeynet.net/frosty/pna/WetSet/frost0597.htm)

[Starboy]

I'm going to reply to this in the "regarding HRmax" thread. :)

[KickChick]

I'm swimming over to that thread also ... beat you there!

[khafra]

Starboy--for those extra, in-between meals, many people will use meal replacement shakes or protein bars, the shakes generally being the healthier option 'cause of the glycerin in the bars. Look for a good ratio of p/f/c, and slower digesting types of protein like casein, soy, and egg whites--not just whey.

[Tosh]

My god,

an insteresting pont about swimming is that you can cheat yourself into thinking you are working harder but you are not.

Ever thought how the resistence seems to be less after you have powered your way through a front crawl??

From a calorie perspective you burn more calories doing slow front crawl than you do doing a fast one.

Bizarre huh! See you do learn something in fitness modules!!

[Knight_Errant]

yeah, the better your technique in swimming the 'easier' it gets, the further you faster, allowing you to swim for longer, so there's probably not much wrong with fast swimming occasionally.

[Tosh]

Of course I was just pointing it out from a calorie perspective.

In no way was I saying "swimming fast bad, needs more nails"

[Starboy]

That's part of the reason I do the side stroke instead of the front crawl. I get less distance per stroke. Also, with the freestyle, I find it hard to keep myself from pushing away from each end (total cheating, IMO), but I don't have that problem with the side stroke.