What are the benefits of Swimming for Weight Loss? Is this the question becoming popular around you while talking about weight loss. Then, this five minutes read is just meant for you.
What can be more refreshing than a cold shower in this scorching heat?
Or a great swimming session with your friend?
We all love playing in water, don’t we? Be it a pool party, a race in the pool, or a delicious meal in the pool. As a child, we all must have gone for swimming training in our summer breaks to beat the heat.
Also, you have noticed quite a few changes in your body after a certain time; it can be muscle strengthening, an increase in height, or even skin darkening.
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Well, swimming leads to a lot of physical changes; In this article you will get to know all about them.
Benefits of Swimming for Weight Loss
- Involvement of Complete Body
- Ensures Wellbeing
- Relaxes your Body from Stress
- Reduces Risk of Diseases
- Sound Sleep
- Increase Energy Levels
- No Sweat
- Safe During Pregnancy
- Great for Losing Weight
Involvement of Complete Body
Swimming requires the use of all the muscles of body be it a gentle breaststroke or hammer butterfly. While swimming you will have a perfect body workout.
As you are working in water, it would be more impactful due to the involvement of force for cutting water. As a result, 30 minutes in the pool makes a workout of 45 minutes.
Ensures Wellbeing
Other exercises require a regular workout session. Swimming on the other hand, does not need such intense training as just 30 minutes of swimming three times a week along with a healthy and balanced diet ensures a healthy lifestyle.
Doing it with friends has even a great effect on your mind and body. Swimming provides strength to the core as well as raises the heart rate. It also includes all muscles of the back.
Relaxes Your Body From Stress
Be it your work pressure or any other family matter that has been bothering you for a long time, swimming also rescues. Swimming regularly act as remedy in lowering stress levels. It reduces chances of anxiety and depression, as well as improve your sleep cycles.
After all, feeling mentally well is all the therapy we need at the end of the day. According to a survey conducted by Speedo in 2012, 74% of participants said that they reduced stress after a 30-minute session of swimming while 70% said that they felt fresh.
Reduces Risk of Diseases
Apart from keeping you mentally fit, swimming keeps you physically well also. Just 30 minutes of swimming a day includes all your muscles and is a great form of cardiovascular exercise. Which in turn helps prevent diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Also, it reduces the carotid arterial stiffness, i.e. stiffness of heart walls, as when it stiffer the walls, higher would be the risk of heart diseases, whereas flexible walls mean lower risk.
Getting Rid of Calories– Benefits of Swimming for Weight Loss
Swimming helps in burning extra calories as well. In a gentle 30 minute session of swimming, 200 calories can be burnt which is approximately more than the double of walking. However, if you are swimming at a faster pace, more calories can be eliminated from your body.
If it is a vigorous swim, a 155 kg person can burn up to 372 calories in a 30-minute session, whereas 223 calories can be burnt through light jogging. Also, swimming can be done every day without the risk of injuries.
Sound Sleep
Swimming helps in peaceful sleep at the end of the day. According to a study conducted in 2010 on aerobic activity and Insomnia, it was observed that people exercise during the day can sleep better and longer. Also, these people feel energetic and active throughout the day.
Participants involved in practiced sleep hygiene, i.e. they went to the bed at the same time each night, kept their sleeping area dark and quiet which in turn helped them to sleep properly.
Increases Energy Levels
A person’s metabolism could be fixed because of regular swimming.. As 30 minutes of swimming includes all your body muscles which in turn increases the energy levels as well. This also helps in preventing aging as well as inactivity during the day.
It also hit all the muscles that are not possible during a 2-hour workout at the gym. Which helps a person to be active while doing daily life activities.
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No Sweat– Benefits of Swimming for Weight Loss
The only body exercise that does not release sweat is swimming. Rather, you will get that cooling throughout your swim. Also, you do not have to bother about that stinky smell that usually comes after an intense workout.
Safe During Pregnancy
Women usually experience a lot of muscle and joint pain during pregnancy due to which they quit exercise. Whereas, swimming is the only exercise that can be done during those months as you are just floating in the water.
It is recommended to stay fit during your pregnancy if possible, what could be better than swimming? A study conducted in 2010 found that women who swim during their pregnancy have fewer chances of preterm delivery, also the chlorine does not have any effect on the mother as well as the baby, the same study revealed.
However, a doctor should be consulted before starting or changing a fitness routine during pregnancy.
Great for Losing Weight
Any activity that burn calories, leads to shedding of fat from any part of the body. Also, certain exercises work well in losing the fat that is around your waist and hips, such as flutter kicks (Lower abs) and butterfly kicks (obliques).
It also provides lifelong fitness, this is the only exercise that can be done from cradle to grave and is also suitable for people of all ages and skill levels. It allows you to move at your own pace and encourages newcomers.
Also Read: Exercises to Lose Belly Fat at Home
The Last Line
If you are thinking of any exercise to cut down those extra pounds, just jump into the pool. Swimming has a lot of positive effects on your health, mind as well as soul.
As and when you are done with the basics, try swimming laps for 20-40 minutes at a normal pace so that your heart rate is not elevated. Take a break and drink plenty of water. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions- Benefits of Swimming for Weight Loss
Yes, Swimming keeps your body active as well as helps in reducing your weight as all the muscles of your body are involved in the strokes. Also, swimming helps tighten the whole body and improve the overall fitness of the body.
A proven study of 2015 suggests that swimming helps in reducing belly fat, especially the strokes such as flutter kicks (lower abs) and butterfly kicks (obliques).
Freestyle is one of the best strokes to achieve physical fitness. It is also helpful in burning calories. Swimming freestyle helps in toning the stomach, buttocks, as well as your shoulders.