5 Weight Loss Tips While Swimming (From A Trainer)

Yes, swimming is a good workout for fat loss. The water amplifies the resistance during swimming, allowing more calorie burn compared to other cardio workouts.

From my experience, swimming has been a game-changer in clients weight-loss journeys.

The resistance of the water means every stroke is a mini-workout in itself, helping them burn more calories than they ever did with other cardio exercises.

It’s also a low-impact exercise [1]. In my opinion, this aspect is way underrated.

I've got knee problems, so I can't perform most joint-intense cardio exercises.

Swimming, however, hardly trashes my knees while losing weight. It evens the playing field and will work for anybody in any age group.

The best part is that it allows me to work muscles between muscles, even when my form isn't perfect, and it is good for alignment.

So, if you're considering swimming for fat loss, go for it. For beginners, look for a certified personal trainer.

It has numerous fat-loss benefits,  not to mention other health benefits.

Swimming helps you lose body weight by burning lots of calories.

Swimming requires an individual to utilize their stomachs, arms, legs,  and torso, using practically every significant muscle group.

Swimming, like many forms of aerobic activity, burns fat and can make you lose weight.

The thing that differentiates swimming from other cardio workouts is that it produces added resistance, pushing you to engage your muscles more.

Swimming develops your lower, core, and upper muscles all at once, providing you a full-body exercise and overall muscular definition than other aerobic activities such as jogging [2].

The butterfly, for instance, engages your chest,  shoulders, and arms, whereas the backstroke works your quadriceps, back, and abs.

And as you gain muscular mass, you burn more fat.

Swimming the breaststroke for 30 minutes burns roughly 370 calories, whereas swimming freestyle burns approximately 405 calories.

In contrast, you lose 105 calories for 30 minutes of fast walking or 305 calories for 30 minutes of 6-mile-per-hour jogging, according to Harvard Health [3].

Swimming's fat-burning effects are realized quickly.

According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, middle-aged females who swam for 1 hour three times a week shed a considerable amount of fat within only 12 weeks.

They also increased their endurance and agility and even decreased their cholesterol [4].

"Swimming is one of the greatest cardiovascular exercises any individual of any age can perform, despite being quite difficult and occasionally terrifying."

- Kris Gagne, ASCA-Certified Swim Coach.

Many people find that exposure to cold water triggers hunger reflexes.

A swimmer’s hunger after a workout is legendary, and this is why you should pay attention to your calorie intake to ensure you don’t eat what you just burned [6].

I love to schedule my swim laps on an empty stomach right before lunch and dinner because I find it easier to give in to the desire to eat after a meal.

However, I always plan for it and control the calories to ensure it doesn't ruin my goals. But you could try to swim after a meal or even before eating breakfast.

If you need to eat before swimming, you can check out our guide on the best foods to eat before swimming.

4. Discipline is Key

Swimming requires more discipline than anything else.

Remember, it's a full-body workout, so if you breathe wrong or perform an incorrect stroke, you're screwing your entire body.

Therefore, having a coach or a swimming plan may help relieve the burden of structuring your swim sessions, improving your technique, and ensuring you've got a clear sight of your goals.

5. Patience is Important

I must point out to fresh starters that there will be muscle buildup. The buildup can negate the fat loss and can be quite demotivating.

Instead, I suggest adding another metric to your progress, like tracking your body fat.