5 REASONS WHY SWIMMING RULES FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Now that the heat of summer has arrived in most parts of the country, what better way is there to cool down than dipping into a clear blue pool? Or maybe the ocean or a lake is more your speed. Whatever the body of water, you can benefit from its cooling effects and weight loss too!

Researchers have found that compared to other recreational activities, swimming may give you an edge in achieving both weight loss and long-term weight maintenance goals. Here are five reasons why:

1- It burns calories like crazy. Even with a relatively easy swim, you can burn up to 500 calories an hour. With higher intensity, you can reach up to 700 calories an hour.

2- Water offers natural resistance. In order to move in the pool, you literally have to push against the water, which offers a seamless way for your body to reap the rewards of resistance training. This includes the development of more lean muscle mass, which as we know speeds up your metabolism. In fact, researchers at Indiana University found that swimmers had higher levels of lean muscle mass than non-swimmers. And it’s resistance training for your whole body at once, which means you get toned all over!

3- It feels easier than non-water activities. Water is a fluid, buoyant element. You literally float, alleviating the sometimes painful forces of gravity on your joints. And again, it’s typically colder than your body temperature, eliminating the sweaty side of land-based exercise.

4- It’s a good anti-aging strategy. We’re not making this up! Researchers studied the vitality of swimmers and discovered that they are biologically younger than their land-based exercising peers. This includes things like superior heart and nervous system health and improved cognitive abilities.

5- You can feel like a kid again. Maybe one of the best things about swimming is that it is a great activity at all ages. No matter how old you are, the kid inside can’t help but come out to play in the water.

In addition to swimming with any and all of the popular strokes (e.g., freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly), you can also try out other water-based activities like water aerobics, water polo, or synchronized swimming. Water provides so much versatility in your workouts that it will be hard for you to get bored.

So, have fun splashing away this summer, and know that you’ll be in the fast lane toward improved weight loss as you do!