15 lbs in 15 weeks

[BradMM]

My 58th birthday will be in about 15 weeks and I'd like to drop 15 lbs before then. For perspective, I'm 6'3" and currently about 217.

I was planning to alternate swimming with weight training but, after reading THIS, I think I'll focus on the swimming and add the weights as an additional, not alternate, workout.

Today, I tried to engage my lower body more because those are bigger muscles and should burn more calories. I had read somewhere, one of Terry's books?, that using your arm as an anchor and swimming through it is a good thing... for some reason. Protect the shoulder? Anyway, that's what I was doing today.

Thoughts?

[andyinnorway]

Enjoy your swimming and avoid brown food ( bread pasta pizza fries confectionary well you know) for a few weeks then the weight will fall off.

If you live in the us though I see how hard it is. Walmart have a full section of breakfast cereals and they all had added sugar? What about muesli? Does no one eat that over here

[tab]

I started swimming two year ago, about. I have lost 15 pounds and am at 143 pounds now. About 6 years ago my wife and I went on a raw food diet, rather strict, a religious experience I realized after a while. I have always fluctuated around 145-150 give or take a few pounds. Well I ended up, after 11 months on a raw food diet, at 129 pounds. We ate a lot, a lot of greens, fruit, kelp, dates, avocados and more. There are a lot of cults out there, buyer be ware!

All I am saying is exercise will help loose weight, but as Andy points out diet will be the winner in loosing pounds. At least from my experience.

[Grant]

Another rough guideline we found helpful is "avoid sweet grease"

[BradMM]

I tried to make the story short but I'm pretty familiar with the diet angles. I lost 40 lbs in two months about 11 years ago on the "fear of dying" diet but spent the next few years learning all I could about diet and exercise. I no longer think that I can exercise the weight off, I know that diet is the key but this forum is about swimming so that's what I focused on.

So, any feedback on the anchor swimming technique?

I mostly wanted to create public accountability for myself! :-)

[tab]

I have heard swimming in cold water assist in calorie burning, spring is coming, join the open water groups or form one in your area.

I remember this past spring, being in the water for 10 minutes and being chilled the rest of the day. Calorie burning on a small scale.

Swimming with TI philosophy and methods equals a easier more efficient swim. So, is it the best method? How about a six beat kick? Mix in other strokes? Swim longer sessions?

[BradMM]

Originally Posted by tab

I have heard swimming in cold water assist in calorie burning, spring is coming, join the open water groups or form one in your area.

I have the open water DVD (Outside the Box) but my pool water ranges from 82 to 90 degrees F so I can't bring myself to do it! I looked into a May swim in a local river and the normal temp is 68........ uh, NO! :-)

I can do a mile in 40-45 min so I'm just working on shortening my time for the mile.

Thanks!

[andyinnorway]

Originally Posted by BradMM

I have the open water DVD (Outside the Box) but my pool water ranges from 82 to 90 degrees F so I can't bring myself to do it! I looked into a May swim in a local river and the normal temp is 68........ uh, NO! :-)

I can do a mile in 40-45 min so I'm just working on shortening my time for the mile.

Thanks!

I have a theory that people who feel the coldness of the water more than others benefit proportionately more from the wet suit.

By that I mean that I take longer to adjust to swimming in the sea in the summer at 68F in my trunks than my friends but can get in 56F with my wet suit and swim comfortably for a couple of hours.

If we throw heat out of our bodies at different rates then someone with a high rate will feel cold 'naked' in the water but will get more benefit from insulation once the have a wet suit on?

Maybe that is the route for you. Enjoy the open water but don't tough it out without a suit.

[swim2Bfree]

Originally Posted by andyinnorway

I have a theory that people who feel the coldness of the water more than others benefit proportionately more from the wet suit.

By that I mean that I take longer to adjust to swimming in the sea in the summer at 68F in my trunks than my friends but can get in 56F with my wet suit and swim comfortably for a couple of hours.

If we throw heat out of our bodies at different rates then someone with a high rate will feel cold 'naked' in the water but will get more benefit from insulation once the have a wet suit on?

Maybe that is the route for you. Enjoy the open water but don't tough it out without a suit.

There are, of course, individual differences in tolerance to (or perception of) cold water. But these are not fixed states. An alternative to a wetsuit is acclimation (aka, acclimatization). The more you expose yourself to cold water, the easier it gets. Many swimmers, after training, find cold water quite invigorating. With a wetsuit, you'll never find out.

[Eganed]

Hi Brad,
Just stick with your goals and keep consistent with your workout to lose 15 lbs in 15 days. Increase water intake, drink green tea regularly and avoid beverages, soda and even diet soda. Prefer raw food over processed food to lose wight effectively.