PCP says swimming not good for weight loss

[shuumai]

Finally I realise that it is more about the rate at which heat is radiated rather than how warm one feels. So I wonder, would a lumber jack, for instance, have extra fat due to being in a cool environment yet not feeling cold due to physical exertion? Heat is radiating faster than usual, but not fast enough to make the person cold.

[Rhoda]

When Lynne Cox was training for her Antarctic swim, she gained pounds while preparing her body for the cold, without taking in extra calories. So, at the extreme end of the temperature spectrum, there could be something to it. Most public pools are a little too warm, however, so the rest of us can't use that excuse.
Mind you, I've gained a bit since deliberately choosing a colder pool to swim in.

[BradMM]

So, I don't know if it's a consensus or not but the theme is that colder water causes the body to put on extra insulation. I normally have the choice of three pools and a river and I usually choose the 83-84 degree pool choice so I'll keep working without worry.

[dwdvagamundo]

I noticed this years ago when I had to temporarily stop running and began swimming six days a week instead of three. I immediately gained about ten pounds. I do think it's the coldness of the water that triggers some "fat retention" mechanism in the body. When I was able to run again, my weight dropped back.

And I feel like I swim harder than I run. I'm much more winded and tired after a swim.

For me, the only way to lose significant amounts of weight is to run three times a week.

[BradMM]

Originally Posted by dwdvagamundo

For me, the only way to lose significant amounts of weight is to run three times a week.

Wish I could but, for me, that's no longer a sustainable option. I still do some strength training and often in a manner to produce an aerobic (vs anaerobic) response but pounding the pavement is part of how I got the back and knee problems I have now.

[Rhoda]

I'm afraid running is out for me as well. The whole reason I took up swimming in the first place is because of a car accident that damaged my knees and made it impossible to run, cross-country ski, or even do more than an hour at a time of bike riding. The knees are slowly getting better, but I doubt they'll ever be completely back to where they were.

[edlevin]

There are lots of good reasons to exercise. But it's a little-known fact that the evidence that any kind of exercise helps you lose weight is surprisingly weak. In a nutshell, the more calories you burn, the more you tend to eat. Useful roundup of the evidence here:

http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by dwdvagamundo

I noticed this years ago when I had to temporarily stop running and began swimming six days a week instead of three. I immediately gained about ten pounds. I do think it's the coldness of the water that triggers some "fat retention" mechanism in the body. When I was able to run again, my weight dropped back.

And I feel like I swim harder than I run. I'm much more winded and tired after a swim.

For me, the only way to lose significant amounts of weight is to run three times a week.

Perhaps your air exchange isn't as efficient when swimming, making it feel like you swim as hard as you run. Does your body get tired or just your heart and lungs? And maybe you are building more upper-body muscle from swimming, which increases your weight a little.

I can imagine a person with low body fat noticing some fat gain, but a person who is even slightly overweight, I can't imagine anything but weight loss, or at least an exchange of fat for muscle.

[elskbrev]

So is this why I fleshed out a little last Fall when I hit the pool regularly? All good. At 48, my "slim" weight is 115-116 vs. the 118 or so I carried when I was 25. Recent BMI was 14%--lean for a woman. A little subcutaneous fat? Ok, I'm going swimming!

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by elskbrev

So is this why I fleshed out a little last Fall when I hit the pool regularly? All good. At 48, my "slim" weight is 115-116 vs. the 118 or so I carried when I was 25. Recent BMI was 14%--lean for a woman. A little subcutaneous fat? Ok, I'm going swimming!

What is your height. Are you a little underweight or are you muscular?