EverythingFit Answers: Swimming Your Way Thin?

Q. I just joined a gym and they have a pool. I was quite a good swimmer when I was younger so I'm wondering if I can use swimming as my cardio workout. I am looking to get fit and lose a few pounds.

from Jane A. Toronto, ON

A. Hey Jane,

Thanks for your question. This is the first one we're answering on the site!

Although swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise that is easy on your joints, you probably won't lose much fat or weight in the water.

Swimming is so taxing on the body that many people actually eat more calories after they finish a swim session than they just used up during that swim.

The exhaustion after swimming also accounts for the fact that most swimmers are often so tired from their swims that they often do no other workout during the day.

More importantly, while you do use a lot of calories swimming, the cooling effect of the water actually stops your body from burning any extra calories once you are out of the pool. Your body is already cool so it doesn't have to work hard to cool you down. With other workouts (running, aerobics, weight training, etc.) this post-workout body cooling continues burning calories for hours.

So, swimming as a form of exercising the heart and lungs = good. Swimming as a way to lose weight = not so good.