If you're wondering whether swimming is the right cardio workout for you to do in order to lose weight, this article is perfect for you. There are a few studies regarding the effectiveness of swimming for weight loss and how it compares to other cardiovascular workouts for the purposes of weight loss.
Let me start by saying that swimming is a wonderful sport. It works your entire body and combines cardiovascular stimulation with a strength one. There's no doubt that you can build a great looking body by swimming regularly. You only need to look at the stunning body of competitive swimmers to see how effective this workout can be.
If you like swimming then I highly recommend that you do it. I always favor doing workouts that you enjoy. It's more likely that you'll do more powerful and consistent workouts that way.
However, if you're not particularly partial to swimming and you just want to know which cardio workout is most effective for weight loss, you should know that there are a number of studies which show that swimming may not be the best choice for losing weight.
The reasons why swimming may be less effective for weight loss than walking or running is unclear. There are some theories but none has been proven. One likely reason may have little to do with the workout itself and a lot to do with what goes on afterward.
It seem that people who swim tend to eat more after their workout is completed than those who perform other sorts of cardiovascular workouts. This is something which is called post workout compensation and it refers to the fact that you can undo much of the effects of a workout by consuming too many calories afterward. Basically, if a particular workout tends to make you hungrier than others and if you burn a similar number of calories in each, then this is not the best workout for weight loss.
This tendency to overcompensate seems to be connected to the temperature of the water in which you swim. Swimming in cold water tends to make people hungrier than swimming in warm water does.
Does this mean that you shouldn't swim at all if you want to lose weight?
Not at all. As I said, is swimming is your thing then do it. You can lose weight with it. However, you may see faster results with other forms of cardio workouts.
To learn more about this issue visit Swimming For Weight Loss Research.
To learn more about how to not "undo" your workouts visit Post Workout Compensation Tips.
Jonathan Dunsky writes about health and fitness issues.
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