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Fish out of water?

Swimming is very good exercise, there’s no doubt about that. It uses almost all major muscle groups, it’s low impact and it certainly raises the heart rate. Breastroke burns the same amount of calories as a slow jog and freestyle (or crawl) is almost the same as a run. It’s the perfect exercise for those who are overwieght, have some sort of injury or someone whose pregnant. So if you’re burning the same number of calories as joggers or cyclists then why has swimming not proven to be as effective for weight loss?

The main problem is highlighted in a research program run by Professor Grant Gwinup and published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine. Basically, people get very hungry after swimming and as a result they overcompensate by eating more. It’s not really clear why people get so hungry after swimming. It has been suggested that water temperture plays some part in this but the research isn’t conclusive. The results on the other hand, speak for themselves. If swimming is part of your chosen weight loss program you need to be careful about what you eat and how much.

The other problem is something you have far less control over. Muscle action. Weight training helps burn calories simply by raising the metabolic rate so it stands to reason that swimming should do the same. Unfortunately it is, once again, not as effective because of the type of muscle action that occurrs.

One of the reasons your metabolism gets a boost from weight training is because of the damage caused to muscles during these exercises. Now the thing that causes most of this damage is known as eccentric muscle action. The opposite movement would be called concetric.

An example of concentric muscle action is when your bicep works to lift a weight and eccentric is when the bicep is working to lower the weight. Unfortunately in swimming most of the work you do is concetric muscle action. Basically this means that swimming doesn’t boost the metabolic rate as much as weight training does because (strange as it sounds) it doesn’t cause as much muscle damage.

Bummer right? Wrong. The fact remains that swimming is still a good form of exercise and if you do it right, you will see results. I have a friend who went out with a girl who was quite obese before she met him. She lost all of that weight through swimming and careful control of her diet. And I have it on good authority that the results were very good indeed!

If you enjoy swimming then it’s better than trying to run when you hate running. This is because you’ll be far more consistent in your routine and you will find it easier to keep it up and integrate it into your lifestyle. If you do something you hate you won’t be consisent and so you won’t get the same results.

My advice is to go swimming in the morning when you still have a day ahead of you. That way you won’t be able to just crash; try to be as active as you can after a session. The key to doing this of course, is not to overwork yourself in the pool. Push yourself but not too hard. Rather than going for speed go for endurance so do 40 slow lengths rather than 20 full speed ahead. That way you can build your fitness up in a more controlled manner and you won’t exhaust yourself in the process.

It’s also a good idea not to go swimming on an empty stomach. It’s not good to swim on a full stomach either because this can cause cramps, so maybe have a yogurt or something before you go. Then have something slightly more substantial afterwards. But be sure not to overcompensate because, as the good doctor has said, this will just cancel out all the work you’ve just done. I know it’s hard, believe me. I’m always starving after swimming. Drink lots of water before you eat something, that way you fill yourself up without topping up the calories.

Another a good idea is obviously to try and combine swimming with something else. I don’t really like running but I can walk for miles. So if you can, walk to the sports centre rather than taking the bus. Check out the Pink Fridge website for some more ideas on what else you can do towards personal fitness and weight loss. There are loads of tips and plenty of good advice, the rest is up to you.

S.B

Artificial Sweeteners

Last week I wrote a blog on Artificial Sweeteners and their potential dangers.  I mentioned finding ways of cutting out sugar without resorting to chemically enhanced sweeteners.  I recently found a product call Nirvana Stevia that claims to have no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no colourings, no artificial flavours or preservatives and no synthetic binders in it.  Sounds quite good, so I thought I would share this with you. Take a look at Nirvana products for further information. 

Personally I would try cutting out sugar with the help of natural products rather than start off with Over the Counter Diet pills. There is a lot of evidence about diet pills causing damage to organs as well as causing other health problems.  Also, diet pills are known to have a tremendous amount of caffeine in them which is no good for your cellulite problems.

by Angela

Weight Loss Caution

Artificial sweeteners have been used for around 30 years now as a means to help with Weight Loss, but it has been clouded by controversy.  In fact it is one of the most contentiously debated substances used in the food and drink we consume daily.  So why do we keep consuming it? 

Because we are trying desperately to Loose Weight!  In our effort to drop in size we could be killing ourselves.  While its OK to use certain Supplements and substitute full fat for low fat, we need to be more aware of what is meant by ’sugar free’. All the diet food and drinks companies promote their ‘NO SUGAR’ and ‘NO CALORIES’ products strongly. The companies all viciously protect their products from criticism for the use of Artificial Sweeteners, saying they are safe. 

Continue reading Weight Loss Caution…

Loose that stomach Girls!

Weight Loss is on the top of my agenda at the moment.  I have been working really hard at the gym for months now thinking that Exercise will do the trick.  Although I have lost some weight and firmed up quite nicely in most places on my body, I cant seem to get that little pouch in the front middle section of my body flattened.  That’s my abdominal, in case you were wondering what I was referring to.

Just this morning I heard on a radio talk show that Exercise alone wont get the belly flattened.  Apparently there are 10 food types we need to eat to get the tummy flat.  I thought I would share this with you.  I cant remember them all but here are the ones I have remembered - Almond Nuts, Yoghurt’s, Eggs, Apples, Green Leafy Vegetables, Salmon, Vegetable Soup, Soy (any kind of soy products) and that’s all I can recall.  There was one food type they mentioned that I cant even pronounce let alone spell.  It started with a Qui or something like that.  If anyone knows what it is please let us know.

Anyway, Pink Fridge has tons of tips on Weight Loss, types of diets, the do’s and dont’s of dieting and the quick fixes.  If you are serious about weight loss do some research first so that you know what fits with your lifestyle and what is achievable for you.  So often people start out really keen and then fade out.  I recon that has to do with trying to achieve your goal too quickly.  Relax, take your time and try and embrace your new way of eating as a lifestyle.  Don’t force yourself into something you are not able to keep up in the long run and then get despondent and disappointed in your efforts.  Remember, Rome was not built in a day.  Your weight did not appear overnight either.  Take your time but take your diet seriously.  Forget your past failures and focus on your current program as if it is your first. 

Here is a good tip for you - When you go to sleep at night, forget that you are on a diet.  When you wake up in the morning say to yourself that today is the first day of my new diet.

If you try and achieve something for one day only, you are more likely to succeed.  If you think you have to keep this diet up for months on end, it will seem like a mountain you can’t climb.  The goal must be achievable in small doses.

by Angela

Weight Loss - Keep a Journal

I have recently started keeping a note of the food I consume everyday. Weight Loss should be easy for me because, according to me, I don’t eat that much. I have however been wondering why I can’t shed the few kilos I want to. I don’t have that many to loose but I have been frustrated that going to gym 4 times a week and not eating a lot has not been working.

Here is an example for you. This morning I had egg, bacon and toast for breakfast. Now that sounds reasonable to me but when I write this down, I actually break it up into: two eggs (scrambled with butter in a pan), two rashes of bacon (very little fat and no rind), one slice of wholemeal toast and a cup of coffee (spoon of coffee, one sugar and about 40ml full fat milk). Because I have been writing this down everyday, I have become more aware of how much I am eating. This morning I had only one toast instead of two and I have started buying lean bacon instead of bacon with the fat and rind on it. I am also starting to drink more water ( I have had two glasses so far).

I don’t know if it will work because it is early days, but according to the Weight Loss boffins (if there is such a thing), being constantly aware of what passes the lips and goes straight to the hips is the key to loosing weight. I must say that it does make sense to me now that I am doing it. One thing that is becoming apparent to me is the amount of milk and sugar I consume in a day. I can do tea without sugar but not coffee, and I can take tea with skim milk but have to have whole milk with my coffee and lattes, so I now try and stick to tea for most of the day.

If you have tried it, please tell me about it. I will give you some feedback when (or if) I start seeing results.

by Angela

Weight Loss Post

We will start to add tips, advice and the latest updates from the 9th of May 2006 - this post refers to the Pink Fridge section of the main site here - http://www.pinkfridge.com/f_weightloss/