Want to get all the benefits of aerobic exercise without any impact on your bones and joints? Then swimming is the perfect exercise for you. Swimming is a weight-bearing exercise and burns 8x more calories compared to resting.

Outline:

• Benefits
• Swimming to Lose Weight
• Why Do We Feel Extra Hungry After Swimming?
• Tips to Suppress After-Swimming Hunger
• Gear

Benefits:

1. Full Body Workout: Swimmers gain muscle strength throughout the entire body. It engages almost all muscle groups, promoting overall strength.

2. Fat Loss: Swimming may be better for fat loss than other exercises like running. It has minimal impact, which may be better if you have injuries or painful joints.

3. Weight Management: Swimming burns eight times more calories compared to resting. If you swim for an hour, you will burn between 500 and 700 calories.

4. Cardiovascular Health: Swimming is a good all-round activity because it keeps your heart rate up while taking some of the impact stress off your body. It builds endurance, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness.

5. Deep Sleep: Even though swimming is a low-impact activity, it is also very physically demanding. This exhausts your body, giving you a deeper sleep. It is also very relaxing; the water can be soothing and comforting.

6. Improved Mood and Better Stress Management: When we swim, our body releases endorphins, which have been shown to improve mood and reduce stress. The peacefulness of being in water can reduce anxiety.

7. Improves Brain Function: Swimming helps to increase blood flow to the brain, delivering oxygen and important nutrients. Additionally, swimming requires strategic thinking, which can help keep the mind sharp as we age.

Swimming to Lose Weight:

1. Swim on an Empty Stomach: Swimming on an empty stomach burns more calories. When done in a fasted state, your body uses fat as energy, resulting in fat loss.

2. Swim Harder and Faster: When you start swimming fast, your heart rate goes up. To burn more calories, swim faster in intervals. For example, swim fast for 10 minutes, take a rest, and start again.

3. Add Weight: Use water dumbbells between laps. The water creates resistance, which can help build strength and endurance.

4. Take a Swim Class: Learning proper stroke techniques can help you swim better, resulting in better outcomes.

Why Do We Feel Extra Hungry After Swimming?

Swimming produces a hormone named ghrelin, also known as the hunger hormone. Our core body temperature drops significantly while swimming, which makes us extra hungry.

Tips to Suppress After-Swimming Hunger:

• Warm your core body temperature up to reduce that feeling of hunger.
• If possible, use a sauna or hot tub. If you don’t have access to these, taking a nice warm shower can help.
• Drink something hot. You can have hot tea, coffee, or hot soup.
• Eat something healthy after swimming. Pack healthy snacks to avoid having junk food.

Gear:

• Swimming doesn’t really require any special gear. A simple bathing suit is enough.
• If you are swimming outside, make sure to use waterproof sunscreen and reapply as needed.

Swimming has numerous benefits but is mostly a lot of fun. Swimming with friends can be very enjoyable. It is a great way to cool down.