Tips » Cardio and Aerobics
You always hear that swimming is the best for you to burn fat. Is this true?
No, you always hear that swimming is the best for you! I don't hear that. I'm saying that only to illustrate a point. For example, if someone is about to buy a BMW, suddenly they notice BMWs all over the place. Why? Because the thought is in their mind.
If you like swimming, I wouldn't say stop it. This is a lifestyle. Just because it's not optimal doesn't mean it's not practical. I have clients who can't even walk and for them, swimming is the best way to burn calories in a low impact manner.
There are choices that you have - you can get more done in less time or take longer and enjoy it more. Swimming is not optimal for burning calories for a number of reasons - the water temperature actually helps cool the body. One way exercise burns calories is due to body heat and the body's efforts to sweat and cool down. It is also evident when you analyze the calorie breakdowns. Take a 190-lb male, for example. Spending one hour jogging can burn over 1,000 calories. Swimming, on the other hand, would require a vigorous effort of doing a butterfly for one hour to burn over 900 calories.
Obviously, the difference isn't so major it would make or break a program. Optimal has many interpretations. If optimal is burning more calories in a short period of time, running almost always wins out. If optimal is doing something that is low-impact on your joints, that you enjoy, and will stick with, then perhaps in your situation swimming is the way to go!
The reason you perhaps feel you get a better workout than an elliptical is perception. A runner will always feel that running is a better workout than swimming, and swimmers will always tell me they get a better workout swimming. You tend to focus your energy and go all out with what you enjoy, and that reward is having the workout you feel you deserve.