How to swim to lose weight

21.08.2022

Would you like to lose a few pounds and are looking for a suitable sport to achieve this goal? Swimming is an excellent way to burn fat and lose weight. Here are some tips to reach your desired weight faster.

Swimming is an excellent sport for losing weight

Swimming is one of the sports with the highest energy consumption and is therefore excellent for burning fat and losing weight. Due to the activation of large muscle groups all over the body and the temperature difference with the water, the body consumes between 430 and 720 kilocalories (kcal) per hour, depending on the swimming intensity. This is a considerable amount, considering that the average energy consumption of a human being is about 2000 - 2500 kcal per day. In contrast to other sports such as running, swimming is also very easy on the joints and can be done daily without any problems.

As a rule of thumb, one kilogram (~ 2 pounds) of body fat contains about 7000 kcal. In order to burn one kilogram of body fat, one must therefore complete about 17 swimming workouts of 45 minutes each. A prerequisite for effective weight loss is, of course, that food intake is not increased at the same time. If you also change your diet - e.g. by reducing carbohydrate-containing foods - you can reach your desired weight correspondingly faster.

In this article we have compiled the best tips for losing weight by swimming.

1. Adjust your eating habits

To lose weight, the body must consume more calories than it receives. So weight loss is only realistic if the calories burned while swimming are not replenished in the form of food and drink. A proven diet is to limit the consumption of foods high in carbohydrates. These include bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, sweets. If you don’t want to give them up completely, you can also limit the intake of carbohydrates to a time window, e.g. only in the evening after 6:00 p.m. (Intermittent Fasting). You can find more information about this here.

2. Go swimming several times a week

The best way to do this is to create a habit and always go swimming at the same time on the same days of the week. Ideal for optimal weight loss would be 4 to 5 times a week, but ultimately every additional swim session is a success.

3. Try to improve your swimming technique

The motivation to swim is much higher with a concrete goal than if you just want to lose weight. Work on your arm, leg and breathing technique during each training session and enjoy the successes that will show up with regular training. The Swim Coach App can help you put together varied technique workouts based on your level and the time you have available. The better you swim, the more you will enjoy this sport and the longer distances you will cover in each training session. This will also help you reach your desired weight much faster.

4. Get paddles, fins and a pull buoy

Swimming equipment doesn’t cost a lot of money, but it makes swimming much more varied and also helps you lose weight. Paddles and fins increase the water resistance and thus promote muscle building. This not only gives you a nicely defined body shape, but at the same time increases your overall daily energy consumption due to the increased muscle mass. A Pull Buoy prevents the legs from sinking and thus ensures a better water position.

5. Swim in the morning before breakfast

This tip is not feasible for everyone, but definitely worth a try (e.g. on weekends). In the morning in a sober state, it is easier for the body to use the fat reserves as a source of energy.

Excellent app with a good price point. I've seen remarkable improvements in my time trials using a generated 12-week program. Highly recommend.

- Andrew, Google Play Store

I've tried at least 4 other swim apps, and this is the best one by far... price is super inexpensive comparatively and the quality of workouts and plans are great! As an experienced swimmer, this was everything I've been looking for.

- Swim Coach User, Apple App Store

I've been using this app for a couple of months now and will gladly keep it in my swimming toolbox. Easy to use. The workouts are fun and challenging. You can customise workouts to suit your needs. It definitely helped improve my swimming and kept me motivated.

- Louisa, Google Play Store

Awesome! You get the perfect workout for you every time. I download the workout onto my Garmin watch so I can just swim without fumbling around trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing.

- Anna, Google Play Store

Great app to start training without being an expert swimmer.

- Miguel, Google Play Store

It has been my swimming coach for the past 3 months and I've already shaved 15 seconds off my 100m pace.

- Tari, Google Play Store

Great app for setting up and recording swimming training, even in the free version.

- André, Google Play Store

I recommend this app which motivates me enormously and I enjoy swimming more with the targeted workouts. Very complete. Thanks!

- Alice, Apple App Store

6. Swim with different intensities

You will use more energy and make faster progress when swimming if you vary the intensity. One way to do this is to alternate between swimming 25 meters comfortably and 25 meters very fast. If you create a training plan in the Swim Coach App with the focus “Speed”, you will get suitable workouts. Besides the increased energy consumption during interval swimming, you will also train your heart and become more efficient in everyday life.

7. Swim in all swimming styles

Variety is the key to long-lasting motivation in swimming and also helps you develop a good feeling for the water. Therefore, get into the habit of swimming in all four styles (breaststroke, crawl, backstroke and butterfly). You will burn the most calories in butterfly, then crawl, followed by backstroke and breaststroke.

8. Set long-term goals

Habits that you can maintain over a long period of time are best. This applies to both swim training and nutrition. Therefore, choose realistic goals and slowly increase your training volume. This way you are much more likely to stay motivated and reach your weight goal.

9. Refrain from snacks before swimming

You may feel weak during your first swim workouts if you haven’t eaten anything beforehand. In return, you will train to burn fat and after a few weeks you will feel fit even without energy bars before swimming.

10. Make a training plan for yourself

When you arrive at the pool, you should already know what workout is coming up. If you don’t have a plan and a goal, there’s a high chance you’ll end the workout earlier than you intended. With a plan in your pocket, the hurdle of quitting your swim session early is much higher. If you don’t have time or don’t feel like putting together a plan yourself, the Swim Coach App can help.