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$Title{How Good is Swimming as an Exercise to Lose Weight?}
$Subject{exercise swim swimming fitness Community Social lifestyle lifestyles
aerobic heart overweight weight reduction muscle tone exercises exercising
metabolism back joint joints}
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Exercise Strengthens the Heart*0003202.scf
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Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


How Good is Swimming as an Exercise to Lose Weight?


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QUESTION:  Although I have never been much good at keeping to a training
program, my new living arrangements permit me access to a swimming pool.
Although most people just splash around, I am interested in knowing just how
good swimming is as an exercise to lose weight?

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ANSWER:  The only way to lose weight is to expand more calories than you take
in.  Swimming is an excellent way to burn calories, and, combined with a
moderate, calorie reduced, balanced diet, can help you take off weight.  Since
it's a rhythmic, aerobic exercise, swimming is also beneficial for the heart.
It has an added advantage of being good for the back and joints since water
bears most of your weight, eliminating excess burdens on the spine, hips,
knees and ankles.
     To take off a pound of fat, you have to burn 3,500 calories.  According
to The Official YMCA Fitness Program, the breast stroke burns 7 to 11 calories
per minute, the backstroke burns 8 to 11.5 calories per minute, and the crawl
9 to 14 calories per minute, depending on how much you weigh and how fast you
swim.  A good regimen would be to swim three times a week for forty minutes.
For the purposes of weight reduction, this can be accomplished in divided
doses.  You would burn off a pound every three weeks without dieting!  If you
diet too, you could lose weight even faster.  And swimming will not only help
take weight off, it will firm you up and improve your muscle tone, perhaps
giving you a new svelte look!

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.