Swimmers join our workouts for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common goals are to improve speed or technique, meet peers who share love for the water, and to get in better shape. No matter what your goals are, you are all in the right place and we are thrilled to have you on board.
Getting in shape means different things for different people. For some, it's purely a matter of increasing strength and endurance. For others, it may also involve losing weight. If weight loss happens to be one of your workout goals, here's some math to consider. Losing one pound of fat requires burning 3,700 more calories than consumed. Conversely, you can gain a pound by taking in 3,700 more calories than you burn.
For AGUA Masters members, an hour spent swimming at least 3,000 yards will burn about 1,230 calories. The average Masters swimmer attends three practices a week, burning the caloric equivalent of one pound. Swimming more times per week, adding strength training to your routine, and simple nutritional adjustments like favoring protein over carbs can potentially increase this rate. The math is easy, the work is not.
Here's the bottom line. The number of calories you need each day depends on whether you want to maintain, lose, or gain weight, as well as various other factors, such as your gender, age, height, current weight, activity levels, and metabolic health. If your goal is to reduce calories, increasing exercise, hydration, and focus on nutrition can help you lose weight in a healthy way.
