Good morning everyone!

I got this article in an e-mail from the South Beach Diet website. I thought it'd be great to share here. No matter what weight loss plan you're on, this article can be beneficial.

Happy reading...

Swim Your Way to Good Health

The hot, often humid, days of summer are upon us. What better time to enjoy a dip in the pool? Swimming is a great way to get in shape while mixing up your regular exercise routine. Plus, many of us spend quality time near the pool, beach, or lake over the summer, making it a convenient way to get fit.

Swimming is a low-impact cardiovascular exercise, which means you can work your heart without putting undue stress on your joints. Many older people, and those with ailments like arthritis, choose swimming as their primary form of exercise because of its gentle nature. In addition, the rhythmic repetition of swimming laps or doing water aerobics aids in stress reduction and relaxation.

Don't have a swimming pool? You can still take advantage of the health benefits of swimming. Many communities have neighborhood pools that charge a small membership fee for the summer. You can also create your own lap lane at a local pond or lake.

Dr. Agatston advises working up to 20 minutes of cardio intervals (where you alternate between short bursts of intensive effort and easier recovery periods) on a daily basis. He also suggests finding activities that you enjoy. For those new to swimming, you'll discover that it can be a pleasant — and heart-healthy — form of exercise

I swa 30 laps yesterday, and it felt fantastic! My heart rate was up, but I didn't feel disgustingly sweaty or like it was a huge pain...I highly recommend it.

I could live in the water. Really. When I herniated a disk about 15 years ago, I was working as a probation officer. When I was able to return to work, I was able to adjust my work hours, because I did after-hours appointments for probationees who worked. So, I'd swim before work, at lunch, and after work every day. At first, I couldn't even swim, and I'd just tread water (the relief from gravity was heavenly), and the only purpose of the water was to relieve the pain by counteracting gravity, but I told my supervisor (joking) that I'd just take my files to the pool, and we could send all my appointments to the YMCA and I'd see people poolside while I tread water.

But seriously, I love swimming. I feel so bad for people (especially those who're 200 lbs smaller than me) who won't swim because of they way they look in a swimsuit. Swimming is the absolute best exercise for people who are overweight, in pain or disabled. Taking gravity out of the equation allows a person to REALLY get an aerobic work out when they might not be able to on land.

Hmm, the therapy pool opens in about an hour. I think I'll see if hubby would be interested. We go there because neither of us can swim in cold water anymore (pain conditions and severe to moderate arthritis). The water isn't "bath-water" warm (I find it difficult to swim in water that warm), but there's virtually no "adjustment period" getting into the water. You can walk in, and the water is usually just a little warmer than the air. It's really weird when the water is exactly the same temperature as the air, because the water almost doesn't even feel wet, or maybe it's more like the feeling that the air suddenly becomes wet. It's like you can't tell where the air stops and the water begins. It's a really quick sensation just as you walk into the water, and then it's "normal" again.

I'm rambling, sorry.

I don't even own a swim suit. Haven't been swimming in over 10 years, but I'm going to buy a suit next week. The following weekend I'm moving in at my Mom's and plan to take advantage of the pool in her backyard at least once a week. It's so hot and humid here in FL that the pool will be a welcome relief.

I've been swimming loads lately, 5 times a week.
I actually fell slimmer after I've been. Even if in reality I'm not.
I always do at least 80 lengths. It only takes me an hour.

80 lengths wow!! I went swimming yesterday. I love to swim and we swim in the lake but I have always found that swimming increases my appetite whereas other types of exercise suppress it. Maybe it is because of the cold water???

Swimming increases my appetite too, but when I was a kid, after swimming lessons, my mom would tell me "you're not hungry, you're tired - go take a nap."

To this day, I tell myself this after swimming, that I'm not "really" hungry, I'm just tired, so I take a nap. And I do sleep like the dead after swimming, and wake up less hungry than when I laid down, so I do think it's true.

They did do a survey, and found swimmers typically ate the most after a swim workout. But if you take something like an apple to have after, it curbs your hunger and doesn't ruin your diet.