People Who Never Gain Weight Swear by This Surprisingly Simple Workout

Kaitlin Vogel
·3 min read
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You'll want to make this your workout of 2023.

Let’s be honest: It’s hard not to stress about gaining weight this time of year. Sure, it feels good to indulge in the moment (hello, Christmas cookies!), but when January 1 hits, we're usually left with a few extra pounds that we're not exactly excited about. 

The good news is that maintaining a healthy weight doesn’t have to be difficult. It simply requires mixing up your exercise routine.

The One Workout That Will Help Prevent Weight Gain

Experts agree the best exercise to prevent weight gain is swimming. Here's why.

Swimming Burns More Fat

Swimming is an excellent form of aerobic activity that helps in generating the benefits of physical activity while still being easy on the joints. It can help promote weight loss, build muscle, prevent injuries and relieve back pain, trainer John Gardner, Co-Founder & CEO of Kickoff, explains.

Related: Yes, Swimming Is a Great Way to Lose Weight—So Get Started With This Simple Workout

The water resistance helps you exert more effort and burn extra calories without feeling you’ve put in all that effort as the buoyancy of the water supports your body helping you continue swimming for longer periods than you would out of the water, Gardner adds. 

Swimming can help build more muscle

As a result of the water resistance, you end up exerting more effort, targeting different muscles that help you stay not only afloat, but also maneuver in the water. This power and effort need helps build more muscles which also works on burning more fats and helps you lose weight, Gardner states.

Swimming builds endurance and strength

Swimming can help burn calories, but it doesn't feel like a hard workout. It's also low impact, which means it won't hurt your joints or muscles. Swimming is also a great way to build endurance and strength, Lalitha McSorley, physiotherapist, says.

How to Optimize Your Swimming Workouts

In order to lose weight, you should opt for swimming at least four to five times a week for at least half an hour. The more practice and the more intense your workouts, the more weight you'll lose, Gardner explains.

However, if you've just started swimming, you should gradually ease into the workout by starting off with 15 to 20 minutes every other day instead. This will help prevent muscle soreness and injury and allow an individual to get used to exerting the right amount of effort for swimming.

“You can challenge yourself by increasing the intensity of your swims or trying different strokes,” says McSorely. “Swimming on a regular basis can help you maintain your weight and even lose some extra pounds if you want to. It's an ideal workout for people who don't like intense exercise, but still want to stay in shape. It's also a great way to relax, reduce stress and have fun.”

Next up: People Who Never Gain Weight Avoid This One Food, According to Nutritionists

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