Reply to: Does this count as proper exercise?

[mudskipper]

Such as?

Posting on CUK of course.

[d000hg]

That doesn't sound like fun

I'm not sure. I've put on something like 2.5 stone over the last 5-7 years at a very gradual rate. Given I've worked from home 5 years this could be a factor! I seem to be only just past the tipping point of gaining weight and since I can go all week without leaving the house otherwise, I reckon this level of exercise might tip it back - not quickly but reverse the slow gain.

More important than simply losing weight - I'm far from obese at 12st 3lb - is my fitness. I wouldn't mind being chubby if I was fit (I think the two are possible)

[Spacecadet]

Does doing that 3-5 times a week constitute a healthy level of exercise that will have a realistic impact on fitness and fatness?

You'll still need to look at your diet if you're over weight and want to lose the belly.

[Mich the Tester]

Working from home I thought I'd try to get into the habit of swimming each lunchtime. But I can only really spare an hour out of the house and the pool is 10-15min walk away (on a hill). So with time to change factored in, that's probably 25min walking (half uphill) and 25min swimming.

Does doing that 3-5 times a week constitute a healthy level of exercise that will have a realistic impact on fitness and fatness?

Yes, that's a healthy level of exercise, but the impact depends on your current and earlier level of exercise. Training to get fitter/faster/stronger means pushing yourself a bit each time and getting the right amount of rest in between.
Put simply, if you are Chris Hoy, then riding a brompton at 10 mph to the pub around the corner and back isn't going to make you fitter or faster and in fact you'll get fat and wobbly (Chris Hoy eats about 8000 calories a day). If you don't exercise or do little exercise then your plan will be good for you.

[shaunbhoy]

Such as?

HTH

[BrilloPad]

I'm too busy, I've other stuff to do in the evening.

Such as?

[BrilloPad]

Swim twice a week and you will speed up by 0.5s/100m

Miss a week and you slow down by 1.0s/100m

IMO you are doing a good amount of exercise. Well done and keep going!

You could always jog there and back.......

[EternalOptimist]

When I reach for a can of fozzies, i make swimming motions with my arms as if I am in the pool. When I have secured it, I lean back make 'Backstroke' motions and flip my feet.
Then when I am swigging it, I make 'golfish' type gulping and neck exercises


it works for me

[d000hg]

I'm too busy, I've other stuff to do in the evening.

[Brussels Slumdog]

start work earlier or finish later

Working from home I thought I'd try to get into the habit of swimming each lunchtime. But I can only really spare an hour out of the house and the pool is 10-15min walk away (on a hill). So with time to change factored in, that's probably 25min walking (half uphill) and 25min swimming.

Does doing that 3-5 times a week constitute a healthy level of exercise that will have a realistic impact on fitness and fatness?

Why don't you just start work half an hour earlier or work later to make up the lost time?

[d000hg]

It is bound to do you good. If you want to really maximise the benefit though, just jog there and back in your budgie smugglers. This will cut out the time lost through having to change giving you a longer swim, and the extra calories you burn trying to escape getting a kicking from youths on the run back whilst sopping wet will have you looking like a racing snake in no time.

[shaunbhoy]

It is bound to do you good. If you want to really maximise the benefit though, just jog there and back in your budgie smugglers. This will cut out the time lost through having to change giving you a longer swim, and the extra calories you burn trying to keep warm on the run back whilst sopping wet will have you looking like a racing snake in no time.

HTH

aussielong

[TestMangler]

I would need a cig and a rest by the time I got to the pool. Finish the cig and it would be time to start back down again.

I'm sure a half decent business project manager would suggest you have the cig in the pool while swimming to deliver the end result quicker

[northernladuk]

I would need a cig and a rest by the time I got to the pool. Finish the cig and it would be time to start back down again.

[SimonMac]

Anything is better than nothing