Hearing from the pediatrician that your child is obese is a punch to the gut. Obesity can lead to other diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Coming up with ways to help your child lose weight can be very overwhelming. Because your child is so young, an exercise routine is going to be tougher to figure out than an adult's. Luckily, there is one activity that will get your child excited to burn pounds; swimming. Along with a proper diet, swimming will meet all of the needs that your child has on this journey to becoming healthy.
Full Cardiovascular
One of the best benefits of swimming is that it is a full cardiovascular exercise. Unlike other exercises like jogging or biking, swimming will require that your child use all of his muscles. Because your child is using all of his muscles, his lungs and heart must work double time in order to supply him with the oxygen that is needed. In order to be successful at losing weight, your child's heart rate must be elevated to burn calories. Just having a simple swim around the pool will burn about five hundred calories per hour. Over time, once your child starts to get into the routine and build stronger muscles, he could burn up to seven hundred calories per hour.
Build A Stronger Core
Swimming also helps your child to build a stronger core and lean muscles. Swimming requires you to maintain a certain form while under water so that you swim properly. By working out these core muscles and using your arms and legs, you are building lean muscles. Your child will be learning to have a resistance to water by using his hips, arms, shoulders and glutes to push water. When your child starts to build this lean muscle, his metabolism will kick into overdrive, meaning he will start burning calories even quicker.
Builds Stamina
Regular exercise like running or biking will wear down on your child. Because your child is obese, simple exercises will take a toll on him because of the weight that is wearing down on his joints and bones. With swimming, however, there will be about eighty percent less weight getting in his way. If there is less weight, there will be less chances of pain and fatigue which means your child will be able to go longer without having to stop for a break. If there is less pressure on your child's joints, he can swim longer and burn more calories.
Obesity puts your child at risk for other diseases. A weight loss plan doesn't need to stress you out or make you overwhelmed. By combining swimming with a proper diet, your child will be able to begin his journey to a healthier living style. Consider having him join a team like the Jersey Wahoos Swim Club and maybe he'll even make some friends while getting his exercise.