Qualifying for Master's Level Swim Club

I've been back in the pool and swimming for a couple months now and today I made a goal I set for myself a while back (when I got up to a mile in my workout).  The goal was to qualify for the Master's Level Swim Club at my Y.  To qualify you have to swim 2,000 meters (freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke only) in an hour or less.   Today I did it !!  Just under the wire but I did it!!  Hard to believe less than a year ago I could hardly walk 4 blocks and today I swam 2,000 meters in an hour. Now if I could get past this plateau - been gaining and losing the same two pounds for over 4 weeks now despite increased exercise and decreased calorie intake!  Frustrates me to no end because I easily go to that "it's not working" or "guess this is all I'm going to lose" place in my head and I'm still at 298!  Hopefully, there will be a big drop soon!!

Congratulations Steve,

 

 

An hour of swimming, wow. Great!  I understand when you say you would have never thought of exercising for an hour strait only a few months ago. I am also stuck in the 280 lbs range for the past 3 weeks, I have added some additional miles to my treadmill rowing machine weekly targets.  Keep up the good exercise habit, what is your next swimming goal? Herb

Way to go, Steve!  Think about all that nice lean muscle you are building up swimming!  I'm thinking you may weigh the same as 4 weeks ago, but that some of it is now muscle weight where it was fat weight! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you get a big drop soon, and that you are enjoying life much more than 6 months ago, even if the weight isn't exactly where you want it to be. Ken

I agree with Ken.....remember musle weighes more than fat.......if you have increased your workout you are adding more musle even though are burning fat. That could be what you are seeing. CONGRATS!!!! on your acomplishment. Cant wait to be able to get into a pool and swim myself. But there redoing my local Y pool for next three months.

As I have daughters taht swim and the yongest (age 12) that swims competitively and practices 2 hours a day 5 days a week,...let me say, TREMEDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT Master Swimmer!! The plateaus,...besides your weekly weigh in message (thanks again).  I was stuck at 294 in Jan and on the 4th week, I dropped over 3 days  to 277,.....then I got stuck again,..and on the 4th week I dropped over a couple of days to 264.  I'm stuck again and in my 4th week with no signs of mercy yet but the CNP told me to hold to the program, the loss is coming and will keep coming for the first 12-18 months, as long as I am eating correctly, getting  my water, and some exercise.  I might also note I had been dealing with a lot of anger and then depression.  Bananas,....my potassium was way low and bananas really seem to pick me up.  Apparently my walking/jogging regime was/is depleting what was previous sufficient.  An offereing incase you might hit the same wall. Congrads again on the swimming hurdle. I hope you can maintain your enthusiam for practice and improvement. Thanks for sharing your feat as it DOES inspire and motivate.

Steve, Congratulations!  I used to swim a lot when I was younger.  Now I have recently gotten back into it and am really enjoying myself.  While I can do several laps, I haven't reached my old proficiency level yet. You deserve a lot of credit.  Keep it up.