- If you're anything like me,
then you'll have childhood memories
of heading to the pool, getting out
and feeling pretty ravenous.
I have to admit, I've actually carried this through
to adulthood and when I've finished a swim session,
I'll eat pretty much anything I can get my hands on.
And if this sounds familiar, you might be pleased to hear
there's actually some evidence as to why this happens.
So today I'm going to go and investigate
why swimming makes us so hungry.
(beeping)
(water splashes)
This answer actually involves several layers
and in general, your body is actually starting
to compensate for that drop in core body temperature
after spending some time in the pool.
But more on that bit in a moment.
This is then coupled with the fact that, obviously,
you have burned a significant amount of calories
just like you would with any form of exercise.
And these two together then trigger your body
to release more of the hunger hormone, ghrelin.
Which obviously, is going to make you want to eat more
and helps your body to make sure that you're refueling.
Perhaps this can help answer the riddle
that many people face.
It's common for someone to go and do exercise
purely to lose weight,
but it doesn't always get the results
that they might be hoping for.
And that's because it is really easy
to actually consume more calories
than you're burning during that activity.
So with that in mind, I think it's time
we head to the swimming pool.
(upbeat music)
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
Put that into swimming terms and if you're in water
that's close to body temperature,
so 37 degrees centigrade, or 98 Fahrenheit,
then it's actually been proven
to have less of an effect on your hunger
as your body isn't going to need to react
to conditions that are more similar
to what it's used to normally.
That sounds simple, right?
However, most swimming pools aren't heated up
to body temperature water.
They're normally closer to 28 degrees centigrade
which is 82 Fahrenheit.
That said, I can't imagine actually swimming
in water that is at body temperature as even
in conditions with 30 degrees for example,
it's going to be rather hard to get any fast efforts
and it'll make you feel pretty lethargic.
However on the flip side,
if you were doing a training session that gets you hot
and sweaty, it tends to have the effect
of actually suppressing your appetite.
And this is partly due to the fact that the blood
is going to need to flow to the surface
to help your body cool down
and regulate its temperature and therefore,
it's taking your blood away from your stomach.
Whereas if you're doing the same intensity
of exercise but in a swimming pool for example,
it's going to be much cooler so your body
isn't going to naturally have to cool itself down
so the blood can continue to flow as normal,
including to your stomach which then,
in theory allows you to become hungry.
(upbeat music)
Whether you're swimming in a pool or open water,
the colder the water, the greater the effect
it's going to have on your hunger,
and the more likely you are to make poor food choices.
Whether that's going home and raiding the fridge
or even stopping on your way home at the local garage
or shop and picking up food
that isn't going to help with your recovery.
Or you might be wondering
if this has the same effect
of doing a training session outside in the cold.
Well it doesn't in actual fact,
as obviously we've talked about earlier,
the water temperature has a far greater effect
on your core body temperature
than the surrounding air will do.
(upbeat music)
So I expect, you are dying to know
what you can do to counteract this feeling
of extreme hunger you get after swimming.
Well like we've talked about the cooling effect,
you now need to warm your core body temperature up
to try and reduce that feeling of hunger.
One of which, if you've got the facilities,
is to jump in a sauna or a hot tub for five to 10 minutes
and that'll soon bring your temperature back up
and hopefully suppress some of that hunger.
If you don't have those facilities,
then maybe just sit under a nice warm shower.
Also having a hot drink can get straight to your core
and can really have a positive effect there.
And if all else fails,
and you are still going to be hungry after swimming
and after all, you have burnt some calories
then just make sure you're prepared for that
by bringing plenty of healthy snacks
you can have straight after your swim
rather than getting tempted by the swim sports cafe
or the vending machines on your way home.
I think the biggest take home from this investigation
is the fact that the hunger you feel after swimming
doesn't directly reflect the amount of calories
you might have burned or how hard
or how long your swim session was.
And I know it's reassured me to know
that I'm not alone in this feeling of hunger after swimming.
And also just to understand what's happening
will enable me to be better prepared next time
and hopefully you guys too.
Let us know in the comments section below
how you deal with your post swimming hunger
and give us a like and a follow at GTN.