By: Blonde Two
I can’t stop eating!
In fact ever since I started sea swimming in November I have been ravenous. I’m not just talking, ‘I fancy a nibble’ here; my stomach spends a lot of its time actually rumbling. One of my swimming friends described the phenomenon very well when she said, ‘I’m like a locust!’
I have been telling myself that fully immersing in freezing cold (well 7.5 degrees) water each day will go a long way to counteract the additional calories.
I have been lying!
One of the issues I think is that having given up my pool membership in favour of the much colder sea, I am now in the water for only 5 – 15 minutes at a time (although 5 instead of 3 times a week). There has been weather too down here in Devon, so some of those swims have been more like bobs. I did manage 300 metres the other day and felt very proud (but probably didn’t burn that many calories).
Scientists appear to be confused on the subject of cold water appetite (I am not, I just eat!) There are some suggestions that the cold causes your body to release fat storing hormones which in turn demand energy. To be honest it is all a bit annoying, surely someone who is getting up at 6.30 most mornings to go and do February sea swimming deserves to lose a bit of weight?
One article on this topic suggested that a warm-up run after swimming might help combat hunger pangs. I always take a hot drink but to be honest I prefer chips!
