<p>School starts back this Monday, and I'm trying to get serious about losing weight. I'd get on the treadmill/stair climber deal in the rec center, but I find that boring. I've always loved swimming, but doing so involves taking off my shirt...which I don't want to do. But, I don't want to embarrass myself by swimming with a t-shirt, so I'm screwed either way. What should I do? Let my gut and burgeoning man boobs hang out, or wear a t-shirt and look like an insecure fat guy?</p>
<p>Why didn’t you get serious about losing weight at the beginning of the summer?</p>
<p>Just go swimming. Love yourself first, no matter how you look like. You’ll always be a work in progress.</p>
<p>Insomniatic, that wasn’t very helpful, was it?</p>
<p>I can understand about being self-conscious about swimming if you’re unhappy with the way you look. Beyond that, losing weight and getting in shape while you’re still young is really important. Take if from me, it doesn’t get any easier as you get older! At the pool, most people will be so focused on themselves (and their own insecurities) that they won’t even notice you. </p>
<p>So in answer to your specific question, it doesn’t really matter if you do or don’t wear a t-shirt (although it will certainly be easier to actually swim without one). What’s really important is to get moving and take care of yourself.</p>
<p>Wearing a t-shirt will just draw attention that you are fat. Just go shirtless. Swimming is probably the best calorie burning exercise, so why keep yourself from doing something that will get you in better shape quicker than other exercises.</p>
<p>It was just a question. Like you said, it will be harder to lose wright as you get older. The person shouldn’t be trying to get serious about losing weight, they should be really serious about losing weight.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice so far. And thanks for the brutal honesty, insomniatic. I need that.</p>
<p>To be honest, I don’t know why I waited until school started back. I just haven’t really given a crap about what I’ve eaten this summer. I worked a lot, saw a couple of movies, did some light reading, just kinda BS’d around. It went by entirely too fast.</p>
<p>insomniatic: way to be a total jerk…</p>
<p>Also, I don’t think you should be embarrassed about wearing a t-shirt. I know a lot of people who do this. Cheer up. :]</p>
<p>As you can tell from the original poster, he thanked me about being brutally honest.</p>
<p>I think you should do some distance runs as well. They’re not as boring as a treadmill and you can wear a shirt and on one will care. Or even walk/run around a local track. </p>
<p>Swimming is good too, but don’t just do one thing, as it will become tedious.</p>
<p>Yeah, my school’s rec center has an indoor track. I’ve searching around trying to see other ways of burning calories, and people say running burns a lot of calories, too. The problem is, I’ve got asthma and I get winded pretty quick. I don’t know if my school has any elliptical machines, but I was thinking of trying that, too. I’ve always liked swimming, though, and I know you burn a lot of calories just by being in the water because it works your whole body. Plus it’s no impact (unless you count pushing off the wall after a lap impact) so I really like that. But…it’s the aesthetic factor I’m worried about.</p>
<p>I personally love the ellipticals. =]</p>
<p>I say you should just do brisk walking around the track for 40 minutes every day. Also, watch what you eat and drink lots of water.</p>
<p>I’ll consider it, but like I said, walking/jogging/running is just kind of boring to me. At least swimming is different. I walk everyday anyway. Deliberate walking just seems like it will make me tired on top of the whole boring thing.</p>
<p>How tall are you and how much do you weigh?</p>
<p>If you’re only slightly overweight and not morbidly obese, I would just lift weights and do cardio to keep somewhat in shape.</p>
<p>Walking is weak sauce. It burns so few calories that it is such a waste of time. Just go with running, and push yourself as much as you can.</p>
<p>I mean you could walk around campus/town and stuff more, that will give you a change of scenery. Don’t use asthma as a crutch though, you can still run/jog just don’t go crazy at first and build up. I know many athletes with asthma who do running sports and although they usually have their inhalers nearby they do fine.</p>
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<p>I live near the beach and see people of all shapes and sizes swimming in the ocean. If you’re uncomfortable going shirtless while swimming, you could try finding a rash guard in your size. They look good and tend to “keep things from jiggling”. Give it a try.</p>
<p>I’m 5’10 1/2. I’m not sure how much I weigh, but I’d probably guess between 240-255.</p>
<p>Asthma isn’t your problem then, it’s that you are obese.</p>
<p>You need to cut the calories and work out. Given your high weight, you will burn more calories than working out than an in shape person, so if you eat healthy and work out properly, the fat should just melt off.</p>