I found a website that gives you a rough idea on how many calories certain exercises would burn. As always, your mileage may vary, but these are a good enough approximation for you to get started with should you be interested in what you are burning.

But that is not the reason for this aside. No, the reason I am writing this is because 140 characters was simply not enough. The other day I saw mention that the best way to get started with any fitness or weight loss program is to incorporate weight training. In my opinion, that statement is a mistake and is going to cause people to hurt themselves as they try to toss around weights as if they were twenty years younger.

No sir, if you really want to see results over a short period of time, then go jump in the pool. You get all the benefits of strength training combined with the fat burning of cardio. Plus, it reverses the aging process as described in this documentary with Wilford Brimley who is still alive at 137 years old. Well, it might be all that oatmeal, but I am certain the swimming is a big reason why as well.

So, for those looking to partake in Active August, go jump in the pool. Your body will thank you. Swimming offers very little pressure on your joints, it gives you just enough resistance as if you were lifting weights, and it increases your lung capacity. I have often heard and read about people in their 80′s that swim moderately a few times a week have the same lung capacity as people less than half their age.

It really is the fountain of youth. When combined with some extra training (running, tennis, basketball, soccer, racquetball, weights, etc.) you can see amazing results in just a few short months. But Active August is about the 31 days, and I intend to make the most of it that I can.