If your New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and get fit, you’re not alone—it’s a common theme among adults of any age. If you’re not ready for strenuous exercise, don’t worry. There is still a way to increase your strength levels and lose weight, all while having fun at the same time: swimming! Find out why indoor pools are great places to start your fitness journey.

Why swim in indoor pools?

Swimming is great exercise (more on that later), but if you live in a cold climate, it can be hard to find a place to swim without feeling like you’re taking part in a polar bear dive. However, indoor pools do have temperature controls, which can help ensure you’re not too hot or too cold when you exercise. Look for one with hot water and full changing rooms to ensure your hair is completely dry before heading outdoors.

Also, look for indoor pools that have convenient hours open for swimming, so it’s easy to fit exercise into your busy schedule. When times are convenient, it’s harder to make an excuse to stop exercising.

Swimming burns a lot of calories

When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s basic math. Your calories need to be less than the calories your body is using. Swimming is a great exercise because it can burn a lot of calories. Actual calorie burn can vary depending on the stroke you’re doing, so if you’re not sure how many you’re burning in the pool, consider purchasing a heart rate monitor. Be sure to find one that’s designed for use in water so it won’t damage you, and look for one that uses a chest strap to accurately track how many calories you’ve burned.

Swimming is ideal for people with injuries or physical limitations

If you are extremely overweight or your joints are in poor shape, running, biking, or even walking can be difficult. However, swimming is a perfect exercise. Water removes up to 90% of your body’s pressure on your joints so you can swim without worrying about pain. In addition, water reduces the chance of injury.

Swimming is great for your muscles

When you ride a bike or run, the only muscles that get a workout are your legs! However, when you are swimming, your whole body moves. The resistance provided by the water helps build muscle throughout the body, but especially in the quads, triceps, and pectorals. This full-body workout can help ensure that your lower body isn’t overdeveloped, neglecting your upper body. The resistance also acts as a natural weight, meaning you won’t need to spend more time lifting weights. When you eliminate your resistance training and cardio at the same time, you’re maximizing your efficiency and spending less time exercising.

If you’re looking for a great way to burn calories, but are worried about physical limitations, there’s nothing better than swimming in indoor pools. Make this the year you really stick to your New Year’s resolution to get fit or lose weight and look for local indoor pools that can help make it happen.