Jogging is a popular form of exercise because it doesn't require any special equipment and can be performed in almost any environment. Jogging helps to promote cardiovascular health and overall fitness, but also can be an effective tool for weight loss. To get the most out of your jogging and weight loss plan, you'll need to keep a few tips in mind and check with your doctor before beginning a new regimen.
Identification
Jogging is an aerobic activity that isn't as intense as running but requires more muscle activity than walking because of the increased speed, bouncing, balance issues and deep breathing. The heavier you are, the more calories you'll burn while jogging. According to MayoClinic.com, if you weigh 160 lbs. you can burn 584 calories jogging at 5 mph, whereas a 240-lb. person will burn 872 calories jogging at the same rate in an hour. To lose one pound of fat, you need to average 500 fewer calories per day from your diet or 500 more calories burned through exercise like jogging.
Expert Insight
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center compared exercisers with non-exercisers and their visceral fat, or belly fat, composition. The study, published in July 2005 in the "Journal of Applied Physiology," found that non-exercisers had a 9 percent gain in visceral fat after six months, while those who walked or jogged 12 miles per week added no visceral fat. The greatest success came from subjects who jogged 20 miles per week, losing both visceral fat and subcutaneous fat, the type found just under the skin. A separate review of 3,700 men and women who were part of the National Weight Control Registry, published in "Obesity" in January 2008, found that those who lost 30 lbs. or more and kept the weight off for at least a year burned 400 calories per day, the equivalent of 35 to 40 minutes of jogging.
Considerations
An FAA study found that joggers and runners burned more calories while running on an incline than on level ground: a difference of up to 300 calories per hour. You also can increase the amount of calories you burn while jogging by increasing your speed, with the FAA results finding an almost 100 percent greater increase in the number of calories used at double the pace. How long you jog also plays a factor in how much weight you're lose. Both the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" and the USDA Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines found that people who are most successful at weight loss get 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.
Warning
Although jogging is less stressful on the body than running, consult a physician before beginning a new routine, especially if you are older or have a chronic illness or risk factors for heart disease. You also should avoid jogging to the point that it makes you breathe so hard you can't talk, and it shouldn't cause any chest pain. If you experience such symptoms, stop jogging immediately and contact your doctor.
References
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; Inactivity, Exercise, and Visceral fat; Cris A. Slentz, et al.; February 2005.
- Harvard School of Public Health: Exercise and Weight Control
- "Obesity"; Physical Activity Patterns in the National Weight Control Registry; V.A. Catenacci VA; January 2008.
- University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics: Running or Jogging
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Chronicle of the Institute of Medicine Physical Activity Recommendation; George A Brooks; May 2004.
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