Jogging can be an ideal form of exercise if you're trying to lose weight. You can jog almost anywhere, you don't need lessons or classes to develop your skills, and the only equipment you need is a pair of running shoes. As with any fitness program, check with your health-care provider before you start jogging to make sure you're healthy enough for the plan you have in mind.
The Facts
Jogging can help you lose weight because it increases the number of calories you burn in a day. The number of calories you burn while jogging depends on how much you weigh and the intensity of your workout. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that a 154-lb. person burns approximately 295 calories per half-hour of jogging and 590 calories per one hour of jogging. The more you weigh, the more calories you burn.
Significance
To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. To lose 1 lb., you'll need to burn 3,500 calories. If you're a 154-lb. person, that means you'll need to jog for almost six hours to lose 1 lb. If you jog for an hour six days out of the week, you can lose about a pound a week jogging. If you jog for 30 minutes six days of the week, you can lose about 1/2 pound per week jogging.
Considerations
If you're just getting started jogging, don't push yourself too hard, recommends the American Council on Exercise. You'll increase your risk for injury and workout burnout. Instead, start slow, aiming to jog 30 minutes three or four times a week, and work your way up to more intensity and frequency. As you increase intensity and frequency, you'll burn more calories and ultimately lose more weight.
Expert Insight
If weight loss is your goal, consider changing your diet as well as jogging, recommends Danny Dreyer, author of "Chi Running: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running," in "Fitness" magazine. Lowering your daily calorie count by 500 calories can help you lose approximately 1 lb. per week, essentially doubling your weight loss from jogging alone. Just be sure that your diet includes plenty of healthy carbohydrates -- in the form of vegetables and whole grains -- and lean proteins to give your body the energy it needs to run.
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