Whether you join a local running group, team up with a friend or jog solo, putting miles on your running shoes will help you lose weight if you're consistent and watch what you eat. The amount of weight you lose depends on factors such as your diet and the frequency and duration of your runs. Jogging is more complex than putting one foot in front of the other; build your endurance for running by starting with walking and jogging intervals. Once you're able to jog nonstop for 30 minutes, you'll not only reap the weight management benefits of your accomplishment, you'll feel stronger and more in control of your fitness and health.
Identification
Jogging qualifies as a vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise, meaning that you can burn up to twice as many calories than in a moderate-intensity workout of the same duration. For this reason, you can get similar weight loss results with 30-minute jogs that you get from 60-minute walks, for example. Not only does jogging help you manage your weight, but it helps build and retain bone density, improves cardiovascular fitness and builds lean muscle mass, as well as reduces your risk for certain chronic diseases.
Workout Regimen
It may take 250 minutes or more of moderate-intensity exercise weekly to produce significant weight loss. That means you'd need to jog 30 minutes at least six days a week to get similar results from vigorous-intensity exercise. Three or four jogging workouts a week is a more realistic goal, since you need to give your running muscles a chance to recover from repetitive work. Consider performing other types of physical activity on the days you're not jogging. For example, you could walk for an hour, work out to an aerobic dance video or ride a stationary bike to change up your routine without sacrificing the weight loss benefits of regular exercise.
Potential
The amount of time you spend jogging will depend on individual factors, such as your fitness level, whether you're training for a road race and your goals. As a general guideline, if you're jogging for 30 minutes four times per week, you'll burn approximately 1,580 calories weekly. For every 30 minutes of jogging that you add to your routine, add 295 calories to your total expenditure.
Synopsis
It takes a negative balance of 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of weight. If you burn 1,580 calories jogging over the course of a week, that translates to a little less than 8 oz. of weight loss per week or almost 1 lb. per month. You can boost your weight-loss potential by trimming calories from your eating plan. You can lose an additional 8 oz. per week by consuming 250 fewer calories per day. Check with your doctor before changing your eating and exercise habits if you have a history of heart, chronic health or orthopedic problems.
References
- American Institute for Cancer Research: Moderate vs. Vigorous Activity
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight
- American College of Sports Medicine: ACSM Position Stand on Physical Activity and Weight Loss
- Jeff Galloway: Tips From Nancy Clark: Exercise and Weight Control: Myths, Truths and Gender Differences
- American Council on Exercise: Ready to Run
Member Comments