Jogging is a good form of cardiovascular exercise, but it can also provide an excellent form of weight loss. Knowing the best jogging pace for efficient weight loss requires you to know information about your target heart rate and a way to monitor your heart rate while you jog.
Aerobic Exercise
When you exercise, your body converts one of two substances into energy, either glycogen or fat. Either glycogen or fat, and sometimes both, are converted into calories to power your muscles. The key to weight loss is choosing exercises that maximize the burning of calories from fat, rather than glycogen. Aerobic exercise is the most efficient type of exercise for burning the largest percentage of calories from fat. As such, jogging at a pace to reach aerobic intensity is the best pace for weight loss.
Target Heart Rate
Your aerobic intensity level is a part of your target heart rate range. Target heart rate range is a set of heart rate values that provide a guide for your exercise. Aerobic exercise only makes up a part of your target heart rate range, leaving room for other exercise types; including anaerobic exercise. Your target heart rate is 50 to 85 percent of your max heart rate. Calculate max heart rate for women by subtracting 88 percent of age from 206. For men, subtract age from 220. Your aerobic intensity level is in the 70 to 80 percent area of your target heart rate range. Jog at this intensity for the best weight loss results.
Heart Rate Monitor
Because the best pace for weight loss jogging is determined by your heart rate, a heart rate monitor is a highly recommended workout accessory. Heart rate monitors are capable of detecting and displaying your heart rate as you exercise. This real time information can guide your jogging pace into the best weight loss intensity zone. Many heart rate monitors also feature programs that allow you to input your aerobic exercise range. Then, as you exercise the monitor will alert you with alarms or beeps if you fall outside your target weight loss heart rate intensity.
Considerations
If you are interested in weight loss, consider adding a diet of reduced caloric intake and balanced nutrition to your jogging program. Any successful weight loss program will combine diet and exercise for the best weight loss results. As your exercise burns fat stores already in your body, a diet prevents new stores of fat from being created. Consider that as you jog, your fitness level will increase and you will need to jog faster to maintain the same heart rate. Always use your heart rate to guide your workout, rather than speed or distance.
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