Jogging is a moderate- to high-intensity form of physical activity that provides both weight-loss and cardiovascular benefits. Beside burning calories, jogging on a regular basis helps improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and prevent certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and some forms of cancer. Consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise or weight-loss regimen, particularly if you have been sedentary or have health concerns.
Effects
Your current weight and the pace of your jog determine how many calories you burn. For instance, MayoClinic.com calculates, if you weigh 160 lbs. and jog at a pace of 5 miles per hour, you'll burn 584 calories in 60 minutes. If you weigh 200 lbs., you'll burn 728 calories in an hour jogging at the same pace. Moving at a pace of 4 mph for 60 minutes burns approximately 363 calories if you weigh 160 lbs.
Time Frame
You might need as much as 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity per day to lose weight. Thirty minutes is the minimum daily recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine for an adult seeking to maintain health and reduce the risk of medical disorders.
Benefits
To lose 1 lb. of body fat, you need to burn approximately 3,500 calories. If you burn an average of 500 calories per jogging session and you jog every day of the week, this will put you on track for an average weight loss of 1 lb. per week. Trimming your calorie intake by making dietary changes helps speed the rate of weight loss.
Considerations
To increase calorie burn, consider participating in an interval-training program. When you participate in interval training, you cycle between periods of moderate-intensity exercise and high-intensity exercise. A sample jogging interval workout session would be to jog at a steady pace of 4 mph for four minutes, then increase your speed to a 7-mph run for two minutes. Repeat the process for the duration of your jog.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour; Dec. 1, 2009
- American Council on Exercise: Interval Training
- American College of Sports Medicine; Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines; 2007
- American Council on Exercise: Physical Activity Calorie Calculator
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise: 7 Benefits of Regular Activity; July 25, 2009
Member Comments