You should do at least 30 minutes daily of jogging or another aerobic exercise, according to the activity guidelines created by the American Heart Association. However, if you need or want an exercise that offers equivalent benefits to jogging, you have many options. The faster or harder you exercise, the more quickly you will burn calories and get fit. If you have health issues, consult your doctor before starting a new aerobic exercise routine.
Walking
A gentle stroll around the yard or shopping in the mall does not provide an equivalent exercise for jogging. However, walking at a brisk rate equals a moderate-paced jog. Walking a very intense 12-minute mile burns 470 to 745 calories per hour. Jogging at the same rate burns about 100 extra calories per hour, making the two workouts somewhat comparable. If you have a knee injury or are out of shape, walking provides a lower-impact way to get into cardiovascular shape.
Climbing
If you want to work out a slower rate but gain the same or more cardiovascular benefits as a jogging workout, do a form of climbing. Hiking uphill will elevate your heart rate and offers the additional benefit of strengthening your calves, thighs and gluteal muscles. Add a weighted pack and you will burn a similar amount of calories as you do jogging. If you want to burn even more calories, climb stairs instead of hills. Using a stair treadmill burns 650 to 980 calories per hour.
Running
If you are in better shape and seek a workout that pushes you to the next level of fitness, replace jogging with running. A fast 7.5-minute mile burns between 980 and 1,470 calories per hour. If you cannot sustain that pace for the duration of your workout, try speed intervals. Run as fast as you can for one minute, slow down to recover for 30 seconds, and then run at a challenging pace for five minutes. Repeat this cycle for the duration of your run, and you will spike your heart rate and keep it elevated even during your recovery periods.
Low-impact Workouts
You do not need to pound the pavement to burn calories and get fit. Several lower-impact workouts can replace jogging. Try swimming laps for a full-body workout that burns nearly as many calories as jogging. Vigorous use of exercise machines such as a stationary cycle, elliptical trainer and stationary rower burns more than 500 calories per hour. Your feet never leave the equipment during your workout, making them lower impact than jogging.
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