Does Jogging Make You Slim?

Jogging provides benefits such as improved cardiovascular endurance and reduced stress, along with other general health advantages. While a program that includes jogging can facilitate weight loss, running alone will not make you slim. To become fit and trim, jogging enthusiasts also must incorporate other exercises and well-balanced diets into their running regimens.

Calorie Deficit

Jogging offers an effective way to burn extra calories. Running three times or more a week from two to five miles each time is a great way to burn calories. Add cross training with resistance exercises or cardio machines such as an elliptical on alternating days to speed up your metabolism. This allows you to burn more calories than you consume each week, leading to weight loss.

Resistance Training

Joggers who also use a weight-training regimen will achieve a leaner, slimmer look. While jogging alone can help tone the buttocks and legs, the upper body and abdominal muscles will be mostly neglected. Use weights to perform biceps and triceps exercises to slim and tone the arms. Try squats, pullups and pushups to target the legs, back and chest. Situps and crunches will strengthen the abs. These moves work to improve your jogging, as well, by enhancing your core strength and keeping your body fit and balanced.

Proper Diet

To achieve a slim figure, a jogger must also eat a balanced diet. To attain a weight-loss goal, dieters will have to run a calorie deficit while eating the right combination of proteins and carbohydrates to still fuel their exercise routines. Runners who have a goal of firming and toning while maintaining their current weight will be able to maintain a stable calorie count but should adjust their meals to replace excess fats with lean proteins and vegetables. An effective diet to slim down also eliminates processed foods and leans heavily on nutrient-rich menu items.

Effective Fat Burning

Jogging for longer periods of time triggers the fat-burning process. Famed distance runner and running coach Jeff Galloway suggests slower jogs of 45 minutes or longer burn mostly fat. While it's unlikely beginners looking to slim down will be able to run for such distances at first, Galloway recommends a steady buildup program that starts with walking for shorter periods and slowly adds intervals of jogging, ultimately working up to the 45-minute threshold.