Jogging is a form of aerobic exercise that burns calories. The number of calories you actually burn when you exercise depends on factors such as your weight, the type of exercise, as well as the intensity and duration of the exercise. The length of time you must jog in order to burn a certain number of calories also depends on the speed of your pace and the type of terrain on which you jog.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic activities such as walking, jogging, biking and swimming are low in intensity. Usually, you perform these types of activities for a longer duration than you do more rigorous exercise. Because the goal when you exercise is for your body to burn carbohydrates and fat for fuel, you expend more energy when you work out harder. But if you overdo it, your body begins burning muscle. Aerobic exercise works the large muscle groups in your body but is low enough in intensity so that your body continues to get the oxygen it needs. Along with strength training exercise and eating a healthy diet, aerobic activity can help you lose weight. Regular aerobic exercise such as jogging also improves stamina, tones muscles and increases lean body mass.
Moderate Exercise
Generally, individuals should get a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity each day. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise every week. Divide exercise over three days. If your goal is to lose weight, you might need to work up to one hour of exercise five days a week. Spreading out exercise throughout the week and even over the day can make it easier to fit physical activity into your daily routine.
Burn Fat Not Muscle
You want to burn fat not lose muscle when trying to lose weight. Losing muscle mass causes your metabolism to slow down. As a result, your body stores fat instead of burning it. Because your heart is a muscle, losing too much muscle can pose serious health risks. By severely restricting your caloric intake, especially the amount of carbohydrates in your diet, your body resorts to burning muscle for energy in place of stored fat. Normally, your body turns to muscle only as a backup source of energy. But by not consuming adequate calories in your diet, your body goes into starvation mode in which case you begin burning muscle if you work out for too long. Muscle burns more calories than fat and is the reason why your body’s metabolic rate drops when you lose muscle mass.
Ketones
Ketones are acids found in the blood and urine when your body burns fat for energy. The body uses up its glucose stores fast when you increase your activity level, which is why exercise raises your ketone levels. When your body breaks down fats for energy, you develop ketones in your bloodstream, which are excreted through urine. Too many ketones can be harmful. Exercise increases the body’s demand for energy, so if you don’t consume enough carbohydrates, the body will break down more fats. Low intensity exercise such as jogging can help you lose body fat yet preserve muscle mass. But you need to refuel your body by eating a snack high in carbohydrates and protein an hour or two before you go jogging.
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