Jogging can be an effective way to lose weight. Jogging incorporates you moving your entire body's weight around for distances, causing almost all of your body muscles to work and burn calories. Jogging also requires little to no equipment and can be done almost any time. If you are ready to lose weight but aren't ready for the gym, jogging for weight loss might be your answer.
Instructions
1. Start off with a brisk walk if you haven't exercised in awhile. A brisk walk pace is almost as fast as you can without running. Take long strides to help loosen your leg muscles and feel free to swing your arms to help circulate oxygen and give your upper body a workout as well. If you are using a standard running track, time yourself to see how long it takes to walk two laps (equal to 1/2 mile) and record that time. Do this every other day for two weeks until your time reduces significantly and becomes consistent. A 200-lb. person can burn approximately 100 calories per mile with a brisk walk.
2. Begin the jogging exercise by first stretching your leg muscles. See Resources for leg stretch ideas. Stretching helps get your muscles ready for additional work. Consider doing a few jumping jacks in place to warm up your body.
3. Start a slow jog around the track for two laps with minimal stride length and arm movement. The pace should be faster than your last brisk walk. This will help prepare your lungs for breathing beyond what is needed for a walk. Record your jogging time; it should be significantly less than your last walking pace. If you still have the energy, repeat the two-lap jog and record the time.
4. Increase the number of laps you jog by one per week and record the time. The Nutristrategy website says that a 190-lb. person can burn 620 calories in an hour. Therefore, the longer you can jog continuously, the more calories you can burn.
5. Modify your jogging style to develop different strengths in your body. If you want to increase cardiovascular endurance, use a low stepping motion and continue to minimize arm movement. To increase leg strength, increase the stride. For cardiovascular strength, increase the arm swing.
Tags: brisk walk, your body, your muscles, burn calories, lose weight, person burn, record time