“I think I was born to be gross.” That is the first thing I normally hear from most corpulent women when I talk to them about how to jog for weight loss. Many women sound hopeless, frustrated, and claim to have tried all sorts of jogging exercises but with no results.

However, when I calm them down and ask them to walk me through everything that they have been doing in terms of diet and exercise; I realize that yes, they have been putting in a lot of effort but not the best type of effort.

Majority over-rely on jogging for weight loss and not incorporating any other form or techniques and the wrong post and pre-jogging meals.

Once they realize that their approach to cardio was holding them back from achieving results, they can always adjust to various plans and they start seeing weight loss results. 

So to make sure your cardio training or jogging style isn’t the reason you’re not losing weight, this article will take you through the different ways of cardio training or how to jog for weight loss. 

The different ways of how to jog for weight loss include; adding weights, jogging partner, adding inclines, gradual starts, tracking &recording, jog just before mealtime, increase the pace, not to over jog, and strength training 

Before we go into detail of how to jog for weight loss, let us first get some little background on what jogging is, in order to paint a clear picture of what this article is all about.

What is jogging?

This is the activity of trotting or running at a steady, gentle, or leisurely pace as a form of physical exercise. Most times jogging is considered as a warm-up exercise prior to the main event or main exercise. This is common at big football matches where the players do gentle runs before starting the main game.

This is done to prepare your body and muscles to make sure there is not any kind of stiffness or aching before the main event to increase physical fitness.

What is the difference between jogging and running?

Most of you think that running and jogging mean the same thing, but they are different. Let us throw some light on the difference between these two exercises below.

The main difference between the two is the pace. Jogging is simply going at the pace less than 6 mph but running is faster than the 6 mph.

Secondly, the muscles in both activities are activated differently. A study published in the journal of Sports Science established that the faster you move, the more muscles are activated.

Running activates muscles (glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, shins, and calves) much more as compared to jogging. This is why long-distance runners are always thinner compared to sprinters.

Thirdly, running burns more calories compared to jogging. The American Council on exercise calorie counter noted that a 150-pound person burns 91 calories jogging at a pace of 5 mph for 10 minutes. The same person burns 113 calories running at a pace of 6 mph.

Last but not least is after-exercise burn. People with high intensive exercise like running or sprinting burn more calories at rest after exercise compared to low-intensity exercises like jogging.

The body can continue to burn calories up to 48 hours after a high intensive exercise.

What are the different ways of how to jog for weight loss?

1. Start gradually

If you are new to jogging, begin with a simple walk, and gradually introduce jogging. You cannot begin by jogging for an hour. Start with a jog of just 20 minutes each day and gradually upgrade to more minutes.

2. Add weights

When you add any form of resistance such as a backpack, wrist weights, or a weighted vest, the number of calories you are likely to burn increases. The heavier the weight, the more calories you burn.

3. Add inclines to the jogs

Jogging up inclines or steps can add intensity to your jogs to burn more calories. For successful hill jogs; run up for at least five or six hills that are 200 yards long or more. 

You can also decide to jog upstairs at your workplace rather than taking lifts; if you have to move from one floor to another. This, on top of burning more calories, will help strengthen your legs so that you can run faster.

4. Find a jogging partner

Most times we tend to go the extra mile with cardio exercises when we are in a group. First, jogging does not bore you and the friends always encourage you to press on and endure the exercises. This makes your weight loss journey faster.

5. Tracking and recording achievements

Not only does it keep you motivated, recording your workouts helps to achieve better results. If you are not getting results, analyzing your diary may give you clues as to why you have not got results.

6. Jog just before mealtime

Jogging just before meal for example before breakfast is the right time to jog if your goal is to lose weight. Jogging is aerobic and mostly need fats as a source of energy. When you jog on an empty stomach, your glycogen levels are low. The body will instead turn to fats to burn for energy. This helps to speed up your weight loss journey.

7. Step up the pace

The amount of calories that you burn each time you jog depends on your weight and the jogging pace. According to Harvard Health Publishing, a 155-pound person who runs at a speed of 6mph can burn 248 calories and if he or she steps up the pace to jog at a speed of 7.5 miles per hour for the same amount of time, she will burn close to 310 calories.

 8. Do not over a jog

 Normally when we exercise, our muscles get tears. This means that we need rest days in a week to give time to muscles to heal. Jogging faster doesn’t mean stronger. If you don’t give yourself a break, and jog five days a week with fast intervals you may end up burned out and injured.

9. Add strength training

Doing one form of exercise from Monday to Monday is boring. If you add strength training such as push-up, lunges, and squats to your jogging, first of all, it makes the jogging dynamic and interesting, plus the extra calories burned.

Having seen how to jog for weight loss let’s look at some

Jogging equipment you will need

Whether you jog from the gym or outside, you need all the necessary jogging gear. Below is some of the jogging gear which we think should be part of your jogging basket.

The best running shoe

For effective jogging, you need a durable shoe. We all know that we have different tastes and preferences but choose the right size that gives you comfort when you put them on.

We have a wonderful article about running sneakers for women. This article features what you should consider before picking on any exercise shoe, plus our list of the recommended exercise shoes. They are mostly under $50, see the article here.

Water bottle

Since jogging takes the body’s energy and a lot of fluids through sweat, one has to keep or be hydrated during and after the jogging exercises. A one-liter water bottle is enough for each session or day of exercise. 

We wrote a resourceful article about the best water bottles for the gym, check it out. You will also see what to consider when buying one. It also has our list of the best-recommended water bottles. See it here.

Waist pack

Never go on a run without this waist pack. Most bags are thin, lightweight, and carry your phone or other gadgets.

Sports watch

 The best sports watch should be affordable, lightweight, and water-resistant. The sports watch will help you track your jogging activity.

Running buds

Get jogging buds that provide excellent audio quality at an affordable price. Bluetooth-enabled, wire-free, sweatproof, and waterproof are all features one should look out for.

Jogging socks

These provide good arch support and make sure your feet are comfortable. They keep your feet from blisters.

Backpackers

Apart from carrying a few of your belongings, heavy backpackers are good for adding extra weight to your body weight. this increases resistance and consequently increase calories burnt.

Sports bra

Sports bras help to hold your breast in one position to limit their movement during jogging workouts. If left to sag, trainers will complain about the pain after workouts.

You can check out sports bras from amazon. Endeavor to read their descriptions and reviews in order to get the best quality. Alternatively, you can check out an article we have written about best sports bras. It also has our recommendations. See it here

Ankle weights

Weights such as ankle weights or wrist weights add resistance to your jogging exercises and this results in more calories being burnt. You can read more about ankle weights in this article. You will also see the best selections in this article.

Rain jacket

With the changing weather, you won’t stay indoors if you have the best rain jacket. Rain jackets keep you going on your jogging exercises with a perfectly dry body in case of the rain.

Does jogging work for weight loss?

Yes, any form of exercise is effective for weight loss as long as you stick to the program. The question we should ask ourselves is “how does jogging bring about weight loss?”

First, jogging reduces your appetite after the exercise. With reduced food intake, calorie intake is reduced compared to calorie expenditure hence weight loss.

Secondly, jogging burns more calories compared to other forms of exercise. Weight loss requires that you burn more calories compared to what you eat.

Last but not list after exercise calories. High-intensity jogging like jogging up-hills and interval jogs continue to burn calories up to 48 hours after your workout according to health line.

Does jogging reduce breast size? 

Jogging does not shrink your breast size. Breasts are simply made of fat and fibrous tissues. With jogging and health eating, we lose the overall body fat but not necessarily targeting the breasts although breasts may also lose some percentage of fat. 

How long should I jog to lose weight? 

First of all, the best way to lose weight is by aiming at losing 2 pounds per week. If you over jog, you could end up burning out with injuries. Instead, focus on a long term plan of jogging along with moderate caloric restriction if necessary.

If you’re a starter with jogging, it’s important to first build a base so that the body can cope with the stress. When you start with slow jogs, then you’ll be able to burn calories for longer by jogging for greater distances. 

Do not focus on the intensity at first, but rather make the jogging enjoyable for yourself in the first few weeks

Having said that, for starters, aim at jogging for 20 minutes a day and jog 30 miles a week. Not forgetting to count your calories and implementing portion control into your routine. This is because you can’t eat all that you want and lose weight.

What should I eat before and after jogging to lose weight?

Eating before exercise and after is very important. First, the body needs energy for the jogging exercise. Eating food that is rich in carbs makes you fuller, cuts on craving, and gives the body sufficient energy.  

Foods we can eat before jogging includes;

• Bananas
• Cereals
• Yams
• Sweet potatoes 
• Oatmeal

After jogging, the body has lost energy and therefore needs more energy to recover from the exercise as well as replacing the lost glycogen. Food after jogging includes;

• Lean beef
• Fater to replace the electrolytes
• Nuts 
• Legumes
• Yogurt
• Fish

You should note that even though you are jogging, you have to be conscious about what you eat. Weight loss will only be possible if you create a calorie deficit where you use more calories than what you consume.

Are there other health benefits of jogging apart from weight loss?

Jogging does a lot more for your body than just helping weight loss. Let us discuss some of the health benefits below.

1. Bone strength

With jogging, the bones are subjected to some amount of stress and load. This prepares the bones to even handle more stress which helps them to build endurance. The bones grow stronger and prevent bone trauma and injuries.

2. Develops muscles

Jogging helps to tone the body. It works almost all the muscles in the entire body and develops them. These include the hamstrings, gluteal, calf, and quadriceps.

3. Builds the immune system

Jogging fights fatigue and boosts the production of white blood cells in the body hence improving immunity.

4. Anti-aging

Since jogging boosts the flow of oxygen and blood in the body, the skin receives plenty of blood and oxygen. This refreshes the skin to make it youthful. 

5. Helps mental stress

Jogging soothes and calms the mind. It has a direct impact on people’s attitudes and outlook. Jogging reduces stress and unnecessary thoughts that fill up your mind.

6. Improves the respiratory system  

Just like most aerobics, jogging improves the respiratory system. It ensures that lungs receive the right oxygen amounts and that carbon dioxide is expended successfully from there.

7. Good for the heart

Since jogging is a cardiovascular exercise, it boosts heart health. Jogging ensures that sufficient blood is pumped to the heart, controls glucose, and cholesterol levels.

8. Fights infections and non-communicable diseases

Jogging promotes the formation of lymphocytes and macrophages in the body that combat infection. This helps to fight viruses and bacteria.

Why am I not losing weight yet I jog every day? 

For effective weight loss, a lot has to come into play, ranging from commitment, consistency, eating habits, exercise regimen, and more.

Similarly, one can jog for close to a year and end up not seeing results. What could be the cause of the failure? Well below are some of the underlying reasons which could be holding you back from achieving results.

1. Over jogging

Over jogging will not give you results. You will only get injuries and burn out. You need recovery time in the week so that muscles can heal and prepare them for another exercise.

2. Doing the same workouts over and again

When you do the same exercise over time, it becomes boring and chances are high that you will give up soon. But with a variety of exercise regimens, the journey is interesting and profitable.

3. You jog for longer hours without increasing the pace

Intensity is an important variable in any form of exercise. When you increase the intensity or pace of the exercise, you tend to burn more calories unlike jogging at a slow pace.

4. You set unrealistic goals

Weight loss is a journey that requires commitment, consistency, and patients. It could be that you set your goals too high and you end up failing at the end of the road.

5. You don’t track and record your achievements

When you properly keep your workout and weight records every day, self-assessment and evaluation become very easy. You can easily know whether you are making progress or failing. Without records, you may achieve results but fail to tell.

Bottom line

Although jogging burns calories, it does not mean that you entirely depend on this for weight loss. Incorporate intensive training like jogging up hills to burn more calories. 

Always be conscious of what you eat; as we all know that weight loss entirely depends on creating a calorie deficit or imbalance. Meaning burns more calories than you consume.

 

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