Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Exercise Of The Week: Jogging

Never been a fan of jogging? (Me too! LOL) I’m about to change your mind. So put one foot in front of the other and start chasing these awesome benefits jogging.

Jogging is a popular form of moderate-intensity cardio-aerobic exercise that provides many physical, mental and even social benefits.

Cardiovascular Heath

An easy-paced jog, for a total of 1- 2 1/2 hours each week, that leaves you a little bit out of breath but still able to talk intermittently provides the body with many cardiovascular benefits. Similar to any other muscle in our body, the heart becomes strengthened and works more efficiently. These benefits can extend your life up to 6 years.

Weight Loss

Jogging has the potential to help you lose a significant amount of weight relatively quickly. This exercise burns more calories than almost all other forms of cardio exercise. Since the formula for weight loss is burning more calories than you consume, jogging can be your golden ticket to get lean. If you jog for 30 minutes a day you will burn approximately 250 calories and about 500 calories after 1 hour. As you burn 3,500 calories over the course of a week or more without increasing your food intake, you can expect to lose at least 0.5lb(0.22kg) a week.

Mental Health

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. As endorphins are released into the body, you will begin to feel calmer and happier. Some joggers even experience a mild euphoric feeling, often referred to as a "runner's high." These feelings help relieve stress and, as you continue to jog, the stamina and strength you build will help you feel more confident.

Muscle Development

When you jog, the large muscles of the lower legs are engaged, so are the abdominal muscles and arm muscles as well. Regular joggers often look lean and toned, which is due to the muscle development that occurs naturally as you jog.

Bone Health

Jogging help to build strong bones, as it is a weight bearing exercise. In actual fact, a study published in the American Journal of Public Health showed that regular jogging truly increased the femoral neck (the column of bone that connects the head of the femur and the shaft, just below the hip joint) density in men aged 20 to 59. A strong femoral neck is vital to preventing hip fractures.

Bonus

Running vs. jogging

The difference between running and jogging is intensity. Running is faster, uses more calories and demands more effort from the heart, lungs and muscles than jogging. Running requires a higher level of overall fitness than jogging.