Does Jogging Help You Lose Weight?

People have varying opinions. For example, in this commercial video on YouTube, the answer appeared to be "no." Some of those who made comments said otherwise. But actually, Yuri, the man on the video said that he would not recommend jogging to lose weight and that walking would be enough. So, it appears that jogging, as a form to lose weight, is helpful for some but not for everyone. Why is that? You will find the answer below.


"Jogging on Waikiki Beach" by Lono Kollars - High resolution download from http://www.dodmedia.osd.mil/DVIC_View/Still_Details.cfm?SDAN=DFSN8207452&JPGPath=/Assets/Still/1982/Air_Force/DF-SN-82-07452.JPG. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Does jogging benefit your health?

Yes. In this article "What Jogging Does To Your Body" by Peta Bee of Daily Mail, the heart, the bones, and the lungs benefit from jogging.

• "running [if it is the same as jogging] is more likely to extend most people's lives"
• "the weight-bearing effect of running makes it one of the best bone-strengthening activities around"
• "regular jogging will strengthen the cardiovascular system"

How many calories can you burn while jogging?

According to the same article by Peta Bee, you burn an average 4.2 calories jogging 6 miles (9.6km) per hour at a manageable pace. That is for every pound of your weight. So, if you weigh 150 lbs, you burn 630 calories. You also continue to burn calories for a few hours after jogging.

How much pounds do you lose if you burn 630 calories a day?

For every 3500 calories you burn, you lose 1 pound of fat. But you cannot burn 3500 calories a day. You can in a week. If you can burn 700 calories every day for 5 days, you will lose a pound in one week. That's 4 pounds in one month. But there's a catch.

How often do you have to jog?

You cannot jog everyday like 7 days a week. You should give your body a rest in order to rebuild its muscles and allow it to recuperate. Depending on your goal on how many pounds you want to lose in a week, you can jog 3 to 6 days a week.

What's the catch?

To lose one pound a week, you need to jog for 5 days to burn 700 calories a day; or 583 calories a day for 6 days; or 875 calories a day for four days. Now here's the reason why some joggers do not lose weight. If you want to burn, say 700 calories a day for 5 days jogging, you should also cut your calorie intake by at least 700 calories a day. So, if you lost 700 calories today, then, tomorrow you gained 700 calories more than your body requires, your weight remains the same.

What's the difference between running and jogging?

The two terms can be used interchangeably. Technically, running is competitive as in a race. Jogging has a purpose to stay fit and healthy. The main difference is pacing. Running fast is not equal to jogging fast. Without thinking about sports, to run can be at any pace. Therefore, jogging is a form of running movement of the body.

What if you do not enjoy jogging?

Jogging is an aerobic activity. Therefore, other aerobic activities may have the same benefits that jogging or running does to your health.