Jogging: Is it really effective?

[VelvetGloves]

A couple months back I posted a thread about myself, saying I was ready to work hard and lose some weight. Well, at the end of February, I finally began my healthier lifestyle. I watch what I eat. I don't eat after eight. I drink lots of water. All in all, I'm happy with my food lifestyle. I stopped eating out completely. I also said good bye to Coke (the drink, not the drug) and anything deep fried.

Anyway, I have done some Tae Bo...some with lifting...a little bit of jogging. I think I am going to focus on jogging, and I just wondered if anyone else here had done that. I am aware that I will eventually need to do some strength training eventually. Right now, I have lost a total of 19 pounds mainly through fixing my eating habits. I've been stuck for a while though, and I know I need to exercise to lose more weight. When I have gone jogging, I have gone really, really slow, but steady nonetheless.

I'm just hoping to get some opinions, maybe hear from people who have taken up jogging to improve health and lose weight.

Thanks so much guys!

VelvetGloves

 

[DawnCt1]

Jogging/running is always a winner when it comes to weight loss. Additionally you end up firming your calves and thighs. When I start out I don't think about jogging or running, I think about setting the distance. I have a 3 mile route that I like so once I leave the neighborhood I continue around on the route so I am not tempted to run back into the house. I start out walking, especially up hills (knees) and then I run a telephone poll, walk a poll until I build up to more running and less walking. Eventually I can run the entire route and use the clock to improve my time. What might take me an hour in the beginning quickly shrinks to 30 minutes. Go for distance and not speed. Mass X distance results in calories burned no matter how long it takes in the beginning.

 

[bunnyfoo]

Last year when I wanted to lose the weight I gained over the holidays I ran/jogged on my treadmill for about 35 minutes a day -- 6/week. I started to notice a change in my body after about 2 weeks and then my clothes became loose after a month. I did an interval program -- speed walking for 5 minutes and jogging for 2 minutes. I'm guessing that if I jogged the entire 35 minutes, the results would have been apparent more quickly.

 

[VelvetGloves]

Thanks. That sounds positive. I'm going to try to go jogging at least four times a week for the next three weeks to see how it goes. I'll try to go more often than that, but I just moved to a full time position at work, so my time is a little more constrained. At least it is starting to get nice out.

VelvetGloves

 

[andromedaslove]

If you are interested in starting running... you might find this link interesting. It is called the Couch to 5k plan. It slowly builds up your runs, so that you don't injure yourself by pushing too far too fast.

Couch to 5k

 

[malibuconlee]

Just wanted to say I've been doing the couch to 5K and really like it. I was in week 4 this week, but have been sick since WEdnesday, so didn't run on my third day. Still under the weather, so am taking it easy for a few more days.

I'll probably repeat week 4 because of the time off, then try week 5.

Good luck!!