The 20 Plus Biggest Benefits of Jogging

The benefits of jogging for physical fitness have been researched for years. Now it is pretty well all agreed that jogging is good for you. Jogging benefits include mind, body and spirit. Ask any jogger and you will find they gain more from the sport than just fitness benefits.

Dr. Peter Schnohr, chief cardiologist of the Copenhagen City Heart Study, completed research (opens new window) to determine whether jogging at a slow to average pace was healthy or detrimental to health. He says:

“The results of our research allow us to definitively answer the question of whether jogging is good for your health. We can say with certainty that regular jogging increases longevity. The good news is that you don't actually need to do that much to reap the benefits."

Life expectancy increased for both men and women. Women lived an average of 6.2 years longer and men averaged 5.6 years. The study concentrated on jogging and not running. Do you know the difference between jogging and running?

Increased life expectancy from jogging of course is expected. In fact, you get much, much more. Jogging is like looking through amber colored glasses. Everything looks better, sharper, crisper. You begin to see the world as opportunities. Obstacles seem to disappear or just become little hiccups in life.

Does the world actually change just because you get some jogging exercise?

You change. You start seeing the benefits of jogging:

• Self-confidence
• Weight loss
• Weight maintenance
• You look younger
• Odourless sweat
• Increased stamina
• Increased endurance
• Improved emotional state-happiness
• You experience "purpose"
• You seek out challenges
• You accomplish more
• You get a nice tan
• You become better able to cope with and handle stress
• You get "me time"
• Become more adventurous as you begin to see opportunities
• Increased motivation
• Improved fitness
• Decreased heart disease risk
• Decreased risk of osteoporosis
• Improved muscle tone
• Decreased risk of high blood pressure
• Improved overall sense of well being
• Increased lung capacity
  

Increased Muscle Mass

Muscle's mass weights more than fat. Calories burned jogging is higher than other activities.

As you start jogging, you will probably see an initial quick weight loss depending on how much you do. Your muscles will become stronger. Muscle tone improves as you work on the proper running technique. You will see more muscle definition. Muscles require energy; they get that energy from calories. So you see, muscles are your little fat burning machines.

You will see an improvement in your appearance. You may drop a couple of dress sizes without any further change in weight at this point. This occurs because muscles weight is more than that of fat.

Therefore, even though you are losing fat, your muscles are increasing. These changes may not be evident as you stand on the bathroom scale and see the reading. However, looking up in the mirror will confirm the change in appearance. Find out how to calculate body mass index here and how BMI relates to your weight.

Benefits of Jogging - Reduced Risk of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is the condition when the bones become increasingly porous and brittle. It can result in bone fractures and deformities. The cause is a lack of the component minerals and nutrients necessary for bone health.

Here is how the benefits of jogging come into play...

Muscles attach to tendons. Tendons attach to bone. As you move your muscles, they provide a pull against the tendon. This pull then moves the bones. Along with the benefit of overall health, running also provides the gentle stress necessary to reduce the bones tendency to surrender calcium. This action is reducing your risk of osteoporosis.

This is an important point…

You still need to obtain adequate amounts of nutrients. You are not eliminating the need for a healthy diet. What you are doing is helping your body to function optimally.

Improved Heart and Lung Function

The human body is supposed to be worked. Physical activity or exercise is required to keep the body running well. A healthy diet will not do it all alone. It is a team effort. You provide the food so the body can get the work done.

When you jog, you breathe deeper. Oxygen goes deep into the lungs and the heart pumps a little harder. The lungs provide the oxygen that is delivered by the heart and vessels deep into your working muscles. This makes jogging a near perfect antiaging exercise.

You are increasing your heart and lungs abilities by your regular jog. Deep water running can be a light way to begin jogging and get some of the benefits of jogging. The water supplies support and makes the bridge to physical activity easier for you if you have experienced previous injuries.

Social and Emotional Improvements

Social and mood improvements build one upon the other from the improved health and fitness you are experiencing. Then with all the changes that you experience, you start to see people change around you…

You become a magnet for positive change. You are happier. People are happier when they are around you. It becomes easier to get work done. You seem to draw out the cooperation and good will of others.

You not only see improvements in you. Your little world changes. It gets better. It gets bigger. The answer to my earlier question as to whether the world actually changes because of your running or jogging is yes. Find out how to start running jogging here.

The benefits of jogging are spreading out from you, the center of your universe. To that degree, you are influencing our world.