Hit the Ground Running With These Jogging Benefits

Walking and running share a number of benefits — but what about that sweet middle ground between the two?

“Jogging is about creating a steady pace,” says sports and exercise medicine specialist Leonardo Oliveira, MD. “Instead of focusing on speed, you’re focused more on endurance with good, quality steps.”

Before your next jaunt, Dr. Oliveira shares the many benefits of jogging and how it can help improve your overall health and wellness.

9 benefits of jogging

Unlike running, where you’re focused on targeting different heart rate zones, jogging involves keeping a more stable and persistent pace. If you’re jogging at a moderate intensity, for example, your target heart rate will usually fall into zone 2, at 60% to 70% of your max heart rate.

“When you’re jogging, you should be able to carry on a conversation as you breathe through your nose,” says Dr. Oliveira. “If you’re doing just 15 minutes of jogging three times a week, you’re already going to notice the benefits.”

Here’s how you can benefit from jogging.

1. Reduces stress

Jogging, like other exercises, can help decrease your stress levels. As an aerobic exercise, it helps release endorphins, which can boost your mood and create feelings of euphoria or satisfaction. Not only does it provide an outlet for pent-up energy, but jogging outside also allows you to spend more time in nature, which provides even more mental health benefits.

“Research shows exercise can be as effective as medication when treating depression because of its wide-ranging benefits,” says Dr. Oliveira.

2. Burns calories

Jogging is a full-body exercise that offers a higher calorie burn than some other aerobic exercises. According to the widely used Compendium of Physical Activities, jogging burns about 7.5 calories per kilogram of body weight each hour. That means you can burn about:

• 8 times as many calories as sitting quietly
• 4 times as many calories as walking
• 2.6 times as many calories as stationary cycling

“Jogging will burn more calories in a shorter period of time than cycling, especially if you’re not used to exercising,” reports Dr. Oliveira.

3. Improves insulin resistance and boosts metabolism

Insulin resistance is one of the biggest barriers to having a healthy metabolism. Insulin helps your body break down glucose for energy. But if your body can’t do that, your metabolism slows down, leading to:

• Lower energy levels
• Weight gain
• An inability to burn fat

“Exercising at higher intensities helps increase metabolism and insulin resistance,” says Dr. Oliveira. “But researchers have also found that even lower-intensity exercises, like jogging, for longer periods of time can have the same effect.”

4. Strengthens your heart

Jogging also has positive impacts on your heart and its ability to pump blood to the rest of your body. That’s because it contributes to hypertrophy, or the strengthening of your heart’s muscle tissues.

“As you develop endurance, the amount of blood in one pump increases,” explains Dr. Oliveira. “When your heart gets stronger, it contracts more efficiently, which decreases your resting heart rate.”

5. Improves lung expansion and gas exchange

The more you work on building endurance and stamina, the more likely it is that you’ll improve your overall ability to breathe — both at rest and while jogging.

“Consistent aerobic exercise helps your lungs get stronger and more efficient,” says Dr. Oliveira. “Over time, you won’t need to breathe as often because each breath brings in more oxygen than before.”

6. Activates muscles

Jogging activates major muscle groups, including your:

• Quads
• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Core
• Back

“Strength training is a good complement to jogging because it can help strengthen all the areas of your body,” says Dr. Oliveira. “This can help you handle longer distances.”

7. Reduces stiffness

“Jogging is one of those activities where once you get going, you start to feel better,” notes Dr. Oliveira. “It’s an exercise that helps warm up your muscles and lubricate your joints, which can help with the overall sense of stiffness that comes with age.”

That said, jogging is still a high-impact exercise because it forces you to bear down weight as your feet hit the pavement. Consider working with a physical therapist or athletic trainer to reduce the risk of further injury if you:

• Have arthritis
• Have an active injury
• Had previous sprains or fractures in your lower body

8. Improves endurance

“The more you jog, the more you’ll increase your functional aerobic capacity,” says Dr. Oliveira. “Someone who jogs regularly will have better physical fitness that will help them last longer on a bike or a walk than someone who’s just getting started.”

Your ability to breathe and move also extends to other daily activities that demand cardiovascular strength and endurance, like climbing stairs.

9. Provides better quality of life and other mental health benefits

Research shows that any amount of jogging — even just once a week — can improve your quality of life and lower your risk of dying from cancer and cardiovascular-related issues.

“Jogging is a great form of exercise, but it’s not the only one,” notes Dr. Oliveira. “The most important thing is to work on being healthy and strong. And for a lot of people, if you’re looking to advance your physical fitness, jogging is a good place to start.”