Running, like other aerobic activities, is particularly suitable for disposing of excess fat. To achieve the desired results, gradualness and constancy are the main ingredients.
Every year with the arrival of summer, the jogging fashion spreads and infects everyone, from housewives to managers.
Running through the streets of the city or, even better, surrounded by the greenery of a park is one of the most effective methods to recover the perfect shape, without locking yourself in a gym, but enjoying the pleasure of being outdoors.
For jogging, however, to give the desired results, it is good not to overdo it and follow some simple rules.
For the lazy, it is better to start with a check-up
Jogging is a sport suitable for everyone: for those who train throughout the year, but also for the most idle.
In the latter case, however, it would be advisable to undergo a medical examination, paying particular attention to the state of health of the heart, arteries and joints, especially if you are overweight.
Keyword: gradualness
Listening to your body and not overdoing it is a rule to always keep in mind, especially for those who have not practiced physical activity during the rest of the year.
With running, the heart rate can increase very quickly and, in the absence of training, the body will find itself working in lack of oxygen, thus producing lactic acid.
The risk is therefore to be discouraged by too much fatigue or having to interrupt training due to muscle pain.
To start, it is advisable to alternate a few minutes of running with a brisk walk, increasing with time duration and speed of training. All this by calibrating the energies well, so as to perform sessions of at least 30 minutes.
Continuity and constancy for an assured result
Running a day every now and then does not produce any results, neither in terms of training, nor in terms of kilos lost.
The ideal would be to run every week, possibly 3 or 4 days, and following the rule of alternating load-rest that involves interspersing jogging sessions with a day of rest, essential not to overload the muscles too much.
Who goes slowly, goes healthy and goes far
Running at high speed, but for a few minutes: this is the mistake made most frequently, especially by newbies. A longer workout, but at a milder pace is, instead, the best method to lose weight.
The secret of jogging is to be an aerobic sport during which the body, performing a prolonged activity over time but not too high intensity, has at its disposal the oxygen necessary to produce energy by “burning” the fats present in adipose tissues.
On the contrary, if an excessive effort is made, the body, left in lack of oxygen, is forced to consume sugars instead of fats. And in this case, the result, in terms of lost pounds, will be disappointing.
To find the right rhythm, listen to your heart
To make sure you don’t overload your body with excessive effort, you can bring with you a valuable ally, the heart rate monitor. By monitoring your heart rate you can be sure to perform aerobic activity, and therefore burn fat.
The heart rate range to be maintained is subjective, but you can calculate it considering that it should be around 70% of the maximum heart rate, which is obtained by applying a simple formula: 220 – the years of age.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
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