Running for Fun and Health

When you hear the word “running”, you may not automatically associate the activity with something fun.  Most of us view the prospect of jogging as repugnant, a tedious chore that we’d rather skip.  Although we know it can provide many health benefits, we would simply rather avoid the effort required to carry out the exercise.  Hence a nation full of people battling the bulge.  The truth is that running can actually be fun, but you have to do it to get the many benefits that it can offer (physical, mental, and emotional).  Here are just a few reasons to dust off your jogging shoes and start pounding the pavement.

Do you remember hating running as a child?  Probably not.  In fact, you most likely reveled in the ability to go flat out at the drop of a hat, whether you were trying to catch a pop fly to center field or evading your older sister after she caught you reading her diary.  These days you’re older, heavier, and your joints hurt.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t get back into jogging shape and even start to enjoy the activity once again.  You just need to get started.

There are plenty of websites out there to help you if you don’t know how to get back into jogging.  They’ll map out plans that start you at a mile (which anyone can do, even if they have to walk most of the way) and take you all the way to your first 5K (which is just over three miles) after several weeks of targeted training.  Since you’re probably jogging for fitness-related reasons (to lose weight, increase energy and stamina, or simply make it to the top of a flight of stairs without gasping for breath) you should set yourself a goal, and signing up for a race is a good way to keep you on track.  But if you want to make it fun, get a friend to join you.  Both of you can get in shape and see your progress when you undertake a race.  It will be more fun with a friend and you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment when you complete your very first 5K.

But what are the health benefits?  There are many.  For starters, you will improve both cardiac and respiratory function.  And if you’ve been contemplating how to lose weight fast, you really can’t find a better workout than jogging (although you’ll have to combine exercise with diet if you want to start shedding pounds quickly).  Further, all of these benefits have the potential to lower cholesterol levels and hypertension, not to mention the risk for heart disease and diabetes, two major concerns for overweight adults.  You will also increase strength and muscle tone and you’ll notice that you have more energy and sleep better, as well.

Aside from physical benefits you’ll also feel great.  In fact, you’ll get such a rush of endorphins that you might never want to stop (although at first the physical stress to your body might overshadow these feelings).  Being outdoors and engaging in physical activity will help you to relax and focus, and studies have even shown that regular jogging can help those who experience anxiety and depression.  There are so many benefits to jogging that it’s hard to believe everyone isn’t doing it.  So put down the remote, lace up your runners, and head out the door.  You won’t be sorry.

Jamie Lewis writes for www.getprograde.com where you can find great products and advice to help you lose weight.