How to Jog Properly to Lose Weight (The Right Way)

It’s a new year and a new decade, and many beginner runners are looking for a way to lose weight by learning how to jog properly. We’re here to help you get started, find the right running technique, and get on your way to your health and fitness goals.

Whether you want to learn how to jog properly jog for a race or jog for weight loss, we’re here to help. Fortunately, with running, you can usually do both at the same time. However, there’s a right and a wrong way to go about it.

Approaching jogging to lose weight with the wrong perspective can turn into a fad diet. You might lose some weight, but you’ll likely put it back on later. That’s because fad diets typically aren’t sustainable.

We don’t want running to be the same thing for you. We want it to be a sustainable activity that you enjoy that also leads to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.

Here’s how to jog properly to lose weight with a long-term perspective in mind.

Does Jogging Help You Lose Weight?

Jogging is a popular and effective way to lose weight, known for its ability to burn calories, improve cardiovascular health, and boost metabolism. But how exactly does it contribute to weight loss, and what are the factors that can maximize its effectiveness?

Let's take a closer look:

1. Calorie Burn

At the heart of weight loss is the simple principle of calories in versus calories out. Jogging is an efficient calorie-burner, helping you create a calorie deficit where you expend more calories than you consume.

On average, a person can burn approximately 100 calories per mile jogged, depending on weight, pace, and individual metabolism. This makes jogging a straightforward and accessible way to increase your daily calorie expenditure.

2. Increased Metabolic Rate

Beyond the immediate calorie burn, jogging can increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR), meaning you continue to burn calories at a higher rate even when you're not exercising. This is due to the afterburn effect, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), where your body uses more energy to recover from the exercise stress.

3. Appetite Regulation

Jogging can also influence your appetite hormones, leading to improved satiety and a reduced tendency to overeat. Regular exercise has been shown to balance levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and leptin, the hormone responsible for signaling fullness. This can help you make better food choices and stick to your nutritional goals for weight loss.

4. Fat Loss vs. Muscle Preservation

One of the advantages of jogging for weight loss is its ability to target fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass. When paired with a balanced diet rich in protein, jogging helps ensure that the weight you lose is predominantly fat, keeping your muscles intact. This is crucial for maintaining a healthy metabolism and achieving a toned physique.

5. Consistency and Progression

Regular jogging sessions contribute to a cumulative calorie deficit over time, leading to sustainable weight loss. It's also important to gradually increase the duration and intensity of your jogs to continue challenging your body and preventing weight loss plateaus.

How to Jog Properly to Lose Weight

There’s a lot to consider when you’re learning how to jog properly–whether you’re doing it on the roads, a track, or a treadmill. But let’s start with the basic running tips for weight loss: running gear.

1. Find the Right Running Gear

The number one thing you’re probably thinking about is finding the right running shoes. Visit a local running store to have an expert help fit you into shoes that are comfortable and promote a good running form.

Most running stores will even have someone who watches you run in a few pairs of shoes to assess your running form and see how your foot strikes the ground to find the right match. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Now for the rest of the gear. Wear a watch to check out your pace, just simply jog for a specified period of time. Pick comfortable clothes, a t-shirt, shorts or leggings (a supportive sports bra) for the ladies, lightweight, and moisture-wicking socks are fine if you’re running indoors or in mild weather outdoors.

If it’s running outside in the cold or in extreme heat, be more selective. When it’s cold, wear layers that you can take off as your body warms up. If it’s blazing hot, select moisture-wicking clothes and a hat to keep you out of the sun. Always opt for sunscreen in any weather.

2. Focus on Proper Nutrition

When you’re learning to jog properly to lose weight, your diet is just as important as your workouts. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–running is no license to eat whatever you want. In fact, if you consume more calories eating than you expend jogging, you’ll likely end up gaining weight.

Consider keeping a food journal if weight loss is your goal. There a ton of apps for your mobile phone that makes it easy to track your calorie count and nutrition data. Just subtract that by the number of calories you burn running, which you can do with a Fitbit, apple watch, or similar device. Or simply, use an online tool to estimate the number of calories you burn jogging.

Finally, let’s talk about what you should be eating. Keep it simple. Avoid processed foods and foods with added sugar. Focus on fresh vegetables, lean protein, fruits, and whole grains. That being said, it’s okay to indulge once in a while–everything in moderation. If you have a favorite treat like cake or ice cream, don’t feel like you can NEVER have it. Just limit it to once a week or so and control your portion size.

3. Start Slow to Prevent Injury

When we have a goal like losing weight, it’s easy to run out the gates quick in hopes of fast results. But in this case, slow and steady wins the race. Learning how to jog properly to lose weight is part of a lifestyle change that doesn’t happen overnight. Going too hard too fast can encourage burn out and increase your risk of injury.

Start with a proper warm-up to get your muscles limber and your heart rate up. Begin with a jog/walk strategy. Jog for a minute, then walk for a minute. As you get more comfortable, start increasing your jog time and decreasing your walk time. It will come naturally over time as long as you’re consistent.

As you get accustomed to jogging, you can set goals to jog for a certain number of minutes before walking. If you’re outside, I’ve always found it helpful to focus on certain landmarks like counting mailboxes and making it to a certain destination before slowing down. Don’t forget to finish up with a good cool down, too!

4. Practice Good Form

One of the best ways to prevent running injuries is to adopt a proper form. You want to keep your head up with your body leaned just slightly forward. Keep your arms bent at a 90-degree angle.

If you want more resources on proper running form, you can work with a running coach, join one of our running programs, and check out our videos on good running form, such as this one from Coach Holly:

5. Incorporate Strength Training

Running isn’t all about just hitting the road or treadmill. It’s also a great idea to incorporate some light strength training into your exercise routine to encourage stronger muscles that help prevent injury and soreness and make you an overall better athlete.

Plus, building muscle mass with strength training helps promote weight loss. Stronger muscles burn more calories than weaker muscles! Focus on bodyweight exercises you can do without equipment or even a gym, like planks, push ups, squats, and lunges. Learn more about strength training from runners in this video:

Is Jogging Good for Weight Loss?

Many people ask the question: "Is jogging good for weight loss?" The answer is... well, it depends.

The pros of jogging for weight loss:

• High calorie burn — You can torch a significant number of calories in just an hour of jogging.
• Accessibility — All you need is a pair of shoes and some motivation to get started.
• Versatility — You can jog anywhere, anytime, making it easy to fit into your schedule.
• Endorphin release — The runner's high is real, and it can keep you coming back for more.

The potential drawbacks:

• Impact on joints — Jogging can be hard on your knees, ankles, and hips, especially if you're carrying extra weight.
• Injury risk — Going too hard too fast can lead to overuse injuries.
• Burnout — If you don't enjoy it, you might struggle to stay consistent.

Here's the thing: if you love running, jogging can be an incredible tool for weight loss. But here's the secret sauce — you need to choose an activity you can stick with long-term. Consistency is key when it comes to shedding pounds and keeping them off.

Jogging isn't for everyone — and that's perfectly OK! You might find your groove with biking, swimming, hiking, or even team sports. The good news? They're all fantastic for weight loss. The best exercise for weight loss is the one you'll actually do regularly.

That said, jogging does have a special place in the weight loss toolkit. You can burn a ton of calories within an hour, making it an efficient choice for busy people. But — and this is a big but — jogging also takes a toll on the body. Go too hard or too fast, and you might develop an injury that puts the brakes on your weight loss journey.

So, what's the verdict? Yes, you can absolutely use jogging to lose weight, but you need to go about it methodically. Here's our TRE wisdom:

1. Start slow — Begin with a walk/jog combo and gradually increase your jogging intervals.
2. Listen to your body — If something hurts, ease up. Pain is not gain in this case.
3. Mix it up — Combine jogging with other activities to prevent boredom and overuse injuries.
4. Fuel properly — Remember, you can't outrun a bad diet. Pair your jogging with balanced nutrition.
5. Be patient — Sustainable weight loss takes time. Trust the process and enjoy the journey.

What’s the Best Way to Run for Weight Loss?

The best way to run for weight loss is to focus on sustainability. Forget about the whole HIIT vs. low-intensity debate. If you can’t maintain it, it won’t matter.

The best running for weight loss is the running you can maintain. If you can run 5-6 times per week at an extremely slow pace, that's infinitely better than burning out quickly by adding in frequent sprints or intense interval training. Why? Because consistency trumps intensity when it comes to long-term weight loss.

As we mentioned before, the priority needs to be avoiding injury. Any injury will set you back, and without exercise, you'll likely regain the weight you've lost. Do everything in moderation and take your running weight loss slow.

Remember — it's not a race. It's a journey.

That said, here are some TRE-approved strategies to optimize your running for weight loss:

1. Build your base — Start with easy, conversational-pace runs to build your aerobic base. This improves your fat-burning efficiency over time.
2. Gradually increase volume — Slowly add more time or distance to your runs. Aim for no more than a 10% increase each week.
3. Mix up your paces — Once you have a solid base, incorporate different paces:
   - Long, slow runs for endurance and fat burning
   - Tempo runs to boost your metabolism
   - Short, fast intervals to improve your overall fitness
4. Don't neglect strength training — Building muscle helps boost your metabolism. Try bodyweight exercises or light weights 2-3 times a week.
5. Recovery is key — Allow for adequate rest between runs. This is when your body adapts and gets stronger.
6. Fuel smartly — Proper nutrition supports your running and weight loss goals. Focus on whole foods and stay hydrated.
7. Track your progress — Use a running app or journal to monitor your improvements. Seeing progress can be incredibly motivating!

Remember, the "best" way to run for weight loss is the way that keeps you coming back for more. Listen to your body, enjoy the process, and be patient with yourself.

How Long of Jogging Do You Need to Lose Weight?

It depends. The longer you jog, the more weight you’ll lose. However, you have to balance this with your body’s capacity and aerobic conditioning.

Don’t start jogging 20 miles per week tomorrow just because you want to lose weight. Slowly transition into it.

Try to only add 10% mileage, elevation, or intensity each week. That means if you do 20 miles this week, do around 22-23 next week. Progressing slowly and intentionally will help you adapt, build strength, and avoid injury—and all those things will help you continue jogging and losing weight in the long run.

Learn How to Properly Jog With a Program

Runners don’t just run. They’re athletes. If you want to learn how to properly jog, lose more weight, increase your speed, and nail your goals, you need a holistic training program.

Fortunately, we have just the thing inside our mobile app.

Have you downloaded our new mobile app? It’s loaded with workouts, videos, running tips, and advice from expert coaches to keep you motivated every step of the way. Don’t forget to check out our range of training plans for runners of all levels, too!