Researchers looked at 35 years worth of health data for 20,000 men and women between the ages of 20 and 93. Compared to their non-jogging counterparts, runners had a 44% lower risk of death. Why? Jogging impacts the major causes of death, says Eliza Chakravarty, MD, a researcher at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Being active has been shown to improve everything from cognitive function to warding off heart disease and diabetes. How NOT To Tell A Friend She Need To Diet And here’s the best part: The greatest results were shown for people running at a moderate pace—meaning you should feel a little breathless rather than having the wind knocked out of you when you finish—for less than two and a half hours a week, no more than three times a week. In other words, slow and steady seems to win the life race. Whether you’re considering taking up jogging, or just looking to kick-start your running routine, check out why you should add some jogging to your life, from Leslie Bonci, RD, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center, and co-author of Run Your Butt Off:
It’s simple, silly. It doesn’t require a lot of equipment or talent. It’s right, left, right, left, and you can get good at it very quickly.You can soar solo. It’s not a team sport—you don’t have to worry about competing with anyone else.It works anytime, anyplace. You can jog anywhere—around your neighborhood, at a track, or on the treadmill.It’s easy to begin. Start with brisk walking and, once you reach the point where walking fast feels uncomfortable, naturally progress to jogging. You can work up to jogging by alternating walking and jogging around a track.You can easily track your progress. Calculate your distance with your car’s mileage tracker, keep count around the track, or let a treadmill do the counting for you. Knowing how far you’re going helps you set goals—and limits. Remember: easy does it.
