is jogging enough?

eksims1

I'm still relatively new. I started MFP in Nov, but the holidays ruined me, so now I'm starting all over. I've been going for a week now, and I lost my 2 pounds, as planned, last week, and have 38 to go. I've been running, well, jogging at 5.2 mph off and on for about 45 minutes, and I do burn a lot of calories, but is that enough to get where I want to be? I tried Insanity last night for the first time and it kicked my butt, and I'm going to use that, but I need to get more in shape before that becomes a ritual (I didn't make it past 15 minutes). Does anyone have any good cardio things that have worked for them? is running enough for success?
thanks!
em

gunmetalsunrise

I lost about 12 pounds in the beginning simply doing walking and jogging. It's all I could handle at that point in time. I think, however, at least 5-6 pounds were water weight.

I switched over to weight lifting AND cardio, and I'd like to think I'm seeing better results, even if the scale isn't changing much at the moment. It's important to keep track on the scale AND your measurements. Because you'll often replace fat with muscle (but fat doesn't BECOME muscle), which weighs more than fat.

Don't give up and keep at it! If jogging is all you can do at the moment, just do it. Something is better than nothing.

nikolaim5

Weight loss is all about your diet. Cardio will help but being consistent with your cal intake is a MUCH more efficient way to lose weight. Exercise burns depressingly few calories so it's better to not ingest those calories in the first place. This is not to suggest you shouldn't exercise, far from it. Just wanted to point out the efficiency of diet vs exercise for weight loss.

Besides weight loss do you have other fitness goals?

eksims1

Not yet at least...I just want to be able to fit into my clothes from 3 years ago. I gained 20 pounds my freshman year of college, 20 my sophomore, and 20 my junior year. I really want to be back to 140 by the summer. I guess my only goal is to be able to run for 30 minutes straight right now. I'm at 15 minutes!

Katie3784

Cardio is very important for weight loss and heart health, but if you want to see great results, you need to strength train 3-4 times a week, IMO. Doing so will give you muscle definition and firm you up really well. I do not think just doing cardio is enough.

wiffe

5.2 to me is FAST. If you are going 15 min at 5.2 if you back it down a bit to 4.5 I bet you could make it almost 30 min.

sarafil

Sometimes people overestimate how many calories cardio actually burns; for example, one mile of jogging is going to be basically 100 calories burned. Keep the cardio, of course, but imo add stength training.

ajbeans

I tried Insanity last night for the first time and it kicked my butt, and I'm going to use that, but I need to get more in shape before that becomes a ritual (I didn't make it past 15 minutes).

The way you get more in shape is by making it your ritual. Just do it. You made it 15 minutes in? That's awesome. Do it again tomorrow. Bet you'll make it farther each day you try it.

StephnElbow

if you want dvds that still burn but are more managable than insanity, try some of jillian michaels dvds. i love them. there are some that are 20 min and others that are 40-45. they incorporate strength training and cardio so you feel it after the fact. but everyone else is right, you have to do both cardio and strength training. running is perfectly fine but you just want to mix stuff up so your body doesnt get into a rut.

msclairvoyant

Honestly? You could walk and lose the weight. I don't agree with anyone saying you need to push yourself to the limits to see results. People have lost 100s of pounds just walking everyday.

Now do you need to do SOME strength training during the week to make sure you're toning up? Sure. But if you're burning enough calories jogging/walking/etc then you're fine. I've already dropped 10 pounds just walking everyday.