Jog on: The benefits of running

The first month of 2018 has come to an end and with it went, for some of us, our New Year’s resolutions. Sadly, I have started to back down from my resolutions hours after the clock struck midnight, but while I might not be strong enough to give up sugar or to stop spending all my money on coffee and books, I managed to stick to one particular resolution: ‘become a morning runner’.

Although I am still trying to adjust to this new lifestyle, I have started to feel some of the benefits of running – but I’ve still got a long way to go.

At first, it was painful – convincing myself to wake up early and run in the cold was more than challenging, but I was determined make a habit out of it and after two weeks, I even started feeling eager to leave my warm comfy bed in order to do my new morning routine. Although I am still trying to adjust to this new lifestyle, I have started to feel some of the benefits of running – but I’ve still got a long way to go.

There is plenty of evidence why running, especially in the morning, can drastically improve the quality of your life and while I did not need too much convincing to decide to take it up, it’s worth knowing exactly how running changes different aspects of your life.

Not only does it help lower blood pressure and cholesterol naturally, but … regular runners have noticed an increase in the quality of their sleep as jogging helps regulating the hormones throughout the day.

Since many people are motivated to exercise in order to lose weight, running is a great way to burn calories. But while this depends on your level of activity, you still have to watch out on what and how much you eat if you want to shed pounds, especially since some people feel like they deserve to treat themselves even more after picking up such an intense habit. On the other hand, running most definitely improves your metabolism so if you are careful enough and give healthy eating a try, in the long run, jogging can lead to a reduction in your body-fat percentage and overall weight loss.

But if losing weight is not one of your priorities, you might still want to consider running as it will make you feel physically better. Not only does it help lower blood pressure and cholesterol naturally, but also, as the National Sleep Foundation’s 2013 survey has shown, regular runners have noticed an increase in the quality of their sleep as jogging helps regulating the hormones throughout the day. Even more, as running is a type of outdoor exercise, your immune system will boost significantly so it is easier to keep viruses away.

Besides all the physical benefits of running, this type of exercise has a huge impact on your well-being too! Not only that jogging is a great goal to set if you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, but moreover, because of the endorphins generated, running is a healthy way to release stress. Since you can run any time that suits you, jogging is an excellent way to take your mind off your troubles and to recharge your batteries.

Try to motivate yourself by creating a running playlist or get a friend on board so you could support each other throughout the process.

So, if you are considering taking up running but you still feel that all its benefits will not be enough for you to get out of the house, you might want to consider some tips and tricks to make running more enjoyable and even come up with your own!

But before you get to the point of finding out what suits you best, try to motivate yourself by creating a running playlist or get a friend on board so you could support each other throughout the process. Another great way to make jogging more enjoyable is to find a pleasing route and change it whenever you feel it doesn’t motivate you anymore. Don’t forget to wear something comfortable, but make sure you like it and try to put it somewhere you can see it in the morning.

In the end, the most important thing when picking up such a challenging habit is to set realistic expectations. Progress will not happen overnight, as you might have come to know, so give yourself time and enjoy every single step of the journey.