Benefits Of Jogging In Cold Weather

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Many experts believe it is good for you to run in cold weather and that your muscles will benefit greatly from doing so. The problem is that not many people like to go jogging in cold weather, especially not on cold winter mornings.

We will take a look at these so-called benefits to see for ourselves whether it is a good idea for us to jog in cold weather. Even though it is not easy to get up earlier during the colder times of the year, it is possible to do so.

Let’s find out together how we can go for a jog in the cold weather and turn the negative into something positive for us.

What Are the Benefits For Our Body?

There seem to be quite a number of benefits for our bodies when it comes to running in cold weather, so let’s look at them all. We all can do with some motivation, so perhaps the warm weather joggers out there can start jogging in the cold weather.

Looking at the benefits might just help us to overcome those nagging negative thoughts and help us to get up a bit earlier.

Much Less Heat Stress On the Body

When you do any type of exercise, including jogging, you will find that there is less heat stress on your body. This comes down to a much lower heart rate, even when putting in the same amount of effort as in warmer weather.

In warm weather, your blood flow to the extremities of your body increases to help cool you down and keep you comfortable. When you jog in cold weather, the opposite is happening in the body, and the central blood volume will be a bit higher.

Thus, you can jog at the same pace in cold weather as in warm weather while your heart rate will be much slower. Your heart rate in cold weather will be just under 15 beats per minute slower in warmer weather.

You will find that after every jogging session you will not be as tired afterward as you are when running in warm weather.

It Helps To Prevent Winter Weight Increase

This is very good news for those who have to get rid of the winter fat every year after the holidays. We all know that most of us eat more in the winter and move around much less to conserve the heat in our bodies.

Jogging in the cold weather outside will only take a few minutes to achieve just as much as going to the gym. What that means is that it will not interfere with a busy schedule, and it is free to jog. Plus, you get to enjoy having some time alone.

It is good to start the day with a brisk jogging session, as it will help your body to adapt to the cold weather. One of the culprits of gaining weight in the winter is being less active than during the warmer season, but winter jogging solves that problem.

You will feel refreshed after a jogging session in the cold weather, allowing you to tackle the responsibilities of the day with more energy.

Cold Weather Jogging Will Burn More Calories

Let’s start with some technical information here. Studies show that exercising in cold weather will burn more calories, compared to warmer weather exercises. Even though these tests were done at much lower temperatures than what most of us experience, it is still very good for you.

These tests show that those exercising in colder weather burn up to 34% more calories than when exercising in warm weather. The results may not be that drastic for most of us when running in cold weather, but there will be a noticeable increase.

You can do the math for yourself: jogging in cold weather will help to burn more calories and therefore prevent winter weight gain. Another benefit is that when you are jogging in cold weather, your body works harder to regain normal body temperature.

This all comes down to one thing: more calories are burned and your body will therefore not store more fat in the winter.

Our Bodies Produce Healthier Fat

There are different types of fat present in our bodies. The most common types are white fat and brown fat. White fat is more visible and it accumulates near the skin where you can easily see it. This fat is associated with obesity and diabetes.

Brown fat is produced by the body to help keep the body warm by using its energy and can be found in and around our organs. When you expose your body to the cold weather, brown fat is produced, which will burn more calories instead of being stored.

The opposite is happening when white fat is produced; it burns no calories and is stored in the body, causing weight gain. What actually happens is that when we are exposed to cold, the white fat takes on the properties of brown fat.

You will experience a high percentage of increase in brown fat, and this will also lead to an increase in metabolism. This all can happen to your body when jogging in the cold weather.

Much Better Mental Health

When you spend a lot of time indoors, as is the case in the winter, it has quite an effect on your mental health. Therefore, when going out for an early jogging session during the cold weather, you will experience a positive effect on your mind.

It will help you to fight against depression since jogging helps to produce hormones that are powerful to counteract the effects it has on you. These hormones will also help to promote a pleasant mood and help increase positive thinking and a more satisfying life.

We all know what the winter can do to us mentally and we try our best to make life better for ourselves. Jogging in the cold weather can help make things much easier for you while you stay healthy in mind and body.

Summary

What we can derive from this information is that to get up a few minutes earlier in the cold weather to go for a jog is good. So, the next time you feel stir-crazy or depressed, you know what will cheer you up and help you feel better about yourself.

Go out and take a quick jog, and life will look so much better for you. Plus, you will not get that winter fat.