10 tips for beginning joggers

1. If you smoke, quit: Besides the health benefits giving up tobacco will do for your body, stopping smoking will allow you to breath easier when jogging. Also, smoking raises your heartbeat and blood pressure, and your heart and blood pressure will be working more than enough once you start jogging.
2. See your doctor: Especially if you are overweight or not in great health, you should consult your family doctor before beginning any kind of workout regimen. A physician will be able to offer advice about what kind of workout you should be getting, if any at all; it's not impossible a doctor will tell you to lay off jogging until you've lost more weight or have improved your health. Also, ask you doctor if he or she thinks you should get a trainer, someone experienced who can help you get the most from your exercise.
3. Don't start too fast: During the first week or two, when your body is getting used to the new exercise you are putting it through, don't try to run at a break-neck speed. You'll do more harm than good to yourself, physically and mentally. For the physical part, you could hurt yourself by spraining an ankle or by putting too much pressure on your knees. For the mental part, you could tire yourself out too soon and this could make you lose confidence and interest.
4. Stretch: You might remember this one from gym class in school. It's not a joke or some kind of torture the gym teacher was trying to put you through. Stretching before a jog really helps to loosen up your muscles, which will make your jog a little easier on your body.
5. Turn up the music: Whether it's an iPod or an old Walkman or whatever, listening to music can help the time go by faster and can help keep you motivated. Just remember to keep your eyes open for safety purposes, because with your ears filled with tunes, you won't be able to hear your surroundings as well.
6. Stand straight: This will help the blood flow by not slouching while jogging, and it will also help your breathing by keeping your lungs open.
7. Wear the right shoes: Running shoes are important for your balance, for the health of your feet and for the health of your leg joints. Just about any pair of sneakers or tennis shoes or walking shoes can be worn, but your best bet would be to invest in some good running shoes. If you're unsure what to buy, ask someone at a local sports shoe shop.
8. Walk when necessary: Beginning joggers often aren't quite ready for out-and-out jogging or running, mentally and physically. But you'll get over that. If you have to, walk the first part of your workout, or walk at the end or really anywhere along the way. You want to build up the pulse rate some, but don't wear yourself out too much. Walk when you feel it is necessary.
9. Make time: It's going to take a little time to get in your jog, probably at least 20 or 30 minutes, depending upon what your doctor or trainer suggests for you. In a way that doesn't seem like a lot of time, but we all live busy lives. You'll have to work in the time. Plan ahead, whether you jog every day or only a few days a week. Get up a little earlier in the morning and jog then if you have to. The important thing is to fit jogging into your schedule. If you have to start off with less time, say just 5 minutes, that can be okay as long as you slowly work up to a longer time period, but don't jump back and forth by doing 5 minutes one day and 30 minutes the next. That won't help your body adjust.
10. Have fun: Remember this one. After you've been running a while, your body is going to be in better condition. You're going to sleep better. You're probably going to enjoy your meals better. A lot of things will be better. Enjoy it! And the rumors you've heard about a "runner's high," they really are true. Once you become an experienced jogger, you could easily reach a state where you feel like you could run forever, just remember that you can't. The body needs rest, too.