New Fitness Trend Burns Fat Faster Than the Gym

When it comes to a healthy and balanced lifestyle, the Swedes are at the top of the list. Not only are they masters of sustainable living, but they have also turned the simple act of picking up trash into a global fitness trend. Plogging is an eco-friendly workout that combines jogging with environmental activism, benefiting both your mind and body. This sustainable fitness trend has been gaining momentum since 2016 and continues to win hearts (and burn calories) around the world.

What is Plogging? Understanding the Eco-Friendly Fitness Trend

You may be surprised to learn that there are about 2,000,000 ploggers worldwide.

Plogging is a combination of the Swedish word plocka upp, which translates to pick up, and jogging. So, put plainly, it means jogging while picking up litter. If running isn't quite your pace, that's no problem, there are much easier ways, like "palking" (plogging while walking) or "piking" (plogging while hiking).

Whether taking in a casual stroll, breaking a sweat on a jog, or making those steps upward on a scenic hike, plogging opens the doors to everyone combining fitness with care for the environment.

It is an idea as simple as it is powerful: movement and cleaning. The eco-friendly workout is a simple way to help the environment and keep yourself fit.

The Origins of Plogging: From Sweden to Global Phenomenon

The trend was born in Sweden, where one eager environmentalist by the name of Erik Ahlström decided to mix his morning runs with picking up litter. Tired of all the garbage found in public places, he one day told himself, "Why not turn this problem into a purpose?"

Thus, the movement began. Erik even created a website so that he could spread his message and invite everybody to join him in running for greener grounds. This small idea quickly snowballed into a global phenomenon, resonating with people who value sustainable fitness and care about the environment.

Today, plogging has become a shining example of how tiny, consistent actions can ripple out into meaningful change.

Health Benefits of Plogging: Combining Cardio With Environmental Care

Still skeptical? Here's what makes this eco-friendly workout worth your try:

• It’s a Full-Body Workout: Jogging already burns calories, but plogging cranks things up a notch. With all the squats, lunges, and bends you’ll do while grabbing litter, you’ll engage your legs, core, and arms for a true full-body workout. On average, plogging burns about 288 calories in just 30 minutes, compared to the 108 calories burned in a half-hour of general weight lifting. Added to this is the endorphin boost of knowing you're leaving the world cleaner than you found it.
• Fight Plastic Pollution: Every single piece of trash you pick up has a ripple effect. A stray wrapper could have been carried into a river, then into the ocean, to choke and harm marine life. You actively act against the plastic pollution crisis as you take it away with this form of sustainable fitness.

• Protect Wildlife: Plastic waste is not just an eyesore, but it is deadly to animals. Many birds, turtles, and other such creatures either confuse trash for food or get tangled in it. Your cleaning could literally save lives.
• Save Public Funds: In Sweden, grassroots movements like plogging have reduced litter-cleaning costs by an astonishing amount. Money not used to clean up after litter louts can instead be used on more effective projects, such as improving parks or creating community amenities. And who wouldn't want to see tax dollars go to anything other than cleaning up after litterbugs?

Getting Started With Plogging: Tips for Beginners

Getting started with plogging is very easy. Here's how:

• Pick Your Route: Choose areas that need a little TLC. Parks, beaches, and trails are great places to start. Just make sure the area is safe and accessible.
• Gear Up: Bring along gloves, a reusable or recyclable bag, and some hand sanitizer. If bending down isn't your favorite thing, a grabber tool can help. And don't forget comfy shoes and weather-appropriate clothing!
• Get Social: Share your plogging stories on social media. Use hashtags like #Plogging or #TrashTag to connect with like-minded people and inspire others to join the movement.
• Make It Fun: Plogging doesn't have to be a solo mission. Invite your friends, family, or even coworkers to join. Community plogging events can turn trash-picking into a fun, team-building activity.

Ready to Plog?

There is just no better time to start plogging than now. Be it a hard-core running enthusiast or a casual, leisurely walker, plogging is a different way to keep fit and give something back to the planet. Of course, World Cleanup Day is a perfect entry point, but every single day is an opportunity to make a difference.

So put on your gloves, lace up your sneakers, and hit the ground running, or walking. Your community, your body, and the planet will thank you.

Plogging Goes Global

This Sweden movement has crossed borders, inspiring communities around the world. Take 18-year-old Felix Hamilton, for example, dividing his time between London and Sweden, he has been instrumental in bringing plogging to a new audience; he even introduced it to Florida, proving that this sun-soaked state deserves cleaner beaches!

In India, Ripu Daman Bevli turned plogging into a national movement. What started as a solo effort has evolved into a group called Ploggers of India, which has organized over 500 cleanup events. Bevli's mission is to make litter-picking not only cool, but also a cultural norm that inspires a sense of pride and responsibility among citizens.

Meanwhile, in the UK, Jo Stevens of JogScotland encourages runners to incorporate plogging into their routines. She loves how it brightens up mundane runs and revitalizes parks and paths. This is how the Swedish phenomenon has gradually evolved into a full-fledged global fitness movement.

Environmental Impact: How Plogging Helps Clean Our Communities

The effect of plogging can be seen and is incredibly inspiring: millions participated in World Cleanup Day in 2023 about 19.1 million volunteers from 195 countries participated, collecting an estimated 205,000 tons of trash, many thanks to plogging. It proves a difference one can make with mass action. Even small-scale efforts, like neighborhood plogging groups, have turned local parks and streets into cleaner, greener spaces.

Plogging’s popularity continues to soar as more and more people wake up to the realities of environmental degradation. Governments, nonprofits, and fitness communities champion it as one avenue through which sustainability can be merged with public health. Even cities are incorporating plogging into official cleanup initiatives, a show of how scalable this grassroots movement can be.

Even companies join in the fray. Plogging events are sprouting as team-building activities, marrying wellness with social responsibility. With its cross-appeal, plogging is bound to be one of those fitness trends that will go mainstream, so good for the earth, so good for the body.

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