Plogging – The Latest Fitness Craze
What is plogging/pliking?
Plogging is essentially jogging while picking up litter. The term “Plogging” is a combination of two Swedish words, “plocka upp” (pick up) and “jogga” (jog). People are flocking to this trend because it’s like hitting three birds with one stone. Keeping you, animals, and planet earth healthy.
To simplify this article, I will talk about Plogging, but the same principle applies to people hiking or cycling (Pliking) or walking (Plalking) . You get your run/walk/hike/cycle in while also cleaning the environment. It’s perfect!
This activity has grown more and more popular in countries like Sweden, USA, China, and Australia, after an internet trend of people “plogging” went viral.
Now it’s time to go viral in South Africa!
The more people do it, the faster it will catch on. It takes little to no extra effort, and it results in great benefits. Start your plogging adventure! Let’s inspire all South Africans to join. Share your plogging photo’s/reëls on Instagram, and tag @lk.fitness_. Use the hashtag #ploggingsa. If you’re reading this, and are staying in another country, please also tag @lk.fitness_ , and use the hashtag #plogging.
How to do plogging:
For your jog to become a plog, all you have to do is pick up litter while you run. It’s that simple. All you need to take with you is a bag in which you can place all the litter that you find along your run (or walk/hike). Preferably a reusable or biodegradable bag. Gloves are optional. At the end of your jog, dispose of your trash in a responsible way. The ideal is of course to separate the recyclables from the non-recyclables, and dispose of them accordingly.
Extra motivation to exercise
You burn more calories by plogging, than jogging! An average person can burn about 288 calories in 30 minutes with plogging, in comparison to 235 calories with a normal jog. Remember, you’re squatting, bending and stretching when picking up litter. It’s sometimes hard to get yourself motivated to go for a run/walk when you really don’t feel like it. Now, there is an extra incentive to get up and move. Your runs will also feel more rewarding because you’ll know that you’ve also done a good deed for the environment. Once you get your family and friends involved in this journey, everyone can help motivate each other to get fit and clean up the environment.
It makes runs more fun and pleasant
Once you start to plog, your running routes will also gradually start to look better aesthetically, which will make your jogs and strolls even more pleasant. It can also make a jog more fun because plogging will turn an ordinary workout into a “treasure hunt”.
Environmental benefits
Litter in nature is a plague which humans have brought on the natural world. With plogging, we can play our part in trying to reverse the bad effects which humans have had on the environment. When plastic washes into the rivers and the ocean, they can harm marine life as the plastic can get stuck in their throat. The toxic plastics also pollute their waters and make them uninhabitable.
Article by Armin Prinsloo – LK Fitness co worker
Need an outfit for your plogging? Spoil yourself with these stylish activewear. Best of all, you can wear it for exercise and leisure!
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