One question I get asked all the time is whether running outdoors is better than running indoors. Sure, a treadmill is more convenient and it’s certainly nicer on a cold morning, but is it any better or worse than simply hitting the bricks? The answer to this is actually pretty interesting.
There isn’t a big difference between running indoors and running outdoors. Keeping that in mind, it is important to note that there are a few benefits to running outdoors as opposed to the treadmill, especially is you are running to lose weight.
- Running in Nature Can Help Your Balance - when you run outdoors you’re going to encounter a lot of different terrain, which is going to mean that your body must make small adjustments as you move. You may be running through a park or up and down a hilly area. When you run through these challenging areas, your body is working the micro-muscles that help to keep you balanced.Running outdoors also tends to burn more calories because you have to adjust your sprint and intensity levels to match the environment around you.
- Getting Out of the House - it may seem silly to say, but one benefit of running outside is that it gets you out of the house. Is it a life changing thing? No, but it is a nice added benefit. You get to be out in a natural environment away from the TV and the air conditioning and clear you head.
- You’ll Get More Vitamin D - Take the time to run outdoors means that you’re going to be in the sunshine and be getting a nice helping of vitamin D, which has been shown to play a role in cancer prevention and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Exposing yourself to direct sunshine has also been shown to lighten depression and increase your mood.
I’m sure some of you may be resisting the idea of leaving your treadmill behind to go out in the heat or the cold.I know I love being able to point my treadmill at the TV and run while watching Oprah, but there is something so much better about being in nature and not couped up in the house running on the same strip of rolling rubber. When the weather is bad, it’s hard to convince yourself to go out and run, but if you can opt for the great outdoors over the treadmill every once in a while, you’ll see your cardiovascular fitness grow by huge leaps & bounds.
This is just a tidbit, if you’re looking for an in depth program to help you run for fat loss I recommend checking out Run to Lose Weight: The Ultimate Guide.
