Best Way To Build Muscle

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.

The difference between running outside and staying inside to jog on your treadmill isn’t that extreme and comes down mostly to personal preference. That said, there are small differences that you might want to keep in mind.

1. Running in Nature Can Help Your Balance – with all of the uneven landscape you may encounter while running outside, your body is going to learn to make small, micro-muscle adjustments to keep you moving. You may have to jump over obstacles or run up and down hills or between trees. When you run through these challenging areas, your body is working the micro-muscles that help to keep you balanced.The other benefit of this uneven terrain is that you are generally going to burn more calories as you adjust your intensity to your environment.
2. Get Some Fresh Air – I know it might seem a little corny, but running outside means you’re going to be getting more fresh air. This won’t change you’re life drastically, but it’s a nice benefit. You get to be out in a natural environment away from the TV and the air conditioning and clear you head.
3. You’ll Get More Vitamin D – when you run outside, you’re exposing yourself to the sun, which means you’re getting a nice healthy dose of vitamin D which can help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. Exposing yourself to direct sunshine has also been shown to lighten depression and increase your mood.

There are, I’m sure, some people reading this (no you of course) who are just bound and determined never to leave their treadmill behind.I know I love being able to point my elliptical 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 force 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 cardio fitness grow by huge leaps.

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.