The health benefits of running are well known. It improves heart health, boosts immunity and helps with weight loss. There’s no denying that running is good for you, but there are some common questions among running enthusiasts. This is debatable. Is running on a treadmill or running outdoors more effective when it comes to weight loss?
We asked a few trainers to share their insights.
Pros and cons of indoor and outdoor running
First, it’s important to compare the pros and cons of treadmill running in general versus outdoor running. John GardnerNASM-certified personal trainer, CEO and co-founder of Kickoff, explains:
outdoor running
Strong Points:
- It offers a change of scenery that makes it more exciting.
- Fresh air not only makes going for a run more fun and exhilarating, it makes it more exciting.
- Variations in terrain and roads will increase your heart rate and help you lose weight.
- It’s completely free and can be done at any time of the day.
Cons:
- Weather conditions can affect consistency.
- Difficult to plan intensity and slope.
RELATED: 10 Actually Fun Outdoor Activities That Will Boost You And Improve Your Mental Health
treadmill running
Strong Points:
- Ability to follow rigorous training that meets your exact needs.
- Ability to control the incline and speed so that a certain amount of calories are burned.
- You can do it in front of the TV or at the gym, so it’s easy to maintain a sense of stability regardless of the weather.
- Interval training will get your heart rate up and help you get the most out of your workout and lose weight faster.
Cons:
- Running indoors can make your workouts feel very long and tedious, which can have a big impact on your consistency.
- It costs more than running outdoors.
Matt ClaesThe founder of Weight Loss Made Practical also says the first benefit of running on a treadmill is that you can do it indoors, at home, or at the gym. “This makes your workout less dependent on the weather,” he says. “Even if it’s stormy outside, you can still work out as usual.”
Conversely, running outdoors also gives you extra sunlight that offers a variety of benefits, such as getting more vitamin D, improving your sleep and mood.
Outdoor running typically involves uneven surfaces. The downside is an increased risk of injury, but the upside is that you work more of the various stabilizing muscles. “By stabilizing the muscles around your ankles, knees, and core, you can reduce your risk of injury in everyday life,” says Claes.
Another potential downside to running outdoors? It’s easy to skip a workout when the weather isn’t great.
(scroll to read more)
Outdoor running and treadmill running for weight loss
The benefits of these different workouts will depend on the running workout you’re doing.
If you keep the same pace and don’t stress your treadmill workout, running outdoors will help you burn calories. There are weather factors to consider. That’s because your body burns more calories in the heat as a result of sweating, and more calories in the winter to keep you warm, says Gardner.
However, treadmills have a great advantage, offering a quicker way to lose weight because you can control what you do to achieve the results you’re looking for.
RELATED: 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Running
This can be done by using interval training to increase your heart rate to maximize fat burning, speed and incline to increase resistance, and cardio to burn more calories.
“How effective each type of running is for weight loss is highly dependent on how fast you run it,” says Claes. It’s generally slightly better for weight loss due to its secondary positive effects on the surface.
Another thing to keep in mind when running for weight loss is consistency. There is likely to be.
On the flip side, these factors won’t hold you back when you’re running on a treadmill anywhere indoors.
Consistency is so important in a weight loss plan that it could be argued that running on a treadmill is better in this area. A lot depends on how much sun you get and how fast you do each version.
running time needed for weight loss
It’s important to note that weight loss depends on factors such as age, gender, pace, weight, resistance, and training routine, adds Gardner. However, as a general guideline, he recommends running for at least 45 minutes three to five times a week for weight loss.
Claes says the amount of running you have to do to lose weight can vary widely, from very short periods of time to “basically no other lifestyle to compensate for your habits.” said.
To lose weight, you need more energy for exercise than you take in from food. In these situations, the body begins to obtain energy from stores such as body fat.
Running helps with this by making you move harder and expend more energy, explains Claes.
For example, a 155-pound person running at 5.2 miles per hour for 30 minutes can burn about 330 calories (equivalent to about 0.1 pounds of body fat). However, to ensure that this amount of calories is obtained from body fat, this person must have good habits in other lifestyle habits, such as diet.
Beginners to exercise can start with something like three 20-minute running sessions per week, wait for results, and then decide whether to run more or faster, or make other lifestyle changes, such as diet. You can turn to the style field.
Next Article: Here’s How Much Cardio You Should Do Weekly To Lose Weight
sauce
- John Gardner, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Kickoff CEO and Co-Founder
- Matt Claes, founder of Weight Loss Made Practical
.
