Jogging is one of the most popular activities to stay in shape or lose weight. But is running indoors on a treadmill as effective as running outdoors in terms of calories burned and health benefits?
On the road, in nature or on a treadmill, there are multiple ways to practice jogging, and not all are created equal. Several parameters influence the number of calories burned while running : speed, resistance of the’air, slope of the terrain, temperature… When running outdoors, the air offers increased resistance which slightly increases energy expenditure, but the difference remains minimal. According to a 1996 study, the difference is felt from a speed of 13.5 km/h and represents barely 1%. This means that, out of 100 calories expended, a distance of about 1.5 km, we will spend 1 calorie more running outside.
Another one 2017 study calculated that you need to increase running speed by 15% on a conveyor belt to obtain an energy load comparable to that achieved on the track. Other factors work in favor of jogging in a park or in an urban environment: the terrain, which is rarely flat when you run outside and which increases energy expenditure, or the weather report (wind from the front, rain, heat…). Variations in pace also induce greater calorie expenditure compared to constant speed.
More Calories Burned: The Psychological Factor
There are still other arguments in favor of running outdoors: according to various studies, runners tend to run more slowly and for less time on a carpet because the effort is more perceptible. When we run outside, the mind is occupied with something other than seeing the kilometers and the calories scrolling on a counter: concentrated on the environment, our attention is diverted, which reduces the feeling of fatigue. In addition, varying the pace and types of terrain (asphalt, gravel, grass, etc.) reduces the risk of tendonitis or muscle injury compared to a treadmill where the effort is repetitive. Conversely, jogging outdoors presents an increased risk of road accidents or heart attacks.
In any case, jogging is beneficial for our health. Run once a week decreases the risk of death and allows to losing weight under a diet.
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