Running and walking helps you burn calories and maintain your weight. You can use a treadmill to simulate walking or running outdoors if the weather is not temperate enough or a location to walk or run is not accessible. There are benefits and drawbacks to both treadmills and walking/running outside. However, the best exercise is the one that you will perform regularly.
Wind Resistance
When running on a treadmill, you are not subject to the wind resistance that you experience when running outdoors. While wind resistance varies depending on where you are running, you will expend less energy on the treadmill than you do when running outdoors. If you find running or walking on a treadmill slightly easier than being outdoors, the wind resistance could be the cause. Raising your treadmill incline to 1 percent can compensate for this lack of wind resistance, according to the University of Cincinnati. This will increase the amount of calories you burn per exercise session.
Terrain Changes
Running or walking outdoors provides a change of scenery and terrain that can prevent boredom. However, you must be prepared to compensate for surface changes, such as potholes, gravel and sand. Running outdoors may result in changing from soft dirt ground to hard pavement. Exercising on pavement may place added stress on your joints, making this exercise less suitable for those with knee or back problems. Because treadmills are designed to absorb some of the shock to the joints that takes place when the foot strikes the ground, treadmills may be more suitable for you if you experience joint pain.
Pace
Exercising on a treadmill allows you to maintain a steady pace that can be changed at a click of a button. This is advantageous because you can raise your heart rate to your desired level and keep it there without having to consider if you should speed up or slow down your pace to make it to the end of your exercise session. Although you can keep pace running outdoors, this is often a learned practice and requires more careful thought while you are running or walking, according to the Fit Sugar website.
Momentum
When running outdoors, you exert more energy to move your feet and legs, according to Go Ask Alice, a health resource from Columbia University. The moving treadmill belt pulls your legs and feet backward as you run or walk. This requires less energy because the treadmill gives you momentum. Like wind resistance, this means you exert less energy on the treadmill, which can translate into less calories burned. If you prefer the treadmill, increasing the intensity or duration at which you run can help you to compensate for this difference.
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