Welcome to another Friday post! The weeks sure do fly by, don’t they?
Today I want to talk about exercise. Wait!! Don’t leave. Not hard exercise, just walking.
I recently had my yearly physical, where they draw blood and look at everything. My A1C was slightly out of range. Yikes! Diabetes runs in my family on both sides, so it’s something I’m acutely aware of.
I knew what I had to do. For the past two years, I slacked off on doing any kind of regular exercise and as a result, my body reacted to that. I had to get back into a regular routine of doing my favorite exercise, walking.
Thanks to my daughter, I own a treadmill. So, I have absolutely NO excuses for not walking for two years.
As curious minds will do, I started to wonder about the effectiveness of a treadmill vs. walking outdoors.
As I’ve mentioned before, I live in a huge metroplex. There is no nature trail nearby that would let me escape from the city noise. So, I am acutely aware of the constant drone of vehicles. A major freeway is a half-mile from where I live. I envy those who live in areas where they can walk in nature. There is a golf course across the street from me and a trail that goes under the freeway. I used to walk there until homeless people started camping under the overpass.
But, I digress. Verywellfit.com says this about walking outdoors. Walking outside comes with certain obstacles that make your body work harder, like wind resistance and pushing your own body to move forward, unlike a motorized treadmill that will keep you going with less effort on your part. When your body has to expend more energy, you burn more calories.
I will also add that, if you are walking outdoors, no matter far away you walk, you always have to walk back home, so there’s no quit, whereas, when you are on a treadmill, you can choose to stop at any time, perhaps shortening your walk.
You can also spot some interesting things on an outdoor walk. I saw this just yesterday. What a gorgeous sunrise!
Each time I walk by the wooded area, I always think it’s a great place to hide something. 🙂 And, I can see what’s showing at the movie theater. But the pair of abandoned shoes puzzled me. Did someone just take off their shoes and walk barefoot?
According to VeryWellFit.com, the advantages of walking on a treadmill are these. Using a treadmill for your regular workouts is a great way to train your walking muscles, practice your form, and achieve greater walking speed. If you opt for a treadmill, you can: Control your workout, Walk faster, Stay entertained and ignore the weather outside. So, it’s easier to stay consistent on a treadmill.
The benefit column seems a little heavier on the walking outdoors side as opposed to the treadmill, but they each have their benefits. One thing I didn’t mention about walking outdoors on concrete (which is what I have) can be hard on the joints. Whereas, a treadmill cushions the steps.
The bottom line: I think it doesn’t matter all that much where or how you walk, as long as you walk.
What say you?