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Exercise: Indoors or Outdoors?

Exercise for weight loss is an extremely wide arena. And nowadays people have more options than they ever even expected. Some prefer to do their daily workouts within the confines of the gym, while others prefer cheap weight loss exercise methods by cutting the machinery altogether and simply enjoying the activity outdoors. However, which is better?

Does outdoor exercise have more benefits than indoor exercise and vice versa? Should you prefer one in favor of the other? What can indoor exercise give you that outdoor exercise can’t? What can you get from outdoor exercise that you can’t get from indoor exercise? Is there any difference at all?

The answer is: Yes, there is.

What is there outdoors that you can’t get indoors? Sunlight. The combination of that early morning sun exposure and that early morning jogging routine is the key to strong bones – yes, bones. When you exercise, you should not only be thinking solely about losing weight or shedding off extra pounds; you should be thinking about maintaining that healthy lifestyle and well-being. Growing strong bones is a big part of this entire scheme. Listen to a bit of music while you're at it. Consider purchasing a pair of wireless earphones to make your life easier.

Both physical activity and sunlight – the Vitamin D – reduce calcium loss. This loss weakens the bones and causes them to be porous, brittle, and more prone to spontaneous fractures. Let us explain the mechanism of it all: When you exercise your muscles pull on the bones to which they are attached, and in consequence help in developing their strength and endurance. Calcium, in turn, is routinely deposited into the bone structure as part of the normal mechanism of the body. When you lead a sedentary lifestyle, however, bones tend to grow weaker because of lack of use, and the rate of bone resorption (the release of minerals, causing calcium from bones to be released into the blood) increases. When this happens the bones are easy prey to fractures, even with slight activity.

When it isn’t early morning, however, sunlight could be bad for you. Staying under the sun after 10 A.M. and during midday can increase the risk or certain skin cancers. In other words, depending on your exercise schedule, either outdoors or indoors could do you wonders. However, of course, when you exercise at the right time (say, early morning), and at the right place (say, outdoors), your bones can get an extra benefit.

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