No, running outdoors isn’t massively better for you than running inside on your treadmill. That said, there are small differences that you might want to keep in mind.

1. Running in Nature Can Help Your Balance – when you run outdoors you’re going to encounter a lot of different terrain, which is going to mean that your body must make small adjustments as you move. You may have to jump over obstacles or run up and down hills or between trees. All of these little movements are working smaller muscle fibers used for balance that are rarely used.The other benefit of this uneven terrain is that you are generally going to burn more calories as you adjust your intensity to your environment.
2. Getting Out of the House – it may seem silly to say, but one benefit of running outside is that it gets you out of the house. This won’t change you’re life drastically, but it’s a nice benefit. Running outdoors means that you can take a break and get away from the technology of the modern world for a while.
3. More Vitamin D – when you run outside, you’re exposing yourself to the sun, which means you’re getting a nice healthy dose of vitamin D which can help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. A healthy dose of sunlight has also been shown to reduce depression and generally make you feel happier.

There are, I’m sure, some people reading this (no you of course) who are just bound and determined never to leave their treadmill behind.I can understand wanting to stay inside where it’s cool and you can see the TV, but you’re missing something wonderful by not being outdoors. I know no one wants to get outside when the weather is extreme, which is why I usually recommend having a treadmill for the rainy or cold days, but doing cardio outdoors when you can will take your overall fitness to a level you’ve never been before.

For more information on running for weight loss, I recommend taking a look at The Ultimate Guide for Running to Lose Weight from Home Fitness Challenge.

What is a strapless heart monitor?
Unlike standard wireless heart rate monitor, a strapless heart rate monitor does not come with a chest strap. Instead it has an area on the main unit that measures the heart rate. If youre using strapless heart rate watch then the watch represents the main unit. You simply place two fingers over the measuring area of the watch and after approximately 5 seconds you receive your heart rate reading.

Is a strapless heart rate watch better than  the heart rate watch with the chest strap?
As soon as you use quality, branded product, there is no actual difference in the accuracy of measurement, no matter if the heart rate is measured with strapless or banded heart monitor watch. The strapless heart monitor watches are more comfortable as you wear no strap.

How to measure the heart rate?
Measuring your heart rate will be more accurate if done daily, at the same time during a day and in resting position, after not doing anything for at least 10 minutes (even standing up from the chair is considered an activity and increases the heart rate). Measurement should be done using a quality heart rate monitor that was tested for accuracy by manufacturer. It is advised to record the measurements so that you and your physician see the development.

What is a pulse monitor? Is it the same as heart rate monitor?
No they are not the same. While heart rate monitor functions the same way as your physicians ECG (ElectroCardioGram) monitoring the electrical impulses of your heart . On the other hand a pulse monitor detects blood flow in extremities. Pulse monitor is unable to detect beats that do not produce enough blood or other abnormalities and therefor is less accurate and should not be used for medical purposes.

Is heart rate monitor mandatory for exercise?
No i tis not, but it is advisable. Training at your own convenient pace usually is not the most effective. To maximize the benefits of exercise you need to stay within your target heart rate range as long as possible.
The target heart rate range of a semitrained individual is 60% – 80% of his/her maximum heart rate. For beginners or people in cardiac rehabilitation an optimum target heart rate is 50-60%.

What is a pulse oximeter? Does it measure the heart rate?
Pulse oximeters are medical equipment using noninvasive methods to monitor individual’s oxygen saturation levels. People who never used a pulse oximeter sometimes assume that there is some needle hidden in it that punctures skin and oximeter then analyzes the blood drops but that is not true.
Pulse oximeters use light wavelengths to measure oxyhemoglobin saturation, delivery of oxygen to the cells but not the actual amount of oxygen. Individual normal range for the pulse oximeter display  should be defined by your physician but usually is over 95% .
Factors like anemia, low blood pressure, blood ph, Pco2 or body temperature can affect pulse oximeter reads.
And, yes, pulse oximeter also measure the heart rate.

I weigh 190 right now and am working towards 175. After that I want to gain muscle up to 205. I know its going to be a long process and I know that I’ll be burning fat and gaining muscle at the same time. I figured a good rate would be one pound of solid muscle a month. Is that hard to do? I’ll be running 3 days a week and working out muscles everyday with a high protein and high calorie diet. Any tips too?

I do leg exercises such as lunges, squats and jump squats, and normally my muscles ache for a day or two after I do them. I also tend to do cardio, mostly about 35-45 minutes of running everyday. Should I wait until my legs stop aching before running or is it okay to keep running everyday?

Zoe