Is walking outside better than walking indoors?
From a physical activity perspective, walking indoors on a treadmill and outdoors have mostly similar effects, though there is some difference in the number of calories burned and the muscles worked.
However, by walking indoors, you miss out on some of the other benefits of walking outside, such as the environmental and economic benefits of walking instead of driving and the social and quality of life benefits of interacting with your community and nature.
Of course, in some weather conditions, and at certain times and locations, it is not safe to walk outside. In such cases, walking indoors presents a good alternative. Remember, there are more options to walking indoors than just a treadmill: indoor tracks, the mall, and the halls and stairs at home or work.
