【Real Nutrition】Exercising at home VS outdoor: Which is more effective?

As a nutritionist, I often advise people around me to exercise, but I was given tons of reasons for not exercising. The most commonly heard is nothing but “I don’t have time to exercise” and my answer to them is, "Would you have time to get sick then?"

In addition to burning excess fat and increasing metabolic rate, exercise can also strengthen bones, muscles, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. However, most people are making excuses of their busy life and hectic work schedules. Hence, the trend of home exercises has recently begun to flourish, providing another option for many busy urbanites. Is exercise at home more effective than outdoor exercise? Let me make some simple comparisons for your reference. 

The benefits of outdoor exercise include: 

1. Enhance calcium absorption. Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D production in the body to enhance the absorption of calcium in the body. However, in order to avoid heat stroke, it’s better to avoid sunlight at noon. 
2. Improve depression. Exercise in a wide space is effective in improvement of depression, reduction of stress and achieving greater satisfaction.
3. Be in outdoor is more spacious, and hence suitable for different exercises to be carried out, which include group exercise. Group exercise is shown to increase social capabilities at the same time. You may spend quality time with family and friends to maintain a good relationship, yet promote good mental health. 

The benefits of exercise at home include: 

1. The room temperature is more comfortable. The temperature at home can be controlled based on personal reference, greatly reducing the possibility of heat stroke.
2. Can be more focused and reduce the risk of injury. Exercise at home allow better focus on the exercise postures, and it is easier to monitor own progression. 
3. Support from family members is crucial to sustain a healthy lifestyle. You may exercise with your family and encourage each other to be more persistent. 

In fact, regardless outdoor or indoor, the key is the determination to exercise! After all, everyone has their own preferences in choosing their way of exercising. As long as you manage to arrange an exercise schedule that best fit into your health and life, it is much better than have your butt down on the sofa to scroll your phone or watch TV. 

This is a basic sharing of exercise for general populations. If you have other in-depth issues, please consult your doctor or dietitian.