Rescue your cardio from boredom: for a bigger calorie meltdown, stop feeling like a gerbil on the treadmill and head outdoors

Men's Fitness, June, 2003 by Bob Cooper

Maybe you've already escaped the gym this spring for an occasional walk around the neighborhood, a run or bike ride on the streets, or a swim in the pool. But you can get even further away from the gym--in mind, body and spirit--by spending some serious cardio time where the air is pure and unfiltered. More important, you'll blaze more calories, improve your overall strength and balance, and hang on to your sanity.

"The time goes by faster in a natural setting because your senses are bombarded by so much stimulation," says Denver-based Charlie Hugo, personal trainer at the Athletic Club at Denver Place.

Hugo knows a thing or two about the fitness perks of exercising outdoors, having completed two 100-mile mountain-bike races and countless trail runs in the Rockies while training for Ironman-distance triathlons. "One major benefit," he adds, "is that you burn more calories because of the increased muscle recruitment demanded by the varied terrain."

We're not advocating a total cardio shakeup. We're suggesting only that you change venues, not activities:

* If you walk or run the treadmill, you can take a break from the machine and hike or run trails.

* If you climb simulated hills on a stationary bike, you can wheeze up real ones on a mountain bike.

* If you're a lap swimmer, you can stop counting and start stroking along the shoreline.

In each case, you'll enjoy sunshine, fresh air, and vistas far more interesting than the talking heads on CNN.