Fitness & Exercise

Free Weights Work Using free weights to target many muscles at the same time burns more calories in each move than resistance machines you sit or lie on. Try these six moves to help tone your whole body. … [Read more...] about The 10-Minute Toning Workout You’ll Want to Do Every Day

A Quick and Fun Workout Routine Let's face it, workouts can sometimes feel repetitive. Following the same workout day in and day out without any change can place you on a fitness plateau that’s tough to break through and can also lead to overuse injuries, which may eventually hinder your results. This workout introduces some new moves that you’ve likely never done before, as … [Read more...] about 10-Minute Workout: Fresh Moves for a Busy Day

Enjoy the Outdoors Winter can be a tough time of year to stay fit. As the frigid days turn into weeks, the weeks seem to turn into pounds. Many of us linger in the heated indoors, getting pasty from lack of sunshine, sometimes lethargic, often a tad moody. But getting active in the outdoors doesn’t have to be a chore, even for those of us who dislike the cold. After years … [Read more...] about 6 Secrets to Making Winter Fitness Fun

This is a question that has launched dozens of studies since the release of Nintendo’s Wii gaming system in late 2006, with results debated in lofty academic journals. Most researchers agree that "exer-gaming" does burn significantly more calories than playing traditional video games, but that’s really not saying much. The real question is whether they burn enough calories to … [Read more...] about Are Video-Games Sports Real Workouts?

“Women can definitely do pull-ups, with the proper training,” says certified personal trainer Joseph Alejandria, co-founder of Conquer Performance Training. If you’ve heard otherwise, you may have read a New York Times column entitled “Why Women Can’t Do Pull-Ups.” It discussed a study from the University of Dayton, where 17 women trained three days a week for three months … [Read more...] about Is It True Women Can’t Do Pull-ups?

Want to know the secret to legendary actress Audrey Hepburn’s allure? Whether dining at Tiffany’s or riding her Vespa in the streets of Rome, she simply had great posture. Fast-forward to today, and what Hepburn knew intuitively has been proven: People with good posture are perceived as more attractive. Still other psychology research has shown that we look slimmer when we … [Read more...] about 6 Exercises for Perfect Posture

I'm moving from downward dog to warrior two under the sun outside Montreal's Olympic Stadium, but I'm hesitating a bit. You see, this yoga class is in French, and I'm a little slow on the uptake with my lefts and rights. Luckily, there are a couple thousand other yogis around me that I can follow for direction, and my feet are soon in the right place. This is fitness brand … [Read more...] about Why Group Fitness Will Make You Fitter

If you need help reaching your fitness goals—and who doesn't?—hiring a personal trainer could be the motivation boost you need. But trainers don't come cheap, which means finding one you like is key to getting the most value for your money and your time. So what should you look for? "Find someone who has a good track record, and look for testimonials," suggests personal … [Read more...] about How to Find the Right Personal Trainer

Getting Started Try these exercises at home or the gym with just your body weight. Aim to complete one to two sets of about 15 repetitions per side. Once you can easily do up to 15 reps, step up your workouts and sculpt butt muscles even more by holding dumbbells or a weighted bar for added resistance. Do the routine three times a week on nonconsecutive days. With a five … [Read more...] about 5 Little Moves You Can Do Anywhere to Help You Sculpt a Better Butt

The Benefits of a Weighted Ball Workout Adding a weighted or medicine ball—or any ball, such as a soccer or beach ball—to your workouts is a simple way to provide resistance for muscle toning and a fun way to vary your routine. “Weighted balls as fitness tools have been around for centuries, but have lately become popular as trainers look for ways to make exercises more … [Read more...] about Medicine Ball Workout: 3 Easy Moves to Tone Your Legs and Tummy

Skiing and Snowboarding Use your head: According to the Canadian Ski Patrol, brain injury is the leading cause of disability and death among adults under 45. Jahn Davis, an emergency medical technician, and ski patroller based in Salt Lake, Utah, says the helmet issue is a bit of a no-brainer. “Skiing is a fast sport and head injuries can occur at any time. Whether you’re a … [Read more...] about 9 Safety Tips For Winter Sports

More and more women are rediscovering the fun of riding a bike, whether it’s joining a group of friends to ride local trails, taking in a combo spinning/yoga class, or simply zipping around the neighborhood to do errands or enjoy a family outing. (And, hey, reducing your gasoline budget—and your greenhouse gas emissions—doesn’t hurt, either.) Recreational cycling has all kinds … [Read more...] about The Health Benefits of Biking, and How to Get the Most Out of Your Ride

Three times a week, 39-year-old Tracy Cowie climbs the walls—literally. The high-school teacher heads to a local indoor climbing center, buckles on a safety harness that’s attached to a climbing rope, passes the rope to a friend on the ground and starts scaling a 45-foot wall studded with hundreds of multicolored climbing holds. The friend with the rope, called a “belayer,” … [Read more...] about Fitness Trend: Indoor Climbing … Should You Try It?

Don’t let the cold weather keep you indoors this winter. Instead, take up an exciting winter sport that will make staying fit fun. For extra motivation, it's a good idea to come up with your own, realistic goals and take pride in what you accomplish. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing According to author and personal trainer Michael Carrera, cross-country skiing and … [Read more...] about How to Set Your Winter Fitness Goals

Beautifully sculpted upper arms say, “I am woman. Do not mess with me.” They also look quite lovely in a strapless dress. But while many women long to slim down their arms, some are hesitant to target this area. “A lot of women are afraid of doing upper-body exercises,” says personal trainer Alex Bourgeois. “As soon as you mention weights, women say, ‘I don’t want to bulk up.’” … [Read more...] about 5 Steps to Sexy Arms You’ll Want to Show Off

Build muscle strength today Women are at several disadvantages when it comes to optimal muscle health. With age, our muscles deteriorate at a faster rate than men’s, explains Michael Bemben, an exercise physiologist and professor in the department of health and exercise science at the University of Oklahoma. The neurons that control muscles in both genders are programmed to … [Read more...] about Why It’s Important For Women to Build Muscle and 4 Key Zones to Target

Get the Most Out of Hiking Hiking, like walking, is a pretty simple activity, but it requires just a little more preparation. To hike comfortably and safely, follow these golden rules. And remember, the reward for a hike that includes some hills might be a panoramic view once you reach the top, not to mention that the downhill leg will be a relative breeze. … [Read more...] about 6 Steps to Hike Like a Pro

Everyone knows family time is important. However... some moms and dads experience the odd “Damn! I should be working out!” pang during quality time. You know, those moments where you catch yourself calculating whether your meandering, child-like pace through the woods is enough to make up for the workout you missed the day before—or to justify the hot chocolate and cookies your … [Read more...] about Turn Winter Fun Into Winter Fitness: How to Ramp Up the Calorie Burn of 3 Family Activities

Whether you like snowboarding or skiing mostly comes down to personal preference, says Louis Boudreault, vice-president of sales and marketing North America for the National Snow Industries Association. With skiing, each foot gets its own thinner ski and you face downward in the direction you’re headed. You also have the benefit of two ski poles to help maneuver you around … [Read more...] about Snowboarding vs. Skiing: Which Is Right For You?

Did you know that it’s important to eat a little different to sustain energy during exercise in the winter? Registered dietitian Kelly Anne Erdman, consultant to Winter Olympics athletes at the Canada Sports Center in Calgary, says that while we need a combination of carbohydrate, protein and fat at every meal, we need to eat foods that are slightly higher in fat and protein … [Read more...] about 8 Foods to Fuel Your Winter Activities

Pilates for Beginners There’s a misconception that you have to be an uber-fit celebrity, athlete or dancer to even consider entering a Pilates studio. Truth is, you don’t need any previous exercise experience to test the waters with Pilates. "Pilates is an excellent entry-level fitness class because it starts out quite slowly," says Leanne Zdebiak-Eni, a certified Pilates … [Read more...] about Pilates: How to Get Started

Who has the space in their home—or the cash—for a decked-out, top-of-the-line personal gym? Not us. Yet some of the most effective pieces of gym equipment can cost less than 50 bucks! You may already have a yoga mat, a set of dumbbells and aerobics DVDs, but here are other pieces to add to your fitness arsenal that are guaranteed to get results. (You can find these tools at … [Read more...] about 10 Cheap Fitness Tools and How to Use Them

Walking is an excellent low-impact cardio routine and a great social activity, too. But while it's possible to raise your heart rate while walking to the point where you burn lots of calories, many of us walk too slowly to get any major benefits from walking for shorter amounts of time, making it feel like an inefficient workout. "One of my frustrations is I feel like it takes … [Read more...] about 4 Ways to Burn More Calories When Walking

A personal trainer is the ultimate investment in your personal fitness—an expert devoted (at least for an hour) to your needs and goals. But it's important to know what you're getting into before you commit. "We can't provide miracles," says personal trainer Nathan Bower. Trying to decide if you're ready? Here are some tips on what a personal trainer can do for you—and what … [Read more...] about What a Personal Trainer Can (and Can’t) Do For You

My Introduction to Tai Chi Not long ago, I was walking through our local park when I noticed a group of elderly people engaged in a seemingly random, slow-motion ballet. Like puppets moving at half speed, their arms were rising and falling, their knees gently bending, their feet pirouetting in unison on the grass. It looked mystifying but also intriguing. What were they … [Read more...] about Trying Tai Chi: How I Got Hooked

The average cyclist pedals more than 3,000 times in a one-hour bike ride. But an improperly set-up bike—frame too big, seat too high, handlebars too low—can cause stress and pain in the lower back, neck or knees. Try these tips to make sure your bike is adjusted perfectly for you. Frame On a road bike, you should be able to stand astride the tube (the bar between the … [Read more...] about How to Adjust Your Bicycle for a Better Cycling Workout

Q: I want to join a gym, but I'm overweight and embarrassed about how I look when I exercise. Do you have any advice for me? AFirst, congratulations on being ready to commit to yourself in this way. Exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do for your entire life. Not only will you lose weight and tone your body, but you'll drastically boost your everyday mood, … [Read more...] about How Can I Be More Confident At the Gym?

Getting Started What you need: An exercise mat, stability ball and a set of eight- to 10-pound dumbbells (for increased difficulty). … [Read more...] about 5 Moves to Sculpt Strong and Sexy Legs

Your Waist-Sculpting Routine Strong core muscles help stabilize your body, prevent back strains and add power to your swimming stroke or golf swing. We’ve indicated the order in which to do three great moves, as it’s best to exercise large muscles first so the small ones aren’t too tired to support them later in the workout. Do the routine daily; it takes under 10 minutes and … [Read more...] about 3 Moves to Sculpt Your Waist