Getting Started

Designing an Exercise Program
To improve your heart and lung fitness, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four times a week.

Exercise Goals for Healthy Living
You know it's important to stay active but still find yourself falling back on old habits. What can you do? Planning for exercise isn't hard if you make it a priority.

Ready to Exercise? Take It Inside
Here are some guidelines that can help you make the right choice when shopping for gear.

Exercise for the Seriously Unfit
You can't walk across a room without huffing and puffing. Your arms get tired unpacking a bag of groceries. You're carrying more and more excess body weight. And you can't remember the last time you got any real exercise.

Your Personal Rx for Exercise Success
Like your signature, the exercise routine you prefer is individual. If you’re outgoing, for example, working out in a group situation could be what keeps you coming back for more. A more reserved person, however, might do better exercising solo.

Bench These Six Exercise Excuses
Some excuses—I weigh too much, I'm too old, I have too many health problems—are in themselves strong arguments for increasing physical activity.

Prime Times to Exercise
Your exercise time can depend on everything from your work schedule to when your kids get up or go to bed.

Choosing the Right Group Fitness Instructor
The best group fitness instructors make exercise fun and help you improve your conditioning by appropriately challenging you according to your fitness level.

Using Dumbbells for a Fast and Effective Workout
Dumbbells, one of the most underrated and versatile types of exercise equipment, can help you build strength and muscular endurance.

Cardio Workout Equipment Primer
Here are tips to help you get the most out of your workouts when you use cardio equipment.

Think Before Buying a Treadmill
Before you buy a treadmill or any piece of equipment, stop to figure out what kind of exercise you enjoy.

Athletic Shoes: Lace Them to Fit
Simply lacing your shoes or sneakers properly, along with choosing a shoe that fits your foot correctly, can add comfort to your stride and prevent foot injuries.

A Guide to Jogging Strollers
Jogging strollers come in a variety of shapes and sizes to match almost anyone's needs, including parents with twins or children with physical disabilities.

Creating a Home Gym
For many people, a home gym works better than an actual gym because they don't have to travel to it.

As Seen on TV: Do Shake Weights and Other Gadgets Work?
You’ve probably seen the ads for toning shoes and Shake Weights. Do these gadgets deliver the workouts they promise?

Dehydration and Heat Stroke
Dehydration and heat stroke are two very common heat-related diseases that can be life threatening if left untreated.

Avoid Injury When You Exercise
Staying active—getting regular exercise—is one of the best ways to minimize the effects of aging. Exercise helps prevent chronic illness and loss of function in older adults.

No Sweat? No Good!
Even if you're fairly well conditioned, overdoing it may lead to heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke, causing the body to lose its ability to sweat.

An Ounce of Caution Prevents Heat-Related Illness
The four most common heat-related emergencies are cramps, fainting, exhaustion, and heat strokes. These illnesses occur when the body can no longer cool itself properly.

Sprained Ankles Need Attention
When you sprain an ankle, one or more ligaments on the outside of your ankle become stretched or torn.

What’s Up with Shortcut Workouts?
There are plenty of options to choose from if you want to get fit but don’t have 45 to 60 minutes daily to devote to exercise. But there’s a catch to taking shortcuts.