With the fun and frolic of summer behind us, take advantage of the routine, stability, and continuity of Fall to renew your commitment to health.

Kids get a fresh start in the Fall — new teachers, new classes, new clothes, new supplies. Why not give yourself the same opportunity? Go “school shopping.” Buy some new sneakers, weight training gloves, or a workout video. Create a syllabus for your fall fitness program. Regardless of your fitness level, set a goal and take some concrete steps to prepare yourself. Then, go out and achieve it!
(more…)

I love to travel, but I hate to pack. The process of making a list, folding clothing into piles, and searching for matching socks and half-used tubes of toothpaste absolutely overwhelms me. So I look for an excuse — any excuse — to avoid it. In fact, I’m starting this article a week before the deadline because I’m procrastinating packing for a weekend getaway. An hour before we leave on our trip, I’ll haphazardly shove clothes and toiletries into a bag and hope for the best. But I get the job done and it’s never really as bad as I thought it would be.
(more…)

Date: December 2002. Place: East Maryland Animal Hospital. Event: Lindsay and Wilson’s veterinary checkup.

Taking my cats to the vet is usually a pleasure. Like a proud parent, I bask in the praise of how beautiful and healthy they are. But this time was different. After giving them otherwise clean bills of health, the vet commented, “They’re a little heavier this year.” What? How could that be? “These are two VERY active indoor cats,” I explained, as Wilson jumped from the exam table into the sink. “They’re too young to face the declining metabolism of middle age,” I continued. “And, just as in years past, each of them eats only one scoop of food, twice a day.” But the scales didn’t lie. Both had gained about a pound in 2002.
(more…)

When you get home tonight, before you do anything else, put on some comfortable clothing and take off your shoes. Find a quiet, carpeted space on the floor, and lie down on your back. Relax your head, neck, shoulders, hips, legs, and feet. Feel your body sink into the ground. Close your eyes and take five slow, deep breaths.
(more…)

Joe never misses a workout. For the past five years, he has gone to the gym every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, set the treadmill at 7.0 speed with a 1.5 incline, and run for half an hour. He walks and stretches for 15 minutes, then showers and goes to work. He enjoys this time at the gym, as he can visit with his buddies and catch up on CNN. On Saturdays, Joe usually does a few pushups and abdominal crunches while his kids watch cartoons, then takes them on a leisurely half-hour bike ride.
(more…)

Some people are very comfortable in a weight room. They know a couple of exercises for each muscle group, and execute them with confidence. Others are intimidated by the weight room, with its complicated equipment and brawny, sweaty people. Still others are satisfied with their cardio routine, and feel no need to use the weight room. Finally, some people have never even considered strength training, and think a “lateral raise” is a salary increase and a “tricep kickback” is defined in the criminal code.
(more…)

When the temperatures rise, do you run for the nearest air-conditioned gym? Not a bad idea. But for those of you who can’t stand indoor exercise, here are some suggestions for maintaining a safe and effective outdoor fitness program.
(more…)

Indulge me in a sweeping generalization: most of us either want to lose weight or maintain our present weight. Now, a reality check: the odds are against us. A recent University of Colorado Health Sciences Center study indicated that adults who do not make adjustments to their ordinary eating and exercise patterns tend to gain one to two pounds each year. Fortunately the study also included a suggestion for avoiding this “natural” weight gain – simply eat 100 fewer calories per day. That’s about half a candy bar, or a few bites of a hamburger, or a cookie.
(more…)

Did you make a health and fitness resolution this year? Have you broken it yet? If so, or if you didn’t bother making one, it’s not too late to set some reasonable goals.
(more…)