Only half of Americans routinely protect themselves from the sun when outdoors, a recent American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) survey found. Those who don’t practice sun safety put themselves at increased risk for skin cancer, which is the most common cancer in the United States, despite being one of the most preventable cancers. One in…  read on >

Fitness boxing is a popular way for adults to stay fit. Unlike regular boxing, fitness boxing does not involve sparring, so there is no risk of head trauma, says Harvard Medical School. Instead, participants throw punches at the air or at a punching bag. Harvard mentions these benefits: Increased upper-body strength. Better hand-eye coordination. Increased…  read on >

You don’t have to do hundreds of sit-ups and all manner of crunches to see abdominal muscle definition. The following moves are done standing and holding a weight, such as a 5-pound ball with an easy-to-grip handle. For the standing twist, feet are hip-width apart, toes turned slightly out to the sides for better balance.…  read on >

“Get your head in the game!” Coaches say it to players all the time to get them to focus. The same advice can help you be more enthusiastic about your workouts. Here are five ideas: 1. Set both short-term and long-term goals based on your current abilities. Celebrate each one as you reach it and…  read on >

You know the value of exercise for maintaining good health and managing chronic conditions like arthritis, but you also know how hard it is to fit daily workouts into a busy schedule to meet weekly minimums. As an alternative, many people try to cram in a week’s worth of fitness on the weekends. While this…  read on >

Want a quick brain boost? A morning session of exercise and short walks throughout the day provide a number of brain benefits for older adults, a new study says. The findings show that people should avoid uninterrupted sitting to maintain good mental function throughout the day. The study also indicates that moderate-intensity exercise such as…  read on >

Exercise is a great way to stay youthful and even turn back the clock on aging. If you’re new to exercise or simply want a fitness reboot, here are ideas by the decade. In Your 20s: Experiment with different workouts to find what you enjoy. Make exercise a regular habit that you won’t want to…  read on >

Being obese and commuting by car can be a deadly mix, a new study warns. Researchers analyzed data on more than 163,000 adults, aged 37 to 73, in the United Kingdom. The participants were followed for an average of five years. Compared to people of normal weight who walked or cycled to work (active commuters),…  read on >

Flexibility in your upper body is important for many everyday activities you take for granted, like twisting and turning while backing out of a parking space. Try these three stretches to help keep your upper body agile. They don’t require any special equipment and can even be done in your office. Neck stretch: Do this…  read on >