Steve Calechman

For a long time, the implicit message about fitness has been that it only counts if you are doing it with certain clothing, shoes, equipment, and facilities. This can make people feel that exercise is not for them. Expanding the idea of what counts as exercise — and making it fun — can help motivate people.

After everything that has happened in 2020, making New Year’s resolutions might be too much to expect of many. Setting goals for the coming year seems like too much to ask right now. Is it okay to just give yourself a break this year? Or is there another way of looking at the whole situation?

Being kind to ourselves and to other people is a simple way to make life smoother, but it’s often difficult to do this consistently. The added stress of the pandemic has made navigating the stresses of life even more of a challenge, but making effort to practice self-compassion can help control anxiety.

It’s likely people are trying to spend more time outside this summer, whether to avoid indoor situations where COVID-19 may spread or just for enjoyment. But the threat from illnesses spread by ticks and mosquitoes hasn’t changed, so knowing basic information about insect repellent, and using it the right way, will help people protect themselves.

If you are wondering whether it’s safe to use a public restroom with the specter of COVID-19 hanging over us, your skepticism is justified. But maybe a restroom is just as safe (or unsafe) as any other indoor space at the moment. And there are things you can do to make your restroom visit less risky.

Even as we are moving toward re-establishing some normal activities, and as much as we might want to, it still feels risky to hug another person. Is there a way to do this safely? Is it worth the risk?

Even young children can surprise a parent with salty language. Regardless of where they first heard it, use the occasion to help your child learn appropriate behavior in and outside the home.

Avoid boredom and boost the benefits you gain from exercise with these simple tips to wake up your weight or treadmill workout.

If you’re trying to take 10,000 steps a day, it can be discouraging to miss that well-known target. But why is 10,000 steps the goal? And is it really necessary to take that many steps every day?

While there is limited research on foam rollers, small studies suggest they may help with muscle and tissue tightness, sore muscles, and range of motion.