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Finally.  We don't have to run for an hour.  We just have to do it fast. Experts now say it's the quality, not the quantity of exercise , that counts. Researchers at Skidmore College report the clear benefits of an exercise regimen that includes resistance exercise, interval sprint exercise, stretching (including yoga or pilates), and endurance exercise. Add moderate amounts of protein regularly throughout your day, and you’ll be well on your way toward decreasing total and abdominal fat, increasing lean body mass, and achieving optimal levels for blood pressure, blood glucose, and insulin. I took this to heart recently.  I used to run five miles at a 15-minute mile pace.  Over time I cut it down to about 32 minutes for a three-mile run.  I feel so much healthier -- and my heart beats so fast, I know I'm exercising.  No one says, "Oh, I saw you out for a walk the other day," anymore. In fact, one man told me to slow down.  And this was e...

Can you tell I'm not a fan?  My exercise consists of running and swimming, neither of which does anything for my core (which I could certainly use). But Gretchen Reynolds writes at nytimes.com that it depends on which area of the body you want to strengthen . "If your aim is to strengthen your midsection, then Pilates is a fine choice," she reports.  She notes that, in a   small but well-designed study   last year, "Nine sedentary women who completed 36 weeks of supervised Pilates training bulked up their abdominal muscles by as much as 20 percent, while also lessening any existing muscular imbalances there." Now, if you're looking to strengthen larger parts of the body, yoga may be your cup of tea. Reynolds says y oga, however, especially hatha yoga, with its flowing poses, will do just this. She notes that a 2011 study   found that after six months of almost-daily sun salutations (a multipart yoga pose) and no other resistance training, "You...