In-line skating probably is an activity you remember fondly from childhood. However, there’s a resurgence in in-line skating among adults who recognize it as a great workout — particularly for those who can’t run anymore but still seek high-intensity, inexpensive exercise. People may be unaware...
If you think weight training is just for gym rats and professional athletes, think again. You probably don’t give your muscles much thought, but you use them all day, every day. Now there’s no need to be intimidated by giant gym machines and making choices about reps and weights. Here are a few...
If your family’s meals are weighed down with too many fast-food and high-calorie packaged dinners, add some new healthful eating hacks to your arsenal so you use the drive-thru less often, and eat better when you do. Fast-food doesn’t have to mean a bacon cheeseburger and fries. Today, most drive-thrus...
Most dogs get along pretty well at a dog park and create few problems. However, one badly behaved dog can cause physical and psychological harm to other dogs or their people. And one badly behaved owner can make a happy place pretty doggone upsetting. So keep these do’s and don’ts in mind when...
From young children with autism to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder to seniors with Alzheimer's disease — and just typical families going through a rough patch — many are benefitting from horseback riding and horse interaction. Equestrians know that horses are magical. Horses are both...
You probably already know that screen time interferes with vital physical activity. American children ages 8-18 spend 7 1/2 hours a day — over 50 hours a week — watching TV or plugged into online games or social media, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. And 17 percent of kids ages 2-19...
When it comes to self-defense, your best moves might not be maneuvers you’ve only read about or seen in movies — experts encourage you to take classes to learn those. In the meantime, here are some basics that you can use today. Be aware When it comes to self-defense for the everyday person, the...
It only makes sense that a great deal of business is conducted on and around a golf course. Playing golf with business partners, colleagues and clients helps build relationships and rapport. What’s more, golf teaches and reinforces lessons that lead to success in business as they do on the links....
Elizabeth Thackery had tried everything to get the weight off. Dieting, swimming, home exercise — nothing gave her the motivation she needed to move the needle below 280 pounds, where her weight seemed stuck since she gave birth to her third child and experienced a bout of fatigue from Lyme disease....
Summer is finally upon us and so is pool and boating season. Now is a perfect time to take a few minutes to debunk seven common swimming myths to help keep you and your family safer in the water. Myth 1: “Drowning is noisy so I’ll hear someone struggling.” Unlike dramatic scenes in movies, a drowning...
Many people play golf for recreation, or for the chance to network while on the greens, but perhaps the best reason for picking up those clubs is to improve your health and increase your lifespan. “Golf is one of the better sports for overall cardiovascular health,” says Dr. Michael Miller, author...
You hear yoga is good for body and mind, but you may wonder if your body and mind can do it. Yoga is much more than a trendy exercise for limber young people. Yoga can be slow, soft stretching. Yoga can be used in physical therapy. Yoga can be a guiding principal teaching mindfulness and balance...
Baltimore’s love affair with tennis is apparent: Over 60 tennis clubs crisscross the city. Olympic gold medalist and former professional tennis player Pam Shriver, a Baltimore native, is partly responsible for tennis’s popularity. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, her stunning performances made Baltimore...
What image comes to your mind when you think martial arts and self-defense — a hulking, young muscle-bound person perhaps? That’s not the norm anymore thanks to programs like FitDefense, designed to teach self-defense to everyone, regardless of their age, gender, experience or physical condition....
U.S. households spent $29.5 billion in 2013 on lawns and gardens, about $347 per household, according to a National Gardening Association survey. This estimate does not include time and energy costs performing these chores. Yet, homeowners can reduce the amount of time and money spent on grass,...
There is much to love about the open space movement. Overcoming “nature deficit disorder” has been linked to weight loss, increased test scores, and decreased medication dependency. “Wonderful things happen when people get onto the land and start enjoying it,” says Miriam Avins, founder of Baltimore...
If you are about to cave in to your child’s pleas for a pet, you are on the precipice of an extremely important and exciting decision for your entire family — and the animal in question. You may wonder if your child is truly ready to take care of a pet. While pet ownership can provide wonderful...
Giant Twister, inflatable movie screens and murder mysteries might not be the first things that come to mind when you imagine a picnic. But thinking outside the box — or the basket — will make yours a sensation. This season, plan a fun, activity-packed picnic that friends and family won’t forget....
Now that there is a pet boutique on every corner (and in every corner of the Internet), it¿s easy for your dog to step out in style. Here are some tips to get you started on your doggie makeover, and keep your pup off the worst-dressed list.
Though it is winter and summer camp is months away, experts say now is the time to get moving if you want the best camp experience for your child. Choices include day and overnight or “sleepaway” camps, as well as camps for special needs children. But why consider summer camp at all? Levine says...
If routine and repetition is leaving you stuck, bored and frustrated, you may need to peel back the old and reveal something fresh. One way to do that is to learn something new and spark some creative energy. After he became stuck in a rut, Matt Cutts, engineer and TED Talks speaker, gave himself...
Today is a good day to learn how to swim, no matter your age. According to the Red Cross, 37 percent of adult Americans cannot swim, which is not only risky but a missed opportunity for enjoyment and exercise.“Swimming is important because swimming is survival,” says Jane Katz, Olympic swimmer...
We know we need to stay active even when the weather outside is frosty and frightful, but sometimes we run out of ideas.Many of the activities you enjoy doing outdoors can be found indoors as well. Consider looking to your neighborhood recreation center for options such as indoor tennis, swimming...
Regular physicals are a must, of course. But what you do outside the doctor’s office is arguably even more important to your health. Chinese medicine and other types of alternative health care offer holistic ways to take care of yourself. Though there aren’t many studies of alternative treatments,...
If your stress level is high, chances are you have turned to stress reducers like acupuncture, yoga or massage. What makes these techniques work? Acupuncture “Acupuncture works by accessing the pathways that move energy, or “Qi”, through our body,” says Hunter Thompson, licensed acupuncturist...
With arrival of the winter chill, staying indoors and making use of warm, dry spaces to keep fit is far more attractive than venturing outside, and for those who love to play the links there are quite a few ways to keep golf-fit during the winter months and on into the rest of the year. “If you...
We all know we should live a healthier life, but getting started can feel like climbing Mt. Everest. Do you really have to spend hours at the gym and eat 12 servings of vegetables every day to get in shape? No — the way to get started is to take small steps every day. If you adopt these simple,...
We know we need to do our part to prevent pollution and conserve resources. But what does living sustainably really mean? To put it simply, we need to live in a way that ensures we have, and will continue to have, the water, materials and resources needed to protect our health and environment. ...
It’s easy for the weekdays to slip away while you’re shuffling the kids from school, to music lessons, to home and then nudging them to get their homework done in the evening. The result is a family that’s busy, but maybe not fit nor having much fun together. With the national emphasis on raising...
Everyone knows the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle, but it can be hard to find a routine to stick with. The good news: you don’t have to limit yourself to the same trek around the track or visit to the gym; varying your exercise can deliver more benefits. “Doing the same thing day...
Everything’s more fun with a friend, even if that buddy is a different species – your dog. With their bounding enthusiasm and agreeable nature, most canines are fitting companions to just about any outing. If yours is well trained and social, consider partnering up and exploring the different ways...
You may associate reading nutrition labels with trying to lose weight, but the truth is, reading food labels is an important practice for everyone.
You may associate reading nutrition labels with trying to lose weight, but the truth is, reading food labels is an important practice for everyone.