The strength secret: how to get seriously fit from scratch – in 12 easy, enjoyable steps

Start with walking in January – then graduate to breathing exercises, circuits and pilates. With a new activity to try each month, you’ll soon improve your flexibility and fitness, without feeling the burn

‘Afterwards I would feel blissful’: how exercise convinced a psychotherapist to become a personal trainer

Therapists and gyms are working both brain and body as the full benefits of fitness are increasingly recognised

Don’t quit booze – just drink differently: 15 ways to change your life without trying all that hard

We ask the experts for the small life changes that can make a big difference

How to hold off the hands of time: the evidence-based guide to ageing well

From skin care to a diet of foods with a neuroprotective quality, there are proven scientific methods to staying healthy

I’m a fortysomething runner. Can I become a flexible person in a month?

Tired of being the loser who couldn’t touch her toes, I consulted the stretching experts for an easy-does-it entry into bendiness

The weird world of celebrity training: how Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Madonna get in shape for their shows

It takes incredible stamina to sing and dance for three hours night after night after night. Fitness professionals talk us through the stars’ regimes

The buddy boost: how ‘accountability partners’ make you healthy, happy and more successful

The idea of a friend who helps you commit to your goals is growing in popularity – whether you want to get fit, write a novel or build your business

Shock of the old: 12 torturous and orgasmic exercise fads

Want to get fighting fit? Try a vibrating belt or a rocking saddle – almost as effective as riding a horse!

I know sitting is bad for me. But how can I cut back when it’s so much fun?

I eat my greens and I look after my gums. There’s not much I won’t do for the sake of my health. But this? Get lost, writes Emma Beddington

My mind was poisoned by diet culture. Then I tried weightlifting

In the Ozempic era, the craze for thinness is everywhere. But if you concentrate specifically on what your body can do, it is sometimes possible to rearrange your brain, writes Zing Tsjeng

Fitness fads come and go, so why not walk away from the pressure to count your daily steps?

A 22-minute brisk daily walk is the new magic number, but when I’m not watching the clock, I lose track of time – in the best possible way

Should I worry about getting less exercise in winter?

As the light levels fall and the temperature drops, is it OK to just hunker down and take it easy till spring? Or will that bring on the blues?

Brisk 22-minute walk could offset harmful effects of sitting, study suggests

People who sit for long periods more likely to die earlier – but moderate-to-vigorous activity can eliminate risk

Where did I find the courage to talk to my mum about her cancer? At parkrun, far behind the racers

Every Saturday morning, thousands of people get off their sofas to cover 5km in their local park. Like me, a growing number are there to walk rather than run – and to talk about their deepest feelings

Exercise is the prescription that every cancer patient deserves – and one they’re in control of

Mounting evidence shows even moderate exercise can be a valuable companion to cancer treatment