Why do people love spicy food – even when it hurts to eat it?

Tearing up, sweating and other bodily functions are all signs that the body is trying to expel spicy foods as quickly as possible. But there is a simple reason why some people enjoy those sensations

Is it true that … the harder you work out, the more you sweat?

Sweat levels can be misleading, and factors such as age, sex, humidity and even your clothes all make a difference

‘You Britons go to the pub, we go to the swimming pool!’: the European health habits worth adopting

Daily swims, power naps and five meals a day – not tips from the latest hit wellbeing podcast, but longstanding traditions that have kept generations healthy in Iceland, Ukraine, France and more …

You should act your age – at least when it comes to exercise. Here’s why

Adapting your fitness routine to your physical realities can help prevent injury from over-exercising

Start small, keep a log, picture the end result: 17 experts’ top tips on how to stay motivated

Need to psych yourself up for the gym or to blitz your to-do list? Experts including Marie Kondo to Diana Nyad reveal how they keep going when things get tough

I thought I hated working out until I tried this fitness app

Future Fitness bottles the best parts of a personal trainer in the convenience of an app – here’s why it’s worth the $199 a month

Work out while you work? Ten strength-building office exercises you can do in everyday clothes

Sitting down all day is bad for our health. So can micro-movements – three minutes at a time – help us get fitter?

The blood pressure secret: everything you need to know to improve yours – and live a longer, healthier life

It is known as ‘the silent killer’, because many people suffer from high blood pressure without even being aware of it. Here is where your numbers should be, and how to change them for the better

The beautiful stroll: England’s seniors take walking football to world stage

As England’s teams head to the World Nations Cup in Spain, walking football is proving to be one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports

Growing up, Bianca could never predict her father’s moods: the disorientation of an emotionally immature parent echoed into her adulthood

In therapy, we began with acknowledging this was not her fault. From there, we worked to rebuild Bianca’s sense of agency

Going to the gym was too much effort, until I moved into one

What would happen if you removed the obstacle of having to get to the gym? Brigid Delaney spends a week finding out

Why everyone is lifting weights – and how to get started (whatever your size)

Are reps or weights more important? Is it good if it hurts? How should I structure my workouts? Everything you need to know about resistance training, from the experts

Try again. Fail again. Fail better: eight things I’ve learned in my year of ‘lifting heavy’

I didn’t expect to enjoy heaving chunks of metal. But lifting has paid off for me in surprising ways – and shown I can change my life dramatically, writes Guardian columnist Emma Beddington

‘You don’t need one … until you do’: 10 safety essentials cyclists won’t leave home without

From radars to rear-view sunglasses, here’s the safety kit cyclists swear by

The ‘Great Lock-In’ is here. Are you ready to commit ruthlessly to your fitness goals?

The latest super-earnest trend demands we concentrate all our willpower on exercise and healthy eating this winter. It is not the kind of lock-in I was hoping for, says Guardian columnist Emma Beddington