You put your keys in the fridge and forgot Mom's birthday. No use denying: Your brain is on its way to becoming a few pounds of petrified gray matter, and there's nothing you can do to stop it.
Have you been training your calves? Cardio exercises might not be enough. Isolation exercises, on the other hand, will do the trick. The leg press, for example, can help you build strength and endurance in your calves.
Dave Tuttle, 58 Wilton Manors health advisor 5-feet-6, 170ish Bulking up: I started working out in the sixth grade to gain strength for wrestling and gymnastics. I went to college, got my master's, took a break and then started again.
SWEAT EQUITY
Gyrotonic devotees are calling it the next big thing in fitness. The Gyrotonic Expansion System utilizes a pulley system, weight plates, a padded bench and movable knobs. The machine incorporates stretching and toning movements from swimming, gymnastics, Pilates, ballet and yoga.
Christian Michael Tellez, 7, thinks ''king of the mountain,'' but the 40-foot rock-climbing wall at the Miami Children's Museum responds ''yo-yo.'' For every step up he takes, he slips back a notch or two.
Eva Barash Livingroom Yoga: Turn your living room into a health club with this DVD, which includes breathing exercises and yoga calisthenics to strengthen your body and mind as your furniture doubles as props.
This is a classic pull-up with a twist. It builds muscle strength and endurance in the the back, biceps and core. Begin as you would a classic pull-up, gripping the bar slightly wider than your shoulders.
FITNESS
When Francis Cromartie thinks about having fat-laden fast food for lunch, he glances across his desk toward Franccesca Cesti-Browne and reconsiders. Should Cesti-Browne ponder a doughnut, all she has to do is look over at Alfred Sanchez, her CEO, and she's opting for veggies or fruit. And if Sanchez weakens, well, he has Cromartie and Cesti-Browne to inspire him.
Miriam Ruiz, 63 Homestead retired teacher's aide Suffering: For years I've had fibromyalgia, a very painful sickness that affects your muscles and nerves. It makes you feel like you're going to die. I've also suffered from osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol and irritable bowel syndrome. The fibromyalgia was getting worse in the past seven years.
In these tough economic times, some things have to go, like bottled water, low-fat lattes and manicures. But you don't have to let your body go. Push-ups, jumping jacks and crunches are priceless. They cost nothing and you can do them just about anywhere. Throw in a few relatively inexpensive workout gadgets and it's just like having a gym membership with no fees or contracts.
True or false? Dead lifts are only for buff bodybuilders. False! Most people can perform a variety of dead lifts. If you're a beginner, you can try the one-legged dead lift with a cone touch, as pictured. Once you feel confident and balanced, you can eliminate the cone and hold weights as you extend your hand toward the floor. The version without weights will help to improve your balance, strengthen your ankles and work your glutes, hamstring and core.
AUTHOR! AUTHOR!
With equal parts lactic acid, chlorine and soda ash swirled in his bloodstream, author W. Hodding Carter has an admittedly crazy goal: Qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics Games as a member of the United States swimming team.
LIFESTYLE CHANGE
For years, Pam Anderson searched for the perfect recipe, first in her job as executive editor for Cook's Illustrated, then as the author of The Perfect Recipe.
This is a compound exercise (involving two or more joint movements) that works different muscles. It targets the chest, back, biceps, triceps, shoulders and core.
Debra Denny, 52 Homestead quality and compliance manager for Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute New hubby, new body: I got comfortable with a new marriage, stopped paying attention to what I was eating and gained 25 pounds.
SWEAT EQUITY
Imagine you're a Cirque du Soleil aerialist weaving your way up into a fabric hammock while suspended in the air. The sense of freedom and power proves exhilarating. You execute complex yoga positions with ease because your body isn't smack on a cold, hard floor. Hang upside down and . . . let go! . . . you're a sky diver on a soft trapeze. Then, wrap yourself in a cocoon of soft fabric and pull it around you, close your eyes, and just float. Ahhh, so this is what it felt like in the womb.
FITNESS
Ah, the office. It's like a fishbowl, isn't it? The water-cooler gossip. Phone conversations heard over the cubicle wall. Corporate retreats. All help us see who our co-workers really are.
Jim Whitaker, 81 Southwest Ranches retired FPL troubleshooter Head in the clouds: A day before my 80th birthday, my former wife and children cheered as I parachuted from 14,000 feet. As you go through a cloud your goggles cloud up and then you're bone dry. Pull the rip cord, and you're glad to be alive. Would I do that again? No. I did it when I was 40, and when I got on the ground I said, 'Never again,' but in 40 years you change your mind.
Those of us who run regularly have goals, whether it's to improve performance or to stay injury free. When you increase your speed and distance gradually, the risk of injuries is reduced. If you want to run faster and longer, the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit can help.
Can a video game improve your posture? Build and tone your muscles? Help you lose weight? With the release of Wii Fit -- a workout routine disguised as a video game -- Nintendo is betting it can.
George Rosenberg, 90 Bay Harbor Islands retired The doctor is in: You get to this age and no matter how healthy you are you start seeing doctors -- podiatrist, rheumatologist, dermatologist, optometrist.
Fitness instructor Jennifer Nicole Lee aims to help moms trim the fat in two Fabulously Fit Moms DVDs: Super Energized Workout: Grab some lightweight dumbbells for this total-body cardio routine that includes kickboxing, dance, squats and other toning moves.
BACK PAIN
Back pain? Most people reach for an aspirin or an Aleve, get a cortisone shot or a massage, take to bed or take a day off. Many turn to narcotic prescriptions.
This exercise utilizes muscles from the legs up through the core and into the upper body. It also improves coordination and is great for adding stability to the core.
Get fit with three new Prevention DVDs: Shortcuts to Big Weight Loss: Chris Freytag shows you how to sculpt muscle with cardio Pilates and kickboxing in three 10-minute routines that will tone your abs, legs, butt and arms.
SWEAT EQUITY
Judging by the full room at lunch time on a recent Tuesday, the Cardio Express class at The Sports Club/LA seems a hit with the business crowd on Brickell. Just 45 minutes in duration, Jackson Williams' class gets us walking, running, pumping and dancing.
There's no question about it. Stationary lunges burn! If you're a heat freak, you can elevate the level of the burn and challenge your balance by adding a kettlebell to this exercise.
SWEAT EQUITY
If your body's broken down by the side of the road, pull into Lem Brown's Body Shop class. It won't stay flabby for long if you can get up to speed with this energetic workout -- or his other two classes (Awesome Hour and LEM -- The Workout) -- at Body & Soul Fitness in Coral Gables.
LOSING WEIGHT IN 2008
Gustavo and Marina Lumer, two of the six people we've been profiling monthly since January, have kept their resolution to lose weight. They've shed a combined 60 pounds so far by eating less. Their 10-month-old son Ian was an excuse for avoiding exercise, but not any more.
Pregnant? You might want to try these DVDs, if your obstetrician approves: Gabrielle Reece Fit & Healthy Prenatal Workouts: Six 15-minute sessions provide strengthening and stretching moves to be performed during your first two trimesters. If you're too busy to do all six workouts, do one or two now and save the rest for later. $12.99 at www.amazon.com
Ina Lee, 62 publishing company owner Fort Lauderdale Time to reflect: Every morning I look in the mirror and say, ``Who I am is the possibility of vibrant lifelong well-being.''
1 The product: It's a wristwatch with a detachable link that captures data from a sensor in a Nike+ shoe. It monitors time, pace, distance and calories burned. After a run, you can track your progress on www.nikeplus.com.
Plyometric exercises produce fast, explosive movements. Although they are used primarily by athletes, they can be useful in everyday life. This movement targets the muscles of the chest, triceps, shoulders and core.
Dance away the pounds with: Dance off the Inches: Fat Burning Belly Dance: Sultry moves from belly dance, Bollywood and other Eastern-flavored dances provide an an upbeat workout. $14.98
SWEAT EQUITY
Sometimes it's the little touches that make a fitness center stand out. Take the Biltmore Fitness Center's twin water cooler. One, enticingly glistening with condensation, held plain ice water. The other was filled with fresh-cut lemons and water. That's not only classy but it's a smart and healthy drink to offer someone who has lost minerals through sweat.
Karl Egerman, 73 retired pediatrician Hollywood Small town doc: I practiced in Trussville, Ala., a small town outside of Birmingham. I lived there about 30 years and I was the only doctor in town for a long time.
intenSati: Great Body, Great Life -- A High Energy Workout for Body, Mind & Soul combines martial arts, yoga and other exercises as well as spoken meditation for an energizing, uplifting experience. $14.99 at www.intensati.com.
Push-ups should be some of the primary exercises in your upper body training program. Varying the types of push-ups you perform will continue to challenge your muscles and keep boredom at bay. A push-up you may not be performing is the tap push-up. It's especially useful for those who find regular push-ups challenging to their cardiovascular system. Hint: You can quickly catch your breath during the tap portion of this exercise.
Three Crunch DVDs worth a try: Cardio Go-Go Dance: Sexy dance routines to raise your metabolism and ramp up your heart rate. Belly, Butt & Thighs Boot Camp: A kick-butt workout that combines strength training and cardio.
We could all use some physical activity, so how about some yoga for the little ones? Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Toddlers and Preschoolers: 8-Minute Routines to Help Your child Grow Smarter, Be Happier, and Behave Better (Da Capo Press, $16.95) has poses -- Rag Doll, Whale and Kissy Knee -- ideal for children as young as 18 months. Yoga can do more than increase their flexibility. It can also help them sleep longer, express themselves and focus.
