I exercise regularly, probably 6 or 7 days a week. Why? Mostly because I enjoy it, but also because I tend to put weight (gain fat) on easily and lose muscle quickly. For most people, the primary components of a fitness regimen are aerobic exercise, strength, flexibility, but I would also include relaxation.

Aerobic exercise: The best exercise is one that you will do almost every day and that you can do from your home. My theory is that we all have a zone of comfort. Mine is probably a little smaller than most people, which comes from living in a small town. I am most comfortable exercising and shopping within a mile of where I live, so I tend to chose living situations that will permit me to live within that magical one mile radius. One bonus for me since moving to Seattle from Alaska is the improved weather conditions. Despite the rains of November, I have enjoyed running between three and four times a week and I am thrilled to be able to run outdoors on a regular basis. I know that there are people who find it difficult--for example, after getting caught in a couple of November deluges, Skip tends to use the treadmill at the gym if it looks like it might rain. I supplement this with walking. I take a walk almost every night after dinner, a habit which is a holdover from when my old dog, Geyser, was alive. It's a very peaceful time. Skip and Tad and I go for a walk through the neighborhood, look at the stars and the night sky. We're also looking for a small house to rent in this neighborhood. No luck so far, but someone has to move sometime. The other thing I like to do is to ride my bike. I'd love to be able to swim, but the nearest pool is about three miles away--a little beyond my comfort zone. Basically, though, I have several different choices available to me--so I really have no excuse for not exercising.

Weight training is useful for strength. I would recommend having at least one session with a personal trainer to learn or review proper technique as well as to set up a weight lifting program that will work for you. Why can't you just get it out of a book? You could, really, but one of the advantages to having someone else train you is that they can persuade you do things that you might not otherwise do. In my case, that meant that my trainer finally talked me into lunges. The other advantage is that your trainer will help you use good technique and hopefully you will avoid injury. I've seen plenty of people at the gym, both male and female, using really bad technique. Sorry. The truth is that you can't always pick up how to lift weights just by watching everyone else. What's adequate for the 20 year old might blow out your shoulders. What's the point of signing up for a gym membership for a year if you're injured in a month and blow off the other 11 months? The best reason for having a trainer is to develop a balanced program. Ever gone to a gym and seen the guys with the really significant muscle development on the front upper half of their bodies--looks great, but then they have thin legs and round shoulders from not developing their backs and legs. I'm not saying it's bad to have the best biceps in the gym or a really cut six pack--if you've got it, enjoy it--but the idea is to have overall strength and overall fitness. You'll never know when you'll need it. You don't have to work with a trainer every week, just once, to set up your program, and a second time, to make sure you're doing it right and that you're doing all the exercise. After that, you can tweak it every six months or a year.

There are different approaches to weight training. Some people advocate training specific muscle groups once a week and pushing them to exhaustion, using higher weights and fewer repetitions. Others train more often, don't push to exhaustion, using lower weights and higher repetitions. Your weight training program depends on what you do the rest of the time.

Two other things that I consider important for strength are plyometrics and core muscle strengthening. I use plyometrics in running--this involves bounding--although I see more people at the gym using medicine balls. For core muscles, which are the deep internal muscles of the abdomen, I recommend taking a mat class from a certified Pilates instructor and supplementing with DVDs or television classes to aid in your practice.

Finally, flexibility is important. Rather than try a few random stretches of my own, I have found it better to go for a guided session, which in my case has meant practicing yoga . Seattle truly abounds in opportunities for yoga classes. I have been practicing for several years now. I try to find a teacher or a studio that I like and attend classes for as long as I can. I do tend to be a drop in or punch card type of person, just because my schedule changes so often. I am still adding new facets to my practice. Right now, money is a little bit tight, but I'm comfortable enough in my practice that I can use television programs until I can earn some money.  Bummer.  No job means plenty of time for yoga, but no money.  But when I get a job, I'll have money for yoga, but no time.

Relaxation. The best time to exercise is first thing in the morning or early in the day, because with that task done, your afternoons and evenings are left free for relaxation.  Remember to take half an hour for yourself, if you can.  If you must do something, take a relaxing half hour walk.  Relaxation permits you to gather energy for the rest of your life.

Enjoy!  I'm off for a run.