Is it worth it to spend a fortune on your workout gear? From socks to headbands, here’s a rundown of what’s worth it and what isn’t.

When we start a fitness or weight loss plan, we experiment a bit to find what works best for us. Maybe it’s running, or Spin classes, or Zumba, but we come up with a plan that shows results on the scale and we stick with it. Forever! If it’s been a while since you shook up your cardio, here are some ideas to bust you out of your rut.

I’ve been a runner since college. Not a great one, I’ll do it for a while then switch to something else, then come back to it again. I used to do 7 minute miles but those day are distant at the moment. I’ve been around running circles for a while now. I was even once a member (very briefly) of the Boston Athletic Association. The venerable institution that puts on the Boston Marathon every year.

Cardio exercise, the act of raising your heart rate up beyond it’s usual pace is the cornerstone to any fitness plan. But what, exactly, do you need to do for a healthy cardio routine? I get asked this question all the time and below are my answers … it’s a culmination of the research I’ve read over the years and just working with my clients every day.

We often get hung up in routine. We tend to do the same thing over and over again, same 5 pound bicep curl, same number of pushups, same Bootcamp class. But mixing it up is a great way to keep the body lean, keep your mind engaged, and keep you plugged in to regular exercise.

Kara Goucher beat all comers. Yup, even the guys …

Try 20 different workout in 60 days. Feel great, get in shape. Live through this great challenge!

Valerie perfectly demonstrates two points. You have to up your game if you want to continue to lose weight and you can’t get really tone without weight training.