Now that it’s warmer out, you might be thinking about lacing up your sneakers. Running is a fantastic way to enjoy the season while conditioning your body. In fact, it’s one of the top calorie-burners around: You can torch 700 to 800 calories an hour, according to a study done in part by the Medical College of Wisconsin.

It’s also a terrific cardio workout for women, protecting against heart disease. And the benefits don’t stop there: Research shows that it eases stress, strengthens joint ligaments and even lowers cancer risk.

Don’t know where to begin? Start with the following advice. These tips will help you choose the best gear, prevent injuries and keep you running throughout the season -- and beyond. Ready, set, go!

Avoid Injury
Studies show that 80 percent of runners suffer a moderate or severe injury, such as shin splints, plantar fasciitis or runner’s knee. A few precautions can help you from being sidelined:

• Have a plan. Work with a trainer to outline an appropriate-for-you routine or follow a professionally designed beginner’s workout, like Couch to 5K.
• Warm up and cool down. Start with five minutes of brisk walking or slow jogging. Then, after your workout, stretch and use a foam roller to release tight muscles.
• Mix things up. Cross-training can build endurance while giving your body a break from running. And don’t forget strength training, which shores up bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and core strength.
• Don’t do too much, too soon. Try not to increase any aspect, such as speed or distance, by more than 10 percent per week. And designate at least one day each week. Bottom line: Listen to your body. You may step outside of your comfort zone while running, but don’t ignore any aches or pains.

Watch Your Form
You’ll run more efficiently and easily when you maintain proper form. Remember to:

• Look ahead. As you fatigue, remember to stand tall instead of slouching. And gaze forward instead of down so that your head and neck are aligned. Also remember to keep your shoulders low and loose; resist the temptation to have them creep toward your ears.
• Watch your arms and hands. Swing your arms forward instead of across the body. Elbows should be at a 90-degree angle and your hands should be loose, with your fists unclenched.

Gear Up
One of the best things about running is that you don’t need a lot to do it. What to look for:

• The right shoe. A professional can help you find the best shoe for your foot shape and gait.
• Synthetic socks. Running in a cotton pair is a surefire way to develop blisters. Synthetic fibers may cost more, but they’ll last longer and help keep your feet healthy.
• A tissue or two. Running is an excellent way to clear your sinuses, and you may get sniffly during your run. Or as you heat up, you may want to blot your face with a tissue to stay beautiful.

Stay Motivated
Running is as emotional and mental as it is physical. Be sure that you: 

• Stay positive. Stop thinking of it as “hard.” Instead, focus on the benefits, like how great you feel afterward. They don’t call it a “runner’s high” for nothing.
• Put on some tunes: Energizing beats help keep you moving!
• Stop thinking, start doing. It can be hard to wake up early to run at times … or do it after work. But don’t let your mind fashion excuses. Just lace up and go!

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Walking is a step in the right direction for your health -- and it's the perfect form of exercise for busy moms. You can walk anywhere, anytime: Just put on your sneakers and head out the door."When you walk at a brisk pace, the body produces feel-good hormones called endorphins. This automatically improves your mood and decreases stress," says Toronto-based personal trainer Barb Gormley.

With all the time you spend caring for your whole family, taking less than a half-hour of fresh-air care for yourself will help you clear your mind so you can tackle your day. Read on to find out how every step you take improves your health and then try our easy, four-week walking workout plan to beat stress.

Walking Benefit: A Healthier Heart
According to a recent study of over 39,000 women published by the American Heart Association, those who walked for two or more hours per week had a 30 percent reduced risk of stroke than those who did not walk at all.

Walking Benefit: Better Memory
Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that older men who walked less than 1/4 mile each day had almost twice the risk of dementia compared to those who walked more than 2 miles.

Walking Benefit: A Slim Waistline
In one new study of over 18,400 premenopausal women, researchers from Harvard School of Public Heath found that those who made even small increases in the amount of time they spend walking briskly or biking every day decreased their risk of gaining weight.

Walking Benefit: A Better Mood
Anyone who regularly hits the treadmill will report a boost of good feelings post-workout, but a recent study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise uses science to prove it. Researchers monitored participants diagnosed with depression as they either walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes or sat and rested quietly. Those who walked reported more feelings of well-being and more energy than those who rested.

Easy 4-week Walking Plan
Our easy walking plan will improve your health and help you feel less frazzled -- in just a few minutes per day."The key to improving your fitness level, burning calories and zapping stress is to walk regularly and to include one rest day per week," says Gormley.

Walk each day for the length of time suggested below. Keep your chest lifted, and look toward the horizon (not down at your feet). Pump or briskly swing your arms at your sides to boost your calorie burn. "You'll know you've walked at the right intensity if you feel energized, not exhausted, a few minutes after you complete your workout," says Gormley. Grab a friend, your dog or your MP3 player to keep motivated and step to it!

Week 1: Build a habit.
The first week is all about getting used to exercising regularly, so consistency is key.

Monday: 10 minutes
Tuesday: 15 minutes
Wednesday: 10 minutes
Thursday: 15 minutes
Friday: 10 minutes
Saturday: 20 minutes
Sunday: rest day

Weekly total: 80 minutes

Week 2: Walk for longer.
Keep up the good work! This week, you'll increase the length of time you walk by five or 10 minutes per day.

Monday: 15 minutes
Tuesday: 20 minutes
Wednesday: 15 minutes
Thursday: 20 minutes
Friday: 15 minutes
Saturday: 30 minutes
Sunday: rest day

Weekly total: 115 minutes

Week 3: Boost calorie burn.
Now you're a regular walker. Increase your pace slightly to blast more calories.

Monday: 20 minutes
Tuesday: 25 minutes
Wednesday: 20 minutes
Thursday: 25 minutes
Friday: 20 minutes
Saturday: 35 minutes
Sunday: rest day

Weekly total: 145 minutes

Week 4: Hit some hills.
Maintain the slightly faster pace, and include two hill workouts to build muscle and burn even more calories.

Monday: 20 minutes (include a short, gentle hill)
Tuesday: 25 minutes
Wednesday: 20 minutes (include a short, gentle hill)
Thursday: 25 minutes
Friday: 20 minutes
Saturday: 35 minutes
Sunday: rest day

Weekly total: 145 minutes

Congrats! You've nearly doubled your weekly walking time in just four weeks. Do your best to keep it up: You've reached a routine daily activity level that will help you to maintain a healthier heart, slimmer waistline, improved memory and an upbeat mood.

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Most people’s schedules don’t allow them to spend hours in the gym. So when you only have time to squeeze in a quick sweat session, don’t spend even a second debating whether you should hit the free weights or take a cycling or toning class. To help you clock in an effective workout, we asked the experts to help us take the guesswork out of getting fit. Read on to learn the five gym moves to make when you’re in a rush but still want to see results.

Dilemma No. 1: Free weights versus machine
Winner: Free weights
While machines are a good option for fitness novices, they only allow you to focus on one muscle group at a time. Free weights, on the other hand, liberate you to incorporate full-body moves into your workout routine. “Try grabbing a pair of dumbbells and alternating overhead presses with squats,” says Geralyn Coopersmith, the national director of The Equinox Training Institute. “You’ll strengthen your core and glutes in addition to your arms and shoulders.”

By turning your lifting session into a total-body workout, you’re also targeting the muscle combos that you use in everyday life. This will come in handy, say, the next time you’re carrying a heavy bag of groceries to your car or your three-year-old up a flight of stairs.

Dilemma No. 2: Cycling versus weight lifting class
Winner: Weight lifting class (with cardio)
“You can get a lot of bang for your buck by finding a weight lifting class that incorporates cardio,” says Kristi Molinaro, a fitness expert and founder of 30/60/90, a high-intensity interval training program in New York City. “You’ll burn fat while building muscle.”

To reap the most benefits, don’t scrimp on the weights. “A few biceps curls with a set of five-pound dumbbells won’t do you much good,” says Molinaro. “You’ve got to push yourself past what is easy and comfortable to make the most of every workout.” One rule of thumb: You should need to wipe your brow with facial tissues by the end of your sweat session.

Dilemma No. 3: Steady cardio versus interval training
Winner: Interval training
If you’re crunched for time, interval training is the way to go. “A combo of fast-paced, high-intensity moves mixed with longer, lighter recovery phases pushes you into an anaerobic zone,” says Molinari. That’s when you burn serious fat while increasing your fitness level.

Examples of intervals include running or biking sprints, lifting weights or jumping rope -- any exercise where you amp up to the pace. You shouldn’t be able to maintain the intensity for longer than 30 seconds.

Dilemma No. 4: Treadmill versus elliptical trainer
Winner: Draw
Running on a treadmill is a high-impact activity, while using an elliptical machine is low-impact. “To reduce the risk of injury workout boredom and plateaus, alternate between the two,” says Coopersmith.

That being said, if you’re running short on time, the treadmill will put you on the fast track to fit. Increase your speed, do intervals or add an incline to get your heart rate up and burn mega-calories.

Then, at your next gym visit, switch gears by hopping on the elliptical. It’s easier on your knees, and the built-in programs are aimed to burn fat. Plus, the swinging upper-body grips can strengthen your arms with every stride. (Just remember to wipe down the grips with an antibacterial wipe or a facial tissue sprayed with cleaner before you hop on.)

Dilemma No. 5. Taking a class versus going it alone
Winner: Taking a class
“Group classes are great because you have a fitness professional cramming in as much as he or she can into a limited amount of time,” says Molinaro. “A good instructor will also help you with your form and push you to work harder than if you were on your own.” When checking out the options on your gym’s schedule, Molinaro advises pushing yourself with a high-intensity interval training class.

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Have trouble sticking to a regular workout routine? Chances are you haven’t found your calling yet. Turns out, exercise isn’t so difference from food or fashion: What works for someone else may not be the right fit for you.

Finding the right type of exercise that best suits you, your personality, interests, needs and goals can be the key to getting the habit to stick. In fact, a study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology found that people were more likely to workout if they considered it fun.

To discover the right type of exercise for you, consider the following guide. Find the statement that reflects your personality, and you’ll get a potentially perfect new workout.

1. You say: “Exercise is boring.”
Try: Zumba. It’s impossible to zone out during this aerobic dance class: You have to pay close attention to the steps to follow along. The combined high energy of the music and group will get you moving and grooving -- not to mention wiping your brow! (So bring a few tissues with you.) You’ll be done with your workout before you know it. Boredom fixed!

2. You say: “I love a good competition.”
Try: CrossFit. These classes involve a variety of high-intensity exercises like running, sprinting, throwing, jumping, squatting and pushing-and-pulling type of movements. The goal is to complete a certain number of reps of each exercise within a given amount of time and in many classes, participants compete against one another.

Got a certain sport you love? Then consider joining an adult sports league. If you like running or biking, consider training for a race.

3. You say: “Workouts are my time to decompress.”
Try: Yoga. Science backs up what yogis have known for centuries: This mind-body practice promotes relaxation. According to researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, doing less than 15 minutes of yoga a day can significantly lower stress markers in the body.

But does chanting om make you feel more antsy than calm? If you like to blow off steam in a more aggressive way, kickboxing will give you that outlet, as well as a great cardio and sculpting workout.

4. You say: “I want to get my blood -- and adrenaline -- pumping!”
Try: A challenging class, like Spinning, boot camp or CrossFit. These high-intensity classes encourage you to press your limits. Their fast pace will also appeal to your adventure-seeking side.

5. You say: “Socializing while exercising? That’s a win-win!”
Try: An adult sports league or training team. You can make new friends while getting in great shape by playing a sport or preparing for a race or other athletic event. Or simply recruit some friends to form a running club or head to the gym together. You’ll not only make the workout more enjoyable, but you’ll also hold each other accountable.

6. You say: “I don’t have time for exercise -- what I need is some ‘me time.’”
Try: Swimming. Plan to get your “me time” at the gym. Underwater is probably the most peaceful place to exercise -- and talk about a total body workout too! If you haven’t been swimming in a while you may be surprised by how wiped you feel after your first (or seventh!) time back in the pool. But it gets easier -- and it’s a sure way to score a total body cardio workout and some much needed peace of mind.

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Photo: Corbis Images

Time is a precious resource, and sometimes there isn’t much of it left in the day for working out. That’s why I’m a big fan of circuit training cardio workout routines. The go-go-go approach involves minimal rest between exercises, allowing you to pack in as much calorie-burning, muscle-toning work as possible in a short amount of time.

Below is a 20-minute cardio workout routine I created for women that packs a variety of total-body strength training moves and cardio intervals to get your heart rate up and keep your calorie burn high as you tone up from head to toe. A few things you’ll need:

· A mat

· A chair

· One set of medium-weight dumbbells (5 to 8 pounds)

· A medium-weight medicine ball or single dumbbell (5 to 8 pounds)

· One heavier set of dumbbells (8 to 10 pounds)

· A watch (so you can keep an eye on the time)

Warm-Up
Take the first two minutes of the workout to warm up:

· Minute 1: Jog in place, gradually increasing your pace

· Minute 2: Do jumping jacks

The Circuit
As soon as you’re warmed up, get started with the first exercise. Do each exercise for 45 seconds, taking just 10 seconds to transition from one exercise to the next.

Complete this total-body cardio workout circuit twice and you’re done!

Walking Lunges: Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips. Take a step forward with your right leg, lowering down into a lunge until your right knee is bent at about 90 degrees. Keep your knee in line with your ankle. Push up, bringing your left leg forward as you stand up and step forward into a lunge with your left leg. Continue stepping forward and lunging, alternating legs.

Push Ups: Place your hands directly under your shoulders. Keep your back flat and your core muscles tight. Bend your elbows and lower down until your chest is a few inches from the floor and push back up.

Mountain Climbers: Hold a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders, keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe. With your core muscles tight and your back flat, bend your right knee, pulling it in towards your chest. Extend it back out, lower your foot to the floor and switch legs, pulling your left knee toward your chest. Keep going, switching legs as quickly as possible while maintaining good form and keeping your back flat.

Dead Lifts: Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a slight bend in your knees, holding your heavier set of dumbbells in front of your thighs. Bend forward from the hips, keeping the weights in front of your legs as you lower your torso so it's almost parallel with the floor and then lift back up.

Tricep Dips: Sit on the edge of a chair with your hands by your sides, palms facing down, holding the edge of the chair. Keeping your arms straight, shift your weight forward scooting your hips and butt off the seat so they are just in front of it. Bending at your elbows, lower down trying to get a 90-degree bend and then push back up.

Jump Rope: You don’t even need a real rope -- just mimic the motion with your arms. Jump fast and land softly each time, trying to get that heart rate as high as you can.

Lunge Hold With Shoulder Press: Holding a set of medium dumbbells in your hands, assume a wide, split-stance with your right leg forward, left leg back. Lower down into a lunge, keeping your front knee over your ankle. Holding the lunge position, bring your hands to just above your shoulders, palms facing forward. Raise the dumbbells straight up overhead and lower back down to just above your shoulder.

Hay Bailers: Holding a medium-weight medicine ball or dumbbell (5 to 10 pounds), bring the ball (or weight) down beside your right hip without rotating your torso. Keeping your chest and hips facing forward, engage your core muscles as you raise the ball up and across your body to above your left shoulder. Hold for a couple seconds, and then lower it back down by your right hip. Your second time through the circuit, switch sides, lifting the weight from your left hip to above your right shoulder.

Jump Squats: Sink down into a squat, and push off into a jump. Land softly and push your hips back as you return to the squat, keeping your core muscles engaged.

Weighted Sit Ups: Lie down on your mat with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Keeping your abs tight and your back flat against the mat, extend your arms straight out in front of your chest, holding a single dumbbell or medicine ball (5 to 8 pounds) in both hands. Squeeze your abs as you sit all the way up and as you lower back down to the mat with control, keeping the weight lifted straight up toward the ceiling the whole time.

If you push through these exercises and make it a routine, you’ll definitely feel the results of this weights-and-cardio workout!

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