One thing you might like to try is yoga, which can help to keep you limber. Call around and try to find a good beginner's class (I especially like a form called Iyengar yoga) and tell them what you need. Try classes with a few different teachers and then make a decision if it's for you.

Hydrostatic weighing is one of the more accurate methods for determining body fat percentage. Many universities perform this procedure, so you might try contacting one near you. Another very accurate method, also used to determine bone density, is DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry). Your doctor should be able to perform this procedure for you, or refer you to someone who can.

In order to burn one pound, you must expend 3500 more calories than you consume.

I think you are asking if walking in place, indoors, is as effective as walking outdoors. In terms of cardiovascular conditioning, as long as you are getting your heart rate up to the equivalent beats per minute, that you are getting a similar cardiovascular workout, which build lung power, energy levels and stamina and gives you protection against certain health conditions. But in terms of muscle tone and fitness, you are probably not using as many muscles in your ankles, feet and legs, standing in one place and "marching" as opposed to walking outside on uneven surfaces with a push off kind of stride. Indoor workouts are fine and serve a purpose. But walking outdoors is invigorating in a whole other way, So try to get out when you can.

Some research has found that just a 30-45 minutes of daily yoga practice emphasizing meditation and breathing, helped chronic insomniacs sleep through the night. In the US, many yoga classes emphasize physical postures and play down breathing (pranayama) and meditation techniques. If you'd like to try yoga to improve your sleep, but have felt intimidated by pictures of strenuous postures, look for classes geared to your age-group or that are described as "gentle" or "restorative."

It may sound silly, but in my books I sometimes recommend these strategies to get guys to buy into the concept of walking for exercise.

1. By them new shoes, and they don't have to be walking shoes. Running shoes will work just fine.

2. Men like stats, so keep a log and measure distance, results, etc.

3. Men like gadgets, so purchase a pulse monitor, GPS device, pedometer or anything that will make walking more fun for them.

4. Consider walking uphill. This will add a challenge to walking and make your daily walk more "manly."

Interval training, which means alternating between a fast pace that leaves your breathless, and a slower pace that allows you to recover, has long been known as a good way to train athletes who want to increase their speed and endurance. It's also a great way to burn excess fat, not just when you're doing interval training, but even during more moderate workouts.

Actually, yes. There have been some studies that lend support to this theory. Researchers in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina tested 90 normal, older women with a gene that puts them at risk for Alzheimer's, to determine their cognitive function and aerobic capacity. Those with the highest aerobic fitness performed significantly better on auditory verbal learning tests, complex figures tests and a paced serial addition task.

Maybe this latest research will help.: Following a group of adults aged 50-90 for 10 years, researchers found that those diabetics who had walked at least one mile a day were half as likely to die from all causes than those who were sedentary. They were less than a fiftth as likely to die from heart disease.

This is very true! Scientists don't know exactly why exercise seems to protect people from getting cancer, but population studies definitely do show a link. To date, reviews of 170 population studies of physical activity and cancer show convincing evidence of a decreased risk of colon as well as breast cancers.