Beth Skwarecki

The world is not being kind to us right now. (You might argue that it never has been.) Between the economy, the climate, and the looming political milieu of the next four years—not to mention the ever-present, everyday stresses of staying alive—we could probably all use some stress relief right now. And that is why you should get up and go for a walk right after reading this.

When I reviewed the Forerunner 265, Garmin’s $499 running watch, I started poking at the parts of the watch and app that promised to give me a training plan, and eventually asked it to get me ready for a 5K race. Let me tell you about how it went, and how you can potentially have a similar experience.

I’ve already coached you through making a plan for how you’re going to deal with election night anxiety. Today, I’d like to present a more specific option, one that I, myself, will be taking. We will not obsess over returns as they come in. We will take care of ourselves, in the best possible sense of that phrase. We will accept the fact that, once our vote is cast (and any election-day volunteering done), our further attention to the election is not going to affect the outcome.

It’s a bummer of a start to an exercise program: You finally get up the courage to do some high-intensity intervals, or to run in the cold for the first time, and ten minutes later you can barely breathe. Here’s why, and what you can do about it.

The Best Fitness Trackers in 2024

There are a lot of terrible TikTok trends out there aimed at self-improvement, but even though everybody is making fun of the Winter Arc, I actually think it’s a good one. In the Winter Arc, you promise yourself you’ll stick to your fitness and self-care routines during and despite the end-of-year chaos. My only caveat: Make sure you choose rules that actually improve your life.

I never get too attached to tech; I’ll happily run without a watch of any kind. But I’ve been testing a Garmin Forerunner 265, and I’m not exaggerating when I say I think I’ve fallen in love. Here's what's great about it.

Vitamin C holds an almost legendary status among drugstore supplements. It’s common to take a few tablets when we’re worried about getting sick or mix up a glass of Emergen-C at the first sign of a cold. It’s nice to imagine it as a cure-all, but reality doesn’t quite match up with our hopes.

The latest trend on TikTok is hyping up the benefits of hydrogen water while attempting to sell you a battery-powered water bottle that produces it. Does hydrogen water really hydrate you better and cure your gut issues? Do those bottles even make hydrogen water?

Tonight’s aurora is likely to be visible in Washington state, Colorado, the Dakotas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and much of New England. But depending on the strength of the geomagnetic storm, it could be visible further south, like it was last night—reaching at least to Pittsburgh, where I live, and even as far as North Carolina.

If you’re looking to pick up an exercise bike, Amazon has deals on several brands for Prime Day. These include deals on Peloton bikes and shoes, Bowflex and Echelon bikes, and deals on several Sunny models.

Prime Day is a great time to fill out the gaps in your home gym or grab a few nice things for your gym bag. Here are some of the best deals on fitness equipment from Peloton, Powerblock, NordicTrack, and more.

DNA analysis company 23andme has been in trouble lately: data was breached in a 2023 hack, and this September the entire board of directors resigned over disagreements with the CEO. That CEO, Anne Wojcicki, had said she was open to third-party takeover proposals; she only reversed that decision this week. The company is not currently for sale, but nothing about this is looking good—and it’s not clear what would happen to customer data if the company goes under.

Travelers rejoice: The State Department has announced that online passport renewal is now available to all. I renewed my passport on the first day the system was open to the general public; here's how it went.

Traditionally, word games (like crosswords) and sports coverage have occupied entirely different pages and sections of the newspaper. But the New York Times is now combining both concepts with a sports-themed version of their Connections game, called simply Connections: Sports Edition.

The rumors are true—Oura has come out with a fourth generation of their smart ring, and it officially launched today. The new ring starts at $349 and now comes in a wider range of sizes, from 4 through 15. You can pre-order the ring starting today, and Oura says the rings will start shipping on October 15.

Flu shots work, and are a smart way to reduce the chances that you’ll end up sick this winter. But that’s not the impression you might get if you listen to the rumor mill. Flu shot myths abound, and it’s time to put the biggest ones to rest.

I love being able to go to the pharmacy for my own (or my kids’) flu shots. Pop in, get the shot, then go about my day. That process is about to get even easier: the FDA has approved the first flu vaccine that you can administer yourself, or that parents can administer to their children. And best of all: It’s a nasal spray.

Cardio is good for us, but if you don’t enjoy running or spending time on cardio machines at the gym, you’re probably reluctant to hop on the VO2max improvement train. Fortunately(?), there’s a viral workout that promises you can get good at running without running—by doing a specific workout with weights called the kettlebell ladder. I tried it, and I have opinions.

In this digital-first era, there are plenty of apps and devices that promise to faithfully track your progress in the gym, or your running mileage, or any other type of exercise you may happen to do. But even as I bounce between them, I always keep my real training journal on paper. You know, a notebook. With a pen. And maybe you should, too.