One step at a time: how to improve mental health through fitness

From regular walks to workouts or team sports, there are all kinds of activities that can help anxiety and depression. Here’s how to get started

‘Pilates-changed-my-life’ stories are annoying… but it did

Over three years the exercise regime took Rachel Cooke from terrible back pain to new levels of fitness. But it was a lot harder than she expected

Fitness tips: top-rope climbing for beginners

Learn with a friend and you’ll soon be climbing high

Fit in my 40s: from scaredy-cat climber to next stop, the mountaintop

Whenever I think about how high I am, my courage fails. Will top-roping make me bolder?

How a video game helped me reclaim my body after having a baby

Pregnancy, birth and looking after your child put a huge strain on your body – Nintendo’s Ring Fit can help you reclaim it

Thrill of the chill: the best outdoor winter swimming spots in Britain

From an icy dip in Snowdonia to a plunge into the Atlantic in Cornwall, here is where to go if you are in the mood for an invigorating, cold-water swim – bobble hats are recommended

A step too far? How fitness trackers can take over our lives

Apps and wearable devices are touted as a way to transform health. But are we too obsessed by the ‘quantified self’?

The five: exercises to help avoid an early death

Easy-to-access activities that help to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of heart disease

Fitness tips: three circus exercises to try at home

Handstands, juggling and stick balancing are fun and excellent exercise

Fit in my 40s: roll up! Roll up! It’s time to master circus skills

We did handstands, trampoline jumps, juggling and a fiendish move with a hula hoop