Be a tortoise, not a hare next time you work out because slow and steady wins the race -- and burns more calories too.

A while back, researchers at one Netherlands university figured out that people who engage in moderate physical activity, like walking and biking, had the highest overall activity levels. You might think that vigorous exercisers would gain more from their all-out efforts but after their bursts of energy, they spent the greater part of their days being sedentary.

Yes, vigorous exercise burns more calories in the short-term but if moderate exercise keeps you more active overall, then this seems the way to go for the long haul.