Feeling stuck about what to buy your sweetie this holiday season? Believe it or not, a fitness gift can be romantic. There's a fine line, however. Guys, if you buy your girlfriend a weight-loss fitness DVD, you are going to have hell to pay. But buy her a romantic weekend away at a ski resort, and you'll get a whole different response.

Fitness can be fun, and it's a great way to spend time together. So think about the different activities you enjoy and find a way you can do them together. Check out the gallery for some ideas.

Hate to exercise? It happens to the best of us! Just because it's something everybody should be doing doesn't mean it's something everybody likes doing. But hating exercise makes it pretty tough to live a healthy lifestyle, so if you or someone you know is struggling with this issue try these 5 tips for exercise haters:

• Use technology to get yourself motivated. Either put on music that you love to get you in the mood, or try an audio training program -- they're available now for everything from cardio and calisthenics to pilates and yoga.
• Try bellydancing! Or any other interesting "outside of the box" class you may find that sparks your interest.
  
• Instead of trying to walk or jog for 30 minutes at once try doing 15 before work and the other 15 at lunch or right after work. The smaller timeframe may make it seem like less of a chore.
• Try Leslie Sanson's Walk Away the Pounds video program -- it's converted many an exercise hater.
• Find a fitness class that has a mind/body fitness approach. There are traditional options like yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi, plus more modern ideas like yoga/Pilates combination classes.

These ideas from eDiets sound pretty good, but it seems finding a way around "hating to exercise" is more complicated than any 5 tips can solve. What do you do to make exercising fun, interesting, or at least tolerable?

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Friday April 17th, I'll be attending a fitness conference. Fitness conferences are a blast and are designed to take fitness professionals to the next level. Keep us updated on new tools, toys, and training ideas. It's a place where we share our research, invention and experience. It's a awesome!

I've been going to these conferences for almost two decades and I look forward to each and every one. I love my job, would do it for free if I was one of those 'trust fund kids,' and love the buzz I get from the whole experience of helping others live better and longer. Fitness conferences are super cool, because they inspire and educate my colleagues and I to better ourselves in order to better you.

Fitness pros aren't the only ones who'll benefit from them though. I would love to see more general fitness enthusiasts there. You get to choose the courses you're interested in taking and just go experience a bunch of different innovative workouts. For example. The area I live in does not offer any Strip Tease classes. But, I got to try one at a conference. Does that mean I want to become a stripper or become the Strip Tease instructor? NO! I just wanted to go do it for fun. By the way.....from my experience, the class is basically a hip hop dance workout with some extra thrusting and hair flipping.

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Everybody needs new ideas now and then for either getting in shape or staying in shape. Even the fittest and healthiest people need to switch up their routines now and then, to avoid boredom and reenergize their motivation levels. Here are some ideas for trying something new, from old "tried and trues" to the latest in DVD home workouts:

• Dance! Research has shown that moving your body to music, or dancing, makes the time go by faster and can be great exercise. Need some specific direction? The Samba is a fun and upbeat option, either through lessons or an at home DVD in your living room.
• Jumping rope burns as much as 400 calories for every 30 minutes! And if you want to go at an easier pace, especially if you're just getting started, you can still burn 200 calories in 20 minutes by jumping a little slower. Not to mention it does a great job at toning and shaping your legs and midsection.
• Get in shape for a special occasion with a specially designed DVD called Women's Health: The Wedding Workout DVD. Even though the title says it's for weddings, apparently it's great for any special occasion -- like a vacation or family reunion.

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