There's no debating that walking is a great form of exercise. It's relatively simple, doesn't require much in the way of equipment (the necessity of an iPod is negotiable), and you can do it almost anywhere. But, what can you do to turn your standard walking workout into a fat-burning fitness regime?

Health.com has a couple of suggestions. For one, shorter, faster walks will do more for you. According to the article, a 150-pound woman walking briskly for 30 minutes will burn 170 calories. Burning as many calories at a moderate pace would take over 45 minutes, while a slow walk will take at least an hour. So, if you're out there anyway, work up a sweat -- it'll help you out in the cardiovascular fitness department, too.

Additionally, stop worrying about what time of day is best for working out and figure out what time of day is best for you. You know your schedule -- if mornings are hard for you, and you can't drag yourself out of bed, maybe you shouldn't try to fit in a 60-minute workout. If you can walk immediately after work, before you get distracted, or if the gym is on your way home, bring your gear and schedule yourself time to do it. Regardless of when you do it, aim for 40 to 45 minutes of moderate to intense exercise four times a week or more.

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Whether you have a fabulously consistent running schedule or just get out to run occasionally, chances are there are days when you could have gotten more out of your run. Sometimes you have a plan to go and just crap out on it, or maybe you make it out to run, but you find yourself just going through the motions. Slowly.

This is totally normal -- we can't all wake up every morning with a race day mentality, ready to go out and give everything we have. There are other factors involved, like time, stress, location, and muscle soreness. Runner's World has 27 suggestions for ways to run better every day, and I'd like to share my favorites of those tips with you. Check out the gallery, or, for all 27 tips, check out the original article.

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FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

Men's Health magazine urges us to make the most of our days. We have 365 of them each year, after all. Might as well put them to good use. Ready to get started? That's the spirit.

Crank Up The Tunes
Tune into some up-tempo music before beginning your workout. It can raise your heart rate, boost your mood, and up your muscle power by 10 percent.

Say It, Don't Write It
Go for quality social time by talking, not texting. Frequent texters are more likely to suffer from loneliness and social anxiety.

Recall Your Meal
On days when junk food calls your name, recall a healthy meal memory. Researchers say it can enhance awareness of how satisfying the food was and can help you stray from indulgences. You might find you eat less too.

Talk It Out
Women who keep tension under wraps are more likely to die of heart disease. So women: Say what's on your mind. Men: Ask what's on her mind.

Stretch It Out
Stretching improves posture, promotes blood flow, and relieves body tension.

That's just a start. There are 65 other dazzling-day ideas right here. Check them out. That's the spirit.

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I don't think that anyone would be particularly happy to notice that their hair is thinning. It's got to be upsetting for men, but since it's a more common occurrence among that sex, I think that it would be even harder for a women who is losing her hair.

If you've found that your mane isn't as thick as it used to be, is patchy or even starting to show bald spots, you might want to check out this gallery, which offers 20 tips on how to deal with thinning hair. The first, and probably most important tip is to head to your doctor. There may be a reason why you're losing hair and a physician can help you find a remedy.

Additional advice includes improving your diet and taking vitamins to improve hair quality, experimenting with a new hair style that will disguise patches and trying out volumizing or other specialty products to improve the look of your hair. To see the rest of the tips, take a look here.

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Sometimes thinking about changing your lifestyle in order to be happier or healthier seems like a daunting task. I know that times when I decide I'm unhappy with my habits and end up on a mission to make changes and improve my overall well-being, I tend to give up easily because I get in the mind frame that I have to change absolutely everything at once.

Of course, overhauling your entire life in a day isn't necessarily the best way to make changes for the better. A few small steps can be taken each day, week or even month to improve your life. Eventually all of these little alterations will add up to some major life changes.

I like this article from the Canadian Living website because it gives a list of 10 things you can do in the month of October to improve your well-being. There's nothing very difficult to accomplish on the list -- suggestions include eating more berries, doing push-ups, taking the stairs and trying out pomegranate -- but I bet if you made the commitment to try them all throughout the month, you'd find that you feel a bit happier, more relaxed and healthier overall.

If you want to see all 10 tips and find out just why they're all good for you, take a peak at the entire article here.

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DiYLife blogger Francesca Clarke wrote recently about 11 foods with the power to increase energy and improve mood. No need for supplements and special drinks, says Clarke. These tasty treats will do the trick all on their own.

As you plan your meals for the days to come, consider incorporating these feel-good items. Some are pretty darn appetizing. Check out the last one. Now that's an invitation for happiness -- but only if pursued with moderation, of course.

• Milk
• Chocolate
• Whole grain rice or pasta
• Mackerel
• Broccoli
• Coffee
• Turkey
• Liver
• Blueberries
• Brazil nuts
• Any food that tastes good

Here's to good food and good moods!

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As I write this, I'm literally sitting in a big comfy chair (using my laptop) at the big fancy gym I attend in my hometown. I just finished training by the way......not only here to write. Nonetheless, I'm looking through the gigantic window which separates myself from about 100 cardio machines and I can see about every type of person there is.

The men and women I see range in age from about 16 to 70 years old. I see Caucasians, African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and more. Some of the tushies I see are hard and small, and some are larger and looser. It's AWESOME!

Opposed to decades before where only the uber-fit worked out, now everyone does and everyone fits in. I even see two wheelchairs rolling around the workout floor as well (which I usually do). Wow! So if you're one of the folks who think you 'have to lose weight' before you can go to the gym... change your mind. You heard me. Change your mind!

Which are you when it comes to exercising, the tortoise or the hare? When it comes to slow and steady vs fast and furious there are arguments pointing to both ways as the "best" way, but a recent article in The New York Times suggests that it's really a blend of the two that has the most health benefits for most people. And no, a mix of slow and fast in this case does not equal "medium," it means intervals.

Interval training is not new by a long shot, but there is new interest in it due to research continuing to confirm and solidify just how great it is for cardiovascular health and fat burning. Both slow workouts and faster workouts offer similar health benefits such as weight loss, lowered risk for diabetes, and improved cardiovascular health. But it looks like interval training takes these benefits and multiplies them for the positive. Throwing some peaks and valleys into your exercise routine can up your calorie burning and speed up your fitness goals. In addition, benefits seemed similar for people regardless of their physical shape when they started the training. Both low activity/sedentary adults and young fit athletes showed similar levels of improvement in a little as a few weeks.

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Frustratingly enough, the jury is still out on this one. But in reading this article it does sound more promising than not. St. John's Wort, otherwise known as Hypericum Perforatum, has been used for more than 2400 years -- maybe even by Hippocrates himself. And in the majority of studies performed in both past and recent years there has been at least some relationship shown between taking the herb and experiencing a decrease in signs and symptoms of depression. There have been contradicting studies also, but they seem limited to how St. John's Wort affects people with minor symptoms compared to more serious ones.

Although it is generally mild and safe as far as herbal supplements go, don't take it too lightly. St. John's Wort can have some significant side-effects like dizziness, photosenstivity, and even decreased fertility. And never, ever, take St. John's Wort if you're already taking other meds for depression.

Bottom line? St. John's Wort may be right for you, but be sure to check with your doctor first.

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Anyone who has ever tried endurance workouts where you end up running, cycling or using a treadmill for extended periods of time is aware that before too long, you can find yourself in a rut. I can personally vouch for this. Having been a long-time runner, I did not see very large gains in my stamina until I tried to incorporate a similar practice much like the "blast-off" technique.

Rob Parr suggests that instead of just going through a normal routine, try escalating the intensity of your workout over ten or twenty minutes. Start out as normal but then begin to build up to a crescendo where you're going at full-power. This can include accelerating the speed of a treadmill or the angle of your ascent. If you're not on a treadmill, try slowly building up to an all out sprint.

By gradually increasing the intensity of a particular workout, you aren't just sticking to a set pace the whole time. The "blast-off" effect pushes your heart and muscles to a peak where endurance gains are met. Increased stamina in athleticism and also in everyday life is a result of the technique.

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