Your muscles are made of protein, so if you’re building muscle you need to eat up. But how much protein do you really need? More than a couch potato, but less than the protein-crazy gym bros would have you believe. Here’s how to quickly calculate the real answer.

Maybe you win a lot. Or maybe you just run a lot of races that give finisher’s medals—marathons, half marathons, novelty 5Ks. Either way, that first treasured medal eventually blooms into a few pounds of hardware weighing down your doorknob or filling up your dresser drawer. Here are some more fun ways to appreciate—or dispose of — those medals.

A fitness watch is a natural gift for the fitness-minded person in your life, but picking one out can be tricky. Here are some guidelines for which type of athlete tends to prefer which type of watch.

If you’re not a runner, but you’d like to be, the classic way to start is with a couch-to-5K program (available in convenient app, podcast, or printable chart form). But we know you’ll have plenty of questions along the way, so here’s what you need to know.

The beauty of running sans headphones is that you get to finally be alone with your thoughts. This is also the horror of running without headphones: what if you don’t want to be alone with your thoughts?

Technically speaking, running is supposed to be the cheapest form of exercise; it’s just you and the path. However there are so many different tech options to help make you a better, or more focused, runner that it’s hard not to be tempted by new tech.

Training for your first race, 10K, or even a marathon, is an accomplishment no matter how you slice it. To do it successfully takes perseverance, gumption, and a few hacks we've compiled to ensure you get the most out of every step. You don't even have to let a new addition to your family keep you from logging kilometres hitting the pavement. Here are the best running tricks and tips to get you ready for your first race.

Over the past 40 years the “modern” sports shoe has evolved from the all-purpose sneaker to an abundance of sport-specific shoes. Given we have so much choice – and with encouragement from big brands and keen shop assistants – it seems logical to select footwear designed specifically for each activity. But what does the evidence say? Do we really need to wear a unique shoe for each activity we participate in?

Summer is a great time to get in shape — you can enjoy the non-freezing weather, the longer days and, depending on your line of work, you might have more free time. But then a holiday happens, and your fitness goals take a back seat for a little while. Here’s how to minimise the damage.

Running has always been one of those things that I needed some sort of motivation for. Go out on a Saturday run for my health? I’ll pass. Go out on a Saturday run so I can crush all my friends in a FitBit challenge? Now we’re talking.

Early morning runs can be rough, but to get through them it helps to have a little teamwork, camaraderie, and gleeful singing about death. Fortunately, military running cadences are available on all your favourite streaming services.

September is over, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop running. Last month in our fitness challenge I asked you to walk or to run, and if you took even a little bit of my advice, you’ve gone out a few times and probably gotten stronger and faster — even if you haven’t realised it yet.

It’s time to run (or walk, or otherwise locomote under your own power) one whole kilometre. Then take a break. And if you still have it in you, do it again. That’s right, we’re doing kilometre repeats this week in the Lifehacker Fitness Challenge.

About five years ago, I came to a major crossroads in my life. While work was going OK - I'd left a lucrative but unenjoyable job because I was so desperately unhappy and decided to freelance - my physical, mental and spiritual health were smashed. And, after messing around with my teenage son during basketball training, I spent the next two weeks walking like I'd been shot in the butt, having given my hamstring a decent twang.

Something had to change. On 6 January 2013 I decided to do something about it. Here's how I became a runner.

There are two main upsides to running: It’s a great and efficient form of exercise, and it’s also a way to get lost in nature and thought for 45 minutes to an hour (or however long your run is) with few to no distractions.

It’s surprisingly easy to get stuck in a rut. Choose the same path two or three times when you start a running or walking habit, and suddenly that path becomes an unquestioned part of your workout. Or maybe you vary your location, but you always do a 5K at “oh my god I’m going to die” pace. Well, stop it.

The only time I was tempted to buy a shirt at a marathon expo, it bore the relatable phrase: “I love running ... except while I’m doing it.”

There's almost never a bad time to start running — or to get back into it, if you’ve taken a break. We just spent a month trying to stand on our heads, so a little plain old jogging is going to feel great by comparison.

If you already use Audible for audiobooks, you now have a new perk in your account: Access to three fitness programs from Aaptiv, with more in the works.