If you've been regularly stretching then let me be the first to say, "Bravo!" Stretching is an integral part of any exercise program, and too many of us leave the gym without even thinking about doing it. Before you hit the mats for a good stretch use these tips from the Mayo Clinic on a few things to keep in mind:

• Target major muscle groups. When you're stretching, focus on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play.
• Warm up first. Stretching muscles when they're cold increases your risk of injury, including pulled muscles. Warm up by walking while gently pumping your arms, or do a favorite exercise at low intensity for five minutes. Better yet, stretch after you exercise — when your muscles are warm and more receptive to stretching.

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Active people and athletes are all about cross-training because the variety helps burn extra calories, it keeps workouts from getting boring, and it helps to strengthen your entire body. More important, it's recommended to help prevent injuries caused by repetitive movements or over-use of muscles. Ironically though, injuries can happen when switching up your routine, either because you're new to the activity, you're not paying attention, or because your competitive edge kicks in and you push yourself too hard. So keep these in mind:

• You don't have to work hard all the time. When cross-training, make sure you balance hard workouts with more relaxing, low-impact ones. It'll save you energy and give your body a chance to rest.
• Don't push yourself beyond your limit. You might be able to run a mile in less than six minutes, but flexibility, is just not your thing. If you experiment with yoga and the class is all about intense hamstring stretches, don't force your body to do what it's not trained to do. You could end up tearing a muscle that prevents you from exercising at all.

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Thanks to a series of fires up here in Northern California, many regular outdoor exercisers are being forced to take their workouts inside due to excess smoke in the air. It's especially important for those of us with asthma or upper-respiratory maladies, but everyone should use a little bit more caution when the air quality is not up to par this Summer. Use these tips for exercising to prevent damage to your health:

• Do not run on or near roads where there is heavy truck or bus traffic.
• Work out in the early morning or later in the evening when the ozone levels are at their lowest.
• Exercise indoors if possible.
• If you experience any difficulty breathing, stop your exercise immediately and see your doctor.

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With McDonalds lurking in every terminal, airports pose a potential threat to the average healthy person.

On my recent travels I had a few hours to kill in the Boston International Airport and I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was an abundance of healthy choices — I know this because I was looking for fries (even I have a weakness for them) and couldn't find them. Every terminal offers up healthy eats — I was able to score hummus and veggies — and you can also get in a workout.

The Hilton, which is connected to the airport via Skybridge, offers $10 day passes to its health club. They'll even sell you a disposable bathing suit for $8 if you want to do a few laps in the pool. How refreshing? Had I discovered this earlier, I would have utilized the opportunity to get in a quick workout instead of wandering the terminal looking for something to do, which ended up being stuffing sour patch kids down my throat.

If you're not going to be at the Boston Logan Airport any time soon but will be traveling, be sure to check out if the airport you'll be visiting has a gym. You'd be surprised by how many offer access to exercise facilities.

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We keep a scale in our bathroom, and I must admit I weigh myself sporadically, but at least once a week. I don't think I am obsessive about it, but I found that it helps me to maintain my weight. If you're trying to lose weight, studies show that weighing yourself daily is an effective way to make it happen. I also think it's great to check in with a scale every so often, to make sure you don't exceed your red-flag weight. Do you agree or are you against using one? Do you think scales promote negative body images? Tell me ladies, how do you feel about scales?

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