Brought to you by Deepak Chopra, MD, Alexander Tsiaras, and TheVisualMD.com Every January, millions of Americans resolve to exercise with renewed dedication and vigor. Whether you are starting a new fitness program, or fine-tuning your current workouts, thoughtful planning will help you get more benefits from exercise. You need to make sure that you are getting aerobic exercise, which uses large amounts of oxygen as you work–jogging, brisk walking, swimming and bicycling are aerobic exercise. You also need anaerobic exercise, muscle-building work which is performed in shorter, intense bursts of activity and draws on your body’s glucose and fats for energy–weight-lifting and sprinting are good ones. Adding stretching activity to your workouts, such as yoga or Pilates, increases your range of motion and can work additional muscle groups that might otherwise be neglected. It is important to choose sports and activities that you really like, so you will have enough variety and engagement to stay interested and enthusiastic about exercising.Learn more about the importance of a balanced exercise plan:TheVisualMD.com: Get Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise