I know that if I lift weights, which I should start doing again, it’s best to rest between workouts, at least 48 hours. Is this 48-hour period for serious lifting only, moving 60-80% of your one rep weight? How does this relate to walking, running, cycling?

I need to get into hiking/skiing shape. I walk to work each day, but not at a brisk pace. I work in a 16-story building. If I started climbing stairs should I do it everyday? More than once a day? Any variations I can add?

One of my problems: I sweat a lot. I don’t know if it’s my size, I can’t compare because I’ve always been overweight. Yet I’ve always been active and have great endurance. My point is: I work with people who run or use the gym during their lunch breaks. Afterwards they run into the bathroom and emerge two minutes later as fresh as a daisy. If I did that I’d have to sit in a bathtub of ice for ten minutes, then take a cool shower before dressing again in office clothes. I want to use the stairs for exercise but can’t get too overheated. If I’ll get no benefit because of this, I could wait until after work.

Same but different, are there specific stretching exercises I should do before stair climbing? What about everyday?

This is cheating, but I’ve always wanted to see a booklet titled “The minimum you should do: A guide to living each day.” There are plenty of things that are regularly drilled into us. Each so many fruits and vegetables. Brush after each meal, floss once a day. Wash hands after going to the bathroom. I know the health professionals want people to do anything, and they want you to pick something you are happy with and stick to. There’s that one study that says we should walk 5 miles a day minimum, which is way outside what people will do. To me health and exercise advice seems vague and non-specific, even if you are searching for it. I want a specific list of activities. Not goals, but a list that is a starting place. Like this: Everyday after you wake up and use the bathroom (or at some set point in the day) do these stretches (warm up before stretching?), do push up and crunches, run/jog in place for x minutes or climb up and down the stairs so many times. It should take 15 minutes tops. If you want to do more you can, but this is the least you should do.

Thanks for any advice and letting me rant.