In December when I saw Dr. Krall, my c-reactive protein was wacky, thus I'm at an elevated risk for heart disease, even though my cholesterol level and weight are good. Well, I admit I had slid back into not exercising in the fall, and it was time to get hip.

I've belonged to my gym for four years. It's a clean, well-lit facility, the largest of its kind in the area, and the membership fee is reasonable.

As soon as Dr. Krall had The Talk with me about exercise, I decided it was a mindset, and...