5 steps to fitness from Oprah's trainer

We've asked best-selling author and trainer for Oprah, Bob Greene, how he does it.

1 You're on the road a lot. What do you do to stay in shape?

I always stay at a hotel that has a gym. I'm the crazy person going up and down the stairs in the stairwell. Or jumping up and down in my room.

2 When you break down and splurge, what junk foods do you reach for?

You should treat yourself every day. I like desserts. I like dark chocolate. I like pie. I tend to actually like the healthier pie, the ones that have some fruit in them as well and have some redeeming qualities.

3 What's the best fitness advice you've ever gotten?

The best advice is you don't have to teach everyone to learn to like or love exercise.

Exercise should never involve pain, but it should involve some level of discomfort, so most people are going to find creative ways to avoid it.

The great benefits of sleeping better, being healthier, perhaps living longer and all the great, positive, beneficial effects – that's what people need to focus on, not the discomfort of what they are doing.

4 A lot of people are getting rid of their trainers and looking for other ones. How do you fire a trainer?

The best single thing you can do is interview your trainer before you start working with them. Interview them like an employee. Make sure the chemistry is there. Do your homework. Try them out.

5 What are three things the average person should be doing to stay healthy?

• You need to put exercise in your life. Lead an active life.
• Look at your overall diet. You don't have to radically change it overnight, but you need to eat healthy foods in moderation.
• Really look at your life in total. We misuse food and make up excuses not to exercise mostly because of the stresses and strains of other areas in our lives. Look at those areas not related to eating and exercise.

Find happiness in making small steps toward changing it and living the life you were meant to live.