New to exercise or just a “sloucher” in life? Read this.

Read this & think of me always~

Alignment: defined in the dictionary as:  positioning of something for proper performance: the correct position or positioning of different components with respect to each other or something else, so that they perform properly

This is something that is often difficult to achieve in life because of the constant demands placed on our time, body, mind, energy, etc. When you exercise regularly, you are aligning yourself to better health. Other posts will deal with alignment in other areas of your life, today, we only focus on alignment for correct posture. Why? Because you look like an idiot if you have bad posture & more importantly, your body does not function optimally if you are not in alignment with your posture.

Here is 1 simple thing you can do to be sure you are aligned to yourself and your body during your work day.

Keep your spine aligned when at your desk and in your car, and you will reap the benefits of stronger core muscles and better circulation to the body, as well as better posture. Start by sitting as far back in your chair (or car seat) as possible. Lean forward slightly so you can push your rear back into the back of the chair; this should lean your hips forward slightly. Set your chair so that your knees are bent and feet flat on the floor (if in your car, give enough room to get to the pedals without having to reach).

Imagine you have a string tied to your head and it is lifting you up out of your hips and is creating an extra inch of space in between each of your spinal vertebrae. Pull those shoulder blades back & down. Once in this position, draw the belly button back to the spine and pull the pelvic floor up. Your core should now be holding you in this position- it may feel uncomfortable at first because you are using postural and core muscles to hold your body in proper alignment. Now put your keyboard and desk items in proper reach from you in your new postural position. If you are in your car, adjust the rear view mirror so that you can see out of it in your new position. You will then know when you lose your postural alignment when you have to start reaching for things again or can no longer see out your rear view mirror.

Every time you pull up to a red light, I want you to think fondly of me & this tip & check to make sure your core is in & posture is “on.” If it’s not, fix it damn you! Hasn’t my mother taught you anything?? Sorry, I digress again…this may become a recurring theme. Bear with me.

This is a simple, easy thing to do- but if you are not vigilant about it, you cannot expect it to change. Having a strong core and strong posture happens in the weeks and months of awareness- not just the minutes you focus on it during a workout. Stay focused on staying aligned to your goals of fitness, wellness, and good health wherever you are during your week & optimal living can be yours.