Came across this article from Ace Fitness, check out their site for details on these suggestions. I have people coming in all the time with lower back problems due to sitting all day long. Anyway, read on….

For many of us, we spend a great deal of our day in a seated position, whether at our desks at work or in our cars commuting from one place to another. Through the repetitive motions we complete and the misaligned positions we unknowingly put ourselves in while seated, our posture may become altered and as a result it can lead to a variety of muscle imbalances and general instability within the body.

Exercises for enhancing stability

To improve posture and enhance stability, we must activate and strengthen weak and neglected muscle. Below are examples of several foundational exercises you may wish to incorporate into your current workout routine-

* Bird-dog- This exercise trains the body how to stabilize the lumbar spine (low back) during upper and lower extremity movement.
* Side Plank- The lateral muscles of the torso (abdominal obliques and quadratus lumborum) targeted during this exercise are important for stabilizing the spine when upright and rotating, and also help in maintaining ideal posture.
* Front Plank- This exercise improves abdominal and low-back endurance and coordination, and leads to more stability and efficiency during dynamic movements.
* Glute Bridge- Glute exercises such as this play an important role in core stability. As the glutes become stronger, the hips and pelvis become more stable. Increased stability in the pelvis can ultimately help to decrease the risk of lower back pain and also aid in the maintenance of proper posture.

Tips for improving posture

Developing an increased sense of awareness about your posture is essential to restoring proper alignment. Simply be mindful of your posture throughout the day (such as acknowledging when you are slouching), and consciously correct your alignment as needed. While standing, your ear, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle should align forming one straight line with the spine in an ‘S’ shape, due to the natural curvature of the spine. This also applies while in a seated position, except that the ear, shoulder and hip should align, while the knee and ankle align.

While at work, be sure to frequently adjust your position while sitting for long periods of time to help prevent slouching and other poor postures. Taking a few minutes periodically to get up from your desk and walk around is also helpful. Creating an ergonomically-friendly workspace is another important factor in restoring good posture.

CLICK HERE to contact me and discuss these issues further…

There is argumentation about the Atkins diet, which focuses on the developers of the diet and to people that are on the diet. Many arguments on the internet also exist, which state that the Atkins diet is a viable diet and should be allowed to be tried by more people in order for them to receive the benefits of this great fat burning diet. A present study shows the difference of the Atkins diet fat burning effectivity for those who use it.

With the Atkins diet, this is one of the best things about this diet – it replaces the bad things that go into your body and makes your body burn fat cells for fuel. There are constantly new diet fads that are going up all of the time, trying to take the place of more experienced diets that are showing themselves to work well for those who try them. For the debate of Atkins diet, this is always the issue, as it always has to battle against different diets who want to replace it and from those people who does not consider its effectiveness.

But, not everything in these debates are true and they need more studies. Despite this, the truth remains that Atkins has proffered forth few important services within the diet that makes the user lose weight. To the average person, losing weight would be a boon that he or she could not pass up, and with this diet, nothing is different.

The Atkins diet can also save individuals money as it lessens the amounts and types of food you need to get, thus reducing cost and increasing accessibility. Saving money in an economy in recession like ours is a must. And, with prices continuing to rise, it’s easy to eat junk foods because of changes in price. However, the diet will provide a limited selection of foods to choose from (typically focusing on meat) which will minimize the amount of food needing to be purchased and consumed. This is also right for people who want to use some of their money for other expenses for the house.

Many individuals are not aware of how to best care for their health and make a number of mistakes, which result in problems in the long run. This unfortunate form of ignorance can easily damage a situation or a person’s health. Following the Atkins diet allows each person to start setting goals for his or her health while using the guidelines of the diet.

However, while there are more debate for the Atkins diet, every person will decide if they want to try it and then decide the outcome for his or herself. It can be a great plan when used properly with supplements and a healthy exercise program. While the diet may not for everybody, there are still more controversy for using the Atkins diet.

Follow me on Twitter for more advice

Or give a call: 713.773.0077

As people begin to reach age 40 they often begin experiencing new or additional health challenges, but with today’s medicine many are saying that 40 is the new 30 and age is merely a number. This is actually very evident to most of us, and women will often describe age and only being as old as you feel. But, even with today’s medicine and positive attitudes, the primary concern needs to be focused on ones overall health and well being. One of the common health problem of women is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a term that explains a degenerative disease of the joints. It is the most prevalent form of Arthritis in the United States. It affects over 20 million adults and over 50% of all people over the age of 65 have some evidence of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is more common in the Japanese population, less common in East Indians, South African black people and the Southern Chinese.

When men approach the big 4-0, they tend to experience andropause. This is when a man’s hormones naturally begins to decline, often starting in their late forties or early fifties. In continues to decline well into the eighties. Many have questioned whether the male menopause is more myth than reality. The Andropause is a gradual process and not exactly the same as menopause. However, like women undergoing menopause, the decline in hormones in men result in them suffering from symptoms of the Andropause. Of course, as with any disease the symptoms of each will vary greatly from one individual to another. Turning 40 is one of the key psychological milestones in a person’s life when they evaluate who they are and where they want to be going.

Visit the Body Master

We can’t avoid stress No matter what we do we will have to deal with some form of stress on a daily basis. Whenever we handle our stress we create a chemical change in our brain that effects our overall health. And it doesn’t just end there.

Our stressful moments don’t always last very long. Usually with little things like feeling like you always pick the slowest line at the store This sort of annoyance happens to all of us. The issue is how you handle it. Most times, in this situation people will stare off at the magazine rack and check out the latest celebrity gossip. But some people will let the tension build. You can usually see the tension building with every second they have to stand in that line.

It’s easy to see that the first two people described could take something good away from the wait. The first may read something interesting on the cover of a magazine and the second may escape from the chaos of the day with her daydream. But the person that is literally stressing out over the wait is doing more harm to himself than he realizes.
Stress can affect us on many levels. This person is not likely to have a smile on his face as he walks out of the store. I’m sure it will take a person like this quite some time to cool down. In most cases, people like this deal with stress the same way, over and over – meaning, they have poor coping skills.

In time this person is likely to experience any or all of the following problems:

Difficulty sleeping
High blood pressure
Lack of energy
Headaches
Feelings of depression
Tension & anxiety that won’t let up
Back or neck pain
Change in weight
And more

As you can see, stress can build and lead to some bad stuff. But, to be fair, some people just have more stressful lives to live than the rest of us. I’m sure we all know those that have had more hardships, trials, and tribulations than the average person. It is also important to remember that some things that are viewed as good, such as having a baby or purchasing a home and moving, are also very stressful.

These issues are cause to so many health problems including heart disease, low immunity, ulcers, emotional disorders and the list goes on. We my not be able to eliminate stress, but we can learn to cope. We can work on using calm coping mechanisms when we are feeling stressed, but even more than that we can be more proactive.

To stay healthy we can eat better, drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep, and workout. Increasing our physical health is a fantasitc way to also increase our ability to cope with stress more healthfully. Be kind to yourself. Take time to smell the roses, chill out, and remember your hobbies. Every day you should budget at least 30 minutes that are just for you, that is your time to do what you want. Don’t let the little things in life get you down.

Visit Me: The Body Master, Houston Personal Trainer

10. Chin ups
9. One-leg dumbbell deadlift
8. Standing cable rotational pull-into-push
7. Push-ups
6. Low pulley row
5. Reverse lunge
4. Back leg raised split-squat
3. Squat-to-press
2. Deadlift
1. Standing cable pull/push

Have questions about how to perform these exercises? Contact the Houston Personal Trainer Expert, Ron Russell.

Visit http://thebodymaster.com for details