Over time, chronic hunching or slouching can lead to a ton of problems over and above tight muscles and a rounded back.

Chronic poor posture – which many of us are dealing with thanks to desk jobs and driving – can lead to structural changes in your spine, which cause abnormal wear and tear on the joint surfaces, which can lead to arthritis or degenerative disc disease.

If that slippery slope of despair isn’t enough to scare you, poor posture can also cause blood vessel constriction, digestive issues, headaches, and even depression. 

​Reversing poor posture starts with awareness, and correcting alignment when you notice slouching or hunching. Do this by pulling the shoulders down and back, followed by pulling the head back so it is in-line with the shoulders.  We call this the chin tuck and it is the first of three easy, no-equipment exercises to improve your posture.

1. Chin tuck. Sitting or standing, elongate your spine by imagining you are lifting the top of your skull to the sky.  Tuck your chin back without tilting the head, until your head is in line with your shoulders.  Tip: this exercise can be especially useful in the car while driving, use the headrest as a guide for optimal positioning.

If you search Instagram (or just about anywhere else) for "fitness", you'll be bombarded with chiseled bodies, videos of people lifting huge heavy weights, and (far too many) toned-ab selfies.

It suggests that fitness is an extreme, all-or-nothing thing. Which it isn't. And that's why you won't find any greasy posed muscles in our feed. We believe that success looks different for each of us, and is about more than what you see on the outside.

One of our favourite 'traditions' at Nielsen Fitness is to capture - and celebrate - our clients' goals as they achieve them. Here are some recent ones that our clients gave us their blessing to share with you.

We think they're a great reminder that fitness is for everyone and success can take so many different forms. 

Want to join these healthy folks? Click here to learn more about our process, and here to read about how we're different. When you're ready, give us a shout and we'll come to you for a free, no-obligation consultation and mini workout.

What's YOUR motivation for working out? Whether we like to admit it or not, for most of us, it's to look good.

This is just fine, but I always advise new and potential clients to think more broadly and deeply than that and see their exercise efforts as an investment in long-term health, and the benefits you can't see on the surface.

In my experience, it tends to be a more powerful, long-term motivator - and for good reason. Almost immediately, your health will begin to improve as a result of exercise - even if the scale or measuring tape are taking their time. Some key benefits:

• Prevention. More exercise = less disease and illness.
• Reverse muscle aging. (Read more here.)
• Maintain and increase bone density, which your 80-year-old self will thank you for down the road. (More on that here.)
• Stronger and healthier joints. Your body is a machine that works better the more it's used. This article summarizes a study that showed ..."resistance exercise for people 65 and older can actually reverse important aging effects on skeletal muscles, to the point where they work genetically like those found in people four decades younger".
• A reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes (and the 137 other diseases that are associated with it).
• You'll be less prone to injury (a benefit of being strong, healthy, and flexible).

...and the fantastic bonus is, while you're focused on all the good you're doing for your body, you'll be losing the fat and building the muscles necessary to produce the physical appearance you're going for. 

So, as much as you may want to fit into that dress or bulk up your muscles for the beach, remember that each work out is doing wonderful things for your body that just might not be quite as visible. Plug away at it and, before long, you'll start to be able to see the benefits on the outside too.

As we always say, personal training isn't just for fitness models and bodybuilders. The vast majority of our clients are normal people looking to live their best and healthiest life.  Recently, we've started capturing and sharing our clients' little (and some not-so-little) victories.  We find it hugely motivating to track and celebrate these changes - and we hope you do too :)