What we all want is to age gracefully, or rather to stay and feel as young as we can for as long as we can.

Poor posture is one of the greatest contributors to aging more quickly, because it stresses the spine and all the nerves that pass through it that nurture and control vital organs, joints and muscle groups.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell which came first – injuries to the spine and other areas of the body can contribute to poor posture, and poor posture can cause or aggravate physical problems and weaknesses.

One thing’s for sure: Your body will definitely have more problems and age more quickly if you don’t maintain good posture. Good posture improves our health and helps us to look and feel our best.

Before you start any exercise program, it’s always best to check with your physician.  Take your health history with you on your first visit, and your health journal to every visit.

Good posture is the foundation for achieving fitness and balance with the ME System, and maintaining posture and balance is important in every exercise program – otherwise, you compensate for weaknesses and overuse muscles that are already strong, compounding your problems.  People who work out without keeping posture and balance always tell me what they used to be able to do – but people who work on balance and fitness are still doing it.

Self-awareness is the key. It’s time to take stock.  Set a goal to maintain good posture for a whole day, and pay attention to your body during daily activities.

Getting in and out of chairs without falling in or rolling out helps to avoid injuries and maintain your independence.  Even sitting in balance, rather than putting all your weight on one butt cheek, helps keep your muscles toned and spine aligned.  You can review my Sitting Well blog for some reminders and tips.  Keep these in mind at your desk, in the car, and sitting at the table for a meal or a good game of bridge!

Are you shifting from side to side while you’re standing?  The discomfort that’s triggering that behavior may be aggravated by the constant shifting of weight, which definitely puts more strain on your knees, hips and lower spine.  You should review and practice the Elements of Better Posture contained in my blog “The Importance of Good Posture”.  …And if you’re pulling to one side in your gait, or stumbling and losing your balance because you’re looking down and shuffling along, it would be good to read and remember the tips in Walk This Way.

Simple exercises that help you improve your balance in all you do will make a tremendous difference in your mood and well-being.  This is the root and focus of work we do in the Designer Fitness studio.  As you improve your posture and alignment, you gain a measurement of how you feel when you are in balance, and it will begin to feel more comfortable and natural.  Then when your body is uncomfortable, you will know how to regain your balance and be able to self-correct.

Be aware, be balanced, be fit.  You want to maintain your youthfulness and age gracefully – and the ME System can help you do it!

Ta da! Til the next time,

Darla