Well, it’s official. Commercials and newspaper ads have begun the dreaded advertisements for all things holiday-related and is likely to have caused moms across the valley to cringe at the grim reminder of the discourteous holiday drivers who refuse to let us change lanes or quickly turn into the parking space we’ve patiently waited for with our blinker on after circling around for 20 minutes, late-night shopping excursions to Macy’s until its midnight closing, and ah, least we forget? Gorging ourselves with Christmas tree-shaped cookies, cholesterol-laden eggnog, gingerbread men, fruitcakes, the list goes on and on…
Higher stress levels trigger an increase in cortisol production, stored in the form of that stubborn belly fat around the middle. While Pilates is the best exercise method for toning the abdominals, not everyone has the time and resources to attend classes. Mild to moderate exercise will provide the physical stamina and mental clarity required to juggle work meetings and school recitals with chauffeuring the kids across town to countless after-school activities and surviving the holidays alive. You want to tone those muscles so you look and feel good about yourself for the holiday parties but most importantly, build overall health so that you can be around to see your kids grow up. But if there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to squeeze in a vigorous workout, we’ve come up with a few exercises you can do in the car while sitting in traffic or at your desk at work. And remember, a little bit of physical activity is better than doing none at all
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1). Belly to Spine.
Did you know that sitting up tall can be one of the most challenging positions and actually requires contracting the deep lower abdominals? Make sure that the ribcage is dropped down and closed in the front. When this happens, the spine will automatically become flat against the seat behind you without arching in the lower back (lumbar spine). Pull your belly back to the spine while simultaneously lifting the kagels up like an elevator, and hold for 10 seconds. 10 reps is optimal, but may be repeated as many times as needed.
2). Glute Contractions.
This exercise doesn’t require a lot of instruction, it’s done exactly how it says in the name! As you clench your cheeks together you’ll rise out of your seat about an inch and tone your backside, a common area of concern for most women.
3). Chest Expansion.
With the dawn of the computer age, hours spent hunched over a keyboard with eyes fixated on an LCD screen has caused one of the most prevalent postural defects in our clients. Forward rounded shoulders and a forward head can be corrected gradually over time by performing this exercise. Sitting tall, crack a walnut between your shoulder blades by squeezing them together. By doing this you are stretching the front of your chest area while simultaneously strengthening the upper back muscles, and the position of the head will correct itself as posture improves.
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