Back Extension

If you haven't had lower back pain yet in life, chances are you will someday. Do what you can and strengthen that important part of your body by adding some back extensions to your workout. There's the piece of equipment by the treadmills that is designed for back extensions but it can be difficult at first, so you can also do back extensions on the physio balls. Lie facedown on the ball, knees bent and feet on the wall behind you, toes on the floor. (Go in the multipurpose room if you're at the gym.) Bend your elbows and keep your arms at your sides bringing your hands up by your shoulders. Lift your upper body, then lower it onto the ball. Repeat 10-15 times. You should feel this in your lower back. Incorporate this into your workout two or three times per week.

Wow, this is actually good!

Okay, I try not to make it a habit of eating packaged, frozen food, but today I was in a hurry so I brought a Smart Ones (by Weight Watchers) chicken enchiladas suiza frozen lunch. It has only 290 calories, 5 g of fat, 3 g of fiber, 11 g of protein and 4 g of sugar. Okay, so the carbs are kind of high (49g) but all in all, it's a pretty good breakdown. And the best part? It tastes great! I don't recall how much it cost, but it wasn't much. Usually you can't get all 3 - healthy, affordably, and tasty, but this meal actually has it all. No, I'm not being paid to say this. :-) Add it to your grocery list and enjoy.

Hip Raise - Good core exercise

These days everyone knows that strengthening your "core" is essential to having a good foundation for all kinds of fitness gains. So here's a move you can try at home if you have a physio ball or the next time you're at the gym.

Lie on your back with your heels and ankles on the ball, legs straight, arms by your side. Raise your hips so that your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Relax. Repeat. Build up to a 30 second hold. You can also raise for a count of one or two, then lower, and repeat for 15 reps.

Be a part of something

Yesterday my friend (and Anytime Fitness member) Michael and I did the 10k run at White Rock Lake. What a way to celebrate, right? :-) We saw 5 other Anytime members out there, too - very cool! This wasn't a big charity event; in fact, it was the opposite - just a run for the fun of it, for fitness, and to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. I can't tell you how motivational it was to be surrounded by hundreds of other people who enjoy that. Anyway, every person there had his or her own personal goal, whether it was just to finish, to beat a certain time, or to simply have fun. I can tell you I sure pushed myself harder than I would've alone and I had 100 times more fun doing it, too! I really encourage you to participate in an organized event that gets you around other people trying to do something good for themselves. It could be a 1 mile fun run, a 5k, a bike ride, whatever - just get out there and try. For ideas, go to www.dallasrunningclub.com, www.runontexas.com, or pick up a copy of the Competitor, a free publication at stores around town. You may just love being part of something bigger than yourself!