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By learning to align your body better, opening your chest and strengthening your upper back, you can turn poor posture into pretty posture in no time.

Get Aligned

Proper alignment — the correct position of the body’s various components — is the foundation to good posture. It looks like this: Shoulders are back (collarbones open wide apart), the ears are stacked over the shoulders (jawline parallel to the floor) and the shoulders are stacked over the hips (upright spine). Just by pulling the shoulders back and rolling them open, you start a chain reaction that leads to better alignment. Try it right now and see for yourself! The chest lifts and the spine seems taller instantly.

Being aware of your posture throughout the day is the best way to set things straight with your body. Here are some simple posture reminders:
• When you pass your reflection in a mirror, take a peek!
• When you sit at your desk, take the time to slide the chair forward to support your spine in a straight line perpendicular to your seat.
• Imagine you’re wearing a corset, pulling in the core muscles and pressing the navel in to support your spine (and look slimmer!).
• Visualize a book balancing on your head while standing.

Open Your Heart

In order to roll your shoulders back, you’ll need flexibility in your pectoral muscles — the muscles that lie just below the front of each shoulder. Perform this exercise at least once or day and whenever you’re being overly hunchy:

Action: Stand straight with your hands clasped behind your back, fingers interlocked. Simultaneously straighten your arms and pull them away from your body. Breathe in and out deeply as you allow the shoulders to relax. Constantly try to lift the arms farther away from the body. You’ll feel a nice chest stretch. Do this for 30 to 60 seconds and release.

Strengthen Your Back

The one-arm wall push-up is a great do-anywhere option for the upper back muscles (the rear deltoids and the rhomboid). By strengthening this area, you can more easily roll the shoulders open, which sets up your frame for posture success.

Starting Position: Face a wall, standing 10 inches away with your feet parallel. Place your right palm on the wall at shoulder height and place your left hand on your hip.

Action: Perform a one-arm push-up against the wall by bending then straightening the right elbow. Try bending your elbow straight back like a grasshopper leg, so your arm stays close to the body. Make sure to keep your body straight. Perform 10 repetitions using the right arm, then switch arms, performing an additional 10 using the left arm.

If you credit a sedentary lifestyle for your poor posture, there is one more thing I highly recommend: Get up and move at regular intervals throughout the day — every half-hour is ideal. As your muscles tire or remain unused, slouching, slumping and hunching become your standby stances. Take a “good posture break” by standing up while talking on the phone or personally deliver a message to a coworker instead of e-mailing her.