HEALTHY

AND TONED
BACK
Easy workouts to get

rid of back fat

Bruno Pontes

ACSM and AFAA certified Personal Trainer

& Group Exercise Instructor

Why a healthy and
strong back is
important
Back health is an important part of life. Although
people may neglect their back because they can’t see it,
there are countless reasons to make it a priority in your
next exercise session. Learning the proper exercises for
your back can help you lose fat and strengthen muscles
to improve your daily life.

The most important reasons to lose back fat and

strengthen your back are that a strong back will
improve your posture, reduce common everyday body
aches, and help you enhance your overall stability.
These three reasons aren’t the only benefits of having
a healthy back, but they are the top three things that
affect most people who neglect to exercise their back.
Many people who go to the gym generally focus on
the muscles and areas that they can see, which,
unfortunately, can cause a muscular imbalance
leading to even more issues.

Having proper posture may be more important than you

realize. This is because bad posture can impact your everyday
life negatively in various ways. Bad posture can lead to tension
headaches, your vital organs not working properly, and serious
muscular issues as you age. (1) These serious risks can be
prevented with a good back exercise program.

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Having proper posture may be more important than you
realize. This is because bad posture can impact your
everyday life negatively in various ways. Bad posture can
lead to tension headaches, your vital organs not working
properly, and serious muscular issues as you age.1 These
serious risks can be prevented with a good back exercise
program.

Low back pain is a chronic condition that affects close to

25% of people in the U.S. every year.2 Low back pain can
seriously impact one's quality of life since it will flare up
when doing any bending, twisting, or lifting motion.
Pain throughout the day is not only frustrating to deal
with but can also cause unproductivity and stress.
Utilizing proper low back exercises and learning how to
effectively handle low back pain is another reason to
work out your back at the gym.

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The last reason for strengthening the back is balance.

Although in the early stages of life, balance may not

seem important, it actually becomes a serious issue for

people as they age, since when a fall occurs, that

individual is more likely to break a bone leading to

serious complications.3

The statistics regarding falls among the older adult

population are shocking; there are about three million

falls that lead to hospitalization and about 1 in 5 people

will break a bone.4 These are serious statistics that

emphasize the importance of exercising the back

muscles. Let’s learn more about what you can do to

start improving your back health and overall wellbeing!

The posterior deltoids

The erector spinae

The latissimus dorsi

Looking at this diagram may take you back to science

class, but it will also help you better understand some of
the main muscles and functions, which will ultimately
help you learn and build healthy back exercising habits.
For simplicity, we’ll only focus on the three main
muscles of the back, the latissimus dorsi, the erector
spinae, and the posterior deltoids.

The latissimus dorsi muscle is commonly referred to as

the “lats.” It is the muscle that is responsible for pulling
movements in your everyday life. The lats get used
whenever you pull open a door, lift something off the
ground, or pull someone in for a hug. It’s an important
muscle in everyday life and it helps your shoulder move
effectively as well. The lats are an important muscle in
the back because they cover such a huge range and the
reason for this is because they are a stabilizing
powerhouse: they help keep every part of your upper
body in check. If your lats are weak and don’t function
properly, it leads to faulty movement patterns that can
impact the rest of your body, not just your back.

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Another muscle that helps in keeping us stable is the
erector spinae. This group of muscles is responsible for
keeping us standing upright and not falling over while
we walk. They are an important muscle group in our
backs since they allow us to bend and twist our spine
with ease. They are important muscles to maintain since
they are crucial for keeping our spine healthy and
strong.

The posterior deltoids are part of the deltoid complex.

These muscles are the main muscles that help stabilize
and activate the shoulder joint. The reason the posterior
deltoid is an important muscle of the back is the role it
plays in your posture and its aid in back exercises. Many
people fail to exercise this portion of the deltoid
complex, thus causing a muscular imbalance from the
front to the back of the body. The posterior deltoids help
bring your elbows behind your body and help you throw
objects above your head.

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Why do we have back
fat?

Fat accumulation may occur for a variety of reasons,

many of which we can control. Although it may be more
difficult for some people due to age, genetics, or
hormone imbalance, it is still possible to lose fat,
especially in the back. Every person may have a different
reason as to how they’ve accumulated back fat, but
there are actions people can take in order to help reduce
it and build stronger backs.

One reason a person may have accumulated back fat is

age. As we get older, our bodies may start to change
and muscle mass deteriorates and gets replaced with
fat.4 One way to remedy this is by starting weight
training as soon as possible, in order to build muscle and
prolong this process. Aging is part of life, but eating
properly and exercising can help you age gracefully.

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Excessive fat storage may also be linked to your
genetics. Just as some people are taller and others
short, fat storage works similarly. According to a Harvard
study, some people’s genes may account for 25% of
weight gain, while for others it may account for 80%.5

Understanding your body and its genetics is a useful

tool in combating excessive fat storage. If you are more
susceptible to weight gain, then it is imperative that you
begin a lifestyle change in order to better your health.
Reading this guide is already a good start.

Even with all these reasons as to why you may be
gaining fat and back fat, the most important thing to
remember is that it is reversible. Speaking with your
doctor about the best strategy for you is a fantastic way
to start your weight-loss journey. Losing the appropriate
amount of fat and back fat for your body will not only
make you feel great, it will greatly improve your quality
of life and reduce your risk for preventable diseases.

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What to eat to lose
back fat
Losing weight can be difficult, but having the right tools
and information to guide you can make it easier. For
starters, it’s a good idea to determine your basal
metabolic rate to determine how many calories you
burn throughout the day. This will help you set a
standard for what foods to consume less of and help you
proactively take control of your diet. It’s much easier to
not eat a 500-calorie meal than to burn 500 calories
during a workout. If possible, consult a nutritionist to
better understand the right foods for your diet. Until
then, use our suggestions to help you make better
decisions in your diet.

If you’re looking to find out what you should be eating to

lose back fat, then the first place to look is a nutritionist.
You can find some excellent articles on what foods to
eat and a fun diet to try, but you’ll never know the right
foods for YOU to eat until you speak with a nutritionist.
We know this may be difficult for some people, which is
why we have a list of general suggestions to help you
along this process.

First, it’s important to estimate what your daily caloric

intake should be. This will help you determine how
many calories are safe for you to take out of your daily
diet.6 The reason you need to determine what your daily
caloric intake should be is because that will help you get
an idea of what you should be eating and what you
should be taking out of your diet. Each person has
differing caloric needs based on age, sex, and activity
level. By learning your number, you can make more
accurate calculations for a more successful weight-loss
campaign.

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Once you have estimated your daily caloric intake, then
comes the hard part: determining what to eat. Eating
food shouldn’t be boring, but it’s important to educate
ourselves on what foods we should be eating to
adequately fuel ourselves. A general rule of thumb is if
the food is highly processed, it should be avoided when
possible. Highly processed foods include breakfast
cereals, frozen pizza, and pastries.7 Eating foods that are
minimally processed are fine; examples include canned
tuna, pre-cut veggies and fruits, and roasted nuts.
Whole foods, foods that aren’t processed at all, are the
first step to eating a cleaner diet. There isn’t a magic diet
that will help you lose that pesky back fat, but eating a
variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and nuts
will help you beat boredom out of your diet and also
beat fat out of your body.

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What is good posture?

“Stand up straight!” That may be something you were

told by a parent or grandparent. As with many things in
life, they were right, sort of. Having good posture is more
than just standing upright; it means engaging your core,
pulling your shoulders back, and fixing your hip
alignment. But this is harder to tell someone to do than
just, “Stand up straight!”

Good posture starts at the feet, keeping your weight

evenly distributed on them. Then moving to the ankles,
you want to align them to your hips and your hips
should align with your shoulders.

Your shoulder blades should be retracted and your chest

should puff out, helping prevent hunching of the back.
Your hips and shoulders should also be even, without
one side being higher than the other. Your chin should
be parallel to the floor, allowing you to look straight
ahead.

Of course, we all have certain deviations that may make

it difficult for you to check off everything on the postural
checklists, but speaking with a professional can help you
better understand what your body needs to be in its
most optimal posture.

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How to improve your
posture

These cues may be difficult to correct all at once, but

discovering where you falter is the first step in
improving your posture.

Taking small actions every day to remind you what your

body needs in order to maintain good posture will go a
long way.

Some of these actions may include setting a reminder

on your phone, pulling your shoulders back and
tightening the core throughout the day, or having
someone gently remind you.

If you’re like most people, we tend to forget the

promises we made to ourselves as the day progresses.

A way to avoid this is by setting reminders on your

phone to fix your posture throughout the day.

This reminder will help bring you back to your goals as

you quickly fix your posture if you happen to have been
slacking.

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Setting reminders may not work for you, so bringing
awareness to your body throughout the day might be a
better strategy for good posture. Two ways you can do
this is by tightening your core and pulling your
shoulders back throughout the day.

Whenever you can, try squeezing your core tightly for

about ten seconds and pulling your shoulders back by
squeezing your shoulder blades together. This act will
not only feel good, but it will help your muscles
remember what their job is. Simply by doing these two
actions, you will stand up taller and feel better aligned.

Having a partner or friend remind you (gently) to not

arch your back or to sit up straight can greatly improve
your posture since it will help you stay accountable.
Staying accountable is key to completing any goal, and
having another person remind you of your postural
goals will help you establish good posture much quicker
than if you were to tackle the issue alone.

Besides using reminders to help you stand up straight,

doing postural exercises will do wonders without having
to remember to stand up tall. Incorporating exercises
like the face pull and wall press can vastly improve your
overall posture, but the key is consistency. Do postural
exercises a minimum of twice per week to help you stay
upright long term.

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Red flags: when to go

to a professional

There are instances in which going to a professional for

help with your posture and/or back pains is absolutely
necessary. A good rule of thumb is if someone is unable
to assume a neutral spine position or they cannot move
their spine without pain, then it is a good idea to speak
with a professional. Common postural deviations include
lordosis, flat back, sway back, kyphosis, and scoliosis.7

Although they are common, it is still advised to talk with

a professional in order to get the right information for
YOU. Everyone is different and although you can find a
lot of great information online, it may not always be
applicable to your specific needs.

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 Back exercises for the
office

Doing simple back exercises throughout the day can

greatly improve your back health, and the best part is
that you don’t need equipment! Here is a list of six
exercises you can do during office hours that will help
your posture, strengthen your back, and save you time
at the gym.

1. Wide Row (No Equipment)

2. Overhead Press (No Equipment)

3. Good Mornings

4. Standing Rows (No Equipment)

5. Lateral Raises (No Equipment)

6. Wall Angels

You don’t need to do all of these exercises to reap the

benefits. You can just choose one or two each day and
complete 12 to 20 reps any time you can.

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Stretches to improve
and tone your back

Making sure that you stretch your back a minimum of

twice a week for 5 minutes is the least you can do to
improve your back. Stretching is an important
component of back health because of how much
tension your back muscles are exposed to on a day-to-
day basis. Lengthening the muscles can make your back
look healthier and toned and will help you stand up
straighter. By stretching, you’re also taking preemptive
measures to combat postural deviations that arise
through faulty movement patterns. We’ve compileda list
of 9 stretches you can do today to help you improve and
tone your back.

1. Cobra

2. Cat Cow

3. Child’s Pose

4. Seated Spinal Twist

5. Pelvic Tilt

6. Wall Press

7. Downward Facing Dog

8. Thoracic Spine Extension

9. Passive Doorway Lat Stretch

10. Self Hug Stretch

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Foam rolling your back
Foam rolling, also known as self-myofascial release
(SMR), is used to help break up wound-up muscle fibers
and decrease muscle soreness, while also improving
range of motion. SMR is a useful tool in helping alleviate
back pain, especially after sitting for long periods of
time. There is ample evidence that supports the use of
SMR in a person’s exercise routine. One review looked at
multiple studies and the conclusion was that SMR is a
viable tool when it comes to immediately improving
range of motion, flexibility, and lengthening the
muscles. What this ultimately means for your back
health is that using the foam roller or any other self-
myofascial release tool is an effective solution to
combating prolonged sitting, while also helping
alleviate common muscular pains.

If you’re looking for foam rolling exercises to ease your

back aches and pains, give these a try!

1. Cobra

2. Cat Cow

3. Child’s Pose

4. Seated Spinal Twist

5. Pelvic Tilt

6. Wall Press

7. Downward Facing Dog

8. Thoracic Spine Extension

9. Passive Doorway Lat Stretch

10. Self Hug Stretch

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Lifestyle changes for a
stronger and healthier
back

After reading through this guide, we hope you’ve been

motivated to incorporate these healthy back tips into
your life. It takes time to adopt a new habit and it takes
even longer for it to become part of your lifestyle.
However, with consistency and patience, you’ll have
adopted new habits that will impact your back health
for many years to come. Remembering that exercise and
back health should be integrated into your life is
essential to preventing serious chronic illnesses as you
age.

In order to maintain a healthy and strong back, it takes

conscious effort and perseverance. These changes start
with small actions taken everyday. Whether you are
eliminating highly processed foods from your diet or
incorporating back exercises as a part of your everyday
routine, starting small will help lead you to your goals
and ultimately become a part of your lifestyle.

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Tips and strategies on
how to build good back
habits

In summary, having a strong healthy back takes work

and effort. In order to maintain those lifestyle changes
and build healthy back habits, here are eight tips and
strategies to help you keep your back beautiful for a
lifetime.

1. Pay attention to your posture whenever possible

2. Eat whole foods to maintain a healthy weight

3. Utilize back exercises at least 2x per week

4. Squeeze your back and lift up your head once per day

5. Stretch your back a least 2x per week

6. Foam roll your back once a week (to help break up knots
and tightness)

7. Go to your doctor once a year for check-ups

8. Incorporate simple stretches whenever possible during

the work day

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Footnotes
1. https://www.ted.com/talks/
murat_dalkilinc_the_benefits_of_good_posture?
language=en

2. https://www.cdc.gov/acute-pain/low-back-pain/
index.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235613/
#:~:text=In%20general%2C%20fractures%20are%20t

3. he,that%20increase%20susceptibility%20to%20inju
ry.

https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/older-adult-
falls/
4. index.html#:~:text=About%2036%20million%20falls

%20are,bones%20or%20a%20head%20injury.

5. https://www.smartsheet.com/blog/essential-guide-
writing-smart-goals

6. https://americanhomefitness.com/blogs/news/6-
ways-to-track-and-measure-your-fitness-goals)

7. https://extension.psu.edu/warm-up-and-cool-
down

8. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/
the-importance-of-
stretching#:~:text=Stretching%20keeps%20the%20
muscles%20flexible,to%20extend%20all%20the%20
way

9. https://www.hss.edu/
article_static_dynamic_stretching.asp#:~:text=Static
%20stretches%20are%20those%20in,tissues%20for%
20performance%20and%20safety

10. https://utswmed.org/medblog/heart-cardio-
workouts/

11. https://www.healthline.com/health/cardio-exercises-
at-home#beginner

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