Hunter needs to become more active and strengthen her abdominal muscles. Once her core is stronger and she has better posture, her back should hurt less, and she should feel more energetic. Because Hunter is not used to exercising, she should start slowly.

Webb’s suggestions:
1. Take two brisk 10-minute walks on her days off, when she’s least active.
2. Walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes once a week, twice a week if possible, while she and her husband watch TV.
3. Do a 15-minute resistance-training routine twice a week to strengthen the core muscles and help reduce back pain and improve posture (see The Strength-Training Routine, next page).
4. Make an exercise date with her husband twice a month — hiking, playing tennis, bowling, or biking, complete with a backup plan in case of bad weather.
5. Replace her office chair with a stability ball, which will require Hunter to engage and strengthen her abdominal, gluteal, and lower-back muscles.
6. Contract her abs every time she sits at her computer, to build them up and ease her lower-back pain.