There are many different ways to look thinner, without actually losing weight. One is by wearing concealing clothing. When you stand taller, it pulls everything in and that also makes you look almost instantly thin. Unfortunately, it’s hard to maintain if you’re out of shape. In order to get the benefit of that great look, working out can help improve posture and let you maintain it throughout the day. It’s one of the reasons many of the exercises I use with clients in Alexandria, VA are core exercises.
When your core muscles are weak, your posture suffers.
Not only is it hard to pull your tummy in for very long when core muscles are weak, but you also won’t walk as tall. The core muscles consist of lower back and abdominal muscles, plus the buttocks and thighs. The lower back and abdominals help keep the spine erect and the thighs and glutes help align the hips. There are many different ways to build core muscle strength from kettlebells to resistance exercises. Working on overall body strength improves posture tremendously.
Back, neck and shoulder exercises help keep your head held high.
An adult head weighs about ten to eleven pounds, but you don’t notice the weight when it’s balanced properly in line with the neck and upper back muscles. If you move your head forward just one inch, the increased pressure is like adding ten more pounds. Move it forward two and you have twenty pounds. Lean forward like you’re reading a text, approximately three inches and now that ten pound head exerts the pressure of a 40 pound weight. That’s as much as a four year old weighs and is inviting back, neck and headaches! Diligent attention to back, shoulder and neck exercises can help. Of course, avoiding the awkward position when texting does too.
Doing stretching exercises can improve your posture throughout the day.
You don’t have to wait to do exercises until its time to go to the gym. You can work on your posture throughout the day. Make it a conscious effort to sit up straight with your shoulders back. Periodically throughout the day do stretching exercises to relieve muscle stiffness. Stand up, roll your shoulders, stretch your arms in the air. Do shoulder blade rolls and back rounds to get the kinks out and move those stiff muscles.
- Improved posture does more than make you look thinner and more confident, it helps reduce the risk of injury by reducing muscle and ligament stress.
- When you have good posture, it helps reduce the effort to walk, sit and move. You’ll move more efficiently and that means, you’ll use less energy and won’t tire as rapidly.
- Learning how good posture feels is as important as exercising to achieve it. Once you know how you should feel when your body is aligned, it’s easier to ensure you’re in that position.
- Poor posture can also affect your digestive tract. It can lead to acid reflux, compress the abdomen creating gas and constipation.