This year has romped by for me. Within the space of a year, I’ve become a bone fide singleton through divorce, passed umpteen personal trainer and nutrition exams.
I’ve moved twice and now finally bought my own home for me and my two daughters. It’s true to say that for me at least some of the past twelve months have been fraught and highly stressful - as well as very sad in some highly poignant ways. And it’s also true to say that that sadness has a stoop, so it’s timely to look at quick, fun and proven ways to banish the blues, walk tall and step out in style one year on.
A healthy and attractive body is directly related to how good you feel about you. We all know that good nutrition, aerobic exercise, and resistance training are a few of the better known ways to positively change the human physique. However, there is one part of physical change that is extremely powerful in altering the way you look entirely. And that part is your posture - how you stand, walk and sit – and the difference in the way you look and feel is instantaneous.
Improving your posture means you immediately look taller, leaner, more confident and doubly alluring. As we all know, with diet and exercise there is a lag between the time when the exercise is performed (or diet is embarked upon) and seeing the results. Not so with posture - you will see and reap the benefits straight away. No other element of body care is so quick or apparent. Your appearance makes a rapid improvement and the health benefits are compelling too. And it’s just so easy to achieve.
Good posture means you support and maintain the normal curvatures of the spine. If your spine is out of shape and slouching, the rest of your body will follow suit. The spine, your backbone, is the foundation for the rest of your body structure. If you let poor posture prevail, your joints and muscles will eventually pay the price, as will your appearance. On the other hand, if you keep your spine aligned correctly, you greatly benefit the rest of the body.
So whether seated, standing or walking - how do we correct our posture? Try these simple steps for an immediate physical and mental lift: Align your earlobes over the middle of your shoulders and over your hip joints -as well as over a point roughly an inch in front of the ankle joint. Draw that line mentally; then line your body up accordingly. Shoulders should be back and down, with the chin and chest slightly up, and the waist tucked slightly in. Holding yourself in this way will also strengthen the all important core muscles, the key groups of deep and superficial muscles that surround your midriff and lower back.
The benefits of good posture make it a desirable factor to focus on for your health too. Here are some of the key advantages: Not slouching means you allow optimal organ and muscle function for maximum energy, endurance, and vigour. You will achieve a neck, shoulders, and upper back that are not painful or fatigued at the end of the day or at the end of a long drive. Banishing the stoop means you will gain greater concentration and mental ability. You will experience fewer upper and lower back strain and potential injury. Attention at all times to your posture will result in a flatter and stronger stomach - in fact, without proper posture you can never achieve the flattest stomach and smallest waist possible. And you will look more gorgeous as a result, a healthy, more confident, competent, vigorous and youthful looking you.
Many people spend most of the day sitting - driving to and from work, sitting at the desk in the office or at home, surfing the internet or watching the box. So it’s vital to develop good posture when seated too. The seat height of your work chair should be approximately the length of your lower leg and if possible make sure the chair seat width is two inches wider than your buttocks for adequate support. Another good idea is to take a break and get out of the chair every now and then.
Sleeping is another position in which posture should be considered. If you sleep on your side try placing a pillow between your legs and a small rolled towel at the curve of your neck – this gentle support helps keep your spine in a neutral alignment while you slumber. If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees.
As well as practicing good posture here’s few quick and easy ways to help get that spine strong and supporting you in the right ways.
Try never to sleep on your stomach - this creates extra pressure on the vertebrae.
Pick a supportive mattress (neither too soft nor too firm).
When you sit, your shoulders should be aligned vertically over your hips, and try not cross your legs at the thighs.
Sit symmetrically so there's pressure on both hips.
Showing the world a confident face, a confident you even when your foundations have been rocked is one of the toughest things you can ask of yourself. But once the internal healing process takes hold, it’s important and timely to take a look at your physical self and start on the journey to reclaim back your body mojo.
As well as correcting posture, diet and fun exercise, I absolutely believe you also need to set your heart and mind on a new personal goal. It could be you want to succeed at interview for a new job that’s going to take you further up the career ladder or you might want to set out on your own with a fantastic business idea; maybe you just want to get a gorgeous new you back out there on the dating scene and start having some fun. Perhaps you want to achieve a lifelong dream – change your life course entirely, or complete a physically demanding charity run or cycle ride and you need to get yourself back in shape to achieve it. Whatever your goals - your posture – how you stand, sit, walk and talk - is the very first thing to address. The fastest way you can improve your health and appearance is by paying attention to your posture.
Straighten up and start enjoying the benefits that good posture provides - today. You won’t be disappointed with the results and finally, wishing you a very happy birthday Wikivorce and Wikizine. Here’s to many, many happy returns.
Amanda Cole This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 07789 394293 To read more about Amanda's work, visit her website.
