Looking for an easy New Year’s Resolution? You can look slimmer without dieting, spending hours at the gym, or wearing all black.
Just for fun: Stand up straight! Good posture prevents the dreaded dowager hump, improves breathing, and slims your midsection (opening and lifting your chest, provides the space to better pull in your abs).
Plus, when you look better, breathe better, feel better, you often do better!
For almost 20 years, people paid me to keep them in tip-top shape. So you can think of me as your not-so-personal, but free trainer.
Here’s an effective postural exercise (that ballerinas do) to create that slim body look! It’s easy-peasy and you can do it anywhere, any time.
Good posture can be successfully acquired only when the entire mechanism of the body is under perfect control.”
-Joseph Pilates
Okay, let’s find perfect control and look slimmer
- Standing, pretend you have a string pulling you from the top of your head, lifting you upward.
- Now pretend your head is the top drawer of a chest – chin up, jut it out and then pull it back. Keep it there.
- Finally, with your arms hanging by your side —naturally facing in. Turn your palms forward and feel your upper back contract and shoulders relax.
You can do it in front of the mirror to get the hang of it. Once you’ve got it, do like I do, practice and hold it while waiting in line at the grocery store. Makes the waiting game, fun and productive! Or practice with Melinda; check out her YouTube Perfect Posture video.
You are never too old to straighten up and look slimmer . . .
Mare
“I want to get old gracefully. I want to have good posture, I want to be healthy and be an example to my children.”
-Sting
