Tips
You don't need a high-powered vacuum cleaner and a small incision to look thin - just improve your posture and you will look skinny instantly. Of course, proper nutrition and exercise may help a little, too! Drawing the belly button in is a quick way to flatten your stomach and appear thinner. You can practice this several times a day anywhere you are. A great place to start is in your car. Keep your abdominals tight for as long as you can. Over time, you will be able to hold that contraction for greater distances. Challenge yourself!
Some people even go so far as tying a string around their midsection (along the beltline) to aid awareness. However, there are some drawbacks:
A) Drawing in the navel (and subsequently activating your internal girdle called the transversus abdominus) could make breathing/respiration difficult especially if you are exercising where the need for oxygen is much higher, and
B) In order to truly increase intra-abdominal pressure, you must take in a deep breath and hold it while bracing the abdominals. Along with a neutral spine, this is necessary when lifting heavy loads. For these reasons, I often recommend keeping the abdominals "tight" (neither pushed out nor pulled in) to promote good posture and to help protect the spine.3
Here are some other tips to help improve your posture:
1. Set your car's rear view mirror higher. This will force you to sit tall when driving. Also, pretend that your shoulders are pinned to the seat.
2. Alternate sides when carrying a luggage or briefcase, and favor two strap bags when possible.
3. Learn to use a headset or handsfree speaker when talking on the phone. Again, alternate sides if this option is not available to you.
4. Lay lengthwise on a foam noodle (the ones that children use to float in water) for 15-20 minutes a day to help reduce a hunchback posture.20
5. Sit on a Swiss Ball as often as possible (i.e. when watching tv, working on your computer, talking on the phone, etc.) to improve balance/stability and posture.3
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