If you’re actively working out, making better eating choices and the scale refuses to change the numbers you see, there’s a simple, yet important factor, you might be missing on and that can be affecting your weight loss: bad posture.
Yes, you read it right. Bad posture can be the culprit you’re stuck in your weight loss goals. But before we can go deeper into the subject, what do you think when you hear the word posture? In short terms, it is the position you hold your body while standing, sitting, lying down, and even sleeping. Basically, it is the alignment your body has on a daily basis.
A good posture means your body is properly supported by the right muscle tension against gravity, and more importantly: without posture and the muscles that control it, we would fall to the ground.
When we have a proper posture bones, joints and muscles are used correctly, the wear and tear of each group is reduced, and the chances of injury are reduced. In addition, a good posture helps to prevent muscular pain and even overuse disorders. However, when we have a bad posture, we add stress to our whole body, and we can end up with injuries that could have been prevented.
When it comes to posture and weight loss, there are some factors to consider. For starters, look at yourself in your mirror in the position you usually have:
- Are your shoulders slouched?
- Is your weight properly balanced between both feet?
- Are your core muscles activated keeping the muffin top tucked in?
While you can drastically change the way your body looks like with a simple adjustment on your posture, fixing it can have far more important benefits. When you have a lazy posture where your shoulders slouch and your weight shifts to one side of the hip and even a foot flares out, you might be creating a stiffness to these muscles that over time reduce your ability to properly perform many exercises. A reduced exercise ability often impacts your weight loss goals.
In addition, a chronical lazy posture can impact your metabolism making it slower, once again reducing your chances to success at weight loss. But fear not as having a right posture can be achieved! When standing, make sure that both feet are facing forward, your butt and abs should be slightly contracted and your shoulders externally rotated. While seated, make sure your feet are both touching the ground, your back is straight without taking your chest out and your arms rest comfortably on your lap.
Pay attention to the way you position yourself and following advice such as smart ways to lose weight can definitely make a difference in your weight loss journey, and who knows? Maybe standing tall will even boost your confidence.
