How would you like to lose five years and five pounds in five minutes? Or at least appear that way. Sound impossible? It's not! And we are going to tell you how right now.

How often have you noticed an otherwise attractive person, regardless of their age, standing or sitting with their shoulders rolled forward, chest caved in, tummy protruding and head hanging out over their toes? This dreadful picture is the result of poor stability. Our ability to stand and sit properly is largely dependent on the strength of two muscle groups. Our abdominal muscles and our spinal erector muscles. They work as a pair, balancing us as we move around. 

Standing and sitting in proper alignment can take years and pounds off your looks in a matter of seconds. You'll also feel a whole lot better, because your lungs can fill up with air the way they were meant to, your backbone can line up the way it's supposed to and your muscles can rest at the right length instead of being overstretched or scrunched all the time.

And good posture is dependent on stable muscles. The most basic example of when we need stability working for us is when we're sitting and standing. 

You know, we don't often think of our heads weighing anything, but in fact your head weights anywhere from ten to fifteen pounds, about as much as a bowling ball. And all that weight is sitting on seven little bones, or vertebrae in your neck. When your neck muscles keep those bones lined up one on top of the other, they are plenty strong enough to do the job of balancing your head. But when we let our heads hang forward, which always happens when we sit or stand out of alignment, we force the muscles in our neck and upper back to work much harder than they should to keep our heads up. Poor posture is one big reason why people develop muscle spasms and neck strain. So once you get the hang of good alignment, standing and sitting won't be such a pain in the neck.

So let's lose five pounds. Find a chair that you can sit in with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor. If you have to stretch to reach the floor, or you feel as if your knees are about to bash your chin, you need to find either a lower or a higher seat. It doesn't have to be a straight-back chair. In fact, a bench without a back is your best bet. 

Place your hands palms down on the tops of your thighs. Now, pretend that there's a string running from the top of your head to the ceiling. Got that picture in your mind? Good! Now, imagine that the string is being tightened, drawing the top of your head toward the ceiling. Don't stretch too hard, just enough to straighten you up. 

Are you noticing something happening? As you straighten, your chest is lifting, your back straightening, your shoulders are rolling backward and your abdomen is tightening. You are starting to get the idea of how it feels to sit in proper alignment. 

Take a few moments to imprint these new sensations on your mind and muscles, because this is the way you're going to be sitting, standing and walking from now on. Sure, it's going to feel a little awkward in the beginning, but keep at it. It'll become a habit in about three weeks. If this seems like a long time to you, remember how long you've been moving around out of alignment. You need to give your body time to get back in the groove. 

Here's a tip to help you remember to sit straight when you in the car. When you first get in, make it a point to set your alignment. Then, adjust your mirrors accordingly. Now, when you're driving along, you'll know you're starting to slouch when you can't see out of your mirrors. Just remember to reset your alignment not your mirrors. This will also be a great little reminder each and every time you get into your car over the next few weeks. 

Next, we're going to learn standing and walking in good alignment. This is important because by moving in proper alignment we become more efficient in our movements, and develop more energy because we don't have to work as hard to get things done.

 

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