We’ve all been hearing it since childhood: stand up straight. Sit up straight. Don’t slouch! You may have thought it was all about appearance when you were young, but it’s actually to do with health. Standing and sitting up straight takes pressure off your joints and in particular your neck, helping to prevent chronic problems down the line.
But it also takes pressure off internal organs. The stomach and back muscles in the abdomen area form a sort of girdle enclosing the internal organs. Because of the way the muscles in this area are arranged, your posture affects how your belly looks, and the strength of those stomach muscles affects your posture.
Standing Up Straight
One very simple step toward losing belly fat is to stand and sit up straight. Here’s how it works:
- Slouching makes the small of the back pooch forward, which pushes belly fat forward, making it look worse than it actually is.
- Good posture strengthens back muscles, which makes it easier to maintain good posture.
- Poor posture leads to back pain and to indigestion – both of which can make it harder to get the exercise you need to lose your belly fat.
- Good posture improves the blood flow throughout your body, which helps with exercise and the burning of fat.
