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TOPIC: |
POSTURE |
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This is an exercise that has been working for me. Arms at the sides but a foot out from the body (like an upside down Y), thumbs facing forward. Rotate the hands outward until the thumbs are facing backward. Arch the back and squeeze the shoulder blades. It works the back muscles and straightens out the shoulders, which still sometimes go forward even if my back is straight. It might not be for everyone but it's been helping me. I do 25 a day while I'm out walking. It's a nice stretch while I'm out in the sunshine. Sometimes I do it at home with light weights. I've also been hooking a closet rod behind my back, under my arms, to straighten out my back while I watch TV (like they give the dancers on (Dancing with the stars.) I took one one-hour ballet class once and my posture was amazing for the next 24 hours. After that I went back to my usual slumping. I should try that class again.
| Pounds lost: 12.5 |
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TERRIBLET29
SparkPoints: (839)
Fitness Minutes: (1,838)
Posts:
3
3/27/13 7:34 P
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Well, I'm from Vancouver and there is a wonderful corsetiere here, but She sells online too. http://www.laceembrace.com/. I'm buying one this month. The great thing is if you get a doctors prescription for a backbrace, some medical plans will cover the whole or partial cost of the corset.
“Turn the goddam music up! My heart feels like an alligator!” - Hunter S. Thompson
| Pounds lost: 21.0 |
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TERRIBLET29
SparkPoints: (839)
Fitness Minutes: (1,838)
Posts:
3
3/27/13 3:49 P
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A corset would help you keep your posture correct
“Turn the goddam music up! My heart feels like an alligator!” - Hunter S. Thompson
| Pounds lost: 21.0 |
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My posture suffers when I am at work too long or when i dont workout at lunch.
Keep fit and have fun.
| current weight: 163.0 |
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I have problem with posture due to many surgeries. I have been lifting weight and just purchased a rowing machine, hoping to strengthen my abs and back. if your abs are week, you can't support you back for proper posture, I am dealing with that.
Inga Co-Leader of Breast Cancer Survivor's & Those Who Care. Days Go By...So Live Your Life. Motivational Quote: "You have within you a supply of energy limited only by your ability to discover and develop it. In body, mind and spirit, you are endowed with capabilities far greater than you know, keep reaching for your potential. "
| current weight: 153.0 |
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Abdominal exercises and weight lifting will change this!
The only way to finish your worout is to start!
| Pounds lost: 27.2 |
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I really do need to make a change in my posture. I tend to slouch a lot, my husband is always reminding me to sit up straight. Working on it.....
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood. Ralph Waldo Emerson
| Pounds lost: 22.6 |
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I definitely need to improve my posture. I find myself slouching a lot when I'm sitting. I'm already short, I don't need to look shorter! Lots of good tips posted here.
Grace - it's not just for breakfast any more.
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GETTINGFIT1013...made me laugh---I do the same thing with my rearview mirror, to make myself sit up straighter...
My strength is in the LORD, Maker of Heaven and Earth.
| current weight: 131.0 |
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I have scoliosis and have dealt with back pain most of my life. One thing I HIGHLY recommend is the book, "8 steps to a pain-free back : natural posture solutions for pain in the back, neck, shoulder, hip, knee, and foot," by Esther Gokhale. She has studied infants, children, and people in societies where good posture is practiced naturally. The book is full of pictures that really show what proper posture looks like and has 8 different simple routines to improve posture. The book is wonderful...see if your library has it and give her method a try.
"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle."
| current weight: 8.0 over |
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Since my job requires me to sit, I have to be vigilent of slumping. I occasionally stretch my arms over my head to bring my carriage into alignment. Also, I do shoulder work, including lat work to strengthen these muscles naturally. I find that keeps me posture correct.
Cee, -- Love Yourself/Love Your Body -- Black Girls Run * * * * * "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." Henry David Thoreau
| current weight: 174.0 |
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I have to be more concious of my posture. I like to think of ballerinas who are so graceful with proper posture.
My first goal is to get back to 135lbs (just 6.8 lbs to go)
| Pounds lost: 17.4 |
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I think about it more now and I'm getting better. Soon I think I'll get consistant
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Love the exercise of the day - the dumbbell row! Been looking at exercises I can do while I watch the news. As long as I don't throw the weight at the TV screen, this will be great use of time!  I need to learn how to add a tracker to my Spark page and messages. It's encouraging to see others move forward in their goals too!
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Phil 4:13
| current weight: 145.0 |
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I too was very tall as a child (I stopped growing at age 11 and am not a tall adult--5'6") and slouched all my life. I have done the usual types of exercise (strength and cardio) for years, and they don't help. Years ago when there was a bus strike in my city I had to walk 10 miles a day, and I noticed that it improved my posture, but most of us don't walk that much (or we hunch/slouch on the treadmill or elliptical). I agree with those who recommend yoga or Pilates; however, I think you'd have to be a regular practitioner (i.e., daily) for it to really make a difference. There are also various exercises that focus on posture. Dr. Neil King's videos on the MonkeySee website have helped my posture. I also do exercises that stretch the chest. It takes time to see results, but if you are patient and dedicated, you can imporve your posture. Good luck! Laurie
| current weight: 181.5 |
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Good posture + losing weight = a purse that stays on your shoulder. It's a great day when that happens.
A little hard work never hurt anyone. A little pain or hunger never hurt anyone. I am stronger than my desires.
| current weight: 134.0 |
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I read somewhere that one way to increase your willpower is to take notice of your posture several times a day and sit/stand up straight. It becomes a habit.
There is no magical "someday" when we'll feel powerful and secure enough to say what we really think. Saying what we really think makes us feel powerful and secure.
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My posture is horrible. I have sloutched for more then i can remember and it hurts and strains my back when I try to stand and seat up straight but I will work on it
one day at a time Nagy, Angelica
| current weight: 175.0 |
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My posture is terrible seated and standing but especially while I'm standing. I also noticed that when I'm standing next to my fiance' I tend to do this weird slouching thing so he's taller than me (he's maybe an inch taller than me normally). I think it's because I'm heavier then him and I don't want to be taller than him too. I kind of feel big next to him. Anyway, I've been trying to make sure I don't do that weird slouch but my posture still needs a ton of work! Sigh...
| current weight: 257.0 |
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boy what a wake up call . I am going to start to stand up taller . I needed this reminder . thanks so much .
sugarsmom2 donna wva
| current weight: 221.0 |
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Sometimes I notice my posture and adjust it, but then not long after I'm right back to where it was comfortable because I can feel a strain, which is probably my muscles learning to hold on properly in my lower back...
~Shay~ "Just because we are knocked down does not mean that we are out. We still have breath in our lungs and tears flowing down - all signs that we are alive! Take a deep breath and be reminded that often our biggest struggles are stepping stones to our greatest victories." -Rae Smith "Whether you say you can or say you can't, you're right."
| current weight: 179.4 |
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I've always had good posture, to the point where my friends keep asking me to "relax" and "take the stick out my ass" when we're watching a movie or something. I blame the ten years of ballet I had as a kid (started aged four). Ballet is THE single most demanding sport I've ever done, and perfect posture/balance is a big part of it. Once you've internalized the whole "walk, stand and sit as though someone is pulling you up by a string on the crown of your head" thing, it just translates into every single activity to the point where it becomes physically uncomfortable to slouch. Sooo... I guess if I want to stand up extra straight or really have "perfect posture" I think String, then stand up on high tiptoes (can't go en pointe without shoes) and just walk/stand/do what I was doing that way. It forces me to remember hard-won balance and posture, and from then on it's back to being habitual.
~ I never make misteaks ~
| current weight: 156.0 |
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I just spent valuable time learning tips, solutions and eye opening facts about posture. I will incorporate the successful hints you gave on the threads. Thanks!!
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
| current weight: 164.5 |
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It occurred to me last night that a lot of people on this thread talk about hunching over in front of computers. If your work station is set up correctly, you won't have to do that. There are many on-line resources showing how to set up your work station but one important element is the height of your computer screen. It should be raised so that when your posture is correct, your eyes are level with the top 1/3 of the screen. Here's one of many links, scroll down past the stretches (also important): www.beavercountymassage.com/computer-ergon omics-and-stretches/Here's to healthy posture!
Edited by: LOISLANE26 at: 3/16/2013 (13:46)
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. -Eleanor Roosevelt- Ottawa, Canada
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I've always thought I had pretty good posture until I read the posture articles on Spark People. I do hunch over my computer and I don't often put my head against the head rest of my car. Although, one of the things the articles never mention is that when you are short, the head rests do not fall in the proper spot, even when adjusted. In order to avoid my head being pushed forward, I don't rest my head. I also recline the seat a bit so that my head, if it does touch the head rest, is not pushed forward. However, I do have rounded shoulders that purses and bra straps tend to fall off. My posture must not be as good as I thought it was. I am going to take some of the suggestions and start working on un-rounding my shoulders.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. -Tao Te Ching Do or Do Not - there is no try. - Master Yoda Per Ardua Ad Astra - Through Adversity To The Stars The whole idea of motivation is a trap. Forget motivation. Just do it. Exercise, lose weight, test your blood sugar, or whatever. Do it without motivation. And then, guess what? After you start doing the thing, that's when the motivation comes and makes it easy for you to keep on do
| Pounds lost: 44.4 |
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Boy! you improved my posture fast You would be surprised how fast I sat up straight. Like having my mom back!
slow but sure I,ll win this race
| current weight: 161.8 |
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like LOISLANE26, I was very tall as a kid and felt awkward about it... result was I slouched. Years working over a computer didn't help either. Now I have to intentionally focus on better posture.... when you have it, you're less prone to neck strain and back pain. And there are a lot of exercises that help with that.
Leader Temptation Busters Team. USA EST
| Pounds lost: 0.0 |
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Just read all the posts in this thread and had to put in my 5 cents. (Here's the story part) I've had poor posture since 6th grade (I was taller than the boys in my class until 8th grade and didn't want to be!  ) and have worked at correcting it off and on. I've been working really hard since December, after seeing a side-on pic of myself at my niece's wedding reception. My shoulders were slouched, my chest was caved in, and my head stuck forward like a turtle. UGH! I've always said I will not be one of those stooped over grannies and now I'm over 50 and closer to being a granny so this was a real wake-up call! (Here's that hard work part) In addition to getting more exercise, I made it a goal to notice and correct my posture as often as I could during the day, no matter how many times it was or whether I'd just done it a minute ago. I use 2 ways to feel whether my posture is correct. First, I remember what, years ago, my dance teacher said "Your upper body is like a hardcover book. When you slouch forward, the book is closed. Picture your shoulders opening like the covers of the book, your chest rising in the middle like the pages. Your spine and shoulder blades make a flat surface like the cover lying open on a table." Second, I imagine small weights pressing in on my chest, then I start a deep breath and picture the book opening. As my shoulders go back, I imagine the weights rolling up off my chest and over my shoulders and falling off behind me. It sounds crazy but I feel so light and free. (The extra oxygen I'm taking in must be making me giddy  ) At first this healthier body shape felt strange and uncomfortable and lasted only a minute or two but after 3 months I'm finally starting to notice that it is the slouched posture that feels uncomfortable. As a bonus, my dresses and jackets fit better and I look mah-velous. (Now for the cheer-leading part) So keep at it! You can improve your posture! It will take time but you can do it! No stooped over grannies and grampies! Thanks for the reminders about core strength, now that I can feel the better posture I'll focus my exercises on gaining the strength to hold onto it.
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. -Eleanor Roosevelt- Ottawa, Canada

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What a great and needed thread! I recently had a patient of mine, a dear elderly, sharp-as-at-tack lady, tell me that I looked great. Then she said stand up straight and be proud! Oh! I KNOW I slouch, but I forget about it. Then, something like this happens. I've had poor posture since I was developing in my teens. When I was in my early 30's I had a breast reduction. I think I've gotten better, but at 56 yrs old, it is still something I need to constantly work on. Thanks for the suggestions and reminders how important good posture is. I was practising good posture with my shoulders down, walking through the parking lot, and another lady said to me, "You look great! Ready to take on the day!" I was surprised, but then again, not. I was consciously working on my posture and got immediate positive results from it! Wow! thanks again everyone for the reminder!
Everything happens for a reason!
| current weight: 147.0 |
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Once upon a time I had great posture. For the last few months I've noticed an increase in lower back pain and an increase in muscle pain between my shoulders. I know this has a lot to do with my posture and me not stretching often enough while at my desk. Re-teaching myself to be mindful of my poster is difficult. I just get so caught up in everything else in my day that my posture just never crosses my mind. This is something I need to change!! Thank you for this post!
| current weight: 250.0 |
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The subject of POSTURE is a very good reminder for me to straighten up. I like to stretch while on my bike. I clasp my hands behind me and pull up with arms straight, behind my back. This gives a good stretch to the shoulders.
DonnaLou
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RLDAVIS3022
SparkPoints: (29)
Fitness Minutes: (30)
Posts:
9
3/11/13 7:31 P
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I HAVE CHRONIC BACK PAIN, AND I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN I'M NOT SITTING UP AS STRAIGHT AS I SHOULD IT BECOMES WORSE, SO I DO BELIEVE THAT WHEN ONE IS SITTING UP STRAIGHT AND USE GOOD POSTURE IT TAKES SOME OF THE PAIN AWAY  .
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I occasionally sit on my exercise ball to remind me to sit straight. Also, sitting on the edge of my seat helps too.
BLINGQUEEN:O) sends you {{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}} can you feel them? :O)
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Good reminders - I need 'em. Good posture reminds me of the satisfaction after a nice stretch.
Never give up. : ) Liz
| current weight: 162.0 |
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this is something I need to work on too!
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts. Drop judgment and pick up love. If you can move a grain of sand a day, eventually you will move a mountain. Crappy choices bring crappy feelings. Can'ts are joy limiters.
| current weight: 142.7 |
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I've been making an effort to walk and sit tall
Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
| Pounds lost: 5.4 |
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