Natural Weight Loss - Deep Breathing & Posture

2 of the key things we need to make progress with weight loss can be obtained by deep breathing.

These are:

1. Energy - if we are going to get up and move we need the energy to do it.

2. Oxygen - oxygen provides the catalyst our bodies need to use fat for energy.

So with that, how do we get our breathing from where it is:

Shallow, through the mouth and as deep as the throat.

To where it should be:

Deep, through the nose and as deep as the belly.

First we learn a few great techniques and then practise, practise, practise!

The good news though is that when you are breathing right you'll immediately enjoy a clearer head, more energy, more focus and a feeling of calmness and confidence,

These are 3 amazing techniques which are easy to learn and very effective to get you started on the path to bigger and better lungs.

WARNING:

The best time to do these exercises is first thing in the morning (outdoors if you can). If you can't do first thing then please wait about 2-3 hours after eating a meal to do them as they involve stretching and tensing your abdominal muscles vigorously and may cause discomfort if practiced soon after eating.

OK - PRACTISE TIME

TECHNIQUE ONE - "BELLY BREATHING"

1. Breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose, relax and expand your belly out like inflating a balloon. This gives your lungs plenty of room to really fill up with air.

2. Breathe out through your mouth and as your lungs start to empty you will naturally need to contract your stomach muscles to squeeze all of the air out. This simple exercise will stretch and strengthen your lungs and the surrounding organs and muscles. It will also improve circulation and overall energy.

3. Repeat these steps 5 to 10 times to feel awesome.

TECHNIQUE TWO - "STOMACH FLATTENER"

1. Take a deep breath in through your nose and fill your lungs completely.

2. Now hold your breath and tense ALL of your abdominal muscles hard for 3-5 seconds.

3. Relax, catch your breath.

4. Do 5 to 10 reps and tense you muscles for 3-5 seconds each time. Take it easy in the beginning by not tensing too hard as you will become very light headed if you have not exercised for some time.

5. Once you get used to it, start to increase the time and intensity of the contraction and also include tensing your arms and eventually your legs too.

This exercise has numerous benefits including increased energy, better digestion, improved sex drive and a much stronger midsection.

TECHNIQUE THREE - "STOMACH VACUUM"

1. Breathe and push all of the air out of lungs.

2. Now while your lungs are empty suck your stomach in and hold for a few seconds before releasing and catching your breath.

3. Now repeat 5 to 10 times.

This one is great for increasing the circulation and strength of your internal organs.

When done regularly these exercises will:

1. Kick start your system for the day

2. Raise the level of oxygen in your blood

3. Strengthen your abdominal muscles

4. Improve your circulation

5. Give you a powerful energy boost

6. Reduce negative stress

7. And of course, help you lose weight

Making the effort to breathe deeply throughout the day will have a huge impact on how you feel.

It's amazing what a few deep breaths can do to clear a fuzzy head, give you energy, confidence and a much better outlook on life.

If you can set aside a couple of minutes every day to do at least of one of these you will be giving yourself an amazing boost in how you feel physically and mentally which will make weight loss much, much easier.

Practising good posture should not be ignored because all of the good stuff you are now doing for your body can get seriously derailed by neglecting it.

For a moment, think of your body as a large garden hose.

If it gets twisted, squashed and squeezed the water cannot flow through it properly. Your body works in the same way. If you sit or stand hunched forwards, or your spine is twisted or your midsection is squashed, your breathing and blood circulation is decreased.

So all of that chewed food, fresh air, clean water and healthy hormones will find it much tougher to get to the places they need to go, and all of your great efforts will have been wasted.

WAYS TO START IMPROVING YOUR POSTURE

Self check

When sitting or standing make sure to plant both feet firmly on the ground. Let your shoulders drop and relax and straighten your spine as if you were hanging from the ceiling by your head. Take a few good deep breaths in and if you are able to breathe smoothly and easily you will be in the right position.

Quick technique

A great technique for learning to stand with great posture is to practise standing with your back against a wall with your heels, butt, shoulder blades and head all touching the wall at the same time.

Stand there, breathe deeply and get the feeling of it. Repeat that posture and when you are standing anywhere to check it is good.

This by itself will allow you to breathe more fully and strengthen you back muscles.

To learn good posture copy babies, athletes and people with ENERGY

Through exercise

Most exercises will go some way to help improve you posture but not all were created equal.

Here are some exercises which develop great posture: