Work out to correct posture and trim fat

[kadee]

Hey all,

I’m a 23 y/o male, I’m 5’10”, approximately 150 lbs.

I have quite a rounded back and slumped shoulders that I’d love to work on but I’m not sure how to do that at home.

I’d also like to trim some fat, while I’m by no means over weight, I find that I have a bit of excess fat on my thighs and lower stomach that I’d like to tone.

I’m a student, and I’m working also, so making time to go to a gym is difficult. I have an exercise bike, a 20lb dumbbell, and I’ll thinking about getting a weight set that has a curl bar.

Can anyone recommend some work outs that may be able to help me with my posture, and to some my body a bit? Not looking to get big or anything, but some muscle definition would be great.

Thanks in advance!

 

[xxtokedspacejesusxx]

@kadee I’m not a huge lifter so maybe others who are will have ideas for how to correct posture with lifting, but consider trying yoga. I know it seems silly, but a lot of the poses are meant to help align your body, with a focus on isolating muscle groups to fully achieve the poses over time, which helps you control which muscle groups you use while you’re lifting or doing other workouts. Even mountain pose, which is literally just standing there, involves focusing on aligning your spine, distancing the top of your head from your pelvis, shoulders back and down, and then learning to relax into that pose so it becomes second nature.

Also seriously helps with toning…while it’s not great for major weight loss, there is a reason it’s called a “yoga body.”

 

[kadee]

@xxtokedspacejesusxx I’ve done yoga in the past, and it did make me feel pretty good. I’m not a flexible person but after a month or two I was able to touch my toes, which was pretty cool hahaha. That’s definitely a good call, thanks for reminding me that yoga exists!

 

[dawn16]

@xxtokedspacejesusxx I'm a yoga instructor and I second all of this!

 

[dawn16]

@kadee Super new to Reddit (hence the miniscule karma), but I'm a 500-hour trained yoga instructor who used to have shit posture.

For better posture, try sitting on the floor cross-legged (or with legs extended forward) on the very edge of a cushion (hard-ish pillow works well), so your pelvis gets a slight backward tilt.

Then, stack your head above your heart, and your heart above your hips (HHH, easy to remember). Keep the shoulders down and away from the ears, and bring your shoulder blades closer together, like you wanted to gently hold something between them. Broaden your chest slightly. This shouldn't hurt, or feel extreme - just like you're enhancing your spinal length.

Hold this seated position for anywhere from the time it takes to take a few deep breaths, to a few minutes...as long as it takes for your body to remember what this posture feels like.

Don't bother with posture-training devices - you have everything you need already!

 

[akb]

@kadee 20min hiit per day like bullyjuice on yt should do the trick in less than 4 weeks. You ll feel improvements on the 3rd day.

 

[jeffwilly001]

@kadee

• Beginner weight resistance strength training program
• Beginner cardio training program
• Beginner isometric stretching program

Concurrent strength training and cardio training is optimal for fat loss (source). Building muscle mass increases your metabolism which means you burn more calories just sitting around. However, exercise is not the optimal way to lose fat. Further reading: https://physiqonomics.com/fat-loss/#training-for-fat-loss

To lose fat, eat at a caloric deficit. Google "TDEE calculator" to estimate your daily caloric usage, then aim for 200-500 calories subtracted from this. Download a calorie tracker app and track your meals.

Focus on whole foods such as meat (red, white, fish), eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, legumes, grains, etc. Prioritize high protein and high fiber. Avoid sugar and processed foods. For a more specific nutritional goal, try Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen Checklist.

A high protein diet aids in fat loss (source 1, source 2), and increased protein intake can beneficially affect recovery times (source) and reduce soreness (source).

To gain muscle:

1) Follow a full body strength training program encompassing progressive overload on compound exercises

2) Aim for ~1g of protein per 1lb of bodyweight per day (source)

3) Try to get 9 hours of sleep per day (source)