Appear Skinnier in Your Bathing Suit

By Catherine Censor

Want to look instantly slimmer in a bathing suit?

The secret isn't vertical stripes or miracle stretch fabric -- it's posture. Most of us sit and stand with very little awareness. We hold our belly loose and relaxed, like a partially deflated beach ball and our shoulders rounded forward. It's not a pretty picture. The good news is that by making a few, painless adjustments, you can actually look leaner, taller, and considerably more confident. And who couldn't use a little bit of all three when baring some skin in public?

There are other excellent reasons besides vanity to pay attention to posture. Poor posture puts abnormal stresses on the spine and over time, these stresses lead to all sorts of trouble: disk and joint degeneration, muscle and ligament lengthening or shortening, and ultimately, injury and pain. (If you've got recurring headaches and shoulder pain, your posture, and not your demanding boss, might be to blame.) So now that you're motivated to take a stand for better looks and health, how should you go about it?

The first key to good posture is understanding what it is NOT. "Standing up straight" does not mean doing an imitation of a plank of wood, flattening out the natural curves of your back and neck. The elongated 's'-shaped curve of your spine (you can see it in the mirror if you turn in profile) is natural, normal, and healthy. You do not want a flat back! Instead, you want a "neutral spine" where you're neither rounded too far forward nor arched too far back.

To see if you're standing in a neutral spine posture, check out your reflection in profile. Your ears should be over your shoulders and your shoulders should be over your hips. Your knees should not be locked and your weight should be evenly distributed over your feet. Try a few adjustments and see if you can get into this optimal, ideal posture. When you finally do, you might feel a little odd or off balance, but you should feel completely comfortable. Pain is a sign that you're doing something wrong.

If "neutral spine" isn't coming easily or naturally, practicing against a wall can help: Stand with your back, head, and shoulders against the wall and feet about half a foot forward. Draw in your abdominals, lessening the arch in your lower back but not flattening it. Now try moving away from the wall while holding this stance. If you're still struggling, physical imbalances might be preventing you from achieving good posture. Some abdominal work, strengthening exercises for your upper back and shoulders, and stretching (with special emphasis on the chest, shoulders, spine, and upper trapezius) should help.

After a while, you'll get used to standing and moving with this optimal alignment. And you'll also get used to fielding questions like "Did you lose some weight?" and "Where did you get that incredibly flattering bikini?"