We all know that fashion can be a
lot of things: exciting, transformative, communicative and
most importantly: fun. That said, there are some facets of fashion
that - over time - could be damaging our bodies and our overall well-being
(yeah, we know: not so fun). We’re talking about the actual things that we put
on our bodies, as well as mind-sets we adopt for the sake of “looking
the part,” which often means you’re not actually channeling legitimate style so
much as you’re regurgitating what’s “now” as dictated by hoards of
other people. To explain what fashion habits - both literal and figurative - that
could be doing potential damage, we enlisted Will Torres, a health and fitness
expert and owner of Willspace, a private training studio in New York City. Read
on to educate yourself!
Probably one of the worst things
you can do for your body alignment is wear high heels. According to Torres,
walking on the ball of your feet forces your torso to lean
forward, simultaneously forcing women to straighten out by leaning
back. This puts an incredible amount of stress on the spine and compresses its
discs over time. It’s really important to remember that injury is cumulative:
It generally doesn’t happen overnight. It can take weeks, months, or years of
altered movement to show up as discomfort which often presents itself as
cramping in the toes and calves, and pain in the back and hips. While there
might not be many things that boost a woman’s confidence quite like a killer
pair of heels, they can be a serious hazard, causing an incredible amount of
pain and discomfort. Luckily, however, it seems heel heights have reached
an all-time high and are starting to fall, which is good news for
shoppers, as lower heels are everywhere this season, and really, really cute.
2. Lugging Around That
“It” Bag
The bigger the bag, the more
things we find to fill the bag. Torres points out that women typically carry
purses on one side, either on the shoulder or perched on their lower arm/crook
of their elbow. This uneven weight distribution prompts the body to shift
causing muscle imbalances and a slew of alignment issues, such as one shoulder
being more developed and sitting higher than other (not a good look). It can
also create pain in the spine because the torso shifts to counterbalance the
uneven weight. In addition, heavy bags can lead to neck discomfort and shoulder
pain. A solution: Give your body a break and carry a small light bag a few days
a week that’s free of extraneous objects: We’re partial to canvas totes,
leather pouches or a paper-thin backpack so long as they’re generally
un-stuffed.
3. Dieting and Striving for
“Fashion Skinny”
Even though Torres admits that
Americans might eat too much as a culture, seriously restricting your food
intake for the sake of looking “fashion skinny” can actually cause your
metabolism to slow down and your body to store more fat. While young adults who
don’t eat regularly may see an initial decrease in body size, by the time they
hit 30 years old, Torres says that their metabolism will be so slow that even
looking at food the wrong way can cause weight gain. Along with a slowdown in
metabolism, people who “don’t eat” wind up snacking, often taking in
excessive sugar which is vile for the body and (ironically!) causes bloating
and swelling.
4. Sucking It In
Whether you’re trying to look
taller or thinner for a photo opp (ahem, street style)
or squeezing into a pair of skinny jeans or shapewear, sucking in
your stomach robs your body of precious oxygen, which slows your metabolism,
affects your focus and performance and deprives your cells of life.
According to Torres, the best way to breath is by taking diaphragmatic breaths
also known as “belly breathing” (the diaphragm is a muscle that sits between the
chest cavity and the stomach cavity). When it’s able to contract properly, the
lungs fill with oxygen and the belly expands. However, if you’re holding your
stomach in or keeping it tense all day to keep your jeans from popping, the
diaphragm isn’t able to drop and allow room for the lungs to fill with air,
causing most people to become “chest breathers.” This, according to Torres,
causes tension in the body and it’s one of the reasons people experience so
much shoulder and neck tension - plus it can lead to headaches, stomach
discomfort, depression, anxiety and other issues.
To get an idea of your breathing
style, put one hand on your chest and the other hand on your belly. Relax
your body and take three slow breaths in and out. Which hand moved?
For most people, it’s the hand that’s on the chest. To become a
belly breather, Torres offers this tip: “Sit straight up in a chair and
place both hands around your stomach. Relax your body and begin inhaling
through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. Try filling your belly
like a balloon with air. You should see your hands moving away from
the body. Put on a great song and try breathing this way for the length
of one song. Over time, work up to breathing this way for 2 to 3 songs.
Be patient and enjoy the buzz.”
5. Adopting a “YOLO” Mentality
This motto - a catchy acronym for
“You Only Live Once” - is responsible for tons of impulsive and destructive
behaviors, from indulging in highly unhealthy eating habits, to splurging on
that designer bag that you’ve been seeing on every street style blog when your
credit card says you shouldn’t. While it’s true that we only live once and
enjoy life, why not live once to its fullest by doing things that benefit our
bodies and mind in the long run. Torres recommends living above the fray and
not getting sucked into the latest trends and bad habits.
Source : http://stylecaster.com
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