Sit At A Desk All Day? This No-Exercise Trick Will Tighten And Tone Your Abs

The struggle for abs is real. First, we hear that crunches totally aren’t the right way to go, and then we’re told that we can do all the ab blasting work we want down the gym but if our diet isn’t on point then that coveted six pack will still stay hidden.

Sigh.

But while uncovering those abs may take a whole lot of hard slog, there’s one hella easy trick that’ll accelerate your results – and best of all, it doesn’t involve any exercise.

In fact, all it takes is being mindful of your body and adjusting your posture.

See, apparently slouching over a desk all day or hunching while you walk can cause fat to gather around your abdomen in a pooch.

On the flip side, standing or sitting up straight engages your core muscles, thereby strengthening and toning your abs.

“When your body is in alignment, everything functions at a heightened level,” Kendall Wood, PT at Core Fitness explains to Popsugar. “But when you are hunched over a desk typing every day, or if you have a job where you stand all day and inevitably do a lot of leaning, and slouching, you’re not harnessing the muscles in your core.”

Like this post? You’ll love this: Here’s How Much Exercise You Need To Do To Counteract Sitting At A Desk All Day

And the benefits don’t end there. Being aware of your body in this way will mean that when you do hit up the gym for core class you’ll likely perform each exercise with better form, and therefore achieve greater results.

Bonus point: good posture also gives you extra energy, and who doesn’t want more of that?

So how can you ensure that you’re not slumped over your desk from 9-5 everyday?

It really is a matter of becoming aware of what your body’s doing. Notice when you’re slouching, and then correct it by straightening your neck, pulling in your abs and opening up your chest and shoulders.

Feel your core contracting? Good, now keep doing it.

• fitness