Head up, shoulders back, chest out, and eyes looking straight ahead......

My mom sang that to us growing up like a litany and my nanas (both of them) drilled it in .... HEAD UP ... SHOULDERS BACK.... CHEST OUT ... AND EYES LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD ....  she made us practice with a book and that made it so much easier growing up on the farm when we went down to the river on wash day with basins perfectly perched on our heads, washboard in our hands and home made lye soap in our pocket .... those were awesome times growing up .... While the grownups washed and chatted along the river bank we would climb the rocks and dive into the waters below on the other side .... when the wash was done here we go again under the hot sun and the tropical wind back up the hill and into the huge patio where the clothes lines were set up .... with clothespins we would hang the whites on one set of lines and the colors on another set ... then we would hoist the lines up with heavy tall bamboo sticks and watch the awesome lily white sheets flap in the breeze and under the sun ... so white it would hurt your eyes and sparkle.... and mom and nana would smile and say that is good.... awesome memories of growing up .... but back to the topic I started...

HEAD UP... SHOULDERS BACK ... CHEST OUT... AND EYES LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD... it did not ONLY come from mom and both nanas heck when we got to school here were the nuns at the parochial school we attended drilling the same chant ... they too had the book ... an Encyclopedia that they placed on our head as we walked following a straight line drawn in chalk on the floor .... WORK FOR A PERFECT POSTURE THEY SAID ... it makes you healthy and well....

Before you know it here I am singing the same chant to my grown arsed children... I started when they were young enough to understand too ...  ... HEAD UP...SHOULDERS BACK...CHEST OUT and EYES LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD .... my daughter finally got it ... she used to slouch a bit because she is over 6' tall and I had to tell her to be proud of herself ... who she is height included ... here I am breaking my neck on heels cause I would love to be 6' tall too ... and my son who is almost 6'4" who tends to slouch to mask his height ..what gives? and then he complains of back pain .... and here I go ... with the litany again HEAD UP...Shoulders back.... chest out ... and eyes looking straight ahead...

Practicing good posture DOES help ... and mom was right ... I even went delving into cyberspace Google-ing mom and posture and found some IMO awesome tips on keeping good posture that I am copying and pasting here .... 

I grew up practicing good posture and then I let it all go just to embrace it fervently again .... I have had not one complaint of back pain since my weight loss and I REFUSE TO SLOUCH or not to sit or stand or practice good posture ... because IT FEELS AWESOMELY GOOD ... it keeps my body aligned ... and it keeps my mind and body healthy ... so when I am standing or sitting and even laying down in perfect alignment I am not posturing but practicing good posture ... it works....

Tips found on the web:

Sitting Posture

1. 1 Sit up straight! How often did your mother tell you that? For many people, this suggestion got filed right next to "eat your peas," or "your eyes will stick that way." Mom was right, though–—at least about your posture. Now, especially, when so many of us sit at a desk all day, it's important to follow these basic guidelines, both for your posture and for your health.
   • If you work long hours at a desk and have the option, use a chair that's ergonomically designed for proper support and designed for your height and weight. If this is not an option, try using a small pillow for lumbar support.  
   • Align your back with the back of the office chair. This will help you avoid slouching or leaning forward, which you may find yourself doing after sitting too long at your desk.  
   • As with standing posture, keep your shoulders straight and squared, your head is upright, and your neck, back, and heels are all aligned.  
   • Keep both feet on the ground or footrest (if your legs don't reach all the way to the ground).  
   • Adjust your chair and your position so that your arms are flexed, not straight out. Aim for roughly a 75- to 90-degree angle at the elbows. If they are too straight, you're too far back, and if they are more than 90 degrees, you're either sitting too close, or you're slouching.  
2. 2 Take standing breaks. Even if you're using perfect posture while sitting in the best chair in the world (and it's debatable whether there is such a thing^[1]), you need to stand up and stretch, walk around, do a little exercise, or just stand there for a few minutes. Your body was not designed to sit all day, and recent studies from the University of Sydney have found that "[p]rolonged sitting is a risk factor for all-cause mortality, independent of physical activity." Keep moving!  

Driving Posture

1. 1 Start with good sitting posture. Not only is good posture recommended simply for good posture's sake, it's also important for more practical safety concerns. Your car's seating and protective systems were designed for people sitting in the seat properly, and can actually have an impact on safety in the event of a collision.
   • Keep your back against the seat and head rest.  
   • Adjust your seat to maintain a proper distance from the pedals and steering wheel. If you're leaning forward, pointing your toes, or reaching for the wheel, you're too far away. If you are bunched up with your chin on top of the steering wheel, you're too close.  
2. 2 Adjust the head rest. The head rest should be adjusted so that the middle of your head rests against it. Tilt the head rest as needed, to maintain a distance of no more than four inches (10cm) between the back of your head and the head rest.  

Carry That Weight

1. 1 Avoid unintentional back injury. Lifting and carrying presents extra loads and balance problems that are not part of your normal, everyday physical structure. Lifting or carrying objects without regard to your physiology can cause discomfort, pain, or in some cases, real injury. Here are some guidelines for proper load-bearing posture:
   • When you're lifting something off the ground any heavier than your cat, always bend at the knees, not the waist. Your back muscles are not designed for taking the weight, but your large leg and stomach muscles are. Use them well.  
   • If you do a lot of heavy lifting, either as part of weight training or as part of your job, consider wearing a supportive belt. This can help you maintain good posture while lifting.  
   • Keep it tight. The closer you keep large or heavy objects to your chest, the less you use your lower back when carrying them. Instead, the work is done with your arms, chest, and upper back.
     • Try holding a five pound (2.26kg) sack of flour, and hold it far out in front of you. Now, slowly pull it closer and closer to your chest and feel the different muscle groups come into play as you do this.  
   • Balance your load to prevent stress and fatigue. If you're carrying a heavy suitcase, for example, change arms frequently. You'll know when.  

Sleeping

1. 1 Sleep soundly. While you will not be able to consciously maintain a particular posture while sleeping, how you sleep can have an effect on your waking posture.
   • Using a firmer mattress will help by maintaining proper back support.  
   • Sleeping on your back will help keep your shoulders straight, and it is usually more comfortable for the back than sleeping on the stomach.  
   • If you prefer sleeping on your side, try slipping a small, flat pillow between your knees to help keep your spine aligned and straight.  
   • Use a pillow to provide proper support and alignment for the head and shoulders. Don't overdo the pillows—–too many, and your head can be bent in an unnatural position; this will hurt your posture and you'll wake up feeling stiff, sore, and groggy.  

Train Your Core Muscles

1. 1 Stay in shape. To keep your entire musculoskeletal system in tune to support your posture, it's important to keep yourself in shape. Try these tips:
   • Lie on your back, with your legs bent to about 90 degrees at the knee, and your feet on the floor.  
   • Pull your belly-button towards your spine and holding it at the end. This is a different type of contraction than crunches (crunches feel like they are more at the front of your stomach, while this feels like it is more inwards and towards your back).  
   • Hold for ten seconds, repeat eight times. Repeat it daily.  
   • Maintain the proper posture even if you are getting tired and are not using other muscles like your back or butt muscles.  
   • Breathe normally during this exercise, as you are training your core to be able to maintain this position during normal activities in daily life.  

Other Helpful Ways to Improve Posture

1. 1 Think string. Always imagine that a string coming from the top of your head is pulling you gently up towards the ceiling. Visualization techniques like this one can guide your sense of proper position and height effectively.  
2. 2 Have someone tape a giant X on your back from one shoulder to the opposite hip. Then put a straight line of tape across your shoulders closing the top of the X. Wear this during the day, to help retrain your back. This works really well if you hold shoulders back before taping, use wide non stretch tape and ideally change tape each day.  
3. 3 Avoid the slouch when walking. Be sure to try to walk as if you had a book balancing on your head.  
4. 4 Use color. If you need help remembering to keep your posture, think of a unique object or color. Every time you think of that object, check your posture.  
5. 5 Focus on your calves. Let your posture and balance rely more on your calves. Try to feel an at ease attitude, and put a bounce in your step. You'll find that it will free up the rest of your upper body to relax and assume a more upright posture that takes pressure from your back, shoulders and neck, and works on your ab muscles. This is awesome, since strong calves and abs rock!    

I had an awesome time this morning walking my dogs...

and I donned a 2 piece suit I wore over 4.5 years ago when I was recovering from my panniculectomy and had the everlasting drains in for weeks at a time...

Photo taken post panniculectomy in 2008 ... I made myself awesome drain covers with bits of leather ...

This is me today wearing the same outfit 4/24/2013 ... it fits even better and not it is OLD LOL

this is my empowerment collage on yesterday .... as entered in my digital empowerment journal "A Picture a Day Keeps the Pounds and the Inches Away" a goofy tool that I made up and that works for ME and my journey as it relates to ME...

Thanks for allowing me to share ...  SNIPPETS of my JOURNEY....