3 simple ways to get rid of visual fat after childbirth

I became hunchbacked and muscular after giving birth. How can I lose weight? Many new mothers have a "strong" upper body after giving birth and ask around for ways to lose weight. However, fitness experts say that there are not many women who are truly broad-shouldered. Pregnant women usually suffer from "upper cross syndrome" due to long-term poor posture, pregnancy, and holding children, which causes visual fatness. If you want to improve this, start by stretching your chest and back muscles.

Upper Cross Syndrome Diagram. (Photo provided by Sancai Culture)

Pregnancy, playing with mobile phones, and holding children on the bed cause cross syndrome to make people fat

"Muscle Mom", a well-known fitness blogger with international certification as a coach for pregnant and postpartum women, said that muscle groups that are too loose or too tight will cause the body posture to deviate from normal, which will have a negative impact on health. Mothers who often hold their babies, office ladies who often use computers, people who look down at their phones, and girls who often wear high heels over 1 inch are prone to "upper cross syndrome" due to long-term poor posture and seldom exercise to strengthen their muscles. They become hunchbacked and look visually fat.

Upper Cross Syndrome 2 Features: Rounded Shoulders, Hunchback

Upper cross syndrome comes from too strong or too tight pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, upper trapezius, and levator scapulae, and too weak or too loose middle trapezius, lower trapezius, rhomboids, and the muscles that externally rotate the shoulder. Muscle Mom said that the most obvious physical characteristics of upper cross syndrome are round shoulders and hunchbacks. Patients will suffer from nerve compression due to tight muscles, stiff shoulders and neck, and forward neck extension, and often suffer from unexplained "headaches."

In more serious cases, poor neck posture may lead to poor blood supply to the brain and dull brain power. Long-term tilting of the upper body may cause breathing problems, reduced oxygen intake, and difficulty in excreting waste from the body. Toxins accumulate in the body, causing a pale complexion.

A simple test for upper cross syndrome. (Photo provided by Sancai Culture)

Eliminate visual fat in the upper body and quickly correct bad posture

Muscle Mom reminds you that when the rounded shoulders and forward head posture of upper cross syndrome reach a level that can be observed with the naked eye, it means that it is already a bit serious. If it is not corrected quickly, the body structure will change and it may even be impossible to return to a normal posture.

Check if you have round shoulders!

[Method 1]: Stand sideways and relax your body. Place a hard-page book on your shoulder blades. If the book is flat, it represents a normal body posture; if the book is tilted forward, the severity of the round shoulders can be seen from the angle of tilt.

[Method 2]: View from the front and observe the position of the elbow when the body is relaxed. In normal body position, the elbow socket is facing forward; if the elbow socket is facing inward, it means that the shoulder internal rotation muscle group (pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, latissimus dorsi) is too strong or tight, which is round shoulders.

Pectoralis major stretch and latissimus dorsi stretch. (Photo provided by Sancai Culture)

How to stretch the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, and upper trapezius to improve upper cross syndrome?

[Pectoralis major stretch]: Bend your wrist about 90 degrees, with your forearm and elbow against a wall or pillar; take a step forward and push your body slightly forward. Hold the position still for 15 to 60 seconds, then switch sides and repeat several times.

[Latissimus dorsi stretch]: Hold your hands high on a pillar or a wall, then straighten your upper body and press down, keeping the posture still for 15 to 60 seconds, repeating several times.

Upper trapezius stretch. (Photo provided by Sancai Culture)

[Upper trapezius stretch]: Sit upright on a chair, press your hands lightly under your buttocks, and tilt your head to the side and down. When you feel the stretch, turn your face slightly downward, hold the position for 15 to 60 seconds, then switch sides, and repeat each side several times.

Strengthens the shoulder external rotation muscles. (Photo provided by Sancai Culture)

[Strengthen the shoulder external rotation muscle group]: Keep your elbows close to your body and try not to let your elbows move away from your body. Keeping your elbows close to your body, extend your hands outward, externally rotating your shoulders. Repeat the above steps 10 to 20 times. If you have weights in your hands, such as dumbbells, please lie on your side to perform the exercise.