Want To Lose Belly Fat? Strike A Pose

A researcher from Harvard recently concluded a study and found that certain "power positions" not only reduced stress, they reduced cortisol levels. People with high stress have high cortisol levels and high cortisol levels are associated with belly fat, which is an indicator of higher risk for various health issues...the short of it is this - if you want a quick way to reduce stress and cortisol levels, strike a power pose.

According to Harvard researcher Amy Cuddy:

Subjects in the high-power group were manipulated into two expansive poses for one minute each: first, the classic feet on desk, hands behind head; then, standing and leaning on one's hands over a desk. Those in the low-power group were posed for the time period in two restrictive poses: sitting in a chair with arms held close and hands folded, and standing with arms and legs crossed tightly....

Controlling for subjects' baseline levels of both hormones, Cuddy and her coauthors found that high-power poses decreased cortisol by about 25 percent and increased testosterone by about 19 percent for both men and women. In contrast, low-power poses increased cortisol about 17 percent and decreased testosterone about 10 percent.

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If you're feeling stressed out, try these power poses (after all, it can't hurt). Stand up and lean over your desk to read a report, contract or your email. Close your door, put your feet up, close your eyes and take a few powerful deep breaths. Feel better already, don't you?

Of course, you can also reduce stress through exercise like walking, running, weight training, yoga and tai chi (to name just a few) and through eating healthy, organic foods (you knew that was coming, didn't you?).

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