Happy New Year, dudes!
Like every other new year, 2016 has a lot of people beginning new diets and exercise programs. Of course, if you’re a bro in the know, you already have healthy eating habits and a solid exercise routine already. (If you don’t, get started. Look through the other blog articles for tips.)
The problem with these new year’s programs is that they tend to take a significant amount of time before you can see any results. Which is why so many people give up on them. Fortunately, there are a few things that we dudes can do that will show some instant improvement in how we look. Here’s how to kickstart your mojo in 2016:
Posture, posture, posture. Most people slouch forward when they’re sitting or standing, and unfortunately, the vibe you send out to other people is very negative when you do that. So be as mindful as you can about sitting up straight and standing up straight, even at home in private. Train your muscles to get into the habit. Remember, alpha males never slouch.
By the way, strength training does not necessarily give you better posture. In fact, it can make your posture worse! When you bulk up your arms and your chest, it shifts your body’s center of gravity forward, which pulls your shoulders and head forward into a slouch. To correct this problem, you need to counterbalance your bench presses and curls with exercises that strengthen your trapezius and deltoid muscles, which pull your center of gravity back to where it should be.
Take care of your hair and skin. Don’t let your haircut get seedy; maintain it every 2 or 3 weeks. If you are maintaining or growing long hair, gather it in the back. If there’s not yet enough to gather, use a little hand lotion and hair spray to keep it neat.
If your skin tone is naturally very pale, you should do something about it, because most people view that kind of complexion as unhealthy. Spend a little time once a week soaking up some rays, either sunbathing or, if sun is not available, in a tanning bed. DO NOT go overboard and turn into a Pauly D lookalike from Jersey Shore. One tanning session a week is enough.
Wear clothes that fit you well. No matter how fashions change, baggy clothes never become all that popular. A well-dressed man (unless he’s obese), will cover his top half in ways that show off the V-shape of the male body: in other words, wide at the shoulders and narrower toward the waist. Baggy t-shirts make you appear to have a square form instead of a V, and that’s why you don’t look good in them.
The perfect way to get well fitting clothes is to have everything tailored, but very few people can afford that. If you have to buy off the rack, know your measurements and try multiple brands. The same size can still be cut very differently from one manufacturer to the next.
Best of success in the new year, bros!
Later,
-The Blog Dude
