Fit Gadgets - iPosture

The first rule of looking slim is to stand up straight -- good posture can take 10 visual pounds off your frame, easily. So, it's no surprise that someone has come out with a gadget to help you maintain better posture. Allow me to introduce you to the iPosture.

This handy dandy gadget is small -- the size of a necklace pendant (and can actually be worn as one, although, as your fit fashion consultant, I have to dissuade you from doing so) -- and alerts the user with small, short vibrations when he or she begins to slouch. You're allowed three degrees of deviation from your chosen posture -- if you slouch more than that for longer than a minute, it lets you know.

According to the website, there are a multitude of reasons you should be trying to improve your posture, including:

• People with good posture are generally happier and more confident.
• Women with good posture are less prone to osteoporosis fractures, while men are more likely to maintain balance and function as they age.
• Waist size is reduced approximately two inches in women who improve their posture.
• Those with good posture are seen as more attractive and successful.

In addition to the gadget itself, the website also provides a number of exercises designed to help improve posture, including free online videos. You can get your iPosture here for $89.95.

If a $90 posture-fixer isn't in your budget, you could also try setting some reminders for yourself. For example, I straighten my posture and roll back my shoulders every time I walk through a doorway -- a trick I learned as a young dancer. What tricks do you have?