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So how do you not look fat on TV? We've all heard the TV camera puts ten, 20 pounds on
you, will make you look heavy. Well, it will if you do the wrong thing, but it doesn't
have to.
Now, we've all heard you should be relaxed on TV. You should look relaxed and comfortable.
Sounds like good advice, but let's just test that. Here I am. Sitting, relaxed, comfortable.
What do you notice? Don't hold back. Tell me what you're thinking. What do you notice?
You see a big belly. You see a guy with about three chins. That's not attractive. Anyone
looks fatter if they sit back like this. The camera latches on to whatever it's closer
to. At this moment, my stomach is closer to the camera than my face. So you don't ever
want to sit back, relaxed, comfortable. And it gives anyone a double chin, too. It's not
a flattering look. So whatever you do, don't sit back, relaxed if you're doing a TV interview
or making any video, it doesn't look good.
Now, here's the next thing people often do. You see this on major news programs, cable
news channels, all the time. "Hi, my name is TJ Walker. I help people look relaxed and
comfortable on TV." How does that look? Well, it looks stiff as a board. It makes me look
uncomfortable. So having so-called perfect posture actually looks horrible.
The best way to sit on TV, hold yourself up high. Now lean forward about 15 degrees into
the camera. Now, do you see the double chin? Triple chin has disappeared. Now you're not
noticing as much of a gut. So do not lean back. Do not sit up perfectly straight. Lean
forward 15 degrees.
Now it's not a particularly comfortable position but it's not painful, but it's not how you
would normally sit. So now I've turned to the side, and you can see this isn't a particularly
natural looking position. I'm holding myself high, trying to lean forward about 15 degrees,
but when the camera's in front of me it looks fine.
I would also recommend for men wearing a suit jacket, if you button it, it keeps a neater
appearance, and it avoids the big contrast of a light shirt and your belt, and your dark
pants. So it has a little bit of a slimming effect.
The other thing I would avoid? Wearing all black. Believe it or not, all black can be
slimming in real life, but in TV, your arms can blend together with your torso, and sometimes
you're in a black chair. It can make you look blobby and heavier. I would avoid wearing
black.
Follow these tips and the camera will not make you look fatter.