Hoping to sculpt a slimmer waist? While some of the most social media-savvy celebrities would have you believing that waist training helped them achieve their dreams, there’s a lot to consider before diving in. There are constantly new products, pills, diets and regimens being sold to the masses to curb flabby tummies and slim stomachs. Waist training seems to be one of the newest fads, but is it actually effective?
Everyone’s hoping to discover the perfect shortcut to a tiny waist – and waist training just isn’t it. Read on for some tips on what you’re risking with waist training. Plus, discover a slimming shortcut that actually works with a quick little treatment called CoolSculpting.*
What is a Waist Trainer?
Waist trainers are modern corsets, and new version of a very old undergarment. These trainers fit the torso tightly and are meant to be worn a certain length of time at certain moments of the day. These trainers are tighter than anything you’ve likely experienced, even making it difficult to breathe and sit down.
How is Waist Training Supposed to Work?
A waist trainer purportedly changes the shape of the waist through ongoing force. The hefty fabric and hard boning in trainers is cinched in place using laces pulled as tight as they can go, or sometimes using hooks or snaps. The trainer pulls tightest at the circle of the waist, aiming to reshape that area. Users are supposed to wear the trainer regularly for months. At some point, the waist is supposed to grow smaller and the overall figure to take on an hourglass look. Famous figures ranging from Kim Kardashian to Jessica Alba have sworn that waist trainers are instrumental in forming their enviable physiques.
Why Waist Training is Secretly Scary
Occasional waist training probably isn’t going to do any harm (or any good). But long-term waist training not only won’t effectively trim the waistline, it could cause some serious health problems. Ongoing use of a trainer may lead to:
- Damage to vital organs – Your torso is much more than just a decorative area. The space covered by a waist trainer houses your lungs, stomach, liver, kidneys, and more. Smushing them together to fit into a corset forces organs into new positions and overcrowds them, limiting function. Do this for a day, and it will just feel unnatural. Do this for months, and you could cause real, permanent damage to your organs and/or ribs.
- Deprivation of oxygen – Wearing a waist trainer makes it difficult to fully inhale, reducing lung capacity anywhere from 30-60% during wear. This can lead to a lack of energy and general discomfort, as well as heighten the risk of fainting, inflammation, and fluid building up in the lungs. Corseting regularly also limits the lymphatic system, which removes waste and toxins from the body.
- Damage to digestive system – The compression placed on your esophagus, stomach, and intestines can impede digestion, leading to blockages or acid reflux.
Is Waist Training Actually Effective?
No, waist training is not a successful weight loss or fat loss technique. Waist trainers don’t actually impact belly fat, they just squeeze it into a different shape. Weight loss that may occur during waist training is likely due to difficulty eating while wearing the trainer, not from effects of the trainer itself. Unless waist training is combined with diet and exercise (tough to do when you’re wearing a suffocating corset), it’s not going to have lasting effects. Your shape will return to normal soon after you stop wearing the trainer.
Finding Effective Tummy Fat Reduction
If you’re fed up with a muffin top, a waist trainer isn’t the only option (and it’s far from the best). Our patients have been loving the results they see with CoolSculpting, a non-invasive fat reduction treatment. Like waist training, you don’t have to go through surgery to get it; unlike waist training, it actually leads to long-term fat loss in target areas like the stomach.*
Check out some of our stunning CoolSculpting results and get in touch if you’re ready to experience the same.* Fat loss without dangerous or painful tactics is exactly what you deserve.
*Disclaimer: Please note that there is no guarantee of specific results. Results may vary.