Some celebrities swear this is the way to burn fat, but does waist training flatten your stomach? Is this the latest breakthrough or a complete setback?
While a waist trainer does indeed help you achieve a slimmer figure while wearing it, it also comes with some downsides.
But hey, maybe this works for some men and women. Perhaps they do find success with it.
So why shouldn’t everyone else try it too? I’m intrigued.
So I did my research and found out whether it worked. Is it the next miracle to flatten your stomach, or is it another illusion? Keep reading to find out.
Does Waist Training Flatten Your Stomach?
Believe me, there are many ways to flatten your stomach, and waist training is not one of them.
I don’t know about you, but I feel like we live in a world where some celebrities seem to think anything goes. We’ve seen the rise of body shamers, fat shaming, and even phobia. And now there’s the waist trainer.
According to the New York Post, waist trainers are being sold online under the name “The Wasp Trainer.”
I am very skeptical of the effectiveness of such a device. To lose weight and flatten your stomach, you must eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
What is a Waist Trainer?
A waist trainer—an elastic compressive band worn around the midsection—is a type of undergarment that shapes the torso. They’re often made of a thick stretchy material with lacing, hooking, or Velcro closures to hold them tight against the stomach.
Corset makers claim that wearing one helps flatten the abdomen and prevents sagging skin. However, there’s no scientific evidence to support those claims.
Waist training devices aren’t just for women; men wear them, too. Some people use them to lose weight, while others want to look better in clothes.
3 Supposed Benefits of Using the Weight Trainer
1- Posture Improvement
Wearing a waist trainer may momentarily improve posture. People wearing waist trainers have better postural alignment than those without one. However, they also discovered that overuse could cause muscle weakness in the core section and back pain.
To improve poor posture long-term, you must introduce exercises such as face pulls in your fitness routine.
2- Weight loss
While wearing a waist trainer, you may feel like your hunger level decreases because the pressure on your stomach causes you to sweat more. This might cause you to consume fewer calories.
However, no scientific evidence suggests that wearing a waist trainer makes you thinner. Some studies show that waist trainers do not work.
Other experts advise against wearing a waist trainer during exercise. Wearing one could limit your breathing and make it harder to perform exercises correctly.
3- Looking slimmer
This one is tricky. Yes, your body shape will improve while wearing a weight trainer, but it’s just an illusion. People who take their fitness and health seriously shouldn’t use a weight trainer to look slimmer. It’s just a way of fooling yourself.
Hey, I will be the last person on earth to tell you not to use a corset if you’re doing so because of medical issues. However, I will do so if you wear one to lose weight or to look slimmer.
As we always say here at Gymtrends365. To lose weight, gain lean muscle, and even improve your posture, exercise and eat appropriately to reach your desired goals.
Possible Risks and Side Effects of the Waist Trainer
Waist trainers are not worth trying because they don’t help you lose weight and tighten your waistline. The correct way to lose fat is to create a calorie deficit, work out and eat a healthy balanced diet.
Let’s talk about some possible risks and side effects.
- It can cause difficulties with breathing:
If you’re doing waist training, you might be depriving your lungs of enough oxygen, which could result in reduced lung capacity, which leads to breathing difficulties.
- Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
Our intestines, stomach, and esophagus are intricately intertwined in our core area. Our esophagus (the tube through which we swallow) is the passage between the mouth and the stomach.
Wearing a waist trainer compresses the organs into one another, creating pressure points where there shouldn’t be any. Compression of this type can lead to blockages in your digestive system, give you acid reflux and cause other issues.
While some claim that wearing a waist trainer helps tone muscles and improve posture, others report pain and discomfort.
- Weaker core
Using a waist trainer causes your abdominal and core muscles to be more inactive, leading to muscle deterioration.
- Damage to pelvic floor muscles
The weight trainer will put extra pressure on the pelvic floor muscle and may damage them. This can lead to incontinence.
- Skin Rashes and infections
Some waist trainers come with built-in padding, while others do not. A waist trainer that does not include padding may irritate the wearer due to friction against the skin. This could lead to skin damage.
If you plan to use a waist trainer for an extended period, check out the size of the waist trainer carefully.
- Organ damage
One of the risks associated with wearing a waist trainer is organ displacement and organ damage. When you wear a waist trainer, your internal organs are compressed, causing your organs to shift around inside your abdomen. This can cause pain and discomfort.
If you still want to try out a waist trainer, make sure that you consult your doctor first.
- Meralgia paresthetica
Waist trainers may compress the nerve that runs down from the groin, which may cause something called Meralgia Paresthetica — burning and tingling sensations in the outer thighs.
FAQ’S Corner
Should I Wear A Waist Trainer While Running?
No, while running is one of the best ways to lose body fat, I advise against wearing a waist trainer during your run. The waist trainer will make breathing more difficult and pressure your organs. You’re also not strengthening your core when wearing a waist trainer.
Conclusion
Waist training is one of those things that sounds like something straight out of a movie.
The waist trainer is supposed to work because it squeezes your stomach muscles, causing blood flow to increase and thus burn calories faster. This is why some companies market it as a way to lose weight. But there’s little evidence that it works. Studies show that wearing a waist trainer doesn’t make us thinner.
I think you should use a waist trainer or corset if you have a medical condition, such as a lower back injury.
As a guy who is serious about fitness and health, I advise avoiding spending money on a waist trainer, especially if your goal is to flatten your stomach with it.
And if you do want to flatten your stomach and look leaner, you should eat fewer processed foods; drink water instead of soda; add more vegetables and fruits to your diet; exercise regularly, and stop eating late at night.
Even better, you could combine all of these methods. Sorry, no shortcuts here.
As you might have noticed, I’m not very optimistic about waist training and will never encourage my audience to purchase and use it. I am open-minded to hearing from you if you think differently.
Please share your weight training experiences in the comment section below.
