Is waist training right for you?
Is waist training safe? Do waist trainers work? Does waist training flatten your stomach? Are waist trainers effective? These are some common questions that comes to mind when you are considering using waist trainers. This article is a quick bible to answer those questions for you, so let’s jump right in.
Long-term waist training, also known as waist cinching, may alter your waist line temporarily, but it poses serious health risks. It’s easy to get fixated on the altered appearance that celebrity proponents showcase using waist trainers. However, what they don’t reveal is that they are pushing their organs into unnatural positions altering their ability to function well.
Dangers of waist trainers
Wearing the corset long-term can pose other risks to your health. It can:
- cause damage to your ribs and even deprive your body of oxygen reducing lung capacity by an estimated 30-60%.
- cause you to pass-out and even lead to build-up of fluid in your lungs as well as inflammation.
- affect your digestive system because of the compression leading to blockages in your digestive tract and acid reflux.
- restrict your lymphatic system, which would hinder your body’s ability to dispel wastes and toxins.
- lead to thigh pain, tingling or numbness, which may be a sign of meralgia paresthetica.
- can also lead to rash and infection as tight synthetic materials trap moisture.
These negative consequences and side effects of waist trainers largely outweigh any potential benefits from their long-term use.
Disproving the benefits of waist trainers
The use of waist trainers is another get-thin quick scheme. There is no evidence to support the theory that wearing a corset causes weight loss. Even waist training advocate Jessica Alba admits that she got her post-baby body back with the help of “a healthy diet, exercise and drinking lots of water.” It all comes down to lifestyle. Wearing a waist trainer is an ineffective way to lose inches and it won’t actually change your body proportions. The only way to alter the structure of your bones you were born with is through surgery. If you look at the fittest people you know including celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman you’ll see even at our healthiest we are all shaped differently. We are not all born with hour-glass figures and that shouldn’t be our depiction of beauty. A healthy body is a beautiful body.
Effective ways to reshape your waistline
If your goal is to have a slimmer waist you have to first address your diet. The easiest way to do this is to make sure you’re eating macro-friendly meals. This means you should be incorporating enough protein into your diet. Your carbohydrate and fat intake should be measured based on what a healthy caloric deficit looks like for you. We have information here on our website, which goes into greater detail about how to effectively practice flexible dieting. This is a service we also offer to all of our clients at no additional cost.
Exercise is another important factor in waist training. You should always focus on targeting your entire body in your workouts because spot training is not a thing. You can not control where your body is going to lose weight first. Abdominal exercises should be included in your workout program. Some of our favorite ab exercises for creating a similar waistline are:
1. Side planks: This exercise targets the obliques and transverse. The transverse abdominis are the deeper core muscles you do not see that wrap around your torso from front to back like a corset. These muscles are important for keeping your core tight and flat and controlling posture and movement. Focus on holding this position for 30 seconds and work your way up to a minute.
2. Leg raises: This exercise targets the rectus abdominis. You want to lie flat on your back with your legs resting out straight in front of you. Slowly inhale from your diaphragm and on the exhale you raise your legs up towards the ceiling. If you have a weaker core you may feel this in your back. To avoid this place your hands together under the base of your spine for added support. Try for 15 reps.
3. Bicycle crunches: This exercise targets your entire abdominal region. Focus on lying on your back with your hands behind your head and alternate touching opposite knee to opposite elbow. Your legs should stay elevated in the air during this movement. Try for 30 reps on each leg.
Waist training: Exercises for building curves
You can build more curves by targeting your glutes and outer thigh muscles giving you more of that hour glass appearance.
Some of our favorite exercises for waist training are:
1. Glute hip thrusts: This targets your butt and core. Start lying on your back with your knees bent and hips elevated. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then lower and repeat. For more resistance you can elevate your feet onto a bench and add dumbbells, a resistance band or a weighted bar to your thighs. You can also try this on a single leg.
2. Hip abductions: This targets your outer thighs and glutes. You can do this on an assisted machine or by doing clamshell. For this exercise start lying on your side with your head flat and knees stacked. Slowly lift the top knee towards the ceiling while keeping your feet together targeting the top extensor. For added resistance you can put a resistance band around your legs or rest a weight on the top outer thigh as you lift. Try performing 15 reps on each leg.
3. Bulgarian split squat: This activates the quads as well as the glutes. Start with a staggered stance with your back foot elevated on a bench or step. Lower yourself into a lunge bending both knees and driving your back knee as close to the floor as you can. Come back to a standing position and repeat. Try this for 15 reps on each leg .For added resistance you can add weight.
4. Goblet squat: This targets your inner thigh, glutes and quads. For this exercise start with your feet wider than shoulder width apart and toes pointed out away from the body. Keeping your hips under you slowly lower your butt towards the floor bending both knees. For added resistance hold a dumbbell at your chest or down between your legs. Try repeating this exericse for 15 reps.
2 Comments
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Good point! I’ll see how I can add a share button. Glad you found this post valuable!