We live in a culture that expects everything instantly. We eat processed food and drink processed beverages and the result is often unwanted belly fat. It takes improving our nutrition, exercise, stress reduction and proper rest to properly reduce unwanted body fat. Which seems like a daunting task to most people who have unwanted abdominal fat. This is the right environment for the creation of the modern waist trainer. The most basic definition of waist training is using a shaping garment to modify your waist into a smaller shape with semi-permanent results. It has nothing to do with losing weight, spot reducing or doing ab exercises while wearing a waist trainers.
Let’s start with the basics: what is a waist trainer? A waist trainer is a high-compression shaping garment that you wear around your midsection to slim your waistline instantly and supplement your fitness goals. Most waist trainers stimulate thermal activity in your core, making you sweat more with less effort during exercise. The benefits of waist training include: a more effective workout, improved posture, and dramatic hourglass curves—instantly.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER FIT
For the best results, your waist trainer should fit like a glove and should not cause any discomfort. That being said, most waist training corsets feel very tight when you first put them on. Don't worry – your body will grow accustomed to it very quickly.
It’s important to break in the garment before wearing it for long stretches. For a waist trainer corset with steel boning, this is called “seasoning,” which helps prevent warping. When your waist trainer first arrives, wear it loosely a couple of times for an hour or so before you start increasing the length of wear.
•Yes, the garment should feel very tight.
•No, it should not pinch or hurt you.
•Yes, it may be difficult to put on at first.
•No, you should not have trouble breathing.
Dangers
Moving your organs: Studies going back to 20th century found that wearing corsets long term actually misplaced your organs and could cause permanent damage. Yikes.
Fast forward a century and doctors and trainers are still warning about wearing waist trainers, warning that they are not the best idea.
Pressure obstructing blood flow:They can put added and unwanted pressure on the midsection, limiting blood and oxygen flow to vital organs which can be dangerous.
Difficulty breathing: The added pressure and tightness makes breathing harder and puts you at risk for passing out. Exercising with a waist trainer? Probably not a great idea.
Waist trainers can damage your abdominal muscles:
The reason the waist training companies stress you workout while you wear the waist trainer is so you don’t lose the abdominal muscles you have. The problem is waist trainers do the work your abdominal muscles should be doing. What if you wear the waist trainer long term and don’t workout? Your abs atrophy doing nothing, you lose any ab definition you had and come out a soft pudgy mess in the process. The saying, “use it or lose it” becomes very true here. You could probably slow this process by working out but who wants to do hundreds of crunches in a waist trainer?
Poor posture:The same goes for your postural muscles in your back. Waist trainers claim they improve your posture, but that’s only true while you are wearing it. Once you take it off your now weakened postural muscles are going to have a harder time doing their job. Wearing a waist trainer can cause your core muscles to become inactive. When muscles become inactive they atrophy.
Dehydration risk: Waist trainers heat up the core and can cause excessive sweating.
Sure this means you’ll lose water weight, but it also puts you at risk for dehydration.
Mild dehydration isn’t serious. But if you wear a waist trainer long term and don’t hydrate properly, you’ll eventually become more and more dehydrated.
Severe dehydration is a serious problem and can cause fatigue, fainting, headaches, and in some cases, seizures.
One of my favorite exercise science professors would always say, "that there are no shortcuts when it comes to health and fitness. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." I think we can apply that principle to waist trainers.
Popular Solutions:
Waist trainers are a temporary solution that doesn’t actually solve the belly fat problem. They can be dangerous when taken to an extreme.
A safer alternative: Back belts, or lumbar support belts, are generally lightweight belts worn around the lower back to provide support to the lumbar. Industrial back belts tend to be similar to weight lifting belts or special belts used in medical rehabilitation therapy.
Back belts are popular among workers across a number of industries—airline baggage handlers, warehouse workers, grocery clerks, etc.—specifically to prevent lifting injuries.
The theory underlying the use of back belts is that the belts reduce forces on the spine, stiffen the spine, or increase intra-abdominal pressure. Research has yet to demonstrate the efficacy of back belts in preventing ergonomic injuries. In some cases, workers expose themselves to greater risk of injury, believing that the back belt is providing extra support and protection.
Professional Support: If you want a good looking body, our coaches recommend eating better and begin an exercise routine that you enjoy. You’ll see much better (and more permanent) results while be prolonging your life in the process!
In fact, we’ve got a 6 week program that works much better than any waist trainer. For more info on the program text me 904.236.5858 Dr. Fitness