Not all of us have enough time to exercise or hit the gym regularly to reduce our waistline. For this reason, a waist trimmer comes in handy. Waist trimmers are meant to squeeze the midsection and “train” your figure to maintain an hourglass shape.
If you’re curious about the benefits of waist trimmers, their potential risks, and what to look for when buying one, this article can help you out.
What is a Waist Trimmer?
Waist trimmers, also known as waist trainers, are undergarments or large belts that are tightly worn around the midsection. It comprises a thick fabric and hard metal boning (usually steel inserts) and is cinched up with Velcro, hooks, clasps, or a lacing system. It’s intended to be worn more tightly than a girdle or shapewear to give you a sleeker and smaller waist.
Waist trimmers are worn under the clothes to give the appearance of a slimmer waist or help them sweat more during workouts. They are popular among many people who want to make their waists look smaller, as it promises to shrink the waist and lose weight.
But Do they Really Work?
The idea behind a waist trainer is to gradually build up to wearing it for longer periods of time each day. As you wear it longer, your hips and waist are molded to form a more well-defined hourglass figure. It’s like training the waist to maintain that shape. According to claims by the companies selling waist trainers, they can trim inches off the waist and help you lose weight in the process.
Waist trainers are not a new invention – they are actually similar to corsets that people wore more than a hundred years ago. Back then, women wore corsets under dresses to make their waistlines look smaller.
A waist trainer may be a great short-term addition to your weight loss routine if you’re looking to boost results from your workouts. The product forces your body into a particular shape to eliminate the midsection’s water weight. But without constant support, the waist will return to its normal shape and size. People who saw improvements using waist trimmers are those who use them with a workout regimen and a healthier diet.
Benefits of a Waist Trimmer
Waist trainers can temporarily help your waist look slimmer, but there is not much evidence that they can provide long-lasting results. Despite what the waist trimmer ads say, they don’t actually work for long-term fat loss unless they are used along with a diet regimen and regular exercise.
But still, there are benefits to wearing a waist trimmer, such as:
1. Instant slimmer figure
If you want to look better in a particular dress, a waist trimmer may help you look slimmer. However, it will not drastically change your body shape. Even if your body temporarily lends itself to that shape, your waist trainer is unlikely to have a lasting effect. It’s good to own one, though, for wearing under dresses for special events without committing to long-term use.
But if you’re looking for waist trimmers as a temporary solution to help you look slimmer when wearing a tight outfit, you can buy a waist shaper instead. These products are made of nylon and spandex and with boning made of plastic instead of steel. They are designed to be compressive but not as stifling as a waist trimmer.
2. Motivation
Some people are motivated to do better with their exercises and diet by using waist trainers. If you use it properly and don’t overdo it, a waist trimmer can remind you to eat less and sit up straight.
3. Loss of water weight
One of the main benefits of using a waist trimmer, especially when you’re active and working out, is it can help you lose weight and burn fat. This is largely due to waist trimmers raising your core temperature and making you sweat more. However, this weight loss is only temporary and mostly due to the water weight you lose from sweating and not being able to eat as much.
Water weight is the term used to describe the excess water stored in your body, which is found in the muscles, fat cells, and other tissues. When you lose fat, the water stored in the fat cells is released into your body, causing a temporary increase in weight. However, loss of water weight isn’t necessarily fat loss. To really lose fat and lose substantial weight, you need to create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories than you burn.
4. Makes you sweat more
One of the reasons why waist trimmers are touted as weight loss tools is because they make you sweat more. As it turns up the heat by adding a layer of insulation on your midsection, you will have a consistently high body temperature as you exercise, allowing you to burn more calories a lot faster. This will help you get rid of unwanted fats easier.
5. Better posture and back support
When you think of “waist trimmer belts,” you probably don’t think of back support. But health professionals and chiropractors often advise patients who suffer from back and spine trauma to use compression wraps like waist trimmers. These products can promote healing postures by providing much-needed support and strengthening the spine to prevent further injury. It can also help prevent injuries when you’re exercising or doing other physical activities. The lumbar support it can provide allows it to reduce strain and other muscles and the spine.
Waist trimmers can also help reduce lower back pain because they prevent you from slouching or hunching when wearing one. This, in turn, helps you maintain a better posture. However, if you don’t do anything else to strengthen your core or remain active, your back pain will eventually return.
6. Gives a feeling of compression
Like body wraps, the compression that a waist trimmer can provide gives you a tight feeling that you may like to provide an illusion of a smaller waistline without restricting movement.
7. Decreases appetite
It makes sense that having your stomach squeezed will make you feel full faster and eat less. Waist trimmers can prevent you from overindulging in meals, which may hurt your weight loss goals.
Risks of Wearing a Waist Trimmer
There are several risks to wearing waist trimmers. Many of them result from excessive or incorrect use, but if you use it right and moderately, it will have no adverse effect on your body. But it’s still important to be aware of how misuse and overuse of waist trimmers can affect your health.
1. Dehydration
Waist trimmers are made of neoprene and other non-breathable material that heats the body to make it sweat more. If you’re working out with a waist trimmer, a lot of water may get lost from your body, leading to dehydration. It’s advisable to drink lots of water while working out wearing a waist trimmer.
2. Suffocation
If your waist trimmer is too tight, it might restrict your ability to breathe properly. Lack of oxygen can lower your energy and may cause you to pass out. For this reason, super-tight waist trimmers should not be worn while working out. It’s best to choose a lightweight waist trainer that is safe for exercise.
3. Rashes, infections, and other skin irritations
The material that waist trimmers are made of is designed to make the body sweat more. Since the sweat is not absorbed or does not evaporate, it can get trapped on your skin, causing some irritating skin conditions, such as rashes, bacterial or yeast infections, or acne, when worn for a prolonged period of time.
4. Lessens core strength
While waist trainers can help keep your core tight and compressed, they tend to lessen your core strength over time. The reason is that they do the work of keeping a proper posture for you. After wearing it for an extended length of time, you may experience pain and discomfort because your core needs to adjust to doing more work.
5. Internal damage
If you keep on wearing waist trimmers, it may cause damage to your internal organs because they are under pressure. The compression pushes the organs into unnatural positions and reduces blood flow to them, which may lead to long-term organ damage.
A more serious risk to wearing waist trimmers is pelvic organic prolapse, which occurs when the tissues and muscles surrounding the pelvic region organs are weakened, causing them to drop lower in the pelvis.
You can avoid these risks and disadvantages from happening to your body if you use your waist trimmer responsibly and if you choose a waist trimmer that’s right for your body size.
Things to Consider When Shopping for a Waist Trimmer
If you’re looking to buy a waist trimmer, here are the things to consider:
1. Size
Just like clothing, you should consider size when buying a waist trimmer. It only makes sense if you get the one that fits you well and allows you to move when walking or running. A waist trimmer belt is available in sizes ranging from S, L, XL, XXL, etc. Never try to squeeze yourself in a waist trimmer that is too small for you – too much constriction will make you feel extra uncomfortable and may cause damage to your body. If you are confused between the sizes, especially if your body size falls in the normal range, you can opt for one size that fits all.
Be mindful of the waist trimmer’s length and width when buying. A perfect waist trimmer should cover the entire width of your belly. If you have a large torso, look for a waist trimmer that covers the entire waist and abdominal area.
2. Material
After size, the next important thing you should consider is the materials used to make the waist trimmer. Go for a belt that is made of a material that suits your skin. Neoprene and nylon are the best materials used for making waist trimmers. It’s best to buy latex-free ones because latex combined with sweat might irritate most skin.
3. Thickness
If you want positive results, you will end up wearing a waist trimmer throughout the day under your clothes. If that is the case, you must consider its thickness because a thick waist trimmer will appear bulky under your clothes and ruin the look of your dress. Also, it won’t offer the flexibility you need to move freely and comfortably. On the other hand, a very thin waist trimmer is also not the right choice because it might not provide enough support to produce more sweat.
For the best results, look for a waist trimmer belt with a midsize thickness that can balance flexibility with good support.
4. Price
Whatever you buy depends on your budget. If you want to get a high-quality waist trimmer, don’t buy something too cheap. Most waist trimmers aren’t so expensive, and you can easily buy a quality one without breaking the bank.