What Is Waist Training ?
A waist trainer is a type of shapewear, worn around the midsection to slim the waistline. They stimulate thermal activity in the core area causing more sweat to occur with less exercise. This process of wearing a shaping garment to narrow the waistline is called waist training. If supported with an ideal diet and regular exercise, one can get effective results from waist trainers.
Advantages and disadvantages of waist training
Before deciding to go for waist training to correct the shape of the waistline as per preference, one should be aware of the various advantages and disadvantages it offers.
Advantages of waist training
Waist training can offer the following advantages to the wearer-
Gain a slim waist : Many women prefer a slimmer waist or an hourglass figure to get into their desirable dress that has caught their attention first time; they put their eyes on them. As waist training corsets have an instant effect, they are quite popular among women. These products help in accentuating the curves of one's waistline. Besides, it also acts as a constant reminder of their present shape which makes them feel encouraged to carry out exercises or follow a diet to achieve their desired shape. If it is carried out properly, waist training can help one witness the results within a few weeks.
Supporting bust line :Another advantage of this product is that it helps in both supporting the bust line and highlighting them. They are quite helpful for women with comparatively larger breasts, as they reduce their pain in the back.
Improving posture : These outfits help one to correct their sitting and standing posture. The corset is steel boned which prevents the person wearing them from slouching. They also provide support to their back which further helps in improving their position. Many women claimed that these garments offer them a sense of confidence which is reflected in terms of the dresses they wear. As these products make one feel slimmer, they can sport any dresses without the fear of looking inappropriate.
Reducing weight : Wearing these garments will prevent a person to consume large portions of meals. This will help them to train waist positively as their food intake will be limited. Besides, wearing them during a workout session can further increase the temperature of the body leading to excessive sweating. This might lead to temporary weight loss. However, these products do not help in burning fat. Therefore, to get a permanent result, one should support this process with a healthy and nutritious diet and regular exercises.
Waist training during the postpartum stage : Plenty of women want to get back to their natural shape after giving birth to their babies. Wearing waist trainers can help new mothers to achieve this result. While these outfits don't help in strengthening the muscles in the midsection, they can provide support and help in healing the abdominal wall faster.
See more here : Can you waist train after giving birth?
Disadvantages of waist training
While no one denies that the waist could be trained effectively through this process, one should also consider the number of disadvantages it can cause. The various disadvantages that come with this process are as follows. -
Feeling of discomfort : One of the most important disadvantages of wearing this shapewear is that it can cause a feeling of discomfort if the ties are extremely tightened around one's waist. One should immediately loosen them if they experience shallow breathing, restricted movements or any form of bruising. Wearing a tightened corset can compress the diaphragm which can reduce the breathing capacity leading to shallow breaths. This will also lead to reduced oxygen supply to the body making one feel dizzy and various other forms of health hazards.
Acid Reflux : A complex network of various vital organs such as intestines, stomach, and esophagus lies in the abdomen. Excessive tightening of these outfits to reduce the size of the waist can put pressure on these organs. Many doctors stated that this can cause the upper organs to move upward and the lower organs to move downward. This type of pressure on organs can lead to constipation. Besides, wearing them while consuming meals can also affect the digestive system which further can cause acid reflux and heartburn. As it restricts the person's food intake, one might not be able to consume a normal portion of the meal. They might develop intolerance to certain food items. It is therefore strongly advised to either remove them during meals or loosen the fastenings.
Reduce the strength of the core : While these products are useful for the waist to train, they can also lower the strength of the core. The core muscles in the abdominal area started depending on them to offer support, as a result of which they become idle. When one continues wearing them for a long time, the muscles eventually become inactive which can lead to muscle atrophy. Besides, one might experience other health problems such as problems associated with pelvic floor and back. Training the waist in such unhealthy manner should be avoided.
Reshaping of bones : Wearing steel boning corset for a long period will cause one's bone to get reshaped. Corset has been a part of women's fashion since the 1940s, however, taking it to such an extreme length such as excessive tightening or wearing for a longer period can cause more harm. One should try and be comfortable in this type of wear and avoid wearing them continuously.
Waist training during the postpartum stage : Plenty of women want to get back to their natural shape after giving birth to their babies. Wearing waist trainers can help new mothers to achieve this result. While these outfits don't help in strengthening the muscles in the midsection, they can provide support and help in healing the abdominal wall faster.
See more here : Can you waist train after giving birth?
How to make the most from waist training
As could be understood, waist training offers both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, one should keep a few things in mind, so that they can enjoy the benefits of this process to the fullest without causing serious damages to the body.
Wear them for a short period
As mentioned earlier, wearing waist trainers corset for longer duration can cause various harms to our internal organs along with messing with the digestion process. Waist training can also cause various other health issues such as lungs or kidney problems, pulmonary problems and skin infections owing to the compression on internal organs in the abdomen region. Therefore, it is advised to wear them for a very short period. For, instance, one can wear them while trying their favorite dress, rather than wearing them throughout the day.
Strengthen the muscles
As it is discussed earlier that prolong use of corsets can lead to muscle weakness and muscle atrophy. These wear while offer support to the body and improves one's posture, they can cause the muscles of the abdomen and back to become inactive. Therefore, wearing them for a short period should be supported by regular exercises to regain the lost strength of the muscles. This will also reduce the risk of possible back or abdominal muscle pain in the future.
While opinions vary among experts and users regarding the use of corset for waist training owing to its potential risks, one can still achieve the benefits it offers by being careful about certain things.
Avoid them while exercising
It is advised that one should avoid wearing these outfits while exercising, as it can interfere with the breathing process leading to serious breathing troubles.
Avoid tightening it excessively
While many women are obsessed with the shape of their waistline, they often end up tightening the corset. As discussed earlier, this can cause serious damages in the long run which might be beyond recovery. One should tighten it as much necessary and also as per their comfort. Overdoing it will ultimately lead to harm than benefits.
Avoid wearing it in the growing stage
As endorsed by celebrities, young girls have developed a preconceived notion about beauty. These kinds of standards of beauty are mostly negative. As a result, they are most concerned about the shape of their body, along with their other physical features. Therefore, it is advised to discourage them from wearing these outfits at their growing stage. If they start wearing these products at an early age before the complete development of their body and muscles, it might cause health problems that can be permanent.
Stay hydrated
While exercising or doing rigorous physical activities, body temperature increases and causes a lot of sweat. Wearing this type of corset while doing such activities increases the body heat and sweating more than the effort of the exercise. Since the body loses a lot of water through sweat, it is extremely important to consume water more than what one normally consumes. They should always look for the signs of dehydration and replenish the reduced water level.
Avoid using it as a substitute to dieting and exercising
Wearing these products can cause a lot of sweat which can contribute to the reduction in weight. However, one must keep it in mind that this form of weight loss is temporary as they do not help to burn fat. Many people perceived this temporary loss of weight as a permanent one, and consider wearing them as a substitute to dieting or regular exercising. However, this approach is wrong. These shape wears cannot act as a substitute for healthy living. Hence, to yield maximum benefits from this process, one should follow a healthy lifestyle by consuming the vital nutrients required for their body and also regular exercising.