Waist trainers may provide support to women whose abdominal muscles have stretched or thinned following pregnancy. The extra support may help reduce pain and discomfort. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Instead, if a person is looking to lose weight or increase fat loss, they should consider improving their diet and exercising more often. Weight loss

The shifting of organs due to a waist trainer may also affect the digestive organs, such as the esophagus (food pipe), stomach, and intestines. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314102718_Randomized_controlled_trial_of_abdominal_binders_for_postoperative_pain_distress_and_blood_loss_after_cesarean_delivery A waist trainer can produce a temporary reduction in waist size or circumference, and a person will typically see immediate results. However, as soon as they take off the waist trainer, their waist will no longer look smaller.A small 2018 report suggests that using a waist trainer while exercising may cause breathing difficulties. The participants displayed shortness of breath, sweating, and increased pain when they wore a waist trainer while performing a breathing maneuver to simulate exercise. For exercise, a person should focus on both cardiovascular activities, such as running or walking, and strength training, such as lifting weights. Before making any drastic changes to their diet or exercise regimen, a person should talk to their doctor. A doctor can give specific advice based on a person’s health. Although waist trainer enthusiasts believe that a person can wear one while working out, this is not advisable. Waist trainers can make breathing hard. Can I wear it while pregnant?

Waist trainers are a shortcut to having a thinner looking waist in the short term. Most healthcare professionals agree that the best way to lose weight or inches from around the waist is through a healthful diet and regular exercise. Waist training is similar to fad diets and many fitness fads. It may provide some temporary waist thinning, but it ultimately does not provide a safe, long-term solution to weight or fat loss. A waist trainer will not help reduce body fat, but it can make abdominal fat more compact. It can also push the internal organs into unnatural positions, though. Can I wear it while working out? A waist trainer is a shaping garment similar to a girdle. The waist trainer pulls a person’s midsection in as tight as possible. The idea behind a waist trainer is that the pulling action gives the person a sleeker, smaller waist. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommend that people get 150 minutes a week of cardiovascular exercise and activities and that they do resistance training on at least 2 days of the week.Long-term use of waist trainers can lead to organ damage. It can also lead to digestive issues, such as acid reflux. Senator and breast cancer survivor Amy Klobuchar is encouraging women not to put off preventative care any longer. Squeezing the midsection with constant force will likely cause internal organs, such as the liver and kidneys, to shift into unnatural positions. This shifting of internal organs may affect the blood flow, and it can change how well the organs function. It may even lead to permanent organ damage. The main supposed benefit of a waist trainer is that wearing it is a fast and easy way to get an hourglass figure. Waist trainers are similar to corsets. Proponents say they slim the waistline and help people achieve an hourglass figure. However, squeezing the waist may damage the internal organs and cause difficulty with breathing and digestion. They do not reduce body fat.

The long-term use of waist trainers could have some negative effects on a person’s overall health. A waist trainer can potentially harm a person by: Wikstrand, I., et al. (2010).Very low calorie diet (VLCD) followed by a randomized trial of corset treatment for obesity in primary care. Any weight loss from wearing a waist trainer is more likely to be due to increased sweating than to any loss of body fat.Some people claim that waist trainers can provide a range of benefits to those wanting a sleeker body shape. These include: Hourglass figure Waist trainers usually consist of a combination of tough fabric and hard fibers. Hooks, Velcro, lacing, or other strong fasteners hold the trainer tightly in place. A person looking to slim their waist should consider sustainable dietary and exercise changes instead.