5 Things To Know About Waist Trainers And What They Actually Do To Your Body
TBH, when I think of waist trainers, I automatically envision a medieval, bodice-like corset. And honestly, I'm not that far off -- except that waist trainers were (sadly) not left in medieval times, and are actually still pretty popular. But, for real, do waist trainers work? Well, let's put it this way: There are a few things you should definitely know before you make the investment and throw that bad boy on.
Waist trainers essentially promise to give women an hourglass figure and core definition without having to engage in any actual exercise. Kind of sounds too good to be true, right?
Well, it pretty much is. First of all, if you've ever actually squeezed yourself into one of these contraptions, you can likely confirm that it's kind of difficult to breathe in it, and overall, your body just feels, well, squished.
Plus, waist trainers are basically promising that you'll tone your body and lose weight in one specific area -- aka "spot reduction," which, as research shows, doesn't work. Besides, if you ask me, the idea of a waist trainer, and achieving a specific type of figure, completely goes against what should comprise a healthy, balanced lifestyle. The real beauty of working out lies in those feel-good endorphins, and the sense of accomplishment you feel when you push your body to do things you never even knew it could do.
But, if you're curious about what a waist trainer actually does to your body, here are a few things that could happen if you decide to wear one.
1. Your Organs Might Shift
When you use a waist trainer, the pressure on your midsection doesn't just affect your outer body. It can have detrimental effects on your inner organs, as well.
Waist-training causes the upper organs to rise and lower organs to move downward. The unnatural shift of these parts of the body can lead to not-so-great symptoms like heartburn, constipation, and indigestion.
I don't know about you, but not being able to poop is not worth it to me.
2. You Could Get Really, Really Sweaty
When you wear a waist trainer, you might notice that you're sweating a lot more because of the pressure put on your body, and its reaction to the latex material.
Eh, no thanks, I'm sweaty enough as it is.
3. Your Core Strength Could Suffer
Waist-training companies tend to tell you that you'll have a defined core on the outside when you wear their contraptions, but they fail to mention what's actually going on inside your body.
If you wear a waist trainer for a long period of time, your abdominal muscles become less and less active. This leads to weakened abs and lower back muscles, because the corset is basically doing all the work to perfect your posture.
I get it, core circuits suck. But if you truly want a toned tummy, waist-training is just not the answer.
4. You Probably Won't Be Able To Breathe That Well
As a human being, I personally enjoy breathing. Waist-training makes that process a bit difficult, so I'm going to go with a hard pass on purchasing one of those bad boys.
Oh, and according to Marie Claire, some women have actually passed out from wearing a waist trainer for too long.
Yeah, sure, that definitely sounds safe.
5. There Could Be Other Serious Health Issues
OK, if you weren't a little sketched out by waist trainers before, you probably should be now.
Apparently, because of the intense compression involved with wearing a waist trainer, prolonged use can lead to more serious health complications in the long run, including things like skin infections, kidney problems, and even lung issues.
In the name of body positivity, and like, you know, just having a healthy, functional body, let's just stay away from waist trainers -- sound good?
