Want to waist train? Read this first!

Article by BR Kellie

There’s one thing that’s guaranteed to not make me hit the ‘follow’ button on Instagram or Twitter, and that’s seeing in a person’s bio that they’re a rep for a waist wrap company. Don’t ask me why I’m so averse to them, perhaps it’s because I feel they’re only interested in selling me their product, they don’t want to converse or get to know me or actually be social on social media. Which in some ways is dumb, because if a beauty company follows me I’m fist-punching the air like nobody’s business. Perhaps then it’s the reps assumption that I would need their product…that my waist needs to be trained? And who knows, if the curvy but minutely waisted Kimmy K is doing it, then maybe I do?

Yes, I think it’s safe to say that waist training is exploding in popularity. No matter what I click on I’m faced with women wearing huge belts that make them look like they’re about to step into a wrestling ring for a title match fight. So what is waist training? Where did the idea come from? Do I actually need it? And does it work?

The idea of wrapping something around your stomach to help tighten and tone is nothing new. For centuries mothers around the world have been doing after giving birth, and belly wrapping is purported to help muscles heal more quickly after pregnancy, it’s also said to provide back and abdominal support, minimise bloating, and flatten and firm your stomach.  

Confession – I bought a Belly Bandit to use after I gave birth (I know, and here I am grumping about people thrusting waist trainers into my face), however I was lucky enough to do a Kate Middleton and slim down quickly after birth, rendering it unnecessary. I passed it onto a friend who enjoyed using it and felt it made a difference. 

As for other sorts of waist wrapping, corset training has been around since the 16th century, with the look really taking off in the Victoria era. In recent times corsets have come and gone in popularity, mainly based on the fashions of the time and whether a defined waist was in or out.  Then of course K-Dash posted a picture of herself in a neon blue corset, a waist-trainer, and now BOOM having an itty-bitty hourglass shaped waist is back in fashion again.

So how do waist trainers work? And do they actually work? Those that sell them say that they work simply by training your waist to look smaller. They’re also alleged to speed up weight loss and can be beneficial in helping to strengthen your core. Ok, so um, how can a belt made of fabric and metal help me lose weight? Well, it turns out if your belly is bound tight enough you don’t feel as hungry, so you don’t eat as much and then you lose weight. Sounds a lot like what my too skinny skinny jeans do… Although to be fair they also give me a muffin top and not an hourglass figure. As for strengthening your core… my jury is out on this one, yes I see how they can help make you more aware of your posture, but in all my reading not once did someone explain how a waist trainer was going to strengthen my core any more or any better than exercising will, in fact what I read was that you need to exercise your core or have a strong core to start off with before you begin waist training. Some doctors even argue that wearing a waist trainer too often can have the opposite affect and weaken your core. Speaking of those in the white coats with the letters after their names, what do the docs think? According to this article the medical community aren’t sold on the idea of using a waist trainer to lose weight or strengthen your body.

So if the celebs are saying ‘yes’ and the docs are saying ‘yeah, nah’ who should you believe? Maybe a bit of both? 

To be honest, while I still won’t be making best friends with any waist trainer sellers on social media, I’m actually quite ok with waist trainers if they’re used in a healthy way, like for post-partum measures or for when you’re prone to a sore back after sitting or standing for hours. I especially like the idea of using one when you’re planning to rock a body-skimming frock! But as an everyday thing? I can see why people would give it a go, but I’m of the old school belief that in order to achieve results you have to put the work in and I don’t see how long term a waist trainer can do that. Yep, I’ll be leaving those big old belts to the Hulk Hogans and Ultimate Warriors of this world.

But I’m still curious … have you tried waist training? Did it work? Would you give it a go? Or do you believe it’s a waste of time?