These Waist Training Myths Will Leave You Shocked

As the popularity of waist training increases each day, so do the myths circulating about the credibility of a waist trainer increase. You most likely may have heard crazy rumours about how steel-boned garments, in particular, can wreck your body or break your bones. How true is this?

A bit of foray into history will prove that waist training has been a lifestyle since the 1800s. In those societies, corsets were worn by women who desired a curvy figure and defined waist.

Just as myths surround fashion, new food, exercise or trends, there are varieties of myths on waist training. Today, we’re going to spend some time debunking these waist training myths and shed more light on the many advantages of waist training. 

Myth 1: There is no difference between waist trainers and corsets 

The first myth we’ll tackle is the idea that shapewear, corsets, and waist trainers are all the same thing. This isn’t true! While it’s true that most waist trainers can be placed in the same category as shapewear, corsets can’t.

Corsets are stiff, contain steel bones, and are laced up to be pulled as tight as possible. Corsets were always intended for body modification because they force the body to fit into the space provided.

Waist trainers, on the other hand, are quite different; waist trainers are made from more flexible materials like latex and neoprene. Our waist trainers, for example, are designed to hold you in all the right places, you can wear one all day, and even work out in one. 

In essence, shapewear is a more general term used to refer to all the different types of undergarments you can wear to help smooth body lumps and love handles.

Myth 2: For better results, you should wear a smaller size 

This is entirely false! This is a very common myth and we never advise our clients to follow this. Buying a waist trainer that is a size smaller won’t give you the kind of results you want, in the long run. 

Even if it makes you look smaller, and even if it does make the area you want to look smaller, it will most likely create extra love handles and rolls at the edges where it’s too tight for you. You’d agree that this completely defeats the purpose of wearing a waist trainer in the first place!

For effectiveness, you should wear a waist trainer that is the right size for you (if you need further help with sizing, we’re only an email and phone call away). In regards to waist trainers, when you begin to lose some inches around your waist, move in a hook-size or size down to new shapewear. 

If you wear a waist trainer that’s too small, you’ll be very uncomfortable and eventually, it will begin to gather dust in your closet. Waist trainers are designed to be comfortable and invisible for hours, so make sure you get the size that will do exactly that. Our article on shapewear will tell you everything else you need to know about waist trainers. 

Myth 3: They’re Only For Women: 

In this article, Shapewear for Men, we succinctly explained why men can wear shape wears too. While waist trainers could have been more of a woman’s item in the 1800s and the ’60s, there’s been an evolution of this belief. In actual fact, there are women’s and men’s waist trainers and waist training does wonders for men too. 

As expected, men’s waist trainers are made a little differently from the women’s waist trainer but they exist. 

Myth 4: Waist training is the only thing you need to lose weight 

This myth is a little tricky but I will explain. A waist trainer, on its own, will not help you lose weight, however, religious use of your waist trainer will help you lose an inch or thereabout from your waist. Also, most people find that wearing their shapewear encourages them to eat better, control their portions, and be more physically active and that is where the weight loss comes from.

Of course, I should mention that using a waist trainer for a workout will help you sweat, which translates to you burning more calories and losing water weight which counts as weight loss, albeit temporarily. So, while no waist trainer or shapewear will act as a magic tool for weight loss, it certainly will help you lose weight faster than you would without it.

Myth 5: Wearing a waist trainer weakens your core, reshapes your ribs and damages your skeleton and internal organs.

This is wrong. The right size waist trainer combined with the right work out is going to the opposite – strengthen your core. What you should do is pick the right style, size and the waist trainer will do its work just fine. 

 You should also ensure you’re wearing the waist trainer right; you don’t want it to be too tight or too loose. If you’re wearing a waist trainer for 8-12 hours a day- which we recommend, those ribs aren’t getting damaged.

For more knowledge on the physiology of waist training, do well to read The Corset History.  On the other hand, well-fit corsets enhance good posture and reduce back pain drastically. Also, unless you have an underlying health condition, a waist trainer can’t exert enough force to break a bone. 

Myth 6: Waist training is the best option for those who are too lazy for diet and exercise.

I’ll let you in on a little secret *because I’m that nice!* Waist training is not easy – it requires patience and devotion as well as determination. Waist training also gives a different result from diet and exercise because the aim of waist training is not weight loss, but a change in body shape. 

Furthermore, waist training has been known to encourage healthier eating habits (smaller meal portions, fewer carbs and less sugary carbonated beverages) and we often recommend that an exercise regimen also be added to a routine to keep up one’s core strength whilst waist training.

When used appropriately by adults, waist trainers and shapewear are completely safe. However, we always advise that you take all necessary precautions when figuring out your waist training regimen. These tips below will help ensure you have a safe, healthy, satisfying waist training experience:  

• Don’t settle for less than the perfect fit: Don’t be afraid to seek out a professional to advise you on the most accurate measurements.
• Don’t rush: Begin by wearing your waist trainer or cincher a few hours per day and give your body lots of breaks in between.
• Have off days: If you plan to waist train long-term, make sure to include days of rest in your schedule. I know you don’t want to but taking days off won’t erase your progress, rather it will enable you to function at peak health!
• Don’t neglect other parts of you:  If you notice any itching, discomfort or pain, take off the waist trainer immediately. When the trainer is off, check your body immediately for any bruises, rashes, and see a doctor if these symptoms keep recurring. 

Las las, waist trainers no bad, na people dey bad mouth am! Don’t let the waist training myths make you lose out on the many benefits. Not only do waist trainers work but they work well when used appropriately. 

There are always misconceptions about things and if you look a little further into things, you’ll find that there are a lot of myths that are simply that – a myth. Hopefully, this article will ease your mind and teach the truth about waist trainers.