What You Should Know About Waist Training

The Kardashians are “obsessed.” Jessica Alba claims it helped her return to her pre-baby body. But what exactly is “waist training,” and does it work? More importantly, is it safe? We talked with health and fitness experts to get the skinny on Hollywood’s latest must-have accessory: a modern-day corset.




Famous sisters Kim and Khloe have fueled plenty of interest in this trend, by posting Instagram photos of themselves in recent months wearing waist-training devices—essentially, bands of material that wrap tightly around the waist and lower rib cage to provide an instantly slimming, hourglass look.




Other models and celebs have touted the benefits of waist trainers, while actresses Brooke Burke-Charvet andJessica Alba have credited similar products with helping them get back into shape after giving birth. (Alba says she wore an actual corset.)




Burke-Charvet even created her own line of waist wraps; one is designed for new moms and intended to reduce water retention and swelling of the uterus, “all while supporting that unwanted baggy baby skin.” Another product—a sport body wrap made of nylon and neoprene—is meant to be worn around the waist during exercise, with the intention of promoting “intense sweating.”

But do they deliver?




Not if you’re looking for anything more than temporary results, says Caroline Apovian, M.D., professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and a spokesperson for The Obesity Society.




“If you’re going out and want to look really thin, I don’t see a problem with wearing one of these for an evening,” she says. In fact, wearing a waist trainer may even help boost some women’s confidence and encourage them to exercise and eat healthy. “If you look in the mirror and like what you see, it can potentially be a good thing.”




But as for the claims that these devices can actually reshape the body or trigger fat loss, there’s no evidence. “In my opinion, that is complete nonsense,” Dr. Apovian says.




In fact, some experts believe that regularly wearing a waist trainer can actually decrease core strength—exactly the opposite of what you want if you’re aiming for a sexy stomach, says celebrity trainer Nicole Glor.

What are the risks?




If a waist trainer is too tight—which many of them appear to be, if recent celeb photos are any indication—it could cause discomfort, interfere with breathing, or contribute to heartburn. “Your stomach might get pushed up beyond the diaphragm, which could cause reflux,” says Dr. Apovian. “If you’re wearing one and you experience those symptoms, that’s a definite sign that you need to loosen it or take it off.”




Wearing a waist-cinching device for a workout isn’t a good idea either, says Glor, especially if it restricts your mobility or your ability to take full, deep breaths. “It can really affect your ability to work hard,” she says. “Plus, I would worry about back acne from the tight apparatus and extra sweat.




Credit:Amanda MacMillan