Waist Trainers- are they good or bad? Why have so many women taken a liking to a practice that’s typically associated with historical dramas and fashion? And if our ancestors snugged themselves into a tight corset, does cinching our waist with a special trainer serve as an excuse? Spoiler Alert: It doesn’t. And I’m not a fan.
Although the obsession with creating a perfect hourglass silhouette isn’t anything new, what we have today is a wealth of anatomy, physiology, and research to show that our pursuit for perfection doesn’t come without its costs. If you are one of the many people who’ve considered using a waist trainer, then please, read today’s post before you hand over your money and sanity into this fallacious practice.

Let’s Go Way Back

Way back then, waist trainers were called corsets. And squeezing into them was no easy task, often requiring the aid of another person to help you fight into them properly. The corset itself was a tool used for creating the illusion of a smaller waist, and even men were in on the game. [1] But the actual practice of physically pulling in the waist (tight lacing) came into prominence around the 1820s and 30s at the invention of the metal eyelet, which was the holes that the laces were threaded through. [2] From then on, corsetry became more extreme, and thus the heated debate of the complications of waist cinching was born. One of the oldest medical journals, the Lancet, even published research citing the dangers of tight lacing in 1890, stating that the effects, “cannot be but hurtful,” further elaborating that, “almost every important organ is subjected to cramping pressure, its functions interfered with, and its relations to other structures so altered as to render it, even if it were itself competent, a positive source of danger to them.” [3]
Yikes. Not exactly a glowing review. Further investigation found that, in the extremist of cases, frequent tight lacing caused serious damage to the lungs and therefore increased the risk of exacerbating common conditions like tuberculosis and pneumonia, as well as affecting the wearer’s ability to properly breathe. [4] But wait, there’s more! Not only was lung function impaired, but the internal organs were also rearranged, either shifting towards the lower abdomen (dramatically affecting digestion) or compressing against the spine. [4] Sure gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “beauty is pain”, doesn’t it?

What’s Old is New… and Still Just as Bad

But OK, I know what you’re thinking, “But Zuzka, the waist trainers used today aren’t from the Stone Age! They’re different!” Well, different in what way? Sure, you may not be cinching yourself into oblivion, but what else could you possibly be doing in today’s modern corset- sorry, waist trainer? Well, just like before, the idea is to create a smaller waist. Plain and simple. But here is the bad and ugly side of waist training.
With the bad being the least offensive of side effects, you’re only creating a temporary, visual illusion. Appearance-wise, you do have a smaller waist. Anyone can see that. But as soon as you take it off, you’re back to your normal-sized waist. Physically wearing something doesn’t guarantee any sort of fat loss or even muscle tone. You’re just manipulating the fat around your waist and making it look a certain (albeit smaller) way without doing anything to actually get rid of it. A waist trainer doesn’t hold a candle to burning fat via exercise and diet. In fact, clever marketers or influencers on social media often add the disclaimer that the best results are seen when combined with diet and exercise. Which puts the effectiveness of the waist trainer into question. If it truly were a miracle, then why commit to fitness and nutrition? And like I mentioned before, you’re also wasting your money into a deceptive product- pun intended. Those influencers you see on social media are also liable to using trickery to make it seem like the sum of their results falls on the use of a single product. They’re known to using apps to distort their body, making them appear slimmer, tighter, and, well, perfect. You’ll also see that they commit to using filters to make their faces smooth and glowing like Barbie dolls. They’ll be wearing tons of makeup, false lashes, and extensions. And the bulk of their posts is superficial, filled with nothing more than eye candy and ads selling detox teas and other useless products you don’t really need. So, question the source. Is this product really helping them? Who are they, what is their background, and are they real people with good, honest intentions?
But all of these things are just the minor effects of waist trainers. Let’s get into the ugly side.

Waist Trainers: Side Effects Include…

It’s time for a rude awakening everyone. There’s quite a list of consequences of frequent waist training that make the extreme practice of tight lacing very proud.
These include:

• Weakening the Core (ironically leading to weakness or even atrophy in the abdominal muscles)
• Increasing or Worsening Back Pain (due to cutting off core strength, which also leads to postural imbalances, injury, and potential spinal damage)
• Reflux, Indigestion, Heartburn, Constipation, GI Distress, and Incontinence (by pressurizing the stomach, intestines, and bladder; in extreme cases, may lead to visceral displacement)
• Blood Flow Restriction
• Improper Breathing and Flow of Oxygen
• Damage to the Lower Ribs
• Impaired Mobility and Exercise Performance
[5] [6] [7]

Now tell me… are you still convinced that waist trainers are worth your time? More importantly, your health? Sorry guys, but I’ve been in this game long enough to know that cheaters don’t get very far unscathed. Extreme practices often lead to extreme results. I’d rather you take the time and patience to master the basics of food and exercise. I know they’re not glamorous, but anyone out there worth their salt knows that it’s the boring, mundane stuff that produces the best results. And the reason we continue to preach them is that most people fail to actually do them! On top of that, the majority of science out there focuses on diet and exercise, not fads like waist training. If waist trainers were a miracle, every medical and fitness professional would be advocating for them. And there wouldn’t be so many schemes and practices for losing weight.
So, I hate to burst your bubble, but waist training gets two thumbs down from me. Put your money to good use and invest in better things like exercise equipment and whole foods. And go to bed at night knowing that you haven’t caused any serious harm to your body. Trust me, I am sure there are those that were swayed by false promises that wish they’d used better judgment.

Sources:

[1] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/men-wore-corsets-and-7-other-unknown-things-about-the-world-of-jane-austen-19759433/
[2] https://www.cnet.com/news/vintage-x-rays-reveal-the-hidden-effects-of-corsets/
[3] http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(02)19631-0/abstract
[4] https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/fashion/x-rays-reveal-corsets-put-squeeze-victorian-women-article-1.1353935
[5] https://www.askfitnesscoach.com/the-dangers-of-waist-training/
[6] https://www.ucihealth.org/blog/2015/10/waist-training-long-term-harmful-effects
[7] https://www.t-nation.com/living/the-truth-about-waist-trainers