When it comes to waist training, we often hear the question, "Can you lose weight by sweating?"

Whether you’re new to waist training or have been trying it for a while, you may be wondering how exactly the whole process works.

Besides the dramatic slimming, the main effect a waist trainer has on your body while you’re wearing it is to heat up your core and make you sweat in the targeted area. So the question is, does sweating burn belly fat?

Sweating in and of itself doesn’t make you lose body fat directly; it makes you lose water. However, sweating hard indicates that your body is exerting energy, and that is an indicator that you may be burning fat—if you’re doing the right workouts.

Since it contributes to amplifying your workouts, which you’ll be able to feel when you sweat harder, a waist trainer can play a supplemental role in your overall slim-down journey. Wearing a waist trainer works with a combination of factors when you’re trying to target your body fat.

Here's what you need to know.

How Waist Trainers Boost Your Workouts

High quality workout bands use latex or other synthetic materials to provide firm compression around your core. This generates heat around your midsection, and you’ll feel the sweat underneath your waist trainer. By sweating harder, you’ll feel the higher intensity of your workout, even if you’re doing something as simple as taking a walk or cleaning the house.

There are several benefits to this. First, just wearing a waist trainer makes you look slimmer, which can help motivate you to keep up with your workouts and healthy lifestyle. If you enjoy working out more while wearing a waist trainer because of the way it makes you look and feel, chances are, you’re going to want to work out more consistently.

Furthermore, when you feel the intensity of your workout, it’s natural to keep the momentum going. Working up a sweat feels good and can make you want to do it again.

You will obviously lose some water weight when you sweat. If you listen to your body’s cues and drink a lot of water in response, you’re contributing to a healthy habit that can help you lose weight.

Wearing a waist trainer during workouts also supports your back and tucks in your tummy, which reminds you to use good form whether you’re lifting weights or doing cardio.

With all of these factors at play, you can see how a waist trainer can enhance your exercise routine and help you make progress with your weight loss goals.

Workouts for Fat Loss

Just because you’re wearing a waist trainer and sweating doesn’t mean you’re automatically burning fat. While you may be burning calories because of the energy you’re exerting, doing the right kinds of exercises is very important. We recommend doing a healthy mix of varying intensity cardio as well as strength training for a total of 5 to 6 days a week if you want to maximize your fat loss.

Strength training is effective for boosting your metabolism. Not only will you burn calories during your workouts, but your body will also continue to burn calories when you’re resting. When your muscles are fatigued, they need to rebuild themselves during their off days. One way they do that is by tapping into your body’s energy reserves—your fat cells.

With a well-balanced workout plan, you’ll maximize your calorie burn during and after exercise. Add a well-balanced diet, and you’ll be burning through fat and replacing it with muscle.

To summarize, sweating hard during a workout doesn’t cause fat loss directly, but it can be a great indicator that your workouts are effective and contributing towards fat loss.

Want some great fat-torching workout routines? Here are some of our favorites that you can do with a waist trainer:

Beginner Bodyweight Workout: this routine includes a series of beginner HIIT (high intensity interval training) moves such as squats, lunges and planks.

Brutal Fat-Burning HIIT Cardio: you’ll be sweating hard with this killer combination of sprints, jumping squats and jumping lunges. You can modify it depending on your ability level.

Total Body Strength Training: these dumbbell moves will work your major muscle groups and help you tone up as well as burn fat.

Body Toning Plus Booty-Building Training work your legs and get a bigger booty, all while strengthening your core. After doing these moves, your legs should be full fatigued.

Ab and HIIT Workout: Target your abdominal muscles while torching away fat in this interval workout that makes you sweat hard and will challenge your core.

How to Choose the Best Workout Band

To get the most out of your workouts, you’ll want a waist trainer that helps you sweat hard and makes you feel great when you’re wearing it. There are a few things to look for when choosing the ideal workout band:

Maximum compression: to sweat your hardest, use a workout band that is reinforced with latex.

Adjustable size: if you work out consistently, you may size down over time. For this reason it’s important to have a workout band that sizes down with you. Choose one that uses either a Velcro closure or 2–3 rows of hook-and-eye closures.

Perfect fit: in order to provide the results you want, your workout band should fit. Be sure to take accurate measurements and follow the custom size charts for your waist trainer. When in between sizes, choose the larger option (remember, you can adjust the garment and make it tighter if needed.)

Waist trainers also come in different lengths, so if you have a short a long torso, choose a garment designed for your body type. Some women also prefer a vest style waist trainer with shoulder straps for additional bust support and coverage for the upper back.

Style you love:since a big part of what makes waist training work is loving the way you look and feel while wearing one, choose a style that you’re going to want to show off. Waist trainers come in a variety of colors, fabrics and patterns that make them selfie-worthy and fun to wear to the gym.