When researching ways to lose weight and slim down your midsection, perhaps you’ve come across the practice of waist training. One of the claims of waist training is that it helps you to eat less by curbing your appetite.

Is it too good to be true? Do waist trainers curb appetite as an effective way to lose weight?

There is quite a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to what waist training can and can’t do, so let’s clear the air and get the facts.

What Is Waist Training and How Does It Work?

First, let’s define what waist training actually is.

For the purposes of this post, waist training is the practice of wearing a waist slimming garment daily as part of a healthy lifestyle or slim-down plan.

In order to waist train effectively, it’s important to wear a high-quality slimming garment designed for that purpose. Some of the most popular waist trainer styles are garments constructed with latex, also called cinchers, which use compression to slim down the waist during use and stimulate heat and perspiration. Cinchers typically use hook-and-eye closures that are secured at the front of the garment.

Workout bands are one particular type of cincher designed for use during exercise. Celebrities like the Kardashians have made workout bands popular. They are effective to use during workouts because they keep your tummy tucked in and your back straight, while helping you sweat harder and amplify the intensity.

Another style of waist training garment is an underbust steel-boned corset. Instead of using latex, corsets are designed with flexible steel boning and laces in the back to provide compression and slimming. Corsets typically create the most dramatic hourglass curves and a sharp cinch at the natural waist.

Whatever style of waist trainer you use, it’s important to wear one at least eight hours a day to get the best results. There isn’t one way that a waist trainer “works;” rather, there are a variety of factors at play when you wear a waist trainer that can contribute to slimming down, including the way the waist trainer helps you feel about yourself so that you can stay motivated with your diet and exercise plan.

Waist Trainers and Healthy Eating Habits

In order to get the best results from waist training, it’s important to incorporate your daily regimen with healthy lifestyle habits, including a nutritious diet and regular exercise.

Wearing a waist trainer works well with a healthy diet for a couple reasons. First, it can help you get a vision for what your figure can look like if you stick to a sensible eating and exercise plan. Instead of posting pictures of models on your mirror for inspiration, look at yourself! (For this reason, we also recommend you take progress photos.)

Daily waist training can also remind you to use sensible portion control during your meals. Large meals may feel uncomfortable to consume when your midsection is under compression. You’ll be more comfortable eating 5-6 smaller meals a day, rather than 3 larger ones.

Research suggests that eating several small meals a day doeshelp decrease hunger and improve appetite control. So if wearing a waist trainer reminds you to adapt this pattern of consuming meals, then it can be a part of managing your appetite and overeating.

For the most effective results with this type of diet, you’ll want to make sure that your meals are nutritious and help you feel full in between eating times. This is not a license to graze on whatever you want throughout the day!

Ideally, every meal should have a balance of carbs, protein and healthy fats. Unless you’re under guidance from a licensed nutritionist, we don’t recommend eliminating any whole food groups. Follow a diet plan that you can stick with for the long term, such as:

• Avoiding refined carbs and sugars as much as possible
• Sticking to whole foods
• Limiting sweet drinks and alcohol, or avoiding them altogether
• Drinking lots of water—try it in herbal teas or infused with lemon

And if it’s not obvious, it’s also important to stay active in order to get the best results from waist training. Find the activities that you love most and get out and do them! Ideally, you should have a good balance of cardio, strength training and stretching. But if doing all of that sounds overwhelming, just start with moving! Something is always better than nothing.

What Results You Can Realistically Expect from Waist Training

We’ve heard many stories from our customers about how waist training has helped them slim down. Everyone’s experience has been different because each person is so different. Your results depend on a variety of factors including how much you change your lifestyle, your body type, how consistently you wear a waist trainer, and even your genetic makeup.

Having said that, it’s not uncommon to see results with waist training in just a few weeks. Here are some examples of how waist training helped real women slim down over a few weeks:

“ I noticed when I first started this practice that I couldn't finish my food. After a few weeks of wearing the cincher my body started getting used to eating smaller amounts then I was used to…I started to see results in just 5-10 weeks. My waist started shrinking in inches and I noticed I was having better posture in my back. I also found that my lower stomach had less of a sag.” – Desire S.

“I wore it every day, 8–10 hours a day, sometimes more. I saw results two days after using and I'm still seeing results now.” – Ana P.

“The garment exceeded my goals and expectations…I stayed on a low carb diet, and I have lost 7 pounds during my waist training journey!” Ruby J.

You can read more before and after stories to get inspired about waist training results!

We hope it’s clear that waist training can play an integral role in your overall slim-down journey. If you have any questions, or need help choosing the right waist trainer for your needs, we're happy to help!