Ready to slim down your midsection? Getting an hourglass waistline doesn’t require endless hours at the gym with expensive equipment or a restrictive diet. But what you do need is a dedication to waist training, eating smart and choosing exercises that you can do at home (or just about anywhere).

Waist training is the practice of wearing a waist trainer daily, which can help you slim your waistline instantly, while also supplementing smart eating habits and an exercise plan. Waist training works by stimulating perspiration and thermal activity in your core, which can be especially effective at intensifying your workouts.

At Hourglass Angel, we believe that not only is it possible, but just about anyone who wants to try a waist training regimen can have fantastic results with the right approach. If you’re wondering how to get started, here’s how to jump-start your waist-slimming plan, with simple but effective waist training exercises that you can try at home

The Best Exercises for Waist Training

There are many different exercises you can try with a waist trainer. The only ones we don’t recommend are any types of crunches. If you insist on doing crunches or similar torso-bending moves, take the waist trainer off during that portion of your workout.

Depending on your preferences, be mixing in at least three days a week of allover strength training exercises with medium to high-intensity cardio—for 30–60 minutes a day, five days a week. Some people like to spread out different muscle groups over five days, while others like to do more intensive strength training on three days, with cardio on the rest days. Just be sure not to work out the same muscle groups two days in a row (not counting cardio).

Here’s a roundup of the most effective waist trainer exercises you can do at home.

• For lower-body strengthening, try a Pilates circuit with squats, pointed butt lifts, fire hydrants, heel kicks and bridges.
• To strengthen your core, check out these posture-improving exercises.
• To get your heart pumping with all-over strengthening, check out this intense HIIT routine.
• Here’s an alternative core-strengthening circuit routine.
• We also love these waist trainer strength-training videos from fitness blogger MizzFit.

You can also wear a waist trainer very effectively with just about any type of cardio including running, walking, biking or on your favorite piece of fitness equipment.

Finally, don’t forget to include all-over stretching as a part of your regular fitness routine, so that your muscles can heal and stay limber. You can try yoga or any relaxing routine that you prefer.

Choosing the Right Waist Trainer

In addition to having a great workout plan, another important factor in a success waist training regimen is having the right garments.

For the best results with your workouts, you’ll want to use one of our workout bands. These are constructed with a more durable design so that they’ll hold up no matter how rigorous your workout is or how hard you sweat. You can choose a traditional band style, or for additional support and coverage for the bust and back, you may prefer a vest style.

While some people choose to wear a workout band for the rest of the day, we actually recommend that you choose an everyday style, which will provide firm control and be comfortable enough to wear all day once you’ve grown accustomed to it. Wearing at least two different waist trainers also allows the latex to rest and retain its elasticity, and you can keep them fresh and clean.

There are many different styles of waist trainers to choose from; what works for you depends on your personal preferences, body type, and goals.

• Steel-boned, lace-up corsets are latex-free options with a classic look that are completely customizable and easily size down as you slim down.
• Waist training vests provide additional support for the bust as well as more complete coverage for the upper back, which can be ideal for women with larger busts. Be sure to choose an option with adjustable straps if you have a high bust-to-waist ratio.
• If you are petite or if you have a long torso, you may want to consider options better suited for your body type. There are also some garments that have more options in plus sizes.
• Most latex cinchers hook up in the front; some have two rows of hooks and some have three. You may prefer three if you plan on sizing down considerably as part of your waist training goals.

It’s also very important when selecting your ideal waist trainer to get the correct size. Take the measurement at the narrowest point of your waist, where there is a natural bend above your belly button. Use fabric or vinyl measuring tape and lay it flat on your skin, keeping it parallel with the floor. It shouldn’t be so tight that you can’t fit a couple of fingers underneath.

Be sure to follow the sizing chart of your garment of choice exactly. We have carefully curated and tested every waist trainer that we sell and have adjusted the sizing charts accordingly. The sizing can vary a bit by brand and style. If your waist trainer has number sizes, don’t mistake the garment size for your waist size, because they won’t be the same.

Getting Started with Your Waist Training Regimen

If you’ve never tried waist training before, there can be a bit of an adjustment period when getting started. Don’t simply jump in without breaking in your new garment and letting your body adjust to the way it feels.

Before you even begin, make sure that your waist trainer has a great fit. If it fits correctly, you should love the way you look immediately after putting it on. It will feel very tight, but you shouldn’t have to yank it on or feel extremely uncomfortable. These are indications of a poor fit.

It can be a little tricky getting waist trainers on the first time; see here for detailed instructions on how to put on a latex cincher and corset, plus how to break them in. It’s especially important that you wear a corset loosely several times before you begin tightening the laces fully; otherwise, you risk warping the whole garment.

Once you’ve tried on your waist trainer and it’s broken in, it’s time to jumpstart your waist training plan. Your goal is to be wearing your waist trainer for at least eight hours every day, for a maximum of about twelve hours. It takes time to build up your endurance to this amount of time, but if you stick with a daily habit, it shouldn’t be a difficult transition after about a month or so.

Here is an example schedule of what a beginner’s waist training regimen might look like:

• Day 1:
  Get a feel for your waist trainer by wearing it for about an hour. Test it out in different positions: sitting, standing, walking, etc. Be sure to take some “before” selfies so you can track your waist training progress. Today might also be a good day to try out some different outfits and see what looks most flattering with your new hourglass waistline.

• Day 2:
  Aim for two hours today. You should be starting to get a feel for it.
• Day 3:
  You don’t have to wait for today, but if you haven’t yet, try working out in your workout band. Go for a brisk walk or try some other type of cardio so you can grow accustomed to how it feels. You should have a waist trainer on for about three hours today.
• Day 4:
  Your goal is four hours total waist training today. If needed, break it up into two sessions. Today is also a great day to test out some of our recommended strength training exercises. From here on out you will want to be aiming to work out five days a week with a health mix of strength training and cardio. If you’re not in the habit of exercising it will take time for you to build up your endurance, but just remember that getting and trying it is half the battle.
• Day 5:
  You guessed it: five hours of waist training! You’re going to be sweating more around your midsection, so be sure you’re getting adequate water. Measure out at least 64 ounces a day. Be sure to get in some cardio again today.
• Day 6:
  You’re almost all the way there to a full schedule of waist training! Do some more strength training.
• Day 7:
  Take a day off and congratulate yourself for making it this far, unless of course you’re pumped up and want to keep going.
• Day 8–14 and beyond:
  This whole week, you should be settling into a consistent waist training routine. By the end of the week, you should feel pretty comfortable wearing your waist trainer for at least eight hours daily.

By the end of the month, we recommend taking some “after” photos. You might even need to size down your waist trainer, so keep up the great work!