This tummy-tucking shapewear makes me think of old-fashioned girdles that were excessively tight and buttoned-up corsets. But does the hype match the reality?

By wearing these compression garments while exercising or as part of your daily routine, flashy advertising claim you may selectively trim inches from your waistline. But according to Michael Clem, a physical therapist with Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, the assertions largely don't match the research.

People are looking for a quick fix, claims Clem. "We do it every day with our jeans and belts, so it seems simple to put something around our waist. What is there left to say? Diet and exercise need more significant behavioral changes and take longer to implement. All of us are aware of what must be done, but we choose not to."

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Workout Fitness

Disproving The Hourglass Mania

Four frequent misconceptions concerning waist trainers are dispelled by Clem, who also identifies one situation in which they can be helpful.

Spot-reduce fat: It is a myth that using a waist trainer to compress fat will cause it to remain in place once the shapewear is removed. Clem asserts that "fat is a systemic deposit." You can't burn fat in that area of your body by wearing something around your waist.
Sweat off those extra inches: Similar to this, increasing your sweating in one place of your body—in this case, under your waist trainer—will not cause fat to melt there. "The body uses sweat as a cooling mechanism. Sweating burns calories, yet we can't assume that those calories come from the place where we sweat "Noted by Clem.
Eat less since your belly is tightening: The same probably cannot be true of a thick band around the belly. Orthopedic braces or compression sleeves can heighten awareness of a bodily area, causing wearers to act differently. Our understanding of our interior organs is lacking, according to Clem. Furthermore, even though they exert pressure on the abdomen, waist trainers are unlikely to change how full the body feels.
Gain a stronger core: By providing concrete "input" on abdominal muscle use when a person heals from specific procedures, such as during rebuilding core muscles following a cesarean section, hernia surgery, or appendectomy, wearing a waist trainer may be helpful. However, Clem asserts that there are many more effective methods, such as working with a physical therapist on posture and breathing, to teach someone to sense their core.
Although anyone who is pregnant should not use them, there's probably no harm in testing one of the shape-shifting gadgets in most situations. Additionally, if you have any health problems, it is advisable to discuss with your doctor whether squeezing your core could have any side effects, such as making it difficult for you to breathe easily and deeply.

Do You Want To Trim Your Waist?

Try some workouts for your core.

Here are three excellent workouts to build the core muscles that help define the waist, listed from least to most difficult. As you progress, start with one set and pay close attention to your form.

Bridge

Reps: 10
Sets: 1-3
Tempo: 3-1-3
Between sets, take a 30-90 second break.

Starting position: Lie flat on your back with your feet hip-width apart and your knees bent. Your arms should be by your sides. Put your shoulders firmly against the ground.

Exercise:Squeeze your buttocks together, then lift your hips off the ground until they are in a linear fashion with your knees and shoulders. Hold. Go back to the beginning place.

Advice and methods:

Before you raise, tighten your buttocks.
Keep your feet, knees, hips, and shoulders all in the same place.
Maintain a relaxed, low back as you sink into the floor.