7 Pros and Cons of Waist Training

Featured Corset: Elvira Black Satin Corset

Women are not all built the same, and thank goodness they don’t have to be. Accepting the beauty that comes in all sizes and shapes is good for everyone’s self-esteem. But that doesn’t mean you can’t also make an effort to change your figure if you want. 

Waist training is more than an effort to conform to one ideal of feminine beauty. It can take your figure places where exercise and healthy eating cannot.

If you’re thinking about trying waist training, you probably have a lot of questions. Does it hurt? Is it safe? How long will it take? The answers to these questions and more are actually pretty simple. 

Waist training should not hurt if you have the right style and size of corset. It is safe if done correctly, and it may take several weeks to several months to see results depending on your body and your commitment to a waist training schedule.

4 Pros of Waist Training

An hourglass figure is the obvious benefit of waist training and the reason most women are interested in trying it. Putting on a corset gives your waist an instantly smaller appearance, and with time, that change can become permanent. 

In fact, people can see a reduction of up to three inches in their natural waist size from waist training alone. As exciting as the idea of that hourglass figure may be, there are also other reasons to try waist training.

1. Improved Posture

Wearing a corset provides amazing support for your back. It instantly straightens your posture, hugs your low back, and shifts your shoulders into their proper position. Because of the added support a corset provides, many users report improvement in back pain. In fact, medical corsets are used for exactly that purpose.

2. Headache Relief

Of course, a waist trainer is not a cure for headaches or a substitute for medical care, but bad posture does put pressure on the muscles and nerves attached to your skull. Many medical experts recommend improving posture as one of the lifestyle changes to reduce headaches. Wearing a corset makes slouching almost impossible. 

Heavy-breasted women who experience headaches related to back strain may find relief from the extra support of an over-the-breast corset.

3. Weight Loss

The snug hug of a waist trainer can help you lose weight by helping you control your portions. 

You can eat or drink as much as you please while wearing a properly fitted corset, but wearing a waist trainer makes you more aware of feeling full. The small amount of pressure on your abdomen works like a lap band to help you feel fully satisfied with smaller amounts.

4. A Boost of Confidence

Stand up straight, with your shoulders back and your head up. Feel that? There’s something powerful about having good posture. When you walk a little taller and stand a little straighter, you naturally feel more confident. 

Wearing a corset will help you look better in all of your clothing, too, and that’s a good confidence builder, no matter who you are.

3 Cons of Waist Training

Like most good things in life, corset wearing isn’t all waspy waists and feeling fierce. There are a few downsides to waist training. 

The biggest complaint is that it takes patience. Finding the right corset for your natural shape and making sure it fits properly are the first steps to success. Learning how to lace your corset and tighten it when it loosens takes practice, but they are not Herculean tasks. 

If you follow directions and listen to what your body is telling you, anyone can be successful with a waist trainer.

1. Your Corset Is Uncomfortable

Corsets can be challenging to get used to, but if yours is truly uncomfortable, it is probably because you have the wrong size/shape or because you’ve tightened it too much. 

If you’ve purchased a quality garment and are confident you’re doing everything correctly and your waist trainer is still pinching or making it too difficult to breathe normally, it could be that waist training just isn’t for you.

2. You’re Too Hot

Is there really such a thing as being too hot? When it comes to body temperature — not sexiness — the answer is yes. Wearing a corset is wearing an extra layer of clothing, and because it hugs you snugly, a corset limits the airflow around your abdomen. If you overheat easily, try a mesh corset or our Gia corset belt. See: How to Stay Cool & Comfortable While Waist Training

3. A Corset Can Weaken Your Core

Because it holds your core so efficiently, your abdominal muscles can become reliant on a corset to support them. This can cause a loss of muscle tone, even if your waist is visibly getting smaller. Waist training is best combined with a healthy lifestyle that includes exercises to keep your core strong. 

Is Waist Training Right for You?

If your goals are realistic and you follow the recommendations for waist training, you’ll most likely enjoy wearing a corset. Just remember that a corset is not a substitute for proper medical care, and it’s still important to follow healthy diet and exercise habits even if you do have the support of a sexy secret weapon under your blouse. 

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