Exercising with a waist trainer? Think again!
MOST women are in pursuit of a bomb body, and while some people take the old-fashioned route of exercising, others get their bodies enhanced through cosmetic surgery, and for those who just don’t have the guts to go under the knife or just don’t have the big bucks, they have been feeding into the idea of creating an illusion of a slim waist, and curvy bust and thighs with the help of the popular body-sculpting gear — the waist trainer.
But while they are not only affordable, but convenient and save you from having to commit to an exercise regimen, fitness instructor and personal trainer Gisel Harrow said that waist trainers can be problematic even when they are part of your fitness plan.
“Waist trainers outside of the gym cause women to lie to themselves and to their suitors because they are really selling a version of themselves that is not representative of them. Inside the gym, on the other hand, using waist trainers, while they may have some benefits, they come with some discomfort as well as make your workout awkward,” Harrow advised.
She said that while waist trainers inside the gym or while doing your usual exercises at home are a matter of personal preference, you may find that they make it difficult to maintain good form during your exercise.
“The truth about using waist trainers during your workout is that you have to remain consistent with them just as much as you’re consistent with your workout and a balanced diet. Even if you achieve your desired results it won’t last long because if you stop using it your body will return to its natural form,” Harrow explained.
She pointed out that a common downside to using waist trainers is that it weakens your core muscles since you can’t physically engage them while doing your exercises due to the restrictions from the waist trainer.
Harrow said that using a waist trainer, especially constantly, can also feed into unhealthy habits.
“Interestingly enough, many waist trainer brands encourage that you use their products with a healthy diet and regular exercise. But waist trainers are designed to cinch at the waist, which can lead to an unhealthy, unsafe decrease in the amount of food you eat because you’ll feel fuller, faster,” Harrow explained.
She recommends instead that women focus on balancing their diets and exercise in a way that both supports their well-being and that feels good. This, she says, is the key to a healthy lifestyle and only then are your results guaranteed to last and your body will be balanced in overall strength and health.
In addition, she said that if a waist trainer has become part of your wardrobe, then you should also consider ditching it because once you remove the device you will only go back to feeling insecure about your body. Instead, when you have created your fitness goals, worked towards them and have achieved them, you can begin to feel good about yourself and you also gain the liberty of widening the various clothing designs that you would have had to reconsider because your waist trainer would not work with that particular style.
