“Waist training.”
I’m sure you’ve heard of it; maybe even seen it a few places (thank you Kardashian sisters and social media feeds worldwide).
If you haven’t seen it, it’s basically a corset.
You cinch up a piece of fabric around your middle that keeps everything “sucked in” and “tight”.
While this is a great temporary fix and will help you with your figure for one night or the duration of the time wearing it, there is actually zero evidence that it helps in the long run.
By simple wearing one of these “waist trainers” you’re not burning any calories, strengthening any core muscles (you’re actually weakening them as you rely on the corset to perform your muscles’ role of core stabilization), or losing any inches.
Basically, there are a lot better uses of your time… like exercising…
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I’ve got your “waist training” right here!
If you’re looking to whittle your middle, increase core strength, and get that “hourglass” figure you’ve always desired, don’t reach for the waist trainer… reach for your exercise mat instead!
Today I wanted to share with you my answer to “waist training” – 15 of the best ab/core/midsection workouts you can do that are going to help you slim down your midsection and add crazy awesome stomach definition!
If you’re looking for real-life “waist training” then buckle up – you’ve just landed in the right spot!!
What is waist training?
“Waist Training” is the process of wearing a corset around your midsection for hours at a time with the goal of creating a slimmer appearance and spot-specific weight-reduction. The claims behind this are all over the place…
“It helps you sweat more around your stomach to burn more fat in this area.”
“It compresses your stomach like a ‘lap band’ to keep you from eating as much.”
“It squeezes out the water weight your belly is retaining.”
These claims are not backed by any evidence, completely false, and in my professional opinion – downright foolish.
Does waist training really work?
Don’t get me wrong – wearing a corset or waist trainer for an hour or two on one evening a week is completely fine. Maybe you’ve got a dinner or an appearance where you want to “suck it all in” and “keep things tight”. Throw on a waist trainer and rock that evening with confidence!
But as far as actually yielding long-term results there is zero evidence supporting their efficacy.
In fact – if worn long-term they actually do a lot more to HURT your progress then to help it.
Your core muscles should be active and engaged throughout your day. Whether it be sitting, standing, walking, etc. human movement requires core muscle activation. It’s this activation that keeps our muscles strong and functioning.
When you wear a corset or waist trainer, you actually turn your core muscles completely off. They don’t have to contract or be active because your core is already supported by the waist trainer. Wearing core support (a waist trainer, weight-lifting belt, etc) for an extended period of time actually weakens your core muscles and can predispose you for future injuries.
Should I workout with my waist trainer?
Absolutely not. There’s zero benefit to wearing a waist trainer when you’re exercising. In fact, wearing a corset or waist trainer around your midsection while working out can actually inhibit core muscle activation – the very thing you’re after when you’re in the gym. It also limits your lung capacity – it restricts the movement of your rib cage thereby limiting your ability to fully inhale. Now I’m not a doctor (wait, yes I am) but last I checked oxygen when you’re exercising is a good thing.
So to recap – if you’re looking to appear slimmer and tighter for a couple hours on a special occasion – I’m all for cinching things in a little with a waist trainer or corset. But if you want actual, long-term, real-life results – there’s simply no substitute for clean eating and core strengthening.
LET’S MOVE ON TO OUR WORKOUTS!
As an important caveat to these workouts – I am not a proponent of “spot treating”. You can’t do exercises for one area of your body only and expect to see crazy gains isolated in that one area.
You have to take a whole-body, multi-facet approach: cardio, weight training, healthy eating, drink all your water, etc.
Of course you can include focused and specific core strengthening in your routine (my recommendation) to help progress the results that you see in these areas.
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Might I suggest these workouts in combination with our “30-Day Healthy Eating Guide” to get you on the right track and to help you see results faster? This 30-day menu plan includes breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner recipes Click HERE or the image below to learn more…
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And now on to the workouts!
Day 1 – 4 Moves To Flatten Your Stomach
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