What Is Waist Training?

If you are struggling to keep your waistline snatched then you are just like all other humans in the world with two X chromosomes. Having an hourglass figure has been highly coveted by women since the beginning of time, however many new products and programs are selling lies to ladies everywhere.

“Lose 10 inches off your waist in 10 days,” may sound like a wonderful quick solution, but if you want a little middle that will last, the only thing you should be doing quick is reading this.

It’s A Wrap For Waist Wraps

Body wraps have been around for ages. Claiming to assist in loss of body weight, loss of body fat, and loss of inches. However this is truly one of the oldest, most ridiculous scams in the book. Yet, people are still falling for it. So here’s the truth sis. First and foremost there is a huge difference between losing “fat” and losing “inches.” When your body fat decreases, your circumference measurements will usually also decrease, but again, “fat” loss and “inch” loss are not the same. With that said body wraps and waist belts do not shrink fat cells or burn body fat – no matter what type of wrap is used and regardless of what you are wrapped in. It doesn’t matter. Fat can only be lost with a caloric deficit from a reduction in food intake and an increase in activity. Yes wraps can definitely take off inches, but know this: it’s water weight and the results are definitely temporary. Those inches and/or water weight will come right back in days (if not hours) as soon as you re-hydrate. It ought to be a wrap for waist wraps because straight up, they are dangerous. You didn’t lose weight lady, you’re actually just dehydrated.

Crunch If You Want To

Another myth in waist trainings is “crunches will give you a flat stomach/six pack.” Lie. First off all majority of folks do crunches wrong, straining their necks and pulling on their spines/backs as opposed to flexing their core muscles. This causes a lot of strain on the vertebras that make up your spine. And P.S. All that crunching will ultimately give you one thing: a rounded back. Second of all, even if you are one of the few who do crunches correctly you are still only working a small fraction of your core. Crunches only allow for forward flexion and isolate the upper layer of the abdominal region only. There are various other regions and planes of motion that make up your core. So unless you are interested in bulky lumps around your ribs, a Quasimodo physique and a hernia skip all those crunches.

Burn The Fat Build The Muscle

With that said, the best way to train your core is to focus on a regimen that is a combination of both cardio and functional based movements. Your core is the meat of the sandwich when it comes to your body, so training it to activate and stay engaged during “total body” movements is far more beneficial than isolating your core only. And secondly, you need to burn the fat and build the muscle at an even rate. If you are always focusing on your core and aren’t doing cardio or eating clean (see below) then your abdominal muscles will forever be hidden under layers of fat.

Hit It From The Back

Speaking of not wanting to look like Quasimodo…understand that your core region is more than what you see in front of you. In order to have a well rounded midsection you have to also hit those muscles from the back in the gym. A strong lower and upper back coupled with strong abdominal muscles automatically puts less strain on your spine. Goodbye back problems. The vertebra in your spine are less likely to be strained or injured when they are being held up evenly by the mid section muscles that are in the front and in the back. So add some bent over rows and lower back extensions to your core regimen so you aren’t lopsided in the middle mamma.

Abs Are Made In The Kitchen

All my clients rocking rock hard abs will tell you that their results finally came once they started eating clean. The tummy you are looking for can be yours if you remember this one thing: 30 perfect gym. 70 perfect diet. Real talk ladies. Eating clean and healthy is not only going to make you feel good, it is also going to help you break down the fatty tissue stored around your belly and bring out those hidden abs. So before you pick up another fork, eliminate all things white and processed foods. Eat more healthy fat, plant based foods and drink more water (less booze). Stick to this and put in the work at the gym and you will have a new place to wash your clothes. Hello washboard abs!