As I scroll through my Facebook and Instagram feeds I cannot help but notice the influx of young woman flaunting their tiny waistlines.  Some of these physiques seem oddly perfect and yet clearly unattainable.  Were these women born with genetic gifts from the physique gods?  Have they spent hours on the operating table getting nipped and tucked until the perfect modern-day Barbie appeared?  Or maybe they just eat really clean and work out regularly.  For starters, don’t believe everything you see…today’s apps, filters and Photoshop editors make it simple for the average Jane to transform from Courtney Love to Julianne Hough.  Trust me – she didn’t wake up like that! Unfortunately women are under a great deal of pressure to look a certain way and worst still are the “celebrities” who promote unsafe practices for achieving these looks. Enter the waist trainer….formerly known as the corset.  The original corset was believed to date back to the 1500s and was just as scary then as it is today.  The corset or waist trainer is a form of undergarment designed to constrict the midsection through tight lacing thereby distorting the natural shape of the body into a new, more streamlined hourglass figure.  Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Why bother hitting the gym or eating salads when you can just strap on a waist trainer, tighten it until you can barely breathe and then sit back and let the magic happen?  As a fitness professional I always do my research when a new trend hits the scene.  Many of my clients share a common goal of losing weight, particularly around their waists.  While the concept of the waist trainer is not a terrible thing the extremes that people are putting themselves through are completely unnatural and can be very detrimental to one’s health.  Yes, if you waist train daily the odds are in your favor that your waist will start to cave in a bit but don’t be fooled; you have not eliminated the fat around your midsection you’ve simple squeezed it into other areas…hello instant back fat.  Speaking of squeezing, have you considered that there are some major internal organs under that waist trainer?  In addition to your waist those organs are being constricted and reshaped as well.  This can lead to a host of serious digestive problems and cause difficulty breathing.  You also run the risk of weakening your entire core which will ultimately ruin your abdominal musculature and potentially cause back problems.  If you are really looking to harm yourself go ahead and wear a waist trainer to the gym because that lack of oxygen is sure to help you along with your workout.  Just be certain there is a CPR-certified individual on hand. So the moral of the story is: JUST SAY NO to waist trainers.  Exercise belts that make you sweat more in the midsection are fine.  They cannot be tightened to a degree that will cause harm to the body.  Yet, if someone tries to sell you a modern-day lace-style corset quickly run the other way.  I wish to tell you that there is a magic pill, magic undergarment, magic something that will quickly and easily help you reach your fitness goals but sadly there is not.  Don’t believe the hype. A positive mindset, a healthy menu and a consistent training schedule is everything you need to be your best.  I can show you how!  Email me for details: NJFitnessTrainer@gmail.com

Wow, your organs look so pretty now! DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME WAIST TRAINING