Over time, many “tricks” and “hacks” that have been promoted among the masses with the promise that they’ll lose weight fast and achieve their body goals within a certain time. Whether it’s by going on fad diets or by spending hours at the gym, everyone is on the lookout for one way or another to lose weight. This leads to the introduction of products marketed as weight loss solutions, and waist wraps fall under this category of products!
Waist wraps are becoming one of the most sought-after methods of losing weight and get their desired body. Celebrities posting photos of their miraculous body transformations using the product has helped waist wraps become a very popular new trend among fitness enthusiasts.
But, the question still stands; what exactly are waist wraps, and do they really work? Below we will discuss everything there is to know about the product from what it is meant to do to its pros as well as its cons so you can decide if they are the right choice for you:
What Are Waist Wraps?
Waist wraps are products meant to be wrapped around the stomach area while you work out to promote sweating around that specific region. They come in several different materials, each with their own use and functionality. They are meant to create a sauna-like feeling. The reasoning behind this is to reduce water retention and burn fat stored in the stomach area, resulting in a leaner shape.
Waist wrap materials can vary greatly; some are made of plastic, while others are made of cloth that is secured with velcro. Some manufacturers have even incorporated heating pads into the wraps to raise the temperature around the core during a workout.
Waist wraps also help people who have back or spine issues or injuries during their workout. When a person wearing a waist wrap lifts weights, the wrap can help absorb some of the shocks from the jerk of the lift. This is true with any other exercises that require quick movements.
What Are Waist Wraps Meant To Achieve?
Waist wraps generally claim to help the body release toxins with perspiration while also reducing the fat content around your abdominal region and helping your metabolism speed up. This product is meant to be a workout enhancer, giving you better results for the same workout.
The manufacturers of this product claim that a waist wrap can help a person achieve a leaner look in the abdominal region. However, the results are not meant to be relied on with the wraps alone. A significant lifestyle change, including regular exercise and a controlled diet, are some of the requirements of using the wraps effectively.
While exercising, the waist wraps help increase the core temperature of the body to accelerate perspiration which helps drop water weight a lot faster. They are also recommended by chiropractors for spinal injury patients as they help maintain good posture during a workout or even otherwise.
The claims made by this product can be seen in advertisem*nts for it. They claim to give that much sought-after hourglass figure without the extra work needed to get there. It is meant to target weight loss in a specific area; the claims are that it tightens the waist by increasing the temperature of that area to burn fat, specifically from there.
Do They Work?
While waist wraps have been known to have shown results for people trying to lose weight, there is no actual scientific evidence to back up the claims. Most of the reports you see on this product are exclusively anecdotal, with no actual experimental measures being taken. This should be noted because, with anecdotes, you don’t get to see all the other ways a person might be working to achieve the results. They might be discounting all their effort and attributing their success to this one product. With this, it can be assumed that waist wraps might enhance the weight-loss process, but it cannot definitively be said that it is responsible for it.
The claims of losing water weight of the waist wraps are absolutely true as it does promote more sweating than usual. However, you need to keep in mind that the loss of water weight is not permanent. Anything you do to rehydrate yourself like drink water or even consume food, the lost water weight is bound to come back. What this does is that it temporarily gives you a leaner look through the illusion of losing weight.
As for the body expelling toxins, sweating is a great way to do that. Whether you do that exclusively during work out or by adding a perspiration enhancer, you’re going to get nearly the same results.
All in all, the claims made by manufacturers for this belt are mostly unproven, and there is no actual evidence showing that they work. However, if you have any back injury, pop one on for your workout for a little extra support.
The Downside
The increase in core temperature by this belt is sold as a plus point by advertisers of this product. In reality, increased core temperature is only good up to a certain point. After that, it can have adverse effects on the body. Some of these effects include dehydration, which can lead to much more severe problems in the body, and, in extreme cases, it can also be fatal. Excess water loss can cause a person’s body to go into shock or suffer anything from dizziness to severe headaches and more.
Waist wraps, when bound tightly like a corset, can lead to lowered blood circulation to certain parts of the body, leading to hypovolemic shock, which may lead to vomiting, fatigue, accelerated heartbeat, and, in extreme cases, can cause organ failure as well. Don’t take the usage of this product lightly; use it carefully as instructed to avoid any adverse effects on your body.
- Cassy Shannon
