Shapewear, a foundation undergarment designed to be worn under your clothes, compresses and smooths out subcutaneous fat: the fat under the skin. The effect is a figure that’s slimmer, firmer and smoother. But does shapewear permanently reduce your belly fat? Will you lose inches from your waist and pounds from your body if you wear shapewear regularly?
What Does Shapewear Do?
Shapewear is a type of compression garment scientifically designed to compress and enhance your curves. It smooths out the jiggles and bulges that naturally come with every stage of life.
In the sporting world, compression garments have been shown to do the following:
- Increase blood flow, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients and efficiently removes wastes
- Increase the temperature of the compressed tissue
- Improve awareness of the body, which improves posture
- Reduce muscle soreness
While these effects can result in a more toned figure, they don’t directly remove or break down body fat. Increased blood flow doesn’t burn any extra calories. However, an increased temperature in the compressed tissue may accelerate metabolism and burn a few more calories.
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There is a dispute as to whether better posture burns more or fewer calories. One faction claims that since better posture engages your core muscles, you burn more calories. The other faction claims that since better posture allows you to move more efficiently and ergonomically, you burn fewer calories. What is not in dispute is that you will look more graceful, confident and youthful if you have a more proper posture.
Are the Effects of a Waist Cincher Permanent?
A waist cincher (also called a waist trainer) is a modern, scientifically designed compression garment that conceals and firms belly fat. It will smooth out your love handles and flatten your mommy pouch. Ultimately, it can make belly fat less visible.
Many people confuse waist cinchers with corsets. A corset is a stiff garment designed to push the breasts up, force the shoulders back and massively compress the waist. The corsets of the late 1800s were made out of metal and whalebone and often laced so tightly that they could deform the ribcage and move the internal organs into odd places, which permanently reduced the wearer’s waist measurement and impaired the wearer’s health.
A modern waist cincher is not a corset, so it will not do any of those harmful things. While you wear it, it makes your stomach appear flatter, thinner and more shapely. As soon as you remove it, the effect goes away. You can normally breathe while wearing a waist cincher, and it will not move your internal organs out of place. It will also not permanently take inches off your waist by deforming your ribcage.
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What About Cellulite?
Thigh and buttock shapewear compresses and firms your lower body parts while you wear it. Some studies have shown that regularly wearing shapewear will reduce the appearance of your cellulite when you’re not wearing your shapewear, such as at the beach. This effect may be due to the shapewear forcing excess fluid out of the fatty tissues, reducing the appearance of dimpling. Note, however, that these same studies did not find any actual loss of body fat due to wearing shapewear; it just temporarily made the cellulite less visible.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that shapewear will not help you lose belly fat or any other type of fat. However, shapewear will make you look fabulous while you’re wearing it. You’ll appear slimmer, more poised and more confident. Why not browse our shapewear for women collection and pick out some garments for yourself?
FAQs
The bottom line is that shapewear will not help you lose belly fat or any other type of fat. However, shapewear will make you look fabulous while you're wearing it. You'll appear slimmer, more poised and more confident.
Does shapewear help flatten the stomach? ›
The bottom line is that shapewear will not help you lose belly fat or any other type of fat. However, shapewear will make you look fabulous while you're wearing it. You'll appear slimmer, more poised and more confident.
What happens if you wear shapewear everyday? ›
You may not feel the need to urinate, even when your bladder is full, leading to stress incontinence or a UTI. Worn too tightly on the legs (even just on the thighs), shapewear may cause numbness, tingling, blood clots, pain, decreased circulation, varicose veins and even the dreaded cankles.
Where does the fat go when you wear shapewear? ›
Wondering how a body shaper functions? Well the science behind a body shaper is that when worn correctly. Body shapers simply move the fat into spaces where muscle is compressed. On the other hand, the fat is levelled into more desired areas for fat instead of simply sitting on your midsection.
Does shapewear help you lose weight? ›
Instead, it helps create an illusion of being thinner and more toned than you are. While shapewear may make you appear slimmer in photos or certain clothing items, it won't replace a healthy diet and exercise routine for long-term weight loss results.
What are the disadvantages of tummy shapewear? ›
The tight fabric can compress your abdomen and reduce the amount of space your internal organs have between them. This can slow down your digestive process. You may feel gassy and bloated as a result. Some people find that a tight belly shaper or waist trainer causes acid reflux.
What is the best undergarment to hide belly fat? ›
- Best Overall. Skims Seamless Sculpt Brief Bodysuit. ...
- Best Splurge. Wolford Forming Bodysuit. ...
- Best Budget. Bali Women's Lace 'N Smooth Shapewear. ...
- Best Seamless. Commando Classic Control Short. ...
- Best Thong. Fleur du Mal Le Body Control Bodysuit. ...
- Best for Lower Belly. Honeylove Cami Bodysuit. ...
- Best Tummy Control. ...
- Best Plus-Size.
Watch skin reaction
The most likely problem you might encounter with shapewear is skin irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin and you wear the garment for long periods. An allergic reaction to the chemicals that give the garments their stretch could be the culprit.
Is it better to size up or down in shapewear? ›
There's a common misconception that when purchasing shapewear, you should size down to get the right fit. This is not true. Sizing down will only make it more likely to get the appearance of lumps and bumps in places where you don't want them to be.
How long do you have to wear shapewear to see results? ›
The longer you stick with it, the more dramatic results you will achieve. We recommend that you plan on giving it a try for at least a couple of months and even much longer if you're looking for a dramatic change—listening to your body, of course! The most important thing here is to have fun and listen to your body.
Tight shapewear is believed to provide a more significant impact on smoothing out the silhouette and creating a visibly slimmer figure. However, there's a fine line between tight and uncomfortable, and it's crucial to choose shapewear that doesn't compromise your comfort.
Are there any benefits to wearing shapewear? ›
Shapewear for women helps the body gain support and prevents humpback, bosom flat, bosom prolapse, pail waist, flat hip, appetite prominent, turnip leg, bulky leg, and many. Moreover, women suffering from bladder prolapse can also get benefitted from shapewear as it provides a slight lift with appropriate support.
How many inches can you lose with shapewear? ›
Wearing shapewear does not burn calories or remove fat from the body, nor does it magically “shrink” your waistline or thighs. The bottom line is that shapewear will not help you lose belly fat or any other type of fat. However, shapewear will make you look fabulous while you're wearing it.
What can I wear to flatten my stomach? ›
For lower belly pooch slimming, look for shapewear that has targeted compression around the tummy. Shapewear shorts and underwear tend to be the best at smoothing the waistline and tummy area. While you won't want to wear it for too long, higher compression styles will create a more noticeable difference in appearance.
Is belly Shaper effective? ›
While the waist trainer may give that impression when a person wears it, according to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) blog, the garment will not drastically change a person's body shape. After a person has removed the waist trainer, it is unlikely to have a lasting effect.
