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Waist trainers (also called corsets) are meant to give your body an hourglass shape, smoothing the abdomen and making your hips and breasts stand out more. Unfortunately, waist trainers work by pushing fat away from the abdomen and toward these areas, which often results in problems like back fat at the top of your trainer. So, how do you hide back fat in a waist trainer? You can hide back fat in a waist trainer by wearing a soft, supportive bra, adding a tank underneath the corset, or pairing it with other types of shapewear for a better overall look. Doing things like fastening it starting from the middle instead of from bottom to top or top to bottom also helps. Below, we'll take a closer look at how to hide back fat in a waist trainer, as well as reasons why your corset pushes back fat up and what you can do about it. Is it Normal for My Waist Trainer to Push Back Fat Up? The way that waist trainers work is by pushing around the soft tissue on your body, usually excess fat around your abdomen and waist. By pushing it away from your tummy where it usually is and moving it either up or down, it creates an hourglass shape. This means that it's 100% normal for your corset to push back fat up, down, or anywhere really. It's something that happens to most women who wear waist trainers and you are not alone. How to Hide Back Fat in a Waist Trainer The good news about dealing with back fat in a waist trainer is that there are a lot of other women who have struggled with this as well. This means that they've already figured out a lot of the tricks and tips that help you hide that back fat, so you don't have to. Let's take a look. Start with the Right Size The size of your clothing really matters, especially when it comes to things like underwear that roll down or a strapless dress that shows off back fat. Waist trainers are no different in this way. Even though they are meant to squeeze your body, something that squeezes it too much is going to make the problem worst. With the way waist trainers are designed, it's best to know your measurements and use sizing charts to get the most accurate size. Even if it fits, that's not always a guarantee that you have the size you actually need. Fasten Your Corset from the Middle The way that you lace or fasten your waist trainer also is going to make a difference in how it pushes fat around on your body. When you start at the bottom and lace to the top (this is how a lot of people do it), all that excess fat on your abdomen is pushed upward onto your body and that's why it sticks out of the top of your corset. Instead, start fastening your waist trainer in the middle. Work your way down to the bottom first, to push the fat down around your hips and bottom. Then fasten from the middle going up. While this won't eliminate back fat completely, it will make it so there is a little less back fat sticking out of your waist trainer. In addition to fastening correctly, some people have success "tucking" unwanted bulge into the top of their waist trainer after they have it on. Since a good waist trainer helps hold everything in place, this does work for some people. Use a Different Bra Than Normal Most women who wear waist trainers find that the bra they typically wear does not work to help smooth back fat. This happens because the average bra doesn't offer full coverage for your back. When the underwire is thinner, it creates lines across the extra skin at the top of your corset that makes back fat more noticeable. Most women find that a softer bra that offers more coverage in the back helps smooth out back fat a little and makes it less apparent. Some people even find that a sports bra works well, especially since a waist trainer holds your breasts up a little bit, so they already have a little support from that. In addition to fuller coverage in the back of the bra, you'll want fuller coverage on the sides. A lot of times, the spillage experienced at the top of your waist trainer bulges out under your arms, too. Put a Tank Top Under Your Corset Adding a tank top to your outfit before putting on your waist trainer also helps minimize the appearance of back fat, especially if it's made from a light compression fabric. Compression fabric is going to press down on back fat and smooth it out, making it a lot less noticeable. As an added benefit, people who have skin that's easily irritated by sweat might find that a moisture-wicking tank top makes it a lot more comfortable to wear their waist cincher. It also eliminates sweat rashes that are pretty common, particularly for curvier women that might sweat a little more. Pull Back Fat Down Using Contour Tape Contour tape (also called boob tape) is a type of skin-safe tape that you can use to pull your skin and give it a smoother appearance. It can also be used to give your boobs a lift, especially if you're wearing a strapless bra or going braless. This works well for things like back fat, as well as holding your breasts in place. That being said, contour tape is pretty difficult to apply to your back yourself. Even if you are one of those curvier girls that are flexible, it's a lot easier when you can actually see what you're doing. It takes a lot of bending your neck at awkward angles, too. I recommend having someone you're comfortable with giving you a hand. Add a Waist Cincher Under Your Trainer While a waist trainer moves fat around to give you an hourglass shape, a waist cincher (also called a corset liner) compresses fat and helps smooth lumps and bumps. Because it works differently than a waist trainer, you can use both of them to get a smoother overall look and help eliminate some back fat. The reason this works is that a waist cincher presses down on fat instead of just pushing it around, so it doesn't move it to the top or bottom of the cincher. This means once you apply the waist trainer over top of it, there isn't as much skin or fat to move around and push to the top of your back. Pair Your Trainer with Other Shapewear for a Smoother Overall Look Finally, adding other shapewear can really help transform how you look. Anything that helps shape your thighs, buttocks, or tummy is going to help with bulge because it presses fat down, so your corset doesn't have to push it above or below your belly to help you get that hourglass shape. That being said, you also don't want to overdo it when it comes to shapewear. It can get quite uncomfortable if you have too many pieces on, especially if you plan on wearing them all day (or night). Plus, there are some disadvantages of wearing a waist trainer long term that we'll get to in the next section. What's the Purpose of a Waist Trainer? Waist trainers are often advertised as something that helps change the shape of your body and how they look. While they do seem glamorous and like an easy fix for people who want to feel more confident in the clothes they are in, waist trainers actually don't help with weight loss or actually change the shape of your body. Historically, corsets were first used in the 1800s for women who wanted to have that ideal body shape under the dress. They were used long-term and cinched tighter and tighter as time went on. This continued for many years in fashion, though eventually, they phased out because of the risk of health conditions. While a corset is a great way to look sexy and feel confident, I do not recommend using it long-term or to actually train your waist. While the results won't be permanent, there are a lot of risks that come along with wearing them. If you really want to lose weight in your midsection, the best thing you can do is make lifestyle changes like increasing physical activity or eating better foods. What is the Difference Between a Waist Trainer and Shapewear? Waist trainers are similar to shapewear in the sense that they allow you to alter the way your body looks. Both are generally made from stretchy, strong fabric like neoprene or a similar material. However, waist trainers are something that people tend to wear long term, whereas shapewear is something worn under your clothes that has the same effect every time. That's why they are considered "trainers"- training is something that you work at. Additionally, while shapewear is usually only made from supportive fabric, waist trainers have rigid "boning" that runs up your waist. This stops the fabric from rolling down on itself at the narrowest part of your waist. They also differ because a lot of shapewear is something that you step into or pull over your body. By contrast, waist trainers have some type of fastener on them like a hook-and-eye, Velcro, or lacing. This lets you adjust the trainer over time- some people even tighten them more with use. Can a Waist Trainer Help You Lose Weight? No, a waist trainer does not offer permanent solutions to weight loss. There are companies out there that make sales by falsifying this idea. I've even seen advertisements that promote women wearing them post-baby or during a workout to help change the shape of their bodies. That being said, waist trainers might give your tummy a slimmer appearance and make it look like you've lost weight when they push fat around. In addition to compressing fat, they do also make you sweat. Any time you sweat a lot, you lose water weight and this can (temporarily) make it look like you've lost weight. Finally, waist trainers can actually make your muscles shrink too from not being used, which is called atrophy. This happens in extreme cases when you wear your corset too much. While it does give you an initially thinner appearance, it also creates more problems than it solves. How to Safely Wear a Waist Trainer The only safe way to wear a waist trainer is to do it in the short term. There is nothing wrong with wanting an hourglass shape under your dress to boost your confidence and make you feel good about yourself. However, you should never look at it as a long term solution because of the health risks. Some other common misconceptions put out there by people who advocate for waist trainers are that you should wear them for eight hours a day and wear them while exercising. It's dangerous to wear a waist trainer for that long, especially if it's squeezing tight. Additionally, wearing one while exercising inhibits your body's ability to get oxygen and it actually makes it harder to exercise the muscles in your abdomen. What Are Some Dangers of Waist Training? Wearing a corset long term can be dangerous because of what happens when you squeeze your abdomen for long periods of time. While you are squeezing skin and fat, you are also squeezing all your vital organs inside your body. In the short-term, this makes it harder to feel hungry and doesn't let your digestive system work as it should. Corsets can also push your intestines downward and your lungs upward, reducing your lung capacity and making it harder to get full breaths. According to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, you reduce your lung capacity by 30-60% while wearing a corset. This can make you tired in the short term because you aren't getting the oxygen you need. Long-term, waist trainers cause inflammation and fluid build-up in the lungs, as well as make it harder for your body to filter out toxins because of the pressure on the lymphatic system. There are also risks to the digestive system. When everything is squeezed, it's not uncommon for your stomach acid to be forced upward. This can make problems like heartburn or GERD worse. Additionally, the way that corsets squish all your organs together can compromise blood flow and cause long-term damage. Finally, waist trainers hold your body upright, so you aren't really using your core muscles in your abdomen and back. This weakens them over time and can make it more likely that you'll experience problems like back pain and poor posture. Final Word For people wondering how to hide back fat in a waist trainer, you can pair it with other compression garments like a tank top, wear a full-coverage bra, or even use contour tape to help smooth back fat. Being sure that you have the right size and have fastened the corset properly helps, too! While waist trainers are an effective way to make it look like you've lost weight, these effects are temporary. There are also dangers of wearing corsets long-term- that's why they aren't quite as fashionable now as they were in the 1800s. That being said, as long as you are wearing them safely, waist trainers are a great way to feel more confident about the way that you look, especially if you are attending a big event. Hopefully, this article helps you achieve the smooth, hourglass shape you are striving for!

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