Here’s a question I receive nearly every day:
“My natural waist is 30 inches, and I just started waist training. How long will it take to see real results, and obtain a natural 24 inch waist?”
Of course, the exact wording, the numbers, and the goals all vary slightly from person to person. But I will tell you what I tell all of them – and you will not be happy:
I DON’T KNOW. And unfortunately, neither can anyone else. If someone claims that they CAN give you a specific duration of time that you will achieve your waist training goal, they are flat out lying.
If you look at these Before / After Waist Training examples, you will see that people have achieved all kinds of results, in all different durations. Some saw a marked difference in three months, while others achieved less dramatic results over two years. It’s different for everyone.
WHY is this?
The (semi)permanent results of waist training is dependent on a number of factors, including your body’s current state and your genetic pre-disposition, the quality of your corset and its compatibility with your body, and the way you train in your corset. Let’s break those down in further detail:
Factor #1: Your body type and current body stats
Your Body Fat
- Adipose tissue can immediately compress down a lot more than muscle in a corset, but it also bounces back when you remove the corset. Some with a high body fat % are able to cinch down 10 inches in the waist, while someone with very low body fat may only be able to cinch down 2-3 inches.
- Weight distribution also plays a role. Do you tend to carry more weight in your belly, or do you carry more weight on your hips and thighs? If you do carry weight in your belly, do you have a lot of visceral fat or subcutaneous fat? Subcutaneous fat sits under the skin but above the muscle, and makes your skin soft and malleable. Visceral fat is the more ‘dangerous’ fat that sits under your abdominal muscle, between your organs. Someone with more subcutaneous fat (even over their tummy) will probably have an easier time lacing down than someone with visceral body fat.
Your Muscle Tone
- Very toned, dense muscles may be more difficult to cinch down compared to less toned muscles, BUT if you time your workouts well, you can actually use your resistance exercise regimen to your advantage in waist training to change the morphology of your oblique muscles and have them almost “grow” into the hourglass shape encouraged by the corset. Also, once you get to higher reductions, you have to “stretch” those side muscles, and also the tendons and ligaments. Some people’s bodies seem to more readily accommodate to this than other people’s bodies.
Your Skeletal Frame
- Do you have wider ribcage or smaller ribcage? Are your ribs flexible and are you able to accommodate corsets with a conical ribcage easily, or is your ribcage very inflexible and difficult to move? Those who are easily able to train their ribs are likely to see faster waist training results than those whose ribs are very rigid. My article on the corset’s effect on the skeleton goes into more detail about this.
Your Age
- More mature waist trainers have bones that are not only less dense, but less malleable compared to younger trainers. For more information on how age can affect your corseting, see my article on waist training and age restrictions.
Your Organs
- When you look at human anatomy in a textbook, you’re seeing a general “average” of the size and orientation of organs. But not everyone’s organs look like that! Some people have larger organs, some have smaller organs. Even the position and orientation of organs can very slightly differ between individuals, and that small variation might make a huge difference in how well your body can accommodate the restriction of a corset. For further information, see my article on corsets and organs.
Your Water Retention
- What’s your water content like? If you are often bloated or have water retention, either due to your lifestyle or because of a medical condition, you not only won’t be able to lace down as much or as readily, but you have more of that “temporary squish” to you as opposed to contributing to that “long term training”.
Whether You’ve Been Pregnant Before
- Have you had a baby before or not? While this point is a bit more anecdotal, it seems that mothers are (on average) able to lace down more readily/ more comfortably/ to higher reductions compared to nulliparous women. Maybe this has to do with the fact that the baby had moved around a woman’s organs (especially in the final trimester), or the relaxin in your system during pregnancy had stretched out some tendons and ligaments already, or the woman was already accustomed to the feeling of restriction or breathing higher up in the chest, so she may be psychologically more comfortable with the feeling of being corseted. Read more about corsets after childbirth.
Factor #2: Your Corset
Proper Fit
- Is your corset comfortable? Does your corset fit you properly: when you lace down, does it reduce only the waist, and is it lying flat and gently supporting your upper ribcage and your hip area? Is your corset gap straight or uneven? Or is the corset overall not curvy enough: and is it giving you muffin top, pinching your hips or causing any lower tummy pooch to spill out underneath? A well-fitting corset is not only more effective at shaping, but it’s also much more comfortable, so you’ll be encouraged to wear it longer and more often.
Strength
- Is the corset strong? Does it hold up to the tension without buckling? Are the seams securely stitched? Are the bones creating a proper scaffold and not digging into your body? Are the grommets holding in? Having to put your training on hold – not because you want to, but because your corset breaks every 2 months and you have to replace it – is not cost effective and it’s not time-effective. If you’re in this for the long haul, invest in something strong and custom. See my article on Waist Training vs Tight Lacing, which also covers different requirements of a suitable corset for each.
Silhouette
- Is the corset the right silhouette to do the right job? If you want to train your ribcage, you might need a conical ribcage corset, which gradually tapers down and increases the pressure on the lower ribcage. A corset with a mild silhouette or with a corset with a rounded ribcage will give you a different effect. Be sure that the corset you are using is designed to do for you what you want. You can’t force a round peg through a square hole and expect a triangle to come out.
Factor #3: Your Lifestyle Habits and Training Methods
Supplementary Exercise
- Are you exercising alongside your waist training? Adding or increasing core resistance training can help you see results faster by encouraging your muscles to “heal” in a certain way. Even if you have no intention of losing weight (you only use a corset to see a change in your silhouette), exercise is still important! If you don’t add some core resistance training, your torso may see some shaping from the corset, but it may be squishy and complacent, and not hold that hourglass shape as well as if you were combining it with resistance training.
Eating
- Are you eating clean? Are you getting enough fiber so that you stay regular when corseting? Are you avoiding foods that you know can cause bloating or discomfort in your corset? Are you having regular small balanced meals, or are you the type to fast and then feast? Corseting over a large meal can be uncomfortable and difficult, and the quality of that meal also counts. You don’t necessarily need a specific diet for waist training, but eating sensibly goes a long way.
Drinking
- Are you staying hydrated? Are you getting a lot of clean water or tea? Are you keeping your electrolytes balanced (this ties in with water retention). Are you watching your blood pressure (which relates to your blood volume)? Do you take in a lot of caffeine or other diuretics, and are you making sure that your water intake balances that out?
Duration of your corset wear (and reduction)
- To get the best results in a corset, you have to use it. What method of waist training are you using? There is Romantasy’s “Roller Coaster” method, and there is the Contour Corsets “Cycle” Method (see the differences between the two waist training methods). Some people use a combination of both, or they may try a different method altogether. Some people consider waist training as wearing their corset only 8 hours a day while they’re out working. Others waist train by only wearing a corset to bed at night. Some people wear their corsets 12 or 16 hours a day, and a few very dedicated ones wear their corset 23 hours a day.
- The body responds best to consistency – for reasons I’ll explain in an upcoming article, you’ll probably see more results (and more comfortably!) if you wear a corset at a light or moderate reduction for long hours, as opposed to tightlacing or overlacing your corset for an hour and then not wearing it again for a few days.
Let’s use an infomercial exercise program as a metaphor for waist training expectations. Many exercise programs say that you CAN lose UP TO 20 lbs per month (as an example), but read the small print and you find that these results are not typical. Many of these programs are also backed up with a guarantee that with proper compliance to the program, you will see some kind of result (often within 60 or 90 days) or your money back.
But you will notice that they do not guarantee a certain number of inches lost, because people have different bodies, different fitness levels, different levels of compliance. It’s the same with a waist training program.
Ann Grogan (of Romantasy) offers the only corset training program I currently know of – in her some 25 years of working with waist trainers and 14 years officially coaching, she is able to confidently say that with her 3-month waist training program, you’re likely to see some noticable results in your natural waist with proper compliance to the program (the program covers a lot of factors: the type of corset you’re using, the reduction, the hours, the foods you eat, the exercises you do, etc). But since each program is personalized based on goals, each person’s compliance is different and each person’s body accommodates their corset differently, it’s still very difficult to precisely predict how many inches you’ll lose, or how fast.
What I have found is the highest indicator of success is whether you actually enjoy wearing your corset and find it completely comfortable. If you practice patience, and wear your corset consistently (and ironically, not be overly attached to your end goal), you are likely to see more results over time than someone who is less patient and is only corseting for the end result. But I will cover that in another article soon.
Do you currently waist train, or did you train in the past? How long did it take you to see results? Let me know in a comment below!
I have a 25 waistline but the sides of my abdomen are straight with a lot of flab out front. I’m striving to get an hourglass figure with a 21″ corset bound to arrive in two days. I just wonder if I reach my goal and stop wearing the corset, will it go back to the shape before?
Hi Pearl, yes if you stop wearing your corset completely, your waist will slowly expand again. It may take a few months to do so. If you trained your ribcage to be smaller, then it may take longer for your waist to go back to normal – unless you get pregnant (the baby pushes out the ribcage) or you’re a swimmer, as this causes the ribs to expand. But just like with diet, weight lifting, flexibility, etc – if you don’t keep up with it, you lose the results from it.
hi..i am a girl from albania..i am 21 years old..i want to know if the corset is danger and how long should take..please help me…because i like have a flatt stomach,not a slimmer waist
Hi Andaia, I have an article on corset risks here. As mentioned above, there is no way to predict how long it should take unfortunately. But you can see the before / after results here and read how long it took for these people to get their results.
Hi quick question I work daily & I just started waist training but I prefer to only do it at night for a couple of hr will I get some results?
Hi, I had c – section 9wks ago and I want my tummy flat badly can I use a waist trainer? A friend gave me one to use but it hurt my ribs and belly anytime I put it on, I don’t knw what to do to get my tummy back thank you
Hi Lima, yes corsets can be used post-partum – I talk about it in this article. However, please make sure that your scars have fully healed before starting to wear the corset.
Can wear to the gym? Or anytime of the day?
Hi Aquila, corsets can theoretically be worn at different times of the day (some people even sleep in them) but I don’t recommend working out in your corset. I explain why in this article.
I have ordered my first corset which should be here in a few weeks. I’m only wanting to get rid of a small pudge and firm my stomach. My weight is fine and I’m not fat what so ever. How long should I ware it to just get rid of the pudge? I know it’s different for everyone. To give you a better description I’m 26yrs old. 5’4 and weigh 115lbs. I have my whole life. Even when I had kids I shrunk down to normal size in two days with no exercise or stretch marks.
Hi Katelynn, there are different ways to waist train. One way is the “Roller Coaster Method” where you start by wearing your corset just 2 hours a day, then work your way up to 8+ hours a day at the same tightness. The other method is the “Cycle method” where you wear your corset as long as possible during the day (12 hours or more) but you tighten and loosen throughout the day as you feel comfortable. I explain them in greater detail in this article.
Hi, Lucy,
This is a great article! Thank you so much.
Quick question: I started waist training in mid-October 2014. I was wearing my corset for the first three months 8 – 12 hours per day, 5 – 6 days a week, but have since reduced the time I wear it to about five hours, 5 -6 days per week. I have noticed that I can almost close my corset, even on the days I have retained more water than others, which tells me the waist training is working. However, would you suggest I wear it longer, or more often, for my results to continue? The reason I reduced the number of hours I wore it is because I am a powerlifter, and I found I wasn’t able to eat enough food to support my training, while wearing the corset for that long. I don’t know if it helps, but my waist is about 25″ now, and I have a 22″ corset.
Hi Dahlia, waist training is a very personal process, so if you’re comfortable wearing your corset only 5 hours a day, and you’ve still achieved results outside of the corset through this method, then keep going with it. I tend to advise an average of 8 hours a day but some people do more and others less. If your current corset is completely and comfortably closed most of the time, it may be time to consider sizing down. I have a separate article on this. :)
Hi… I hv 30 inches waist .. Today i bought underbust corset .. I need to ask u the way of use it .. For how long i have to wear it .. I mean whole day and also sleep timing ?
HI Ana, you don’t have to sleep in your corset if you don’t want to. I was able to train successfully usually without sleeping in my corset, as have many others. I always recommend starting at 2 hours per day, and over the course of several weeks, working your way up from there. My Waist Training Playlist on Youtube will help answer most beginner questions.
Am wearing a small underbust corset. Is it ok if the belly and hip spills out a bit?
Hi Alisha, it’s not normal for your tummy to spill out of the corset – it sounds like either the corset is not long enough for your torso, or if you have loose skin you might need to pull up the tummy when you’re halfway through lacing up, which helps keep the tummy in place. I have a video tutorial sort of demonstrating how this works. Cheers!
I really enjoyed this read. I am 3 weeks in and having some pain under my ribs on the right side but not willing to give up yet!
Hi Katt, rib pain (or any kind of pain) is not normal! Remember that waist training is for the long haul, so you have time to loosen up and make it comfortable. Going too hard with it too quickly might result in injury that causes you to put off your training and put your goal further out of reach, so remember to always be gentle with yourself.