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D' Shonda WhatWaist Waist Trainer

Source: D’ Shonda Brown / D’ Shonda Brown

Even though I unfollowed them, I always check in on The Shade Room every now and again to see the latest celebrity nonsense and mishap updates. From time to time, I see celebrities and influencers like Reginae Carter, Zonnique, India Love and possibly every woman from the franchise of Love and Hip Hop endorsing a waist trainer brand called WhatWaist.

How My Beauty Routine During Quarantine Is Helping Me Cope

Like the rest of us during quarantine, I have taken the time to assess myself inside and out and realized that my body can definitely use a bit of work. I’ve been eating a lot healthier and working out more consistently with the help of my boyfriend, but I’m not necessarily seeing the results that I want to see. My butt is fine, my legs are thick and I don’t need my arms to be sculpted – I just really need to work on my waist. What better way to do that then to train it?

According to research and personal testimonies, waist trainers aren’t necessarily good for the human body, but I would assume that’s only regarding excessive use and addiction. I want to feel confident in my own body, but I wouldn’t be trying this if I truly believed that I would be at risk. I had previously used waist trainers before, but they were good for building body heat and not necessarily creating the shape and tone that I would prefer. Needless to say, when my WhatWaist package arrived at the doorstep, I was more than excited to give it a go.

I ordered a size Medium in the Define Band (yes, they come in sizes), but that was totally my bad. I had assumed that based on my regular clothing size that it would be synonymous, but I was wrong. I was supposed to be a Large, but I didn’t know that until I took the actual size guide test a few days later, but I digress.

The first day in my WhatWaist band, my mom and I had to literally fight with my stomach and the band to make it all the way up. The fit wasn’t too gruesome, even though I had gotten a size too small for me, and it covers the entire abdominal area with lower ab, sternum and back support. I wanted to ease my way into the whole “waist training” fad by just simply working on cardio.

I ran a few laps around my mother’s cul de sac in North Carolina for 30-minutes with intervals of squats and high knees. My breathing wasn’t affected too much, but I couldn’t exactly take deep breaths on my first go ‘round because I was still adjusting to the idea of my ribs nearly high-fiving one another. All in all, the first day was a success.

The second day, I kicked it up a notch by running outside and then using the WhatWaist define band during my indoor core exercises – which would make this a total of about two hours. Throughout my leg lifts, crunches, bicycles, scissors and plank reps, my WhatWaist band withstood it all – and I can say, I am thoroughly impressed. What I originally thought would hinder my workout routine actually enhanced it. It held my core tighter during my workouts and allowed myself to push my body harder and focus on my breathing management. Day two, check.

On the next day, I did everything I did in the past two days, running and working out, but I also decided to wear it for the day – well, my work day. From the time I went running at 9 AM to the time I closed my laptop at 6 PM, I wore the define band, and I can say that issa no for me. When consuming anything from water to an apple, I noticed that my acid reflux increased and I wanted to gag every three seconds. I, also, felt a lot of pressure begin to build on my ribs and made my breathing a bit more shallow as the day continued. Once it was time to take a shower, I noticed a tight, cramping feeling on my sides and a little bit of pain. 

Yeah, I won’t be doing that again.

All in all, my WhatWaist experience was a good one and I’ll definitely be wearing it during my morning runs and indoor exercise routines. As far as wearing it for leisure, I don’t know what the rest of you are doing, but I’ll have to back down from that challenge. Catch me this summer, if we have one, with my new waist though!

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The grand return of the Melanin Awards amplifies and honors the finest Black-owned beauty brands with honest reviews, and discusses the evolution of beauty in Hip-Hop culture.