Best Waist Trainer For Plus Size Women in 2024

Women waist trainers are all the rage these days. From Kim Kardashian to Amber Rose, celebrities have credited their voluptuous hourglass curves to this shapewear. The great thing about waist training is that you can benefit from it no matter your size.

Whether you’re a size XXS or XXL, waist training can work for all sizes. Even better is that waist trainer manufacturers are expanding their size range, and becoming more inclusive of all sizes! In this article, we’re going to talk about how you can make the most of waist training if you’re a plus size woman.

What are waist trainers and how are they different from other shapewear?

Women waist trainers are basically a type of shapewear that is not only designed to slim your waist, but also shape your waist. It is basically a body shaper. As most women naturally have a bit of fat around their waist, the waist trainer will help to shape this fat, to give you a more ‘hourglass’ look.

Waist trainers have a rigid solid ‘frame’ or ‘skeleton’, often made from flexi-steel bones, that is covered in a fabric. You wrap it around your belly, and fasten it at the front.

Compared to other shapewear, waist trainers are like the ‘middle-man’ between corsets (that are far too tight and rigid with lots of health hazards) and spandex (that is too flimsy and only give temporary results. It is like a vest body shaper. It has many other names like waist trainer corset, waist cinchers etc.

Waist trainers or waist cinchers gradually ‘train’ your waist to assume a more ‘coke bottle’ or ‘hourglass’ shape. Over time, they will accentuate your waist and hips. You will retain these results even after you take off the waist cinchers/trainer and stop waist training.

This is how it’s different from other shapewear products like body gloves or bodysuits, that are only designed to hold in body fat for a few hours. Once you take it off, your body fat will spring back to its original state.

How waist training works

Once you’ve got the perfect size waist trainer, you will start by wearing it for a few hours a day. At the start, you can do however many hours feels comfortable for you.

You then gradually increase the duration you wear it during the day. Some people opt to wear it daily like a tank top. However, ensure that you don’t exceed the maximum number of hours recommended by the manufacturer (for Luxx, you should wear it for no longer than eight hours per day).

Over the next few weeks, you will notice that your high waist will get smaller. Keep tightening the waist trainer until you get to the last row of hooks. After you’ve reached this, and your waist trainer now feels loose since your waist got smaller, it is time to size down.

You repeat the same process with the smaller size waist trainer, until you get your desired waist size and shape.

It’s important to note that at the start, your waist trainer is going to be brand new and very stiff. Like a new pair of shoes, it will take some time to ‘break in’ to the new waist trainer and the stiffness reduces.

When you start waist training, take pictures and measurements as you go along. This will allow you to see how far you’ve come and stay motivated.

Tips on taking photos and measurements:

• Use the same lighting, distance to the camera, and clothing in all your photos. This will give the most accurate picture of your progress.
• Don’t take pictures too often, as it’s hard to see the difference when the time frame is too small. Leave a good time frame between pictures, so that there is enough time to see a difference.
• Keep your body in a neutral stance in all the pictures, i.e. don’t twist your hips, lean backwards, arch your back, etc.
• Take pictures and measurements under similar circumstances. I.e. if you took your before picture first thing in the morning, do the same for the after pictures.
  Don’t take the ‘before’ picture first thing in the morning and the ‘after’ pictures after a heavy meal. The results can then be misleading and cause you to be demotivated, when it’s not giving the most accurate picture in the first place.
  The best time to take pictures and measurements will be early in the morning, 1-2 hours after waking up (to give enough time to calm down any bloating) and before breakfast. Your meal would be fully digested, and your body will be at its smallest.

Benefits Of Waist Training For Plus Sized Women

The benefits of waist training goes beyond giving you more accentuated curves, no matter your size. Here are some of the benefits of waist training for plus sized women:

1. Flattens and shapes belly

The biggest reason people use a waist trainer is obviously how it flattens and shapes their belly. If you’re a plus sized woman with belly fat around your waist, waist trainers will not only flatten it, but also shape it to give you better curves.

To see the best results, waist train consistently and combine your waist training with a healthy diet and exercise routine.

2. Helps with good posture

Another huge benefit of waist trainers is that they help with your posture. While most of us know that it’s important to keep a straight back and neutral posture, it can be harder to put it into practice.

Waist trainers can help you keep a straight back . A lot of the waist trainers, such as from Luxx Curves have flexi-steel bones that run parallel to your back. These will help you maintain a neutral posture when you are seated for a long time.

Over time, your posture will improve, which will help your body look even better and accentuate your curves even more.

3. Can help other weight loss goals

Waist trainers can help you stick to a healthy diet, and control your appetite. It is less likely that you will gorge on fatty, unhealthy junk food when you are wearing a waist trainer.

4. Helps you feel attractive and confident

Waist training can help you feel confident and attractive, since you know that it’s helping towards your larger weight loss goals. With an enhanced figure and better posture, you can look forward to rocking new styles of outfits.

5. Effortless way to shape your body

While you do need to supplement your waist training with exercise, waist training is a good way for your tummy control even if you’re doing nothing. It is not as intensive as other forms of exercise, and it is great for days where you don’t feel like hitting the gym.

6. Can help with swelling

Forms of waist training have existed for decades in different cultures around the world. In Latin America, for example, waist trainers or fajas are quite commonly used to tone and shape the postpartum belly after drastic changes like pregnancy.

After pregnancy, our abdominal muscles tend to stretch out. A common case of this is called diastasis recti. This is when, after pregnancy, the left row of abdominal muscles separates from the right row of muscles, creating a gap in your ab muscles. This can cause you to have a bit of a ‘pooch’ to your belly, and cause your waist to look less curvy.

A waist cincher could help with diastasis recti, as it cinches in your belly, so that your muscles can’t spread out as much. At the very least, it can prevent the condition from worsening, while you figure out a good post-baby diet and workout routine.

Waist trainers are a great way to keep swelling in firm control, after minor surgical procedures as well. However, do consult your doctor to double check if this is okay for your specific case.

7. Emergency glam

Do you have a wedding looming in a few days, and don’t have the time to slim down to fit into your dress? A waist trainer can instantly shape your body, and ensure you look your best. Of course, waist training should be a consistent and long-term practice— not just for the big events!

Tips For Waist Training As a Plus Size Woman

1. Get the right plus size shapewear!

Waist trainers are designed to be relatively tight and hug your body. Obviously, this has to be the case, because it has to be tight in order to hold in your body fat. This means that you need to get the perfect sizing measurements before you invest in a waist trainer.

If the size is too small, it will dig into your body and cause pain and discomfort, as well as potential health problems like breathing and circulation issues. If it’s too loose, it won’t do its job, and you won’t achieve any waist training results.

So, how do you know if the sizing is too small? If it’s too small, it will cause discomfort and pain as it will dig into your body.

If it’s too big, you will know by squeezing your hand in at the top of the waist trainer. You shouldn’t be able to pass your hand through it.

With the perfect size waist trainer, you should be able to breathe and talk properly, as well as carrying out your normal daily tasks.

There are multiple measurements and factors you need to consider getting the perfect size waist trainer. E.g. waist circumference, short or long torso length, etc. We talk about sizing for plus size waist trainers in more detail further down the article.

One thing you have to keep in mind is that your CLOTHING SIZE IS NOT THE SAME AS YOUR WAIST TRAINER SIZE! This is a common misconception people have about waist trainer sizes i.e. if you’re wearing XL clothing, this doesn’t necessarily mean that an XL waist trainer would be your ideal size.

Fortunately, a lot of shapewear brands provide great assistance in finding the right size for their consumers. A lot of them, like Luxx Curves, have dedicated customer service where you can send in photos, measurements, and they will help you match the perfect size.

A lot of brands also carry a wide range of sizes for both plus size women and petite women, who are often left out of traditional clothing sizes. For example, Luxx Curves traditional waist trainers are available in sizes L to 4XL, which cover a waist circumference range from 35 inches to 47 inches.

2. Don’t treat waist trainers like a replacement for a healthy lifestyle

When people first start waist training, they tend to have an unrealistic expectation of it. They often treat it like a replacement for a healthy diet and exercise. While waist training is one of the best belly slimming tools out there, there is a limit to how much you can rely on your waist trainer on its own to slim your belly fat.

Waist trainers are not designed to replace your weight loss regimen. They are designed to complement it. For optimal results, combine waist training with a good, healthy diet and exercise routine.

So, ensure that you are eating properly, staying hydrated and exercising regularly to see the best results. We discuss this in more detail in the ‘Diet and exercise for plus size waist training’ section below.

3. Do not exceed manufacturer recommendations

Most waist trainers are designed to be worn for a couple of hours a day. Luxx Curves waist trainers, for example, are designed to be worn between 4-8 hours per day. Do not exceed this recommended upper limit. Always see what the manufacturer recommendations are for how long you should wear it.

4. Do not sleep in your waist trainer!

Waist trainers are designed to be worn during the day when you are alert, and you can take off the waist trainer during an emergency. Do not wear waist trainers to bed , because you are not fully aware of your breathing while asleep. Your waist trainer could cause breathing problems or problems with blood circulation while you’re in bed.

5. Do not wear waist trainers to the gym!

As mentioned before, traditional waist trainers are designed to be worn while you’re resting, sedentary or during very light physical activity (e.g. walking around the house, cooking, talking, washing up, etc.).

They are not designed to be worn during heavier, more strenuous forms of exercise i.e. cardio, running, jogging, strength training, etc. Waist trainers are quite rigid, so they don’t facilitate heavy breathing and don't offer a wide range of motion at the gym.

Fortunately, Luxx Curves does offer an alternative for those that want to wear something at the gym. A workout waist trimmer belt is ideal to wear at the gym because it offers more flexibility than a traditional waist trainer. However, it is firm enough to offer good back support during difficult exercises. It is also quite easy to put on and take off during an emergency.

6. Be strategic when you plan your waist training days

Another thing you can do is to be strategic when planning your waist training days. A bit of simple planning with practical considerations will make your life easier with waist training.

For example, wearing a waist trainer with heavy meals can be uncomfortable if you’re new to it. So, if your heaviest meals are in the morning or early afternoon, plan your waist training towards the evening. If you are doing intermittent fasting, for example, plan your waist training session for when you are fasting, so that the waist trainer will be more comfortable.

Plan your waist training sessions, so that your waist training coincides when you are sedentary, resting or seated for long hours (e.g. working from home). We are most likely to end up with bad posture when seated for long hours, so waist training during these times can improve your posture over time. Also, ideally, you don’t want to do waist training while you are doing chores around the house, which can cause unnecessary sweating.

Alternatively, if you are someone who is looking to reduce your appetite or reduce your junk food intake, you can use waist trainers to help you with this. How likely are you to eat a whole pizza when you are wearing something tight around your waist? So, do your waist training when you feel the most tempted to eat or snack mindlessly.

7. Have realistic goals and expectations

Another thing you can do is to be strategic when planning your waist training days. A bit of simple planning with practical considerations will make your life easier with waist training.

For example, wearing a waist trainer with heavy meals can be uncomfortable if you’re new to it. So, if your heaviest meals are in the morning or early afternoon, plan your waist training towards the evening. If you are doing intermittent fasting, for example, plan your waist training session for when you are fasting, so that the waist trainer will be more comfortable.

Plan your waist training sessions, so that your waist training coincides when you are sedentary, resting or seated for long hours (e.g. working from home). We are most likely to end up with bad posture when seated for long hours, so waist training during these times can improve your posture over time. Also, ideally, you don’t want to do waist training while you are doing chores around the house, which can cause unnecessary sweating.

Alternatively, if you are someone who is looking to reduce your appetite or reduce your junk food intake, you can use waist trainers to help you with this. How likely are you to eat a whole pizza when you are wearing something tight around your waist? So, do your waist training when you feel the most tempted to eat or snack mindlessly.

8. Ensure you stay hydrated

When you are wearing something quite tight around your waist for long periods of time, you’re going to sweat quite a lot. With this, you’re losing a lot of water and minerals. So, it is important to always stay hydrated throughout the day.

Also, beware of the waist trainer causing your body to overheat, especially during the summer. Take off your waist trainer if you ever feel it’s too hot, and keep yourself cool by staying hydrated or with a fan.

You can also take breaks from your waist training to avoid this happening. You don’t need to do an entire waist training session in one go. This will allow your body to cool off for a bit.

9. Buy a good supportive bra

To prevent discomfort when wearing a waist trainer, it is important to wear a bra that is comfortable. Choose one that allows you to breathe freely and helps blood circulation. Avoid wearing restrictive bras that are too tight, as this will make breathing with a waist trainer even harder.

10. Listen to your body

Last but not least, it is so important to listen to your body while waist training! If you ever feel uncomfortable or feel a sharp pain, take it off immediately. If your body feels like it needs a break from waist training, do it!

Waist training should be done in a way that doesn’t interfere with your daily life and normal activities like talking, walking, light chores, etc. If you feel uncomfortable doing any of this, either reduce the time you’re wearing the waist trainer or take a break.

That being said, it is normal to feel uncomfortable for the first few days, until you ‘break in’ to your new waist trainer. The key is to be consistent but gradual. Start by wearing it for 1-2 hours per day, and gradually ramp it up as you become more accustomed to it.

Dieting and exercise for plus size waist training

As we talked about in the previous sections, a good healthy diet and exercise routine is important if you want to get the most out of waist training. While waist training can shape the fat around your waist, there is a limit to how much fat you can burn with just waist training. Here are some tips on dieting and exercise for plus size waist training:

Plus size waist training diet

1. Cut out processed, sugary and fatty foods from the diet

Eating processed fast food that is loaded with sugar and saturated or trans fat is going to hinder your waist training. Not only does high sugar and fat cause you to gain belly fat, but it can also wreak havoc for your hormones. It can also cause bloating, which will make your waist training uncomfortable. Additionally, it can lead to a host of other very serious health problems down the line—cancer, heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, etc.

Hormones are very important when it comes to weight loss, because they control our appetite and fat burning. So, the foods you are eating should not cause them to go out of balance.

2. Avoid foods that cause bloating

When you are waist training, the last thing you want to eat are foods that cause a lot of bloating. This will make the waist trainer super tight and uncomfortable for you. You don’t need to avoid them altogether, but just on the days that you do waist training.

Different types of foods can cause bloating in different people. So, do some experimenting and see which food groups are causing you to bloat. Common culprits include:

• Salt
• Sugar
• Dairy
• Refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pastries, etc.
• Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc.
• For some people—beans, lentils, and other legumes.

3. Avoid frequent snacking

Another habit that can cause belly fat and bloating is snacking often. Try to eat full meals, spacing them by a few hours instead of grazing or snacking every two hours. Grazing can also be bad for your blood sugar (which in turn leads to belly fat), since insulin is released more often.

4. Carbohydrates—pick quality over quantity

While carbohydrates are certainly healthy and necessary for your body, be smart about the type of carbs you consume. Carbohydrates, whether bad or good, tend to retain water the most, so it can cause a bit of bloating. So, pick quality over quantity when it comes to carbohydrates.

Not all carbs are the same, even though they may have the same calories. For example, complex carbs (oats, brown rice, whole grain bread) have a higher fiber content and are slow to digest. This makes you feel full for longer, and less likely to reach for a snack. Complex carbs also tend to have more minerals and vitamins since they are unrefined.

Refined carbs (wheat, pastries, biscuits, cake, white bread, pasta) are lighter and digested very quickly. You’re not going to feel full for long, and more likely to snack. This means your blood sugar rises quite quickly, leading to more belly fat.

5. Eat protein-rich food and more vegetables

As you’ve probably heard often already, protein and vegetables are key to weight loss. Protein is needed for muscle growth (muscles burn more fat) and are more filling. Good sources of protein include:

• Legumes (garbanzo beans, lentils, kidney beans, peas, etc.)
• Tofu
• Quinoa
• Lean meats (chicken, fish, etc)
• Eggs

Non-starchy vegetables are also great for weight loss and keeping a flat belly. They are high in fiber, so keep you full longer. They also contain important antioxidants that can slow down aging, and help your body repair itself.

Exercise & Lifestyle for plus size waist training

1. Exercise regularly

Exercising regularly is also key to plus size waist training. This will accelerate fat loss around your belly. That being said, the type of exercise also matters.

If you’re a plus size person who is new to exercising, don’t go all in with high intensity workouts (burpees, squat jumps, etc). These can be quite damaging to your joints, and don’t lead to as much fat loss as you might think.

A better way to do it would be to start with slow, light aerobic cardio exercises. Aerobic exercises are exercises that rely on the oxygen you breathe in. They are not as intense, but have a longer duration and tend to lead to more fat loss. E.g. a 1-hour bike ride, 20-minute jog, etc.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of walking! Walking leads to considerable fat loss for very little effort. E.g. A 20-minute walk burns more calories than 5 burpees even though it’s a lot less intense.

Exercise consistently and you will see results.

2. Don’t stress it

Chronic stress isn’t just uncomfortable, it also leads to hormonal changes in your body that aren’t great for fat loss. When you’re under constant stress, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol makes your body cling to stubborn belly fat, making it harder to get rid of it.

So, make time every day to stretch, breathe and de-stress with things like meditation, deep breathing, yoga, etc. Consume things that are rich in antioxidants—green tea, dark chocolate, blueberries, kiwis, etc. Antioxidants can help counter the damage caused to your body by chronic stress.

Your body will thank you in the long run!

3. Get a good night’s sleep

Not sleeping well does more than make you feel drowsy and tired in the morning. Not getting enough sleep can actually hinder fat loss and slow down muscle growth. It can wreak havoc on your hormones, which isn’t great for weight loss.

Long uninterrupted hours of sleep is when your body does all its maintenance and repair. This includes fat loss and muscle growth. So, make sure you catch those Z’s if you want to see results!

Getting the right waist trainer size

When it comes to taking measurements for your plus size waist trainer, there are a couple things to keep in mind. Keep in mind as we said before, your clothing size won’t be the same as your waist trainer size!

1. Get the correct waist size

One of the most important measurements is your waist circumference. It’s better to take this measurement after you wake up in the morning, just before breakfast. This would be your ‘smallest’ waist measurement.  

Your waist should be measured at the place just above your pelvic/hip bone and below your lowest rib, where your waist ‘cinches’ in. This is usually around the same height as your belly button.

If you want, take several measurements under different conditions, e.g. seated vs standing and take the average.

When taking the waist measurement:

• Don’t suck in your stomach too much
• Stand straight with neutral posture
• Ensure the tape measure is at the same level all around the waist (i.e. it isn’t lower at the back and higher at the front)

2. Getting the right torso measurement

Luxx Curves waist trainers offer you different torso lengths to ensure you get the perfect fit. Your torso measurement should be the longest length from just under your breasts and down to your hip bone.

You should consider the torso length when you are seated, because that’s when your torso is at its ‘smallest’.

Note: If you have a bit of a belly, your torso measurement shouldn’t be vertical. It should actually go over your belly (see Youtube video below).

Luxx Curves waist trainers are offered in three torso lengths: short—9”, medium—11.5” and long—13.5”. You can enter these two measurements into Luxx Curves’ size calculator to find your size. If you are still not sure, you can contact the customer service team, and if you wish, send them your photos, so that they can better decide what your actual size is.

Luxx Curves Waist Extenders

If after doing all that you still find that your waist trainer is too small, don’t worry! You can get waist extenders from Luxx Curves to adjust the size.

Each waist extender has three rows of eyes and hooks (which represents three inches or three sizes). You simply attach them to the eyes and hooks on each side of the waist trainer. They are also available in different torso lengths (short—9”, medium—11.5” and long—13.5”).

How do you know if it’s the perfect fit?

As we mentioned before, the perfect waist trainer should feel like it’s hugging you. It’s tight but shouldn’t hurt. If you can fit your whole hand or arm down through the top of the waist trainer, it’s probably too big for you.

Choosing a plus waist trainer

Before choosing a plus size waist trainer, there are a couple of characteristics that you should look for.

1. Fabric/ Material

Your waist trainer material or fabric should be robust and strong enough to hold in your belly fat, but also flexible and breathable enough to wick away moisture and sweat like nylon, latex etc. Neoprene material is used to make Neoprene Sauna waist trainers also used as sauna vests that can soak up sweat. Neoprene, nylon and latex waist trainers are available at amazon.

You also want it to be durable, and be strong enough to hold in the flexi-steel bone structure of waist trainers.

Avoid materials such as cotton or lace that are flimsy and not very durable. These materials store moisture, which makes them degrade very easily—not very helpful when you’re trying to contain loads of belly fat and flexi-steel bones!

Our Luxx waist trainers are made from predominantly nylon, which has great moisture wicking properties, the boning is sturdy and provides the right balance between flexibility, durability and strength.

2. Size range

Obviously, if you want a plus size waist trainer, the brand has to have a good size range. Also, look for good customer service that will give you guidance on sizing.

Some brands don’t offer options such as different torso lengths, so beware of that.

3. Construction

Waist trainers need to have some kind of rigid ‘frame’ under the fabric, in order to hold in your belly fat—similar to the wire in an underwired bra. It offers constriction and support. However, with some brands, this frame is made from very rigid materials like steel that make it far too tight.

The frame should be tight enough to hold in your waist, but not so tight that it leads to circulation or breathing problems. Luxx Curves uses flexi-steel bones that run vertically all around the waist. These are more flexible than rigid steel, but strong enough to provide constriction.

4. Fasteners

Waist trainers shouldn’t be tedious to put on, which is why fasteners and their location are important. Look for fasteners such as ‘eye’ and ‘hook’ metal fasteners (the ones you get on bras). These offer strong support, but are relatively easy to fasten up.

Avoid things like buttons, which could snap or zippers and laces that can make things too tight. Things like Velcro are a bit too flimsy for waist trainers and don’t offer much support.

The fasteners should also be at the front to let you fasten it up quickly, instead of at the back like in an underbust corset.

Plus Size Waist Trainers Before & After: Luxx Curves Results

Now for the most anticipated part: what kind of results should you expect? You can check out Luxx Curves testimonials to see before and after pics to inspire you in your waist training journey. Luxx Curves works with a high compression system that helps you reduce weight in just a short period.

Here is CatEyeGlamour talking about Luxx Waist Trainers and if they work.

Here is Gizelle Catherine talking about her plus size waist training journey, with cool before and after transformations after one month of waist training.

Gizelle started off with a 4XL waist trainer, and in the video she is down to the last row of hooks on a 3XL waist trainer. In other words, she’s ready to size down to a 2XL waist trainer from a 4XL waist trainer after just one month of consistent waist training. That is an impressive 6 inches in just one month!

As we mentioned before, everyone’s body shape, size and weight loss journey is different. These stories are only there to inspire you and have some kind of idea of what you can potentially expect. However, whatever progress you make is good progress. Remember, the goal is improvement, not perfection!

Plus Size Waist Trainers Summarized: What’s The Best Option?

Plus size waist training is a great way to complement your weight loss journey. It not only helps to flatten your belly but also shapes your curves, giving you a more hourglass figure. There are now plenty of products like Maidenform women’s waist cinchers or feelingirl women’s latex waist trainer corsets. But the best option is Luxx Curves waist trainers.

When choosing a plus size waist trainer, ensure you follow the correct instructions when measuring your waist size and torso length. If you do end up with a waist trainer that is too small, you can always purchase waist trainer extenders.

To make the most of your waist trainer, supplement your waist training with a good diet and workout routine.