Can wearing a girdle help tighten stomach muscles?

Answer From Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.

Although you may appear thinner when you wear a girdle, the girdle doesn't strengthen or tone your abdominal muscles. Girdles just temporarily compress and redistribute fat and skin around the abdomen. When it comes to a flat stomach, diet and exercise — not undergarments — are what count.

Dietary changes and aerobic exercise can help you shed unwanted pounds, including those around your middle. Although it takes aerobic activity to burn fat, core exercises can strengthen and tone the underlying muscles.

Core exercises include:

  • Abdominal crunches
  • Leg lifts
  • Plank poses
  • Bridge poses

But any exercise that uses the trunk of your body without support counts, including Pilates and fitness ball exercises.

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Jan. 14, 2020 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Ankle weights for fitness walkers
  2. Body-weight training: Is it effective for strength training?
  3. Body-weight training
  4. Core exercises
  5. Fitness ball exercises videos
  6. Free weights or machines: Which are better?
  7. Isometric exercise
  8. Weight training exercises
  9. Core-strength exercises
  10. Fitness ball
  11. Strength training: How many sets?
  12. Strength training basics
  13. Strength training: How-to video collection
  14. Strength training for kids
  15. Strength training
  16. Weight training: Do's and don'ts of proper technique
  17. Weight training equipment
  18. Weight training
  19. Weightlifting belts
  20. Weightlifting
  21. Weights: Arms and legs on different days?