You’re always on the lookout for new techniques to slim your waist and improve the appearance of your stomach. Lately, you’ve been hearing about slimming belts. What exactly are they? Curious to find out more? No problem — we’ve done the research for you. So, what is a slimming belt, and is it actually an effective way to slim down?
What is a slimming belt?
A slimming belt is a type of corset. It typically consists of a soft, elastic band of fabric worn around the waist. Usually wide, it adjusts to your waist size and fastens with Velcro straps. The promises of the slimming belt:
- Losing centimetres around the waist
- A flatter stomach
- Smoother skin and a firmer appearance
It’s worth noting that there are several types of slimming belt available on the weight-loss market.
- The sweat belt: also known as a heating belt. Made from a technical fabric (often a blend of neoprene, Lycra, polyamide and PVC) with a sauna-like effect, this belt generates heat and stimulates localised sweating. The heat produced is said to help eliminate toxins through perspiration, thereby slimming the waist. Often used during exercise, it also promotes muscle relaxation in the abdominal and lumbar areas and supports better recovery.
- The vibrating belt: a belt fitted with a small motor that emits vibrations. These vibrations massage the abdominal muscles and are said to tone them. The vibrations also stimulate microcirculation, helping to detoxify the area locally and reduce abdominal water retention.
- The electrostimulation belt: a belt equipped with electrodes, which must be carefully positioned on each of the abdominal muscles. Electrostimulation uses gentle electrical impulses to stimulate the abdominal muscles. Once strengthened, these muscles give the stomach and waist a firmer appearance. It’s a well-established technique, widely used by physiotherapists to treat muscle injuries.
Are slimming belts really effective?
What should we make of slimming belts? Do these belts, which promise to help you lose belly fat, truly offer the ultimate solution for melting away those stubborn rolls? That’s far from certain.
When it comes to the sweat belt, let’s be straightforward: sweating has never made anyone lose weight. Sweating is a physiological function designed to regulate body temperature (thermoregulation), eliminate toxins (detoxifying effect) and release pheromones. If you feel slimmer after sweating, it’s simply due to water loss. Sweating does not trigger lipolysis in any way. So, the heating belt will not help you lose belly fat.
The verdict on the vibrating belt is much the same. Simple mechanical vibrations, without stimulation, physical effort or massage, trigger neither lipolysis nor weight loss. Numerous studies have been conducted on the subject(1), focusing in particular on the effectiveness of vibrating platforms, with no convincing results in terms of fat mass reduction.
As for the electrostimulation belt, the picture is far more nuanced. It is now proven(2) that electrostimulation, combined with physical activity, can help tone the body. The electrical impulses gently stimulate deep muscles and boost microcirculation. They don’t directly cause weight loss or calorie burning. However, an electrostimulation belt can improve skin appearance and tone the abdominal muscles, provided it is used alongside regular exercise, adequate hydration and a healthy diet.
Is there another type of slimming belt?
At Cellublue, we decided to innovate and draw inspiration from the best in slimming technology. That’s how we developed a truly unique slimming belt: the Cold Slimming Belt. It draws on the principles of cryotherapy, or cold therapy, and in particular one of its key applications: cryolipolysis.
Fat cells are highly sensitive to low temperatures. Cryolipolysis exposes fat cells to cold in order to trigger apoptosis — in other words, cell death. The technique, now offered at many aesthetic medicine clinics, delivers excellent results: a real reduction in centimetres, a decrease in fat mass and firmer skin. The latest studies on the subject confirm this(3). Furthermore, exposure to cold activates thermogenesis: to maintain a stable core temperature, the body draws on its fat energy reserves… and burns calories.
This is the very principle behind our Cold Slimming Belt: a fat-burning, metabolism-boosting effect through cold exposure. Our belt contains pockets filled with a special gel, designed to be placed in the freezer without hardening. The pockets then slip into the belt, which moulds perfectly to the waist with no risk of irritation (soft, non-irritating fabric).
Our recommendation: 2 daily sessions of 15 minutes each to target abdominal fat and reduce waist measurements. To complement your at-home cryotherapy session, pair it with our Cryo Belly Slimming Gel. Its menthol-based formula enriched with Oriental Lotus and arctic algae will extend the cold effect of the belt, for a flat, toned stomach!
References
(1) 2003, Roelants, Delecluse, Goris, Verschueren, Effects of 24 weeks of whole body vibration training on body composition and muscle strength in untrained females
(2) Cometti, Intérêt de l’électrostimulation dans l’entrainement des sportifs de haut niveau
(3) 2015, Ingargiola, Motakef, Chung, Vasconez, Sasaki, Cryolipolysis for Fat Reduction and Body Contouring: Safety and Efficacy of Current Treatment Paradigms