Fajas have long been used as a slimming technique post-baby by many of us Latinas–and even celebrities such as Jessica Alba have fessed up to it. Now, our beloved shapewear is being used for dieting purposes with the new "Corset Diet" or how we like to call it: "Faja Diet". Doctors have been helping patients looking to lose weight by assigning them the corset diet which is intended to train your waist to be smaller.
In fact, expert Dr. Alexander Sinclaire says he's had patients lose up to 6 inches just by wearing the shapewear several hours a day!
Read more ¿Qué más?: The 5 best fajas that will help you tone your post-baby tummy!
The way the Faja Diet works is that the patient is expected to wear the corset for three to five hours a day and then increasing that up to 12 hours. Although uncomfortable to wear, it helps the user eat less and the extra layer makes them sweat too. Dr. Sinclaire even says that he has a patient working on getting her 26 inch waist to a size 23.
However not all doctors are fans of this diet and many say it can harm the lungs and cause joint pain. Dr. Sue Decotis told the Daily Mail, "Wearing such a tight garment could compress organs and cause painful muscle spasms." She adds that this method can only keep you from eating too much, but in the end it doesn't get rid of the fat cells in the waist area.
I get what Dr. Decotis is saying, but this method has worked for many people–including our abuelas and mamás. I don't think there's any harm in trying this out for a short period of time, but in the long term, keep in mind that it MAY be dangerous to the internal organs. If you do choose to follow the Faja Diet, make sure to consult your doctor first and if you can't handle it, don't put yourself through the torture!
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