Review: The Reality of the Tummy Tuck Belt (Dec. 2014 Update)
It was over a year ago that I participated in an evaluation of the Tummy Tuck Belt “Miracle Slimming System.” This belt, if you have not seen the infomercials on television, supposedly allows you to burn belly fat by wearing it for 10 minutes a day.
The Hype
The belt is supposed to work in two ways, and one of these ways does work. The first way is to simply squeeze all of your fat in like a girdle. I’ll admit that this feature does work. So, yes, it does work like a girdle. That, of course, is not its selling point and you can buy stomach fat squishers in any store, so Tummy Tuck Belt is not unique in this aspect.
The commercial claims that the wearer’s stomach warms up, burning belly fat for hours.
The other way that the product is advertised to work is by “slimming away belly fat.” Their convincing description claims this belt “ignites a fat burning chain reaction, like flipping a switch that sets off a domino effect slimming fat away from your belly long after you’ve taken off the belt.”
They claim that the fastest results can be achieved by wearing the belt and adding exercise to your daily regimen.
Among some of the other claims made by the powers behind Tummy Tuck Belt:
- Tummy Tuck belt “ignites a fat burning chain reaction.”
- The system slightly raises the temperature where the belt is worn, which allegedly burns fat in the area.
- A “thermal accelerator” applied before each session helps ignite the fat burning process
The back of the Tummy Tuck Belt box reads:
Simply follow the 10 Minute Method twice per day. After the 10 minutes, you can take off the belt. This starts the fat reducing process that lasts for several hours. You can use the Tummy Tuck System in 3 ways. Some people like the instant slimming look the belt provides and continue wearing it under their clothes. But whether you wear it 10 minutes or all day, the Tummy Tuck System still slims fat from your belly.
This is the back of the Tummy Tuck Belt box.
This is the front of the Tummy Tuck Belt box. It was on display at a Bed Bath and Beyond in September 2014.
The Reality
As a man in my 40’s, I’ve battled belly fat of varying degrees for some time, so if anyone is a good candidate to try this, it’s me. And that’s what I did back in early 2013.
As far as strapping it on and stuffing in your fat, it works. But what about the “miracle slimming system” achieved by spreading on some cream and wearing the belt? Junk science. I tried it for over a month and saw no change whatsoever.
A few other notes I think are important.
- Spot Fat Burning. Fitness 101 dictates that you can’t spot-target fat loss. Your body stores and removes fat it where it wants, and in what order it wants.
- Clinical Trials. Although the Tummy Tuck Belt website throws around the word “clinical,” in reality they don’t provide access to these alleged studies. When Wafflesatnoon asked about those studies, the response was that they weren’t allowed to disclose which universities did the studies. So they cite studies that they can’t disclose. Red flag anyone?
Head Fake
There is a “gotcha” in the ordering process if you order online, and they are very clever at understating it. While they focus all of your attention on the Tummy Tuck Belt, it’s the special cream they want to automatically bill you for every month. And this is where you need to be very careful. This will amount to nearly $20 when you add in shipping costs, billed two months at a time. So while you are wowed by the amazing claims of the belt, it’s the expensive – and recurring – cream that will silently cost you.
It reminds me of those $99 inkjet printers which cost $500 a year in ink to use.
So you’ll pay about $50 for the belt, but much more for the cream even if you use it for only a few months (long enough to realize it doesn’t work).
In Stores
The Tummy Tuck Belt can now be found in stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond for about $40 (as shown in the photos above). If you are intent on trying it, that is by far the best route to take, as you will avoid shipping costs and the recurring cream auto-shipments.
Tummy Tuck Belt 1 Year Later
After my evaluation of the Tummy Tuck Belt, I never felt a need to use it again, as I was convinced that it provided no benefit at all. The boring reality is that eating better and moving more is the only tried and true way to burn belly fat.
I still have my Tummy Tuck Belt, stashed away in my closet next to an unopened Snuggie I received as a joke gift for Christmas a few years ago. I’m pretty sure they’ll end up in a donation bag together when I clean out my closet this summer.
History
The Google Trends chart shows interest in the Tummy Tuck Belt over the past few years. It appears to have peaked in April 2012, and interest has been mostly on the decline ever since.
Have you used Tummy Tuck Belt? What did you think? Drop me a comment below and tell me of your experiences.
Updated December 16, 2014
First published March 2014
