How do I get a 24-25 inch waist?
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A lot of people have already mentioned that you can’t change your body shape (ie ruler, apple, hourglass) without some help from shapewear or surgery. I would add that a small waist is almost an illusion- it’s a ratio rather than a specific measurement.
I think the best thing you can do is work on your overall health and fitness. What good is a 24 inch waist if the rest of your body has suffered for it?
Posture can help your waist look smaller as can wearing clothing styles to help create an illusion such as wrap dresses, belts around your waist and high waisted items.
Remember there’s more than one way to be gorgeous- petite or willowy, curvy or slender and as cliched as it sounds being healthy is way more beautiful than a weight, measurement or size9 -
Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.2 -
I can't.1
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Like others have mentioned, waist size is genetic and there is not much you can do about it. I had to come to terms with this myself! So I decided to lift in order to create the illusion of a smaller waist by building up my legs/hamstrings as well as shoulders.2
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mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
Mostly, they couldn't. I know: I was alive then, old enough to be aware.
Unconfident, anxious, or vain people worried about it. Confident people went on with happy life in the bodies they had. Mean girls said unkind things about others whom they felt didn't measure up.
Some things don't ever change.22 -
mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
Its one of those things that not everyone can achieve (like thigh gaps). It just depends on your genetics.
My waist as an adult has never been smaller than 26” (66.04 cm). I don’t think it’s possible for me to get any smaller with the way my body is built. Even now my waist is 27.5” (69.84 cm). I would like to cut a bit of fat for vanity reasons, but I don’t think anyone would look at me and think my waist was big.
As for waist size changing throughout the day, around TOM, when constipated...all normal. It’s just how bodies work.
I think instead of focusing on something that isn’t possible for you to achieve in a healthy way, you should focus on finding confidence and learning to love the body you have.8 -
mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
Until I believe the 1960's or so (I could be wrong, I wasn't around then) women often wore girdles.
Clothing was more structured with little or no stretch. It makes figures look different and required different foundation garments.11 -
mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
people were just smaller. heights, frames, etc. over the decades/centuries, humans are on average getting larger.5 -
shadow2soul wrote: »mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
Its one of those things that not everyone can achieve (like thigh gaps). It just depends on your genetics.
My waist as an adult has never been smaller than 26” (66.04 cm). I don’t think it’s possible for me to get any smaller with the way my body is built. Even now my waist is 27.5” (69.84 cm). I would like to cut a bit of fat for vanity reasons, but I don’t think anyone would look at me and think my waist was big.
As for waist size changing throughout the day, around TOM, when constipated...all normal. It’s just how bodies work.
I think instead of focusing on something that isn’t possible for you to achieve in a healthy way, you should focus on finding confidence and learning to love the body you have.
Ha. When I'm close to being underweight, my waist is about 65cm. But then I have a really sharp edge at the top of my pelvis bone, which not only looks ridiculous but is also very uncomfortable to sleep on. Think wearing trousers that are too wide in the waist, but made from bone.3 -
peggy_polenta wrote: »mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
people were just smaller. heights, frames, etc. over the decades/centuries, humans are on average getting larger.
Why was this wooed? It's pretty much true. Over the last 150 years, the average height of people living in the West has increased by almost 4", almost certainly due to improved nutrition throughout life (and particularly in childhood). I don't have data on other measurements, but it would be surprising if the frame weren't a little larger generally.9 -
They didn’t “achieve” it. Their genetics made it possible, and on average, people were smaller then.mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
7 -
peggy_polenta wrote: »mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
people were just smaller. heights, frames, etc. over the decades/centuries, humans are on average getting larger.
Why was this wooed? It's pretty much true. Over the last 150 years, the average height of people living in the West has increased by almost 4", almost certainly due to improved nutrition throughout life (and particularly in childhood). I don't have data on other measurements, but it would be surprising if the frame weren't a little larger generally.
The average woman (age 20-74) in the US in 1960 was 63.1 inches. The most recent stat for women 20+ was 63.6 inches. (CDC data in both cases).
The "ideal" proportions of 50 years ago were not different from today because women were materially shorter. They were different because tastes and styles were different.
The "ideals" were just as silly, arbitrary, and unrealistic for women then, as current ones are for women now. The ideals 50 years ago may've been a little closer to the average woman's measurements then, because women were less overweight, on average.21 -
peggy_polenta wrote: »mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
people were just smaller. heights, frames, etc. over the decades/centuries, humans are on average getting larger.
Why was this wooed? It's pretty much true. Over the last 150 years, the average height of people living in the West has increased by almost 4", almost certainly due to improved nutrition throughout life (and particularly in childhood). I don't have data on other measurements, but it would be surprising if the frame weren't a little larger generally.
The average woman (age 20-74) in the US in 1960 was 63.1 inches. The most recent stat for women 20+ was 63.6 inches. (CDC data in both cases).
The "ideal" proportions of 50 years ago were not different from today because women were materially shorter. They were different because tastes and styles were different.
The "ideals" were just as silly, arbitrary, and unrealistic for women then, as current ones are for women now. The ideals 50 years ago may've been a little closer to the average woman's measurements then, because women were less overweight, on average.
Average height may be only 1/2 inch increase but weight has gone up significantly, during the same time. That adds inches somwhere. According to the CDC, the average American woman’s waist size is 38.2 inches. OP hoping to achieve a 24-25 inch waist seems unrealistic, without knowing her genetic predisposition.2 -
peggy_polenta wrote: »mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
people were just smaller. heights, frames, etc. over the decades/centuries, humans are on average getting larger.
And they had corsets and girdle.3 -
missysippy930 wrote: »peggy_polenta wrote: »mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
people were just smaller. heights, frames, etc. over the decades/centuries, humans are on average getting larger.
Why was this wooed? It's pretty much true. Over the last 150 years, the average height of people living in the West has increased by almost 4", almost certainly due to improved nutrition throughout life (and particularly in childhood). I don't have data on other measurements, but it would be surprising if the frame weren't a little larger generally.
The average woman (age 20-74) in the US in 1960 was 63.1 inches. The most recent stat for women 20+ was 63.6 inches. (CDC data in both cases).
The "ideal" proportions of 50 years ago were not different from today because women were materially shorter. They were different because tastes and styles were different.
The "ideals" were just as silly, arbitrary, and unrealistic for women then, as current ones are for women now. The ideals 50 years ago may've been a little closer to the average woman's measurements then, because women were less overweight, on average.
Average height may be only 1/2 inch increase but weight has gone up significantly, during the same time. That adds inches somwhere. According to the CDC, the average American woman’s waist size is 38.2 inches. OP hoping to achieve a 24-25 inch waist seems unrealistic, without knowing her genetic predisposition.
Read back. The conversation went this way:Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago. Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?people were just smaller. heights, frames, etc. ?Why was this wooed? It's pretty much true. Over the last 150 years, the average height of people living in the West has increased by almost 4", almost certainly due to improved nutrition throughout life (and particularly in childhood). I don't have data on other measurements, but it would be surprising if the frame weren't a little larger generally.
I was speculating about why it might have been wooed, not arguing that people haven't been getting bigger.
People have gotten taller over 150 years, but half an inch height change, and any accompanying frame size change, is not why "people could achieve" 36-24-36 in 1969. (Frame size is not fatness, it's skeletal structure, and - in a generous interpretation - might include muscularity.)
Girdles might be part of how people could achieve 36-24-36, being less fat certainly is relevant (but isn't height or frame size).
Note that OP is already at a relatively low BMI, so over-fatness is probably not why she doesn't have a 24" waist. Shapewear is still an option.
Most women don't or can't achieve the body ideals of their era. That's kind of baked into the nature of ideals, IMO. The PP comment about accepting the unchangeable is completely on point.10 -
As we age, our waists actually change shape so we can birth baby easier. It's a woman thing. Women rock.9
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OP, this "other girls" competitive enemy vibe you have going on is only going to hurt you and possibly your friends. Other people aren't out there to compete with for this kind of thing, we're all in this together and are mostly the same combo of having our *kitten* together and weird crawly insecurity. Instead of striving for an example body to impress people with, strive for your health and fitness of course, but strive to be a realist, and a compassionate person who accepts other bodies and by extension their own.15
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While a lot of people say you can’t spot reduce, and that’s true you can target specific muscles with weight training. For example, after you have dropped all the fat you possibly can, then following up with weighted ab exercises and vacuums you could shrink your stomach over time. There are a lot of ncbi research articles on fat loss if you’re interested in reading medical journals. I spend too much time reading research papers since I find it fascinating.12
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mirrormirror77 wrote: »Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »If your body shape allows it, you need to lose weight. However, not everyone has the shape that can achieve such a small waist while at a healthy weight. Even when I was underweight, my waist was 27 inches at the smallest.
When I was at my lowest weight (42kg) my waist was 63cm... so...
So technically, you already have the answer to your direct question. Since you're still asking it, I think it follows you want to have a 24"-25" waist and be at a BMI that isn't considered underweight?
Well just the simple math and physics would say you'd need to increase your density - you'd need to change your composition so that you have more muscle and less fat.
The bad news is that it still has a fair chance of being unobtainable. You very well might not be able to reach that kind of composition without having the same kind of low body fat that causes the many of the issues one tries to avoid by being underweight.
That pushes in the same direction a lot of posts are telling you - you might need to relax your constraints and consider that you aren't interested in an absolute number, but a certain look that might be more obtainable: generally by changing other areas around the waist as well to give that look.5 -
mirrormirror77 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.missysippy930 wrote: »Body build is hereditary.
Back when I your age, 36-24-36 female measurements, were considered perfect. That was over 50 years ago.
Learning acceptance of that which you cannot change will come.
Yeah so I was like, how could ppl achieve that?
Genetics.6 -
Try Intermittent Fasting. Check it out on YouTube.33
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Try Intermittent Fasting. Check it out on YouTube.
Try rubbing your belly clockwise while rubbing the top of your head ANTI-clockwise AND singing "we will rock you"! You could also drink a potion and explain to the universe your requirements: if you do it JUST right, the universe listens and magic happens! Or not! I may be confusing MFP to a fantasy book.
But being nice is always good! I don't think that mean girls are nice! Oh well, I have to go find my tape so I can measure some waists!!! Oops, that wasn't nice! Sorry!!!17 -
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Try Intermittent Fasting. Check it out on YouTube.
How would IF reshape the ribs and pelvis bones, and reduce organs? I’ve been doin IF accidentally as that’s just the way I apparently eat, and it has done nothing of that sort. Bones still there, organs in all their beauty. Nope, no success.12 -
Based on measurements the OP already has an hourglass figure with a proportionally small waist. Just thought someone needed to point that out since many people seem to be consoling her for a problem that doesn’t exist. She doesn’t need a recomp, she needs perspective.15
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Years ago everyone was smaller and slimmer (on average). This was down to less food and more active life styles. I also have read that apparently womens' bodies (again - on average), are becoming more 'masculine'. ie bigger waists, broader shoulders. And yes - women wore corsets and girdles. I don't know why you can't understand that NOT EVERYONE CAN HAVE A 24 INCH WAIST! We are all DIFFERENT. I work hard at my exercise and how I eat, but I will never have long gazelle legs or big boobs! Its physically impossible for me, so what I do is try to be the best version of me that I can.5
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OP, I remember being your age and obsessing about what my body looked like. Now, with the perspective of age, I feel such sadness at the time and energy I spent on worrying about how my body looked. What a waste. Focusing instead on how I feel and what my body can do is incredibly empowering. I wish I knew better how to instill that perspective in young people.8
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OP, I remember being your age and obsessing about what my body looked like. Now, with the perspective of age, I feel such sadness at the time and energy I spent on worrying about how my body looked. What a waste. Focusing instead on how I feel and what my body can do is incredibly empowering. I wish I knew better how to instill that perspective in young people.
I'll add something else to this. When I was younger I stewed that I needed to do such and such to look better. Now I'm 65 and after years have seen pictures of myself when I was younger--I looked great and didn't appreciate it. I'm doing the same thing now and am wondering if in another 10 years I'll think I look great. We are our own worst critics. Focus on something else and you'll be happier. Enjoy your youth--it only passes once.8 -
OP, I remember being your age and obsessing about what my body looked like. Now, with the perspective of age, I feel such sadness at the time and energy I spent on worrying about how my body looked. What a waste. Focusing instead on how I feel and what my body can do is incredibly empowering. I wish I knew better how to instill that perspective in young people.
Yes, when I was in high school I fretted over my big feet. Later, I discovered yoga and realized how helpful my big feet were in balancing poses.
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