taking measurements

sculptcha
sculptcha Posts: 163 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I apologize if this has been posted somewhere recently, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to take my measurements, because I can't seem to find a definitive answer about where/how.

The neck is easy enough, but the waist and hips are a little trickier. I've mostly read that you measure at the narrowest part of your waist, but for me, that does not feel like my natural waist (it's way too high). And I read somewhere else that you measure around your navel and that's your measurement, and even another source says that you measure around your waist just above the navel, but suck in your gut as far as you can, and that's your measurement (which comes pretty close to the narrowest part of the waist measurement). Should I just pick one and stick with it? Which one is most correct?

And the hips...well this is a little embarrassing, but I have a bit of a hangy down gut that comes down over where I feel my hips should be measured. Should I measure the gut with it, or try to measure underneath it?

Ugh, my body is not conducive to taking measurements. Please help!

Replies

  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    The way I do the waist is to bend to the side, and where it creases is my waist. The natural waist is quite high and above the belly button.

    From way back when I used to do a lot of sewing, the hips are typically measured about 9 inches below the waist.
  • alienblonde1
    alienblonde1 Posts: 749 Member
    Neck - Standing, measure your neck at its largest girth, right over the Adam's apple.

    Shoulder - Standing, can either be measured as a straight line from the largest points on each shoulder across the chest or as a girth measurement all the way around the body.

    Bicep - Measure at its largest girth, can be taken relaxed with arms at side, relaxed with arm bent, flexed with arm bent or all three.

    Chest - Standing, measure with breath out just above the nipple.

    Waist - Standing, measure at the narrowest point or at the midway point between the top of the hip bone and the bottom of the rib cage.

    Hips - Measure at the largest girth, where the butt is protruding the greatest.

    Thigh - Standing, measure at the largest girth, just below the butt.

    Calf - Seated if you are measuring yourself or standing if you have a partner, measure at its largest girth.
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    Stand comfortably and DON'T suck in. Your waist is where your navel is, and unfortunately your "gut" (I still have some of mine left as well, getting there) IS part of the hip measurement. No, the number is not nice to see but it is a reality that you can change!
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
    Doesn't really matter what you do as long as you do the same thing each time :-)
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
    No, the number is not nice to see but it is a reality that you can change!

    well said!
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    This is how I do it, whilst standing with feet together:

    Waist - narrowest part of my upper body.
    Top hip - my little podge below my belly button, somewhere in the middle of that.
    Hips - with my feet together, the part that comes out the most (not hard for me to find :tongue: ) at the top of my thighs around my bottom.

    I added in another measurement on here for top hip, and I don't bother measuring my neck as I don't have a huge amount to lose.

    I would say maybe for you, you could include your 'gut' as your top hip? And then your hips... can you measure the tops of your legs without said 'gut' being there?
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    Thing with me, is that I naturally suck in a bit, and have done for years. It's my natural posture now, and feels weird to let it all hang :laugh:
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    Stand comfortably and DON'T suck in. Your waist is where your navel is, and unfortunately your "gut" (I still have some of mine left as well, getting there) IS part of the hip measurement. No, the number is not nice to see but it is a reality that you can change!

    Sorry to correct you but the true waist is ABOVE the navel, and below the rib cage, just like the post above yours explained. The navel is part of abdominal area, and the hips are below that.

    If the waist were at the navel, everybody will have measurements above 30 inches for the rest of their lives. I blame the latest fashion for this missunderstanding, because all the pants are now low cut and they claim to sit "just at your natural waist." BS!!

    If you buy a pair of briefs (not bikini panties), they will sit right at the waist. That is the proof.

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