Tummy Measurements- to suck in or not?

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kellygerstle
kellygerstle Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
OK- I'm new to mfp so not sure how I should be measuring my waist- Do you suck in or let it all hang out and measure? which one is most accurate?

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  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
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    I hold my back straight, good posture and i hold my abdominal muscles firm as I would carry myself throughout the day. My trainer says these muscles should be engaged at about 70% of the time anyway to help support your back. I don't suck in and I don't push out cos that's not how I walk around.
  • kitigonkukoo
    kitigonkukoo Posts: 218 Member
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    I hold my back straight, good posture and i hold my abdominal muscles firm as I would carry myself throughout the day. My trainer says these muscles should be engaged at about 70% of the time anyway to help support your back. I don't suck in and I don't push out cos that's not how I walk around.

    I do the same.
  • kellygerstle
    kellygerstle Posts: 11
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    OK- I've been measuring the way I walk around (tight muscles) I didn't know if this was cheating or not.... Thanks!
  • BubbleGumKisses
    BubbleGumKisses Posts: 156 Member
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    I keep firm while measuring my belly
  • kittenmcgowan
    kittenmcgowan Posts: 83 Member
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    My trainer said similar. First she had me poke it out as much as possible, and then suck in as much as possible. Then she said just to stand 'normally' and she measured that. I think she wanted to make sure I wasn't sucking my belly in too much before she measured me. But I guess, really, it didn't matter either way, because if you suck it in every time, it's still only gonna shrink as fast as you lose it.
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
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    LOL. I totally have thought this and wondered the same... but today I'm just laughing at how our minds work.... we are so complicated, aren't we? It's such a MeNtAl game. :-)
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    I do it both ways.
    I find myself sucking in no matter what, and it's like STOP THAT!
    OK, now, let's take the measurement, and SHRUUUU - there I go again...lol
    So, I exhale, take the measurement, then suck in as best I can and take that one as well.
    I record it like blood pressure: 35/29.....lol

    I am glad to hear somebody else has this issue.
  • wifealiciousness
    wifealiciousness Posts: 179 Member
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    Ah, depends WHERE you're measuring actually!

    Your true waist measurement is not where your trousers sit on your hips, but instead on the narrowest part (an inch or so below your rib cage/ above your belly button). Your "hips" measurement is around the widest part of your bottom. The measurement people often take is around where your trousers sit- below belly button and hips.... thats' not a "true" measurement in terms of "waist" or "hips" but a useful one!

    dress_measurement.JPG
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
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    i dont suck it at all. i never thought to.
    i like the dual measurements :P
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
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    I don't suck in, but I've always pulled the tape a little tight. As that's the way I started, I continue doing it this way :)

    Good luck with your journey!
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 3,019 Member
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    i don't suck it in at all. i stand tall and normal and let everything sit "normally". but like another p.p. said, no matter what you do the inches will still come off as you lose....so it really doesn't matter. for me i have the problem of measuring my lower belly or my belly button area in the exact same spot each time... i do ALL measurements.... but trying to make sure it's in the exact same spot, is hard!
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    no, you dont suck in. that woulda kinda defeat the purpose!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I hold my back straight, good posture and i hold my abdominal muscles firm as I would carry myself throughout the day. My trainer says these muscles should be engaged at about 70% of the time anyway to help support your back. I don't suck in and I don't push out cos that's not how I walk around.

    Yes, this is the correct way. Don't "suck it in", but stand up straight and use good posture.
  • HorganMom3
    HorganMom3 Posts: 63 Member
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    I stand straight, making sure my back is tall, but I don't suck in. It actually does take alot of concentration to totally relax my stomach, but you wouldn't be getting a true measurement otherwise. I also try to keep my core tight and pulled in during walking and specific daily activities, but not when I'm measuring... it just doesn't make since for a TRUE measurement.
  • HorganMom3
    HorganMom3 Posts: 63 Member
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    Ah, depends WHERE you're measuring actually!

    Your true waist measurement is not where your trousers sit on your hips, but instead on the narrowest part (an inch or so below your rib cage/ above your belly button). Your "hips" measurement is around the widest part of your bottom. The measurement people often take is around where your trousers sit- below belly button and hips.... thats' not a "true" measurement in terms of "waist" or "hips" but a useful one!

    dress_measurement.JPG

    And thank you for posting this ^ !!
    :happy:
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    The correct way is to always do it the same way.

    I measure erect posture sucked in without extra lung assist (keep your mouth open to avod excessive assistance) and I also measure while fully flexed all the way around, and keep track of both numbers. I find both measurements to be easy to reproduce.
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 637 Member
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    i don't suck it in at all. i stand tall and normal and let everything sit "normally". but like another p.p. said, no matter what you do the inches will still come off as you lose....so it really doesn't matter. for me i have the problem of measuring my lower belly or my belly button area in the exact same spot each time... i do ALL measurements.... but trying to make sure it's in the exact same spot, is hard!

    I have the same problem! I have been measuring my belly bottom for years so I'll continue to do that, however just a slight move of the tape measurement and it goes up or down 1 inch so I never really know how accurate it is!
  • doneatfour
    doneatfour Posts: 120 Member
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    Ah, depends WHERE you're measuring actually!

    Your true waist measurement is not where your trousers sit on your hips, but instead on the narrowest part (an inch or so below your rib cage/ above your belly button). Your "hips" measurement is around the widest part of your bottom. The measurement people often take is around where your trousers sit- below belly button and hips.... thats' not a "true" measurement in terms of "waist" or "hips" but a useful one!

    dress_measurement.JPG

    LOL.I was just redoing my measurements this morning and realized I had been measuring my waist in the wrong place! I did the side bend technique and was surprised at where my "indent" showed up. So had to go online and find dressmaker's measurements. They said to tie a string around your waist, then bend side to side to let it settle. :) My true waist measurement ended up being an inch smaller.

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