Where to measure your waist?

wendyc5056
wendyc5056 Posts: 9
in Fitness and Exercise
Where do women measure their waists at? I have been measuring at my belly button so it's the same spot every time (only measured twice since I found this site a few days ago) To me it's the widest spot. Is this right?

Replies

  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    I believe the waist should be measured at the narrowest spot, but agree that you should be consistent in where you measure.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    550cord.com has diagrams plus an army fit scale
  • FireEngineRedHead
    FireEngineRedHead Posts: 281 Member
    I measure my waist at the thinnest point unless specifically told where.
  • kwatkin
    kwatkin Posts: 81 Member
    my understanding has always been that waist meant "the smallest part of your torso", which seems silly to me, because why would you want to measure your progress on the smallest part?!

    so I track both:
    waist - smallest part (under bust pretty much)
    belly - biggest part (generally belly button)

    just stay consistent on where you're measuring so you can see the difference where you care the most!
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    Typically, when something asks for a woman's waist, it is at the narrowest part. So that's where I measure. For men it is at the naval.

    If it wants something else, it will specify at the naval or some other identifying point. Things like waist to hip and waist to height ratio go off the narrowest part of the midsection.

    You can track either (or both) to watch for differences.

    Hips are typically at the largest (both side to side and front to back) part.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    also apparently 550cord.com now has a free app :D goes to upload lol
  • climbamnt
    climbamnt Posts: 190 Member
    There is a lot of ways that you can measue, I have heard and use one inch above your belly button.
  • _danjo_
    _danjo_ Posts: 134 Member
    I measure both--my "natural" waist (thinnest part) and at my navel.
  • Ralstonk2
    Ralstonk2 Posts: 345 Member
    my understanding has always been that waist meant "the smallest part of your torso", which seems silly to me, because why would you want to measure your progress on the smallest part?!

    so I track both:
    waist - smallest part (under bust pretty much)
    belly - biggest part (generally belly button)

    just stay consistent on where you're measuring so you can see the difference where you care the most!

    That's what I do too is measure both and keep track of both. Because my biggest spot that I want to go down is over my belly button but I also want to check on my actual waist as well.
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
    I was told to bend to the side like you would with a dumbbell and the point which moves in is your natural waist line
  • VegKate
    VegKate Posts: 55 Member
    I used to measure at the smallest part, but then I read that a woman's health is more related to the amount of abdominal fat at the largest part of your waist, which for me is at my belly button, so now I measure that part. Sometimes I measure the small part just to feel better. I think measuring the widest part of your waist is a better measure of your health.
    This article has some helpful information about it. Apparently a healthy waist size (at the belly button) is less than 35 inches.
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/431647-healthy-waist-sizes-for-women/
  • amwoidyla
    amwoidyla Posts: 257 Member
    When I worked as a bridal consultant we told to the girls to do the "I'm a little teapot" thing, and where you bend, that's where you measure.

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