How to Measure Waist Correctly?

jessicawrites
jessicawrites Posts: 235 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am trying to keep track of measurements to help me gauge progress/body composition. I've got no trouble determining where my natural waist is to measure, but my question is how much (if at all) to tense vs. relax my stomach when measuring.

Clearly sucking in as far as I can is not going to do me any favors, but I get different results by letting myself "pooch" out vs. taking a deep breath and releasing it vs. tensing my abs (without "sucking in" to deliberately create a concavity).

Which way is right?

Replies

  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    For purposes of calculating BF%, relaxed but not pooched out measured at the naval.
  • jessicawrites
    jessicawrites Posts: 235 Member
    That was fast! Thanks :)
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    The BF% calculation I used had those specific instructions. I saw the same instructions for the proposed WHO alternative to BMI where that measurement should be less than half your height.
  • CycleGuy9000
    CycleGuy9000 Posts: 290
    When measuring body fat for a woman you actually want to measure halfway between the navel and sternum (breastbone).

    Here is a site that has a lot of good calculators for getting in shape http://www.freedieting.com/tools/body_fat_calculator.htm

    Hope this helps!
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    If you're measuring to make clothing, you find the waist by bending to the side. The depression is your natural waist. You also can take a chain or knotted piece of string and observe where it settles on your body.

    I lightly tense my abs. I read somewhere that you should take a deep breath and then exhale out about half your breath.

    Consistency in the measurement method probably matters more than anything else.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    Consistency in the measurement method probably matters more than anything else.
    For tracking change, that's true. In the context of using it for a specific calculator, if the instructions are not clear and your body shape is such that it makes much difference, then maybe you should find another calculator with better instructions.

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