How do you take your measurements?

christianteach
christianteach Posts: 595 Member
edited January 30 in Fitness and Exercise
When taking your waist measurement, do you suck in? I always do because I heard Dr. Oz say to...seemed good enough for me. :tongue: where do you measure your waist? At you belly button or the smallest spot? Is the tape measure tight or just barely touching? I come up with completely different measurements depending on how and where I do it, especially on my hips that still have fat I can grab... :frown:

Replies

  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,621 Member
    I think I take the War and Peace of measurements. I like to know where my body is changing and in what ways, so I take a TON of measurements. I'll go through my list, but I will say that I do not suck in at all since I won't be doing that all the time when I'm in public, and the tape measure is touching, but not tight. Just enough to be flush against my skin but not digging in even slightly. Ok, here's my list (I am really showing my OCD crazy side) and exactly how I write it:

    Neck
    R Upper Arm Bust L Upper Arm
    R Lower Arm Underbust L Lower Arm
    R Wrist Waist (narrowest part) L Wrist
    Lower Waist (bellybutton)
    Hips
    R Upper Thigh L Upper Thigh
    R Lower Thigh L Lower Thigh
    R Calf L Calf
    R Ankle L Ankle

    Yep, I organize it in the shape of a body. I am that nuts about it. One of the main reasons I do it this way is not only to track, but I my right side is significantly weaker and smaller than my left side due to injuries from a car accident when I was 3. So this helps me to know if I'm as symmetrical as possible. I am very very self conscious about it and if I don't do my exercises for a week, I lose the muscle I build very easily on that side. So this way I can make sure that I haven't lost it where I want to keep it, and am losing it where I want to lose it.
  • gigglybeth
    gigglybeth Posts: 365 Member
    I pretty much just do my natural waist at the narrowest point (usually right after the ribcage ends), at the belly button, widest part of the hips. Occasionally I will do a thigh, calf and chest.
  • ron2e
    ron2e Posts: 606
    No I don't suck in for the waist measurement, I try to relax and be neutral and yes the waist measurement is at the level of your belly button, not your jeans waist measurement which is a little over where your hip measurement is. The tape measure should be snug but not tight or digging in, though as long as you do it the same way every time, it doesn't really matter as it is the change you take account of. I mean does it matter if you are 45" round the belly if you've gone from 50" to 45" in the last month. On the other hand if you are 45" round the belly but last time you measured you were 42" that's bad.
  • AndiGirl70
    AndiGirl70 Posts: 542 Member
    I just had mine taken at the gym I'm a member of. We measured the chest, arms(relaxed and flexed), waist (just below ribcage), abdominals (at bellybutton), hips, thigh, and calf. I don't suck anything in when I measure.
  • CoachDreesTraining
    CoachDreesTraining Posts: 223 Member
    It doesn't matter where, or how you take your measurements as long as you are consistent.

    The standard for your waist is just above your belly button. To be consistent, do a side bend and where your skin makes a crease is where you should measure from.

    Your hip measurement should be at your widest point.
  • tidesong
    tidesong Posts: 451 Member
    I don't suck anything in. I want it natural so I can use those measurements to help find clothes. Tape measure is snug but not digging in. While it might be nice to see a smaller number, it's not realistic for things like clothes shopping online. Of course, as someone else said, the most important thing is the overall change, so as long as you're consistent, it doesn't really matter....

    My waist, I measure at my belly button level, which is the smallest circumference of my waist. I also take another measurement "above waist" for the stupid muffin-top part of my stomach.
  • itsscottwilder
    itsscottwilder Posts: 317
    I don't suck in.

    I force my belly out to its widest, then I'll relax those muscles and take the measurement.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Dr. Oz is a bad word around here. Not sucked in. Relaxed. I measure at the natural waist, which should be the smallest part, where you would bend if you lean sideways. I also measure at the bellybutton, and an inch below the bellybutton.
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 595 Member
    Oh crud! I took new measurements with no sucking in my tummy and no squeezing my fat with the tape measure... :sad:
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