Is there any theory/science behind loosing inches?

A nurse who takes measurements all day told me almost NO ONE has a 24" waist.

My beanpole 14 y/o has a 26" waist and she's 108lbs., 5'5" and naturally small waisted w/a long torso. There is no way hers will ever be smaller, barring anorexia.

Even 28" is a tiny waist. I agree that the goal sounds a little ED.

The nurse is measuring your waist at your navel. That's not my natural waist, my navel is barely above the top of my pelvis. I couldn't get that measurement below about 27" without excising bone.

My natural waist is above that, I presume that's what OP is talking about. That's the measurement that is visually important when you are talking about a waist - the narrowest part of the torso.

I think having arbitrary inch goals may be a sign of eating disorders. How did the OP come up with a 25" waist?
That said I had a 24" waist in high school. However, I weighed 98 lbs, ran long distance, did tons of aerobics classes and lifted weights. I'm also fine boned and 5'1".

Saw a documentary the other day on the US size 0. Apparently the model figure to aim for is a 23 inch waist. :noway:

Rumor has it that Marilyn Monroe had like 23 inch waist? but looking at all the pictures, I am not convinced...

I just saw something on a documentary that says she wore a size 16. Now, clothing sizes may have been adjusted for the fatter population but I can't believe a size 23" waist was ever size 16.
Didn't all the civil war ladies try to get an 18" waist with the corset on? I've read stories on how they starved themselves and also passed out from super tight corsets.

Her size changed quite a bit over the years. After her miscarriage, she was quite a bit bigger than when she starring in movies like "How to Marry a Millionaire." I believe that she had a 23" waist at some point, just not at this point:

Why women use a drug addict and an adultress for the standard of female perfection on every level I'll never know but I'll play along.

According to her dress maker:
Height: 5 feet, 5½ inches
Weight: 118-140 pounds
Bust: 35-37 inches
Waist: 22-23 inches
Hips: 35-36 inches
Bra size: 36D

Supposedly at her heaviest she was no larger than a 10 and was usually and 8.

EDIT: Spelling and phrasing. Me fail English.

I've seen those measurements before and they make no sense. If she did wear a 36D bra, then her bust measurement should be more like 40. And because she looks very proportionate, her hip measurement should be approximately the same as her bust (40).
And her waist does not look like it is 17 inches smaller than her bust and hip. So I think she was more like 40-28-40.

If she did have a 35-37 bust measurement, her bra size would be more like 32D, 34B, or 34C.

I wore a 34/36d bra and my bust measurement was 37". Bit bigger now post baby.... My hips were 39.

I don't think 25" is possible for everyone, and maybe not likely for someone already at low-20s body fat % and 28". Maybe it is but better to be prepared that shape may not be in your genes and that size might put you at too low of bf% or weight for general health.

Sure it is. I have a 26" waist now, at ~24-25% BF and a significant pad of fat left to lose on my upper and lower abs. By the time I lose that fat pad, if I ever manage it, my waist will have shrunk at least an inch.

Besides, you can find jeans sized for a 24" waist in the department stores - and not in the misses section. Who is buying those if women can't have even a 25" waist?

I said "it's not possible for everyone". That doesn't mean "it's impossible for anyone".

I think having arbitrary inch goals may be a sign of eating disorders. How did the OP come up with a 25" waist?
That said I had a 24" waist in high school. However, I weighed 98 lbs, ran long distance, did tons of aerobics classes and lifted weights. I'm also fine boned and 5'1".

Saw a documentary the other day on the US size 0. Apparently the model figure to aim for is a 23 inch waist. :noway:

Rumor has it that Marilyn Monroe had like 23 inch waist? but looking at all the pictures, I am not convinced...

I just saw something on a documentary that says she wore a size 16. Now, clothing sizes may have been adjusted for the fatter population but I can't believe a size 23" waist was ever size 16.
Didn't all the civil war ladies try to get an 18" waist with the corset on? I've read stories on how they starved themselves and also passed out from super tight corsets.

Her size changed quite a bit over the years. After her miscarriage, she was quite a bit bigger than when she starring in movies like "How to Marry a Millionaire." I believe that she had a 23" waist at some point, just not at this point:

Why women use a drug addict and an adultress for the standard of female perfection on every level I'll never know but I'll play along.

According to her dress maker:
Height: 5 feet, 5½ inches
Weight: 118-140 pounds
Bust: 35-37 inches
Waist: 22-23 inches
Hips: 35-36 inches
Bra size: 36D

Supposedly at her heaviest she was no larger than a 10 and was usually and 8.

EDIT: Spelling and phrasing. Me fail English.

I've seen those measurements before and they make no sense. If she did wear a 36D bra, then her bust measurement should be more like 40. And because she looks very proportionate, her hip measurement should be approximately the same as her bust (40).
And her waist does not look like it is 17 inches smaller than her bust and hip. So I think she was more like 40-28-40.

If she did have a 35-37 bust measurement, her bra size would be more like 32D, 34B, or 34C.

I wore a 34/36d bra and my bust measurement was 37". Bit bigger now post baby.... My hips were 39.

Cup sizes are based on the difference in measurement between the band measurement and the fullest portion of the bust. One inch = one cup. So, 36 D would have approximately 40" bust, maybe 39 depending on shape and distribution.
34D is one full cup size smaller than 36D. 34D would have a measurement of 37-38.

Funny for me I realized so far that 1kg loss is 1cm down on my waist.

I've heard that for men and apple shaped women, waist circumference is almost directly related to body fat %. The actual numbers are different for each individual, but if I am 25% bodyfat at 35" then any time I'm 35", I'll be at 25% body fat.

I think having arbitrary inch goals may be a sign of eating disorders. How did the OP come up with a 25" waist?
That said I had a 24" waist in high school. However, I weighed 98 lbs, ran long distance, did tons of aerobics classes and lifted weights. I'm also fine boned and 5'1".

Saw a documentary the other day on the US size 0. Apparently the model figure to aim for is a 23 inch waist. :noway:

Rumor has it that Marilyn Monroe had like 23 inch waist? but looking at all the pictures, I am not convinced...

I just saw something on a documentary that says she wore a size 16. Now, clothing sizes may have been adjusted for the fatter population but I can't believe a size 23" waist was ever size 16.
Didn't all the civil war ladies try to get an 18" waist with the corset on? I've read stories on how they starved themselves and also passed out from super tight corsets.

Her size changed quite a bit over the years. After her miscarriage, she was quite a bit bigger than when she starring in movies like "How to Marry a Millionaire." I believe that she had a 23" waist at some point, just not at this point:

Why women use a drug addict and an adultress for the standard of female perfection on every level I'll never know but I'll play along.

According to her dress maker:
Height: 5 feet, 5½ inches
Weight: 118-140 pounds
Bust: 35-37 inches
Waist: 22-23 inches
Hips: 35-36 inches
Bra size: 36D

Supposedly at her heaviest she was no larger than a 10 and was usually and 8.

EDIT: Spelling and phrasing. Me fail English.

I've seen those measurements before and they make no sense. If she did wear a 36D bra, then her bust measurement should be more like 40. And because she looks very proportionate, her hip measurement should be approximately the same as her bust (40).
And her waist does not look like it is 17 inches smaller than her bust and hip. So I think she was more like 40-28-40.

If she did have a 35-37 bust measurement, her bra size would be more like 32D, 34B, or 34C.

I wore a 34/36d bra and my bust measurement was 37". Bit bigger now post baby.... My hips were 39.

I'm a 38DD or something and I'm 41" at the bust.

I think having arbitrary inch goals may be a sign of eating disorders. How did the OP come up with a 25" waist?
That said I had a 24" waist in high school. However, I weighed 98 lbs, ran long distance, did tons of aerobics classes and lifted weights. I'm also fine boned and 5'1".

Saw a documentary the other day on the US size 0. Apparently the model figure to aim for is a 23 inch waist. :noway:

Rumor has it that Marilyn Monroe had like 23 inch waist? but looking at all the pictures, I am not convinced...

I just saw something on a documentary that says she wore a size 16. Now, clothing sizes may have been adjusted for the fatter population but I can't believe a size 23" waist was ever size 16.
Didn't all the civil war ladies try to get an 18" waist with the corset on? I've read stories on how they starved themselves and also passed out from super tight corsets.

Her size changed quite a bit over the years. After her miscarriage, she was quite a bit bigger than when she starring in movies like "How to Marry a Millionaire." I believe that she had a 23" waist at some point, just not at this point:

Why women use a drug addict and an adultress for the standard of female perfection on every level I'll never know but I'll play along.

According to her dress maker:
Height: 5 feet, 5½ inches
Weight: 118-140 pounds
Bust: 35-37 inches
Waist: 22-23 inches
Hips: 35-36 inches
Bra size: 36D

Supposedly at her heaviest she was no larger than a 10 and was usually and 8.

EDIT: Spelling and phrasing. Me fail English.

I've seen those measurements before and they make no sense. If she did wear a 36D bra, then her bust measurement should be more like 40. And because she looks very proportionate, her hip measurement should be approximately the same as her bust (40).
And her waist does not look like it is 17 inches smaller than her bust and hip. So I think she was more like 40-28-40.

If she did have a 35-37 bust measurement, her bra size would be more like 32D, 34B, or 34C.

I wore a 34/36d bra and my bust measurement was 37". Bit bigger now post baby.... My hips were 39.

34 implies your 34 inches around the underbust and a D implies your bust is 4 inches larger than your underbust, so a 38. A 36D would be 36+4, so 40

I thought you were supposed to add two inches to the underbust to get the bra strap.

I hadn't been properly measured, in fairness, I was wearing old bras. But they fit. From measurements I was 33" under my bust, but the 36" bras fit fine. Maybe they'd shrunk!

I think having arbitrary inch goals may be a sign of eating disorders. How did the OP come up with a 25" waist?
That said I had a 24" waist in high school. However, I weighed 98 lbs, ran long distance, did tons of aerobics classes and lifted weights. I'm also fine boned and 5'1".

Saw a documentary the other day on the US size 0. Apparently the model figure to aim for is a 23 inch waist. :noway:

Rumor has it that Marilyn Monroe had like 23 inch waist? but looking at all the pictures, I am not convinced...

I just saw something on a documentary that says she wore a size 16. Now, clothing sizes may have been adjusted for the fatter population but I can't believe a size 23" waist was ever size 16.
Didn't all the civil war ladies try to get an 18" waist with the corset on? I've read stories on how they starved themselves and also passed out from super tight corsets.

Her size changed quite a bit over the years. After her miscarriage, she was quite a bit bigger than when she starring in movies like "How to Marry a Millionaire." I believe that she had a 23" waist at some point, just not at this point:

Why women use a drug addict and an adultress for the standard of female perfection on every level I'll never know but I'll play along.

According to her dress maker:
Height: 5 feet, 5½ inches
Weight: 118-140 pounds
Bust: 35-37 inches
Waist: 22-23 inches
Hips: 35-36 inches
Bra size: 36D

Supposedly at her heaviest she was no larger than a 10 and was usually and 8.

EDIT: Spelling and phrasing. Me fail English.

I've seen those measurements before and they make no sense. If she did wear a 36D bra, then her bust measurement should be more like 40. And because she looks very proportionate, her hip measurement should be approximately the same as her bust (40).
And her waist does not look like it is 17 inches smaller than her bust and hip. So I think she was more like 40-28-40.

If she did have a 35-37 bust measurement, her bra size would be more like 32D, 34B, or 34C.

I wore a 34/36d bra and my bust measurement was 37". Bit bigger now post baby.... My hips were 39.

34 implies your 34 inches around the underbust and a D implies your bust is 4 inches larger than your underbust, so a 38. A 36D would be 36+4, so 40

I thought you were supposed to add two inches to the underbust to get the bra strap.

ETA: http://www.herroom.com/bra-fitting-advice,901,30.html#measure-three-easy-steps

No. That's how crappy fitters measure you for crappy bras.

Measure your band size. This is the easiest part of the process — your band size should be fairly stable and straightforward.
Run a tape measure all the way around your body just underneath your breasts and take a measurement in inches. Make sure the tape measure is horizontal and fairly snug. Your arms should be down. Write down this number.
If this measurement is an odd number, then you should try out bras in both the size below your measurement and the size above. [1] For example, if you measured 31 inches (78.7cm), your band size could be 30 or 32.
If your measurement is already an even number, this is almost always your band size, but you may need a smaller or larger size depending on your body type.

Determine your cup size. Remember, your cup size isn't an absolute measure — it's in proportion to your band size.
Bend over so that your chest is parallel to the ground. This is so that you'll be measuring all of your breast tissue — not just what protrudes outward when you're standing up.
Measure around your torso, so that the tape is over the fullest part of your breasts. Don't pull the tape too tightly — it should be tight enough that it doesn't evenly move, but not so tight that's pressing into your breast tissue. Write down the number.
Make sure your tape measure is straight. That is, it shouldn't be a few inches down your back, or you'll end up with an uneven measurement. To combat this, try to measure yourself in front of a mirror, or ask your partner or close friend to help you.
Calculate your cup size. To do this, you'll subtract your band measurement from the cup measurement you just took. The difference between the two numbers determines your cup size:
Less than 1 inch = AA
1 inch = A
2 inches = B
3 inches = C
4 inches = D
5 inches = DD
6 inches = DDD (E in UK sizing)
7 inches = DDDD/F (F in UK sizing)
8 inches = G/H (FF in UK sizing)
9 inches = I/J (G in UK sizing)
10 inches = J (GG in UK sizing)
The majority of leading brands use UK cup sizing: AA, A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ, K, KK, L, LL. If you're shopping in the US you might see cup sizes such as DDD or DDDD. These are equivalent to E and F. If you're in any doubt, particularly with larger cup sizes, you can refer to an international bra sizing chart




The other method, adding inches to your measurement, doesn't actually make sense who you think about it. If you're 32 inches around why are you adding 2 inches of fabric?

The other method, adding inches to your measurement, doesn't actually make sense who you think about it. If you're 32 inches around why are you adding 2 inches of fabric?

Why am I a size 12 pant, when that (more or less) translates to a specific hip and size measurement?