waist should be less than half your height

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Replies

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Mine should be 32?

    Less than 32. So your preference is fine.
    Exactly
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    nevermind, just deleting my post. I guess I have a weird body shape. lol

    Sounds like you have an hourglass or pear, which is probably better for health purposes than being more of an apple, and not weird.

    The way my insurance company does it is that it's considered unhealthy to be obese, period, and if you are overweight it's considered unhealthy if your waist is more than half your height, because fat around your middle tends to be more of a health concern than fat on your rear, thighs, hips, breasts, etc.

    There are also just different builds that affect measurements beyond fat. Even when I'm really thin I'm more straight up and down (though with breasts), just because of being high-waisted and not really carrying fat around my hips and rear. (I don't care for this, which is why I'm hoping strength-training will help.)
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,854 Member
    Same for men and women? I didn't t expect that. Mine is less-than-half but I still say the mirror test is best: If I look fat, I'm fat.
  • meaganlael
    meaganlael Posts: 32
    All the more motivation to work on whittling down my waist, then.... about 12 inches (a bit of a long way, but that's no surprise) to go!
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    I'm under half in the waist. If they come out and say your hips have to be lower; well, I'm in trouble, b/c there's a 10 inch difference between my waist and hips. Yeah, I'm all butt and thigh.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Same for men and women? I didn't t expect that. Mine is less-than-half but I still say the mirror test is best: If I look fat, I'm fat.
    Can the mirror predict life expectancy? Maybe.
  • stillhere1981
    stillhere1981 Posts: 119 Member
    A 34" wait would make me look very thick in the middle. I'm at 31" in and I'd like to get closer to 29" if possible.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    A 34" wait would make me look very thick in the middle. I'm at 31" in and I'd like to get closer to 29" if possible.
    But a less than 34 inch waist (assuming you're 68" tall) predicts health and a longer life span.

    The article isn't about ideal weight, just health.

    So yes, your 31" and preferred 29" would be great.
  • penny0919
    penny0919 Posts: 123 Member
    I'd like to know this too. After three kids and having 30 lbs to lose my lower abdomen is about 4-5 inches bigger than my natural waist.
  • stillhere1981
    stillhere1981 Posts: 119 Member
    A 34" wait would make me look very thick in the middle. I'm at 31" in and I'd like to get closer to 29" if possible.
    But a less than 34 inch waist (assuming you're 68" tall) predicts health and a longer life span.

    The article isn't about ideal weight, just health.

    So yes, your 31" and preferred 29" would be great.

    I sure hope that's true!

    I guess having all that junk in my trunk isn't so bad (42" hips)!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I'd like to know this too. After three kids and having 30 lbs to lose my lower abdomen is about 4-5 inches bigger than my natural waist.
    Like to know...what?
  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
    I know they say waist, but do they mean waist (as in the natural waist) or belly? If they mean waist, I'm close. If they mean belly, not so much...

    Like to know this? I'm wondering too, does anyone know?
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I know they say waist, but do they mean waist (as in the natural waist) or belly? If they mean waist, I'm close. If they mean belly, not so much...

    Like to know this? I'm wondering too, does anyone know?
    I assume they used the pretty standard approach:

    http://www.wikihow.com/Measure-Your-Waist
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I've been tracking waist/height ratio as one of my metrics to track progress. It's easier than trying to estimate body fat %, isn't subjective like absolute body measurements/dress size and doesn't vary by how much sodium I consumed or how much I exercised the day before like a scale weight.

    The absolute waist circumference is a useful indicator as well, but it depends on racial heritage/genetics, so probably isn't as useful for mixed populations. The UK government isn't the only one to have a target waist circumference as a measure of health. China does as well.
  • carolineat111
    carolineat111 Posts: 97 Member
    I wonder if that's actually right. I'm 5'10" (so 70 inches) and so that's 35 inches. My waist is 29 inches (at navel, not smallest part) and I expect it'll get another inch or two smaller...
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I wonder if that's actually right. I'm 5'10" (so 70 inches) and so that's 35 inches. My waist is 29 inches (at navel, not smallest part) and I expect it'll get another inch or two smaller...
    It's NOT a diet equation! READ the article lol.
  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
    I know they say waist, but do they mean waist (as in the natural waist) or belly? If they mean waist, I'm close. If they mean belly, not so much...

    Like to know this? I'm wondering too, does anyone know?
    I assume they used the pretty standard approach:

    http://www.wikihow.com/Measure-Your-Waist

    Thanks! In the pictures she was going a little low, but it said "it will be the narrowest part of your torso", so I'm going with that. I'm 5'8" with 32" waist so fine I guess, but my waist has never been my problem.
  • ThePhoenixIsRising
    ThePhoenixIsRising Posts: 781 Member
    Soo for me that's under 35", even when I was over weight(40#'s ago) my waist was under that. Guess I am lucky and have healthier fat distribution genetics.
  • eplerd
    eplerd Posts: 91 Member
    I guess I've got quite a ways to go still at a 0.625 Ht/Weight ratio :(

    I WAS on the way to making them MATCH if I had not made some severe changes!!

    From a MEASURED waist (over naval) of 51.5" down to around 40" so far!!
    At the rate I'm going I need to revisit my retirement savings - gonna need LOTS MORE MONEY as I'll live longer!!
  • minimalistmom
    minimalistmom Posts: 137
    I'm good to go. I'm only an inch or two off.
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
    I'm good.
    Height 72in
    Waist 28in
  • xRedRockerx
    xRedRockerx Posts: 54 Member
    At 5'2" I need less than 31 inches. I only ever hit 31 inches once and that was when I had a month-long binge. I prefer going by my waist/hip ratio, but this is good to know!
  • VorJoshigan
    VorJoshigan Posts: 1,106 Member
    I'm nowhere near any of my goals, but the the research I've seen definitely indicate that waist is a better measure than BMI.
  • katharineshalia
    katharineshalia Posts: 243 Member
    Great, just 8 inches to go, sigh...
  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
    I'm nowhere near any of my goals, but the the research I've seen definitely indicate that waist is a better measure than BMI.

    In terms of health, yes. I think it has to do with fat or pressure around the organs.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I know they say waist, but do they mean waist (as in the natural waist) or belly? If they mean waist, I'm close. If they mean belly, not so much...

    Like to know this? I'm wondering too, does anyone know?

    I'm not sure what you mean by natural waist vs belly, but one of the articles I saw defined waist as between the lowest rib and the top of the thigh bone. Which is what I would think of as both the natural waist and belly, though it may or may not be the smallest point, depending on how you are built.
  • fitfreakymom
    fitfreakymom Posts: 1,400 Member
    Great, just 8 inches to go, sigh...

    could be worse, it could be 9 or 10 inch's to go so chin up and keep truckin along.
  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
    I know they say waist, but do they mean waist (as in the natural waist) or belly? If they mean waist, I'm close. If they mean belly, not so much...

    Like to know this? I'm wondering too, does anyone know?

    I'm not sure what you mean by natural waist vs belly, but one of the articles I saw defined waist as between the lowest rib and the top of the thigh bone. Which is what I would think of as both the natural waist and belly, though it may or may not be the smallest point, depending on how you are built.

    Natural waist is the smallest part (where it creases when you bend to the side), it's between your belly button and ribs. Drop waist, often used for clothing measurements, is about an inch and a half below natural waist, and probably closer to what is meant by "belly".
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    Yeah, that might work if you are an apple shape, but even at my heaviest my waist was still showing my height at 4 inches too short. lol. Right now at maintenance goal I'd be 4'1" tall instead of 5'8". So, no, this is kind of a useless measurement.
  • kkimpel
    kkimpel Posts: 303 Member
    omg.. I'm finally below someone's ideal for weight.. woo ho.. yea me
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