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Waist Measurements, Goals and Exercises

NikRodes
NikRodes Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What is everyone's thoughts on ideal waist measurements? I am trying to get mine down to 26 inches, and I am currently at 28.5 now. I know this is largely a matter of diet to get there, but I also work out and want to make sure I am doing the right exercises for my midsection. I have heard conflicting statements regarding side bends adding to your waist size. Anyone know if this is true?

Replies

  • mila_lova
    mila_lova Posts: 163 Member
    I remember having a 26 in waist, I miss it.

    Harper's Bazaar just posted an abs workout for getting a small waist. Try googling it, I'll check the title for you.
  • mila_lova
    mila_lova Posts: 163 Member
    It's "How to Get a Small Waist"
  • NikRodes
    NikRodes Posts: 5 Member
    I should have specified more in my original post what I am trying to get some thoughts on. I feel compelled to state that I am aware trimming your waist is largely due to diet, and I have stated same in my original post. I am not the type of person that thinks you can spot reduce. So let me rephrase, what exercises could, if any, be detrimental for trying to trim the size of your waist? I am a firm believer that fitness requires diet, cardio, and strength training. I have heard side bends are a no no because they build your obliques in size. Has anyone found this to be true?
    Also, I have heard that there is a height to waist ratio that one should achieve, and there is a waist/hip ratio as well. These ratios are meant to better determine one's health and risk of disease. I read that strict doctors aim for waists under 30 inches. However, I discovered these statistics with little knowledge and the only research being a google search. Any thoughts on this? 30 inches seem higher than I would have thought would have been healthy.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited November 2016
    I have a waist measurement of 25 (measured last month by a medical professional)/bmi of 21. I don't exercise at all, besides regular day to day activities. You cannot spot reduce fat-your overall body composition will change/improve as you lose the extra weight. And that's dictated by how many calories you're consuming.

    eat: just read your other post and it sounds like you already know you can't spot reduce :) I don't know about a waist/hip ratio, but a waist measurement over 31 in women is considered a health risk-https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/your-heart/know-your-risks/healthy-weight/waist-measurement

    It sounds like it's more of a waist/bmi ratio?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I know that I have seen Bret Contreras, whose advice I tend to pay attention to, advise not to do high frequency and high load oblique training.

    I do no oblique training and aiming for a certain waist measurement is not on my radar. Waist size obviously is affected by weight but it is also affected by your build and is bound to be affected by height as well. I haven't measured my waist in months but the last time I did it was something like 31.5". I would be surprised if I ever got below 30".
  • rachelr1116
    rachelr1116 Posts: 334 Member
    I have a waist measurement that I'd like to get to (28") but since I'm tall I won't be super upset if I don't get there. My reason for wanting to get to a 28" waist is that I sew a lot and I'd like to be able to use the vintage patterns I see all over Etsy and eBay and most of them are a 28" waist or smaller. I've still got 5" to go to get there and only about 20 lbs. to put me into the normal BMI range.

    I did find a website that has a waist to height ratio calculator http://www.health-calc.com/body-composition/waist-to-height-ratio. It does tell me that my current ratio puts me in the "ok" range though and I know for a fact that I'm still carrying a lot of excess fat.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    I know that I have seen Bret Contreras, whose advice I tend to pay attention to, advise not to do high frequency and high load oblique training.

    I do no oblique training and aiming for a certain waist measurement is not on my radar. Waist size obviously is affected by weight but it is also affected by your build and is bound to be affected by height as well. I haven't measured my waist in months but the last time I did it was something like 31.5". I would be surprised if I ever got below 30".

    Yup I've read about this too. I tend not to do a lot of ab work because I really dislike it, maybe a few sets here and there just to strengthen the core, mostly in my yoga class
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    Body type can't really be changed by diet. If you are made hourglassy, with a small waist, then yes just losing weight will get you there. I am taller and built lean, and nope no amount of weight loss gives me a small waist or hourglass shape. I think that 28" would look best on me but cannot get that without losing so much of my butt & hips and leg muscle, etc. that proportionally it looks wider, not narrower.

    And yes, building ab muscle does make mine wider, but stronger. I don't do "ab work" specifically, but yoga and lifting works the core.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    It really mostly comes down to your body/genetics. I have a very small waist relative to size and weight (I'm 165lbs with a 28" waist, I'm a classic hourglass and my butt leaves the room a few seconds after I do). So for me, by the time I get to goal weight/aesthetic, it's quite feasible I'll have a 24" waist. Other people are just wider in the waist and may never get sub 28". There's nothing you can really do to change that.

    I do a little core isolation and even less oblique work, not especially deliberately just not my jam!
  • a45cal
    a45cal Posts: 85 Member
    The problem with trying to figure out an "ideal" waist measurement based on the idea of waist-to-hip ratio is that ratios can work with any numbers. They're the difference between whatever numbers you're working with.

    So this chart for instance: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/waist-to-hip-ratio-calculator/waist-to-hip-ratio-chart.php

    A female with a ratio of .8 or lower is considered low risk for health conditions "such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure". Where I personally have a 31 inch waist, 45 inch hips and have a ratio of .69. Even though I'm overweight and have weight to lose, I'm considered very low risk simply because I'm pear-shaped and thus don't carry as much fat around my internal organs. Where a person who's apple-shaped is going to have a higher risk factor.

    Here's the calculator associated with that chart: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/waist-to-hip-ratio-calculator/

    You're best off just aiming for whatever numbers personally get you a healthy ratio instead of looking to try to hit a number that's going to be, at best, an average.
  • NikRodes
    NikRodes Posts: 5 Member
    Thank you everyone for your thoughts! All your posts above give me some insight on how to proceed with accomplishing my waist goal. I believe my body type can get to a 26 waist with some work. Yoga is a great suggestion to build the core without building up the size. I just feel like I'm slacking a bit if I do weight lifting for my other muscles then just do high rep, body weight for my abs. I guess some trial and error will happen until I find the best routine, but now I have some ideas on where to start :)
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I have a 25.5" waist that I am proud of :smiley: all it took was losing excess weight combined with plenty of walking, some running and strength training. Its mostly genetics but you'll find as you lose weight your waistline will diminish. I'm not even sure the exercise is what whittled down my waist, but I'm happy regardless :smile:

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