Do you measure your waist right at the belly button?

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Mellouk89
Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I notice that when I measure my waist above the belly button it's smaller, what is the “valid“ method?
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Replies

  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
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    I measure twice: at the belly button and approximately 1" above that (which I've seen some resources refer to as the "natural waistline" but the definition seems to vary a bit).

    If you're sizing for clothing fit then measure the smallest part of your torso.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,122 Member
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    I measure two spots too:
    - at belly button height
    - natural waist (most narrow point)
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    The waist is different for men and for women, I measure mine at the narrowest point which is a few inches above the belly button. For a guy its usually below the belly button a few inches, at the narrowest part.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I measure at the smallest point (natural waist) as well as at the belly button. I find my natural waist doesn't change much so I always include both.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Measure half way from the top of the point of your hip bone and the bottom of you lowest rib.
  • Mellouk89
    Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    I measure at the smallest point (natural waist) as well as at the belly button. I find my natural waist doesn't change much so I always include both.

    For me the difference is about half an inch.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
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    I measure my natural waist only, I'm a woman. It's higher than my navel.

    I have heard both for men, either their navel or their natural waist. I assumed the "navel" was for measuring when the waist was...rounder? than the ribs and hips. If you have a defined waist, I'd measure that. It seems more accurate.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    Mellouk89 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I measure at the smallest point (natural waist) as well as at the belly button. I find my natural waist doesn't change much so I always include both.

    For me the difference is about half an inch.

    I meant change over time. I don't tend to hold fat higher up but I measure and include it for reference.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    edited June 2020
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    I bend at the side and then measure at the hinge point for waist measurement. About an inch below belly button is also where my hip bone is so I take a measurement there. Then I measure at the widest point of saddlebag area (which is what I use for "hip measurement" when buying clothing on line). My waist measurement varies the least even with many pounds variation, so it's not that useful for tracking purposes.
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Men at belly button.
    Women about an inch above or (narrowest point)
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,643 Member
    edited June 2020
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    Many papers that go into detail as to how they measuref seem to suggest:

    half way point between top of iliac crest (edge top of hipbone when you poke at your side) and lowest rib.

    Tape parallel to the floor (verify with mirror)

    Normal exhale.

    Measure.
  • SeanD2407
    SeanD2407 Posts: 139 Member
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    Men can either do belly button or .5 inch above. Whatever is your smallest measurement is probably accurate.
  • hipari
    hipari Posts: 1,367 Member
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    I measure over my belly button, because I know it won’t move around as I lose weight and I can measure it consistently to see trends. That is, however, not where the thinnest part of my waist is.

    Similarly, I measure my hips over my hip bones, and my butt over a spot that is marked by a small scar near my nether region. None of these spots would probably be ”correct” for things like clothing sizes, but they are where I can measure consistently and see the changes.
  • Mellouk89
    Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
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    Ok and for exemple whey they say you shouldn't exceed 40 inches for men, what method of measurement are they referring to?
  • majoki
    majoki Posts: 151 Member
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    I know this is an older conversation, but I'll add in my thoughts for future readers:
    I am a cis female. I only measured at my natural waist line (narrowest point, for me, it's above my navel), and I "regret" that now. I lost a bunch of weight, I look much slimmer, but my natural waist barely budged over the past ~17 months. I should have measured where my belly sticks out too so that I could have had a measurable change.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,979 Member
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    Mellouk89 wrote: »
    Ok and for exemple whey they say you shouldn't exceed 40 inches for men, what method of measurement are they referring to?

    I think both the 40" for men/35" for women and the waist-to-hip ratio use the natural waist. This is almost completely a pure assumption on my part, with my only claim to authority being that my recollections (so, obviously fallible) of being measured for health assessments by either medical personnel or physical trainers has been at the natural waist.
  • Walela617
    Walela617 Posts: 384 Member
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    I measure my waist at the narrowest part. I have another measurement called "belly" which is at the fullest part (close to navel). Too bad my belly is five inches bigger than my hips! (Sorry if that's "TMI"!)
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
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    Since I am short and my torso is too, I measure at the smallest point. My belly button aligns more with my hips than my waist.

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