How do you measure your waist?

[Soulmate]

Stupid question I know...but something about me must be off. I was watching that Oprah show with Dr. Oz saying that a healthy woman should have a waist measurement of 32.5" or less. Now I am very very average. Size 8, 5'6", 135lbs and measuring right below my belly button is 34". Now he presented information that was already fodder for an eating disorder but saying that I need to lose 2.5" around my waist is insane! Now if I measure my natural waistline it is 29" but that is a good 2" above my belly button and right where my ribs start. What is going on with me? Where do I measure?

BTW...I could care less about what some dr on oprah said. This is a simple curiosity and has nothing to do with my body image.

[Sol]

I've always measured my waist at waist-height: that is, at the smallest part of my torso, way higher than my bellybutton.

[Jazz]

The 29" you mentioned is probably your "waist" in terms of measuring. Your waist is the narrowest part of your body, often slightly above the bellybutton for women (i.e. this is not necessarily the same as the top of your pants).

Actually, in terms of health, an important measure is the ratio of waist circumference to hip circumference (measure your hips at the widest location). Lower ratio is better, ideally under 0.8.

I found a picture for you on this page (http://weightloss.about.com/od/backtobasics/a/blneedlose_2.htm). Hope that helps! :D

[Hello Kitty]

I measure both waist, as defined above, and abdomen - part around my belly button. I've found that they were both helpful in tracking progress. I agree that they were referencing the waist measurement.

I think giving women any one measurement, without regards to body composition or frame size is pretty harmful.

[Camdynlyn]

Yup, like other's said... above the navel.

[Soulmate]

I think giving women any one measurement, without regards to body composition or frame size is pretty harmful.I completely agree! I hate it when people go on highly influential media programs and tout these ideals. It is important to be healthy and keep your waistline slim but for some that goal seems so incredibly out of reach that it causes binge eating. I had a lot of problems with that dr's program.

Jazz Thank you for posting the picture! It helps a lot! That "model" sure does have a super high belly button (or mine is just really low).

Thank you guys for your input! It makes so much more sense to me now.

[Hello Kitty]

Yeah, it's really sad that these influential programs could do so much more to really boost women's self esteem all while making them healthier, but unfortunately, that doesn't sell, and if you teach a woman to be fit and healthy for life, she's not going to be a good repeat customer. :(

[Secret_Squirrel]

I didn't watch the show, but the waist-to-hip ratio is an important health consideration. If your body tends to store fat around around your midsection (an "apple" body type) you are at higher risk of a heart attack than if your body stored fat around the hips and thighs (a "pear" body type). It can even be more important than obesity.

http://heartdisease.about.com/od/dietandobesity/a/waisttohip.htm