The FastDay Forum

On the subject, I have been measuring my waist at the natural waistline i.e. where I go in at the sides. This is about 1" above my belly button. In 'the fast diet' Dr. Mosley says to measure your waist where your belly button is. The widest part of my abdomen is about 2" below my belly button, but this measures only 1/4" more than where my belly button is. If my 'belly button' waist should be less than half my height then I have about 8" to lose, not the 3" I was thinking

Natural waist 35"
Belly-button waist 40"
Maximum abdomen 40.25"
Hips 40.5"

I might as well go on....

Bust 42" Bra size 34FF
Height 5'4"

(Clothes shopping is a nightmare )

This is just what I was looking for, many thanks.
I was a bit dismayed last night when the gym coach insisted on using the level of my belly button for taking the waist size. My waist, as I see it, is now under 32 inches, down from 38inches, but my belly button circumference is 36 inches. Yet I can see very clearly the amount of fat that has been lost from my middle, so I am convinced that I have been taking the correct measurement. Anyway, I also feel so fit and well, so that is the best measurement of all.
This forum is great for getting to the nitty-gritty of things, isn't it, thanks to the knowledgeable contributors.

On the subject, I have been measuring my waist at the natural waistline i.e. where I go in at the sides. This is about 1" above my belly button. In 'the fast diet' Dr. Mosley says to measure your waist where your belly button is. The widest part of my abdomen is about 2" below my belly button, but this measures only 1/4" more than where my belly button is. If my 'belly button' waist should be less than half my height then I have about 8" to lose, not the 3" I was thinking

Natural waist 35"
Belly-button waist 40"
Maximum abdomen 40.25"
Hips 40.5"

I might as well go on....

Bust 42" Bra size 34FF
Height 5'4"

(Clothes shopping is a nightmare )

Thank you for this post - i measured BELOW my belly button when i started 3 weeks ago - i'm going to measure the same as you tomorrow morning and track those!!
Hopefully if I don;t loose any actual weight i should see a difference in these

Lu

Thanks for this. I have a low belly button (when pregnant and docs would measure its position, they always told me I wasn't as far gone as I really was!)
So I measure above it.
I try to relax completely when measuring it and the tape measurement bears no resemblance to the (much smaller) size of waists I buy in order for things to stay up! My bum and thighs are reasonably trim.
I'm working hard on the waist area!

I am very interested to find out why women seem to be increasingly apple-shaped these days. What has changed in our lives that has resulted in the typical woman no longer being pear shaped but apple shaped?

Not scientific I know but from the 80's through to the late 90's I must have sewed a few thousand dance costumes for ages for all shapes and sizes ranging from the age of about 3 to the early twenties.
I do remember saying during the 90's when I was taking measurements, that teenagers(obviously those born in 70's)waists seemed to be disappearing as waist sizes were getting much bigger than I had been used to previously.
Not an answer I know but I must admit I have wondered if it has something to do with changes in food production at all levels.

[carorees]

Exactly! Also, notice that the fasting method of weight reduction results in more fat loss from the waist than anywhere so my suspicion is that too much refined carbohydrate and/or snacking between meals is related to this increase in waist size. When I was a kid eating between meals was frowned upon, now it seems to be expected. I have always had a waist even with being overweight, with a good 10 inch difference between my waist and hips, and these days I really struggle to find trousers to fit...the waists are always enormous!

Interesting. I have a skirt from my first proper job in 1985 - Fletcher Jones wool skirt Size 14 -which I now fit back into (yay) but it is a 80's cut so a bit out of fashion.
BUT I now fit into most styles either an 8 or a 10!
Hence what was considered a 14 in 1985 is a 10 now. (AUS sizes)

I have also noticed the changes in manufacturers sizes for women's clothes & that both the waist & hip sizes have increased so that an "old size" 14 seems to have become a 10/12 now. Also I was discussing with a sales lady in Country Casuals the tendency to cut jackets a shorter length now, that doesn't suit my pear shape & she is a similar shape & said, she has noticed there are no longer many younger pear shaped ladies around which is why tailors are making jackets shorter in style.

I have always had a waist even with being overweight, with a good 10 inch difference between my waist and hips, and these days I really struggle to find trousers to fit...the waists are always enormous!

The same for me Caroline. Also my waist is definitely between my ribs and the top of my hip bone and well above my belly button (I am short waisted) - looks to me as if without 'waists' as we know it a guideline has been drawn up using the belly button as the marker and that would for a lot of people give a much bigger measurement.
Although that would, at least for me, would make more sense of the waist should be half height measurement dictum because at 5'1",(age shrinkage:used to be 5'2½"), a waist of 30½" would still mean I was overweight as at my correct weight my waist would be about 24". (Oh to see that again - but am determined to try )

No wonder jeans etc., have such big waists. Perhaps such a change also ties in with the postings of Caro and Isis.

Very interesting post, Carorees, thanks.
About the changes in shape in from pear to apple, I think that there are several factors to take into account - more snacking /'grazing' instead of distinct meals, more fast food, increased sugar in many foods - particularly processed food and 'low fat' dishes. Removing the fat also removes the flavour so it's replaced by artificial sweeteners which are simple carbohydrates(I think)....
Umm, more sedentary lifestyles, fewer home-cooked meals as more mothers went out to work. The alcohol is undoubtedly a factor, too. People didn't always drink at home, or during the week, as much as they do now.
I'm generalising, I know, but times have changed!

Anyway, that measuring above the navel thing seems like good news to me, I certainly 'go in' above my navel and am quite excited at the prospect of a miraculous reduction in waist size when I make the new measurement!!
Just a shame that I've posted this week's stats!

Thank you Caroline!

Just read this post.....very very interesting....all my years I have been measuring the wrong place!! Thank you for this good post.