Normal BMI, large waist.

[lasangoles]

My BMI is 24. I'm a size 12. Feel like my weight is OK but could lose a bit. Reading the NHS website, it says you should lose weight if your waist is bigger than 31.5 inches, and see a GP if your waist size is over 34.5 inches and you're at risk of serious health conditions. My waist size is 37.5! Really anxious about my body image. If I lose 6 inches, surely my BMI will be really low? Anyone else experienced similar? I'm 5ft8 and weigh around 11 stone.

I agree with AuntyPasta. Given that your concern is your waistline I would concentrate on specific exercises for that area rather than dieting.

@Ranunculi cross posted, I am the same height and quite slim when I'm 10.5 stone, waist usually about 31 at that weight, currently about 11 stone and waist about 33, but have broad shoulders and large feet, people can carry weight so differently.

Are you sure you're measuring correctly?

I'm an inch shorter and a stone heavier than you, yet my waist is about 32 inches.

Are you male or female? Do you have noticeable excess weight around your middle?

Although they do say that women's waists have increased more than height, hip size and weight over the past few decades. 'They' need to work out why this is and give advice to reverse the trend.

When I was 11 stone 5 my waist was 39 inches at 5' 6". There's a huge variety.

I had to get down to around 9 stone 12 to get the measurement down to 31.5.

I never had much fat on my legs or arms - my bust was bigger and I carried some on my face, but most of it was sitting round my waist.

I'm the same, but a bit smaller. I'm 9st 7 (but shorter than you) and my stomach protrudes - i always look pregnant at 35in. I'd say at 11st you could probably drop a stone and be healthy, but if your stomach doesn't also shrink see a doctor.

I'm going to do this and also improve my fitness as its likely I'm just flabby.

What @AuntyPasta said. This is an exercise issue rather than weight loss.

Do you do any exercise OP?

Yes I do 30 mins at least every day. I go to spin classes, abs bums tums, core, I run and I use the stair master. Only recently started exercising regularly though (about 3 months ago).

I'm very apple shaped since perimenopause. I'd have to truly be miserable with the calories to achieve a small waist size, which I've never had.

Some people are just made without much of a waist - even when I'm really fit (distance runner) and down at my racing weight (BMI about 20) my waist is rarely below about 29.

But if it is outwith the NHS receommendation, then the concern if your fitness, and whether you are carrying visceral fat (ie your total body weight is OK, but you are actually carrying a lot of fat) as this raises your risk of a number of conditions, just as obesity does.

The solution is more exercise, including strength training (Pilates, yoga, weights) as well as cardio. It won't whittle your waist as such, but it should pull you into a healthier shape (which will include a firmer midriff)

I have a BMI of 31. But my waist is 32 inches. I think a lot is down to shape/ height etc.

Are you absolutely sure you’re measuring your natural waist? A 37 inch waist would be size 18 - 20 in clothes, so highly unlikely you’d be wearing a size 12.

Your natural waist is in the gap between your lowest rib and hip bone. I am short waisted with barely 1mm space between the 2, but it is there! If I put a tape across my belly button I’d be measuring across my hips!

ok, i measured it in the correct place (this is with a DIY tape measure so a bit rigid but i can't find the other one) and mine is 31.5 if I pull it tight. That's well under half my height (66") and i exercise a fair bit, admittedly I've not done much strength work for 6 months thanks to the gym being closed but I've lost weight in that time (mainly through diet changes).

@lasangoles

Yes I do 30 mins at least every day. I go to spin classes, abs bums tums, core, I run and I use the stair master. Only recently started exercising regularly though (about 3 months ago).

You will see some difference soon.

Don't forget that fat isn't only what you can grab. As pp said visceral fat is a problem. If your waist is not in any way proportional to the rest of your body it can be indicative of some health issues.
That's why NHS has it there. Not to fat shame.

You should be able to talk to your gp and get some tests done. Fatty liver ain't fun. My shows slightly lower function now.

I'm Apple inclined 5" 8 and bounce between 27_32 depending on time of day and bloating. I strength train most days, which seems to help.

It’ll come if you keep up the exercise. Planks (done right) are great, don’t take ages and can be done easily at home.

'They' need to work out why this is and give advice to reverse the trend.

Because people are more overweight.

BMI is a range, because people are different and it can be a wide range, just like it's perfectly possible for the extremely muscular to not be overweight by BMI, it's also perfectly possible for the non-muscular to be overweight by BMI, hence why we have other measures that go along with it.

People who are not overweight by BMI, but are overweight by measurements are almost certainly overweight, with waist fat being the most correlated with poor outcomes it's probably more concerning than some people who are outside the BMI category.

BMI and waist measurements are both broad measures that could indicate a problem, seeing your GP is the correct advice. The advice does not exist to fat shame people, simply to try and improve the outcome for peoples health.

@Anyonebut
I'm sorry but that's poor advice. You can't spot reduce fat. You can build core muscles up, which will give you more probability of seeing abs at a higher body fat percentage. But where you lose fat (which as a process must be achieved by calorie deficit) is determined by genetics.

What is your hip measurement at largest, OP?
What is your narrowest measurement between hips & ribs?

Maybe double check the measurement. According to their size guide your waist would need a size 20 in Boden (www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/shopping-with-us/sizing/womens-size-and-fit-chart), and if that were true you wouldn't be a size 12!

Also, maybe it's not fat? Pregnancy has given me probably an inch worth of loose skin, and maybe another inch from abs still being separated (diastasis recti). I find pilates good for sucking things back together. Also, could it just be food? I eat a lot of vegan food - big meals of brown rice, beans and loads of veg give me a temporary pooch. Am noticeably bigger by the end of the day compared to the morning.

If you're worried see the GP, it could be a quick call and they would probably be happy that you're taking steps to get healthier.

I love all this 'See your GP' on nearly every other thread and the NHS itself pushing this, yet again on nearly every other thread is how shit the GP service is in a lot of places now, not able to get any appointment, only by phone, fobbed off, no tests being done. Honestly, the NHS isn't very good at getting to the bottom of things like this often enough. It's usually just 'Well, lose weight' and signposting to NHS diet sites is what you'll get.

I was put on a AD that is legendary for weight gain. Never told anything about it. I found out about it myself and staved off the weight gain by literally stuffing myself with veg whenever I'm hungry (it's an appetite stimulus) and/or caning water or veggie soup/broth based soup. But otherwise, I'd be overweight. As it is I'm apple shaped.

The thing si that being just overweight doesn't itself warrant gp call unless it is unexplained fast weightgain, but being slim yet have large waist does.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

The thing si that being just overweight doesn't itself warrant gp call unless it is unexplained fast weightgain, but being slim yet have large waist does.

Yeah, but as the OP says she 'could lose a bit', you can almost place a bet they will not be running a battery of tests - if she were a BMI 17 with a big waist, maybe, but even then, so many fobbed off even when they have cancer symptoms and especially now and as she's just had a baby.

It's sad but fairly common now with GP services as they are.

amijustparanoidorjuststoned You appear to be very misinformed.

Read on...

@lasangoles Having a large waist is very unhealthy regardless of the rest of your body. (I thought everyone knew this now- been so much about it online etc and in newspapers/magazines.)

I don't have time to read every single post so excuse any repetition.

Fat stored around the waist is called visceral fat and if it's on your waist it is usually also around your internal organs, like your liver, kidneys, heart, pancreas, etc.

This fat puts you at a much higher risk for diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

They say that in women, your waist should not be more than half your height in inches. So you are 68 inches = 34 inches maximum.
Other guidance does say over 31.5 for women is dangerous.

The other thing is that being at the top end of the BMI reading is not advisable (I am quoting from many medical articles.)
Over 25 is classed as overweight. So you are pretty much borderline. Ideally, drs say that we should try to be in the middle of the normal range, depending on our build.
So you could try to get down to BMI 22 for example.
That may well reduce your waist by 3 inches.

Hope this helps.

It's not meant to be judgemental but I write on health for the media and have had to do loads of research and speak to experts.

I have a BMI of 31. But my waist is 32 inches. I think a lot is down to shape/ height etc.

BMI 31 is classed as obese. Wherever that weight is stored, it's too much.

Yes I do 30 mins at least every day. I go to spin classes, abs bums tums, core, I run and I use the stair master. Only recently started exercising regularly though (about 3 months ago).

There is a very good saying by a dr / expert on weight.

'You can't outrun the fork.

Doing exercise will not in itself reduce weight unless you are training for a marathon or an athlete, running 5K a day or more AND reducing food intake too.

You have to look at the calories in as well.