What is your waist measurement (relative to the rest of you)?

[Sadik]

Slightly random question, but I'm finding that if I buy trousers big enough to be comfortable on the waist, the rest is too big.

I've put on a bit of weight with menopause, but really not that much (I weigh 7st 12 / 5'2" tall), waist measurement varies between 28" - 29" depending on water retention I guess. TBH that's not changed a great deal despite having gained around 1/2 a stone. Trousers that fit comfortably on the waist are mostly massive on my hips/arse. (Strangely leg length is less of an issue, I sometimes have to shorten, but not as much as you'd expect given my height.)

Am I just condemned to a life of M&S et al ? (I can't bear elasticated waists, they give me horrible backache.)

I'm 5ft5.5, weigh 11 stones and my waist is 26 inches. My arse is massive and measures 38 inches, plus I have humongous thighs. When younger I had a 23 inch waist, my mother was the same. I used to be so embarrassed of my arse, and my boobs and walked with a slouch. I still find it hard to buy clothes that fit properly, live in leggings, sometimes if I'm lucky I can find a dress that belts in and fits me. I either look fatter than I am, or over dressed. I find it difficult to buy casual clothes, especially smart casual.

Isn’t it ridiculous how different all our measurements are for the same weight? My waist is 27 inches and I weigh 8st 3lb at 5’3. I measure larger around my bust than my hips too.

BelleoftheProvince you’re right, I didn’t mean in fashion so much as what fashion retailers cater for. Trousers and jeans have been straight up and down for ages, apart from the odd “curvy” range. Skinny jeans are definitely apple shape friendly so the return of straight or wide shapes is a relief for me. T shirts and jumpers have until recently been long and baggy - designed to skim over a tummy, but look terrible if they hide a small waist and sit on large thighs instead. I’m liking the current cropped jumpers fashion. Dresses are still apple oriented IMO- all voluminous and smocky - though I’m seeing a few more waisted styles creeping in.

AuldFox there’s a good website for this, you can put in your height and weight (or maybe clothes size) and see others the same as you… amazing variation and quite fun trying to find your body twin.

Forgot link: app.mybodygallery.com/#/

I think @Sadik it's just that you have a natural straight-up-and-down shape. You don't seem to have any extra fat around your middle or bloating .

I'm in a very different position . Traditionally a pear shape, in my 20s and early 30s I had a very narrow waist (22 in at one point - which was the measure of a size 10 in the early 1980's!)

Have put a lot of weight on, firstly after having DS in my late 30s, but even more so in my 50s, and it's mainly that unhealthy fat around my middle, and on my back too.

So for different reasons I'm also needing larger sizes round my waist and this is opposite from when I was young .

I have the opposite problem. Waist 28 but hips 38/39 so to fit on bum, waist gapes!

I’m also 5’ 2” and 28 waist. I find Uniqlo trousers fit quite well and stay up.

Opposite problem here. Waist 24 hips 37/38. Im 5 foot 4 and 8 stone 10. I can only ever wear clothes with lots of stretch.

Do you measure your waist around the belly button or the natural crease when you bend? That would make a difference too.

Around the crease, so the narrowest bit, sadly that's not the answer!

My waist is 29, hips 45. Weight just over 11st. 5ft 6. Classic pear shape! I have the opposite problem, to fit my bum and thighs everything is loose on the waist.

28/29 waist here, hips about ten inches bigger. 5ft 6, around ten and a half stone but my fighting weight is about 5lb less. Another messy background here.

The NHS website says of your waist is over 31 you are high risk for heart disease etc.

I don’t understand this, my measurements are

Chest 41
Waist 33
Hips 42

I could lose weight of hips and boobs but my waist is a small as it can be. If I push it in there’s not much that can go, maybe an inch. I guess I’m just built that way. I’m talk too so 5ft 10”. Surely it’s related to height, surely to be in proportion, a woman say over 6ft would need to have bigger measurements?

@brokenbiscuitsx

The NHS website says of your waist is over 31 you are high risk for heart disease etc.

I don’t understand this, my measurements are

Chest 41
Waist 33
Hips 42

I could lose weight of hips and boobs but my waist is a small as it can be. If I push it in there’s not much that can go, maybe an inch. I guess I’m just built that way. I’m talk too so 5ft 10”. Surely it’s related to height, surely to be in proportion, a woman say over 6ft would need to have bigger measurements?

I suspect it's like BMI itself,flawed because it's based on averages but acts as a net to catch up those who it does apply to. I suspect if you went to your GP they'd reassure you.i

There's also a ratio which I think doesn't get publicised as much as not so simple. I think it's waist over 0.85 of hips makes you at risk, I'm imagining that's more appropriate for taller women

www.thecalculatorsite.com/health/whr-calculator.php
Interesting. This calculator seems to think I was avocado shaped at my heaviest, but pear now and when I was thin. I am most definitely not or have ever been a pear shape.
But it put me at a lower risk category at present so I'll take that.

@BelleOfTheProvince

www.thecalculatorsite.com/health/whr-calculator.php Interesting. This calculator seems to think I was avocado shaped at my heaviest, but pear now and when I was thin. I am most definitely not or have ever been a pear shape. But it put me at a lower risk category at present so I'll take that.

Ah yes, you see according to the NHS at 33 inches my waist size is too big and is a health concern, but this calculator gives a different picture. Just goes to show, health advise shouldn’t be a one size fits all.