Measurements and weight Forum Topic

Jul 6, 2009 10:03pm wildberry 98 posts	I weigh 142. However I look quite a bit smaller. My measurements are Wast 29. Hips 37.under bust 33. around bust 36. just wondering how others feel about weight VS. Taking measurements. Thank you!

Jul 6, 2009 11:00pm susannyny 968 posts Contributor	While many people live and die by the number on the scale, ultimately I feel that measurements is a much more meaningful indicator of exercise accomplishment. Susan www.CatapultFitnessBlog.com

Jul 8, 2009 4:01am Trusylver 13 posts	Although I do track weight I only do so for competition. For me it is a combination of measurements and Bodyfat % that I track. I also believe that BMI is an awfull way to track progress.

Jul 8, 2009 11:21am nikkiboi 123 posts	@Trustyler, i agree. BMI is the worst way to track progress. This leads me to the point though that weighting yourself on a scale can be inaccurate to the point where if you start doing squats/light weights etc you will develop muscle. Using a tape measure is far better, and of course you can use body calipers.

Jul 9, 2009 12:16am wildberry 98 posts	Thanks guys! I am glad to hear that others are anti BMI..

Jul 9, 2009 12:20am soylentfiend 2 posts	I despise the BMI. I go my how my clothes fit and measurements.

Jul 9, 2009 3:15am TheAng 773 posts ...	BMI just irritates me because it’s really not that special – it’s just a simple ratio of weight to height. It might make sense when it comes down to categorizing for whatever crazy reason the medical and insurance place need but I don’t really like it. I also don’t like it because of the long way off number I need to reach before anything changes BMI wise. Stupid chart. :-p

Jul 9, 2009 4:28am witeowl 515 posts	BMI just irritates me because it’s really not that special – it’s just a simple ratio of weight to height. Yeah, I loved when BMI first became popular (I wasn’t alive when it first came “out”). Everyone made a big deal about it. “We’re going to replace these stupid height:weight tables and replace them with, um, height:weight ratios! Man, this is going to be great!” Um, yeah. It’s great if you don’t understand math, I guess…

Jul 10, 2009 11:11am nikkiboi 123 posts	I work in the life insurance industry and BMI is still a huge indicator in client assessment. Being into fitness as well i get the sh*ts with them :)

Jul 15, 2009 8:38pm Miaxi 8 posts	About BMI: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?st…

Jul 16, 2009 2:53pm natasha316 9 posts	Hi, I hope no one minds a mini thread-hijack, but I had a quick aside question that I posted on a Challenges thread, but those tend to get lost pretty easily so I a re-posting here: Where are you measuring for waist measurements? For sewing I learned to take measurements at the smallest circumference, which is a little less than two inches above your belly button. This would make my starting measurements are: 39.5 – 31.5 – 42.5. However taking hip-waist ratios here would not make much sense, since this area is not the “expanding” area. (i.e. even people with larger bellies generally have them come back in at this point) So I did a quick google search and it came up with mixed results. Some places said natural waist (smallest point) and others said at belly button or just below hip bone. This measurement for me is 33.5" My goal is to get my bellybutton measurement to the same number as my natural waist measurement. Thanks!

Jul 20, 2009 6:30pm cccc 266 posts	I always saw the waist defined as smallest point. The first reason is it’s easy to do. Then having a belly seems to be an esthetic consideration, a bit like having a big bottom or big breasts. Surely some people think they would look nicer with less fat there too, but fat on other parts of the body is more risky for health. That also depends on your sex and your DNA. From what I understood having no waist hints that you are stocking bad internal fat. That’s why that measurement has replaced BMI in medical check ups.

Jul 21, 2009 3:58pm Femme_n_Fit 34 posts	I always measure the smallest point as my waist. However, I track a couple of other measurements that aren’t included in the DailyBurn measurements for non-Pro members, and I track those measurements in my own spreadsheet. I measure my hips at their widest point (which is actually quite a bit lower than my hip bones), like a seamstress does. I also measure what I refer to as the “mid-point,” or halfway between my waist and hip measurements. This ends up being at the top of my hip bones, so it’s easy for me to remember. I also measure my bust and my chest just below my breasts (think taking measurements for bra size). You can always take several non-standard measurements and track them on your own, as long as you measure in a place that you’ll be able to identify again later, such as at the bellybutton, at the top of your hip bones, etc.