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What is my ideal waist size if I am 5'9 and 86 kg?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

At 5'9" you are 69" tall, and half that amount is the cut off for healthy to normal waist size, so that would be 34.5 inches. More than 34.5 inches indicates a greater predisposition for health risks.

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Question

How do you measure your waist for pants?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

This really depends on the style of the pants. Find out how high the pant waist line rises. Take the measurement from there. Low and medium rise pants have much bigger waistlines, since they fall below your natural waist (the skinniest part of your waist).

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Question

What should the average waist be for 4' 11", weighing 139 lbs?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

People come in all shapes and sizes so average waist size is irrelevant. The important size is half your height. At 59 inches tall, a healthy waist size for you would be under 29.5 inches.

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Question

What should my waist size be?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Waist to hip ratio should be less that 0.85 for women and 0.9 for men. Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement to get your waist to hip ratio.

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What is the correct way to measure your waist?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Using a flexible measuring tape, place one end on your belly button and bring the other end around your waist to meet it.

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Question

How do I measure a woman's waist?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Generally, the waist is measured by placing the end of the measuring tape on the belly button and bringing the tape around the back to meet the end.

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Question

What if you do not have a measuring tape?

Community Answer

You could use a piece of string, then measure the piece of string with a ruler.

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How do I tell what my waist size should be?

Community Answer

The standard for women is not larger than 30", but some take their height and turn it into inches, then divide it in half. For example, a person who is 5'4 will be 64 inches tall, divided in half that would be 32 inches, so their waist should be no larger than 32 inches.

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I'm 5'3 and weigh 127 lbs, what should my waist size be?

Community Answer

31.5" is you maximum ideal waist measurement. You divide your height in inches by 2. Therefore 63" divided by 2 is 31.5".

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Question

Do I measure myself without clothes in order to know what size blazer I need?

Community Answer

Best is to take your measurements yourself with the undergarments you would wear. For example if you wear a bra, when you take your bust measurement you would wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of your bust over your bra.

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Question

What is the ideal waist size for someone that weighs 63 kg and is 5 feet 2 inches tall?

Community Answer

Your height is 62". To find the maximum ideal waist measurement, divide your height by 2. So your max ideal waist measurement would be 31".

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What is my ideal waistline size if I am 5'6" And 185 lbs?

Community Answer

Your idea waist line would be about 33 inches if you divide your height (in inches) by 2. That is how most nutritionists would calculate it.

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How do I find out what size waist I should have?

Community Answer

There is no waist size you "should" have as everybody's body is different; two people with the exact same height and weight could have different waist sizes. You should focus more on your weight and whether or not it falls into the healthy range for your height and age.

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I'm 5'2" and 118lb. What size should my waist size be?

Community Answer

In general most say a woman's waist should be no larger than 30 inches, and a man's no larger than 47 inches. Although some also take their height in inches, and divide it in half. For example, you being 5'2"; you are 62 inches tall, that divided in half is 31 inches, your waist should be no larger than 31 inches. Although at 118 pounds, your waist most likely is smaller than that.

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I'm 5'4" and weigh 145 pounds and my waist is 28 inches. That seems big to me, but maybe my brain just thinks I'm thinner. Does 28 inches seem appropriate for someone my weight?

Community Answer

Yes your waist size is not big at all. Typically due to your height you should have a waist that is typically 32.4 inches, so if its 28 inches that's perfectly fine!

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Question

What is a concave waist?

Wizzwizz4

Community Answer

A concave waist is a waist that goes inwards instead of outwards. Most people have slightly concave waists; however, there should not be significant curvature.

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Question

Will muscle mass affect the measuring of my waist?

Community Answer

Yes, your external obliques, abs, lower back & lats are all located within the measured area. While increasing muscle mass there may lead to a bigger waist, losing fat is key to shrinking your waist size.

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Question

Is your waist at your belly button?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Not exactly. Your waist is the soft, flesh section between the top of your hips and the bottom of your rib cage, which is just above your belly button.

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What is a healthy waist size?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

A healthy waist measurement for a man is less than 37 inches (94 cm). For a woman, a healthy measurement is less than 31.5 inches (80 cm).

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Is a 37 inch waist bad?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

A 37 inch waist is perfectly healthy for a man, but if you're a woman with a 37 inch waist, you still may be in good health. Different backgrounds and genetics can cause you to have a larger waist, while still being perfectly healthy.

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Question

How do I find my waist size if I know my weight and height?

Community Answer

You can’t. You need to measure your waist. Height and weight can’t tell you your waist size.

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