How to measure your waist correctly
Your waist is the single most useful number for tracking fat loss, and the easiest one to measure inconsistently.
Short answer
Stand relaxed, breathe out normally, and wrap the tape around your bare waist halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone (WHO method), or at the navel for tracking. Keep it level and snug without compressing. Many health bodies flag above 94 cm (37 in) for men and 80 cm (31.5 in) for women, and recommend keeping your waist under half your height.
Step by step
- Stand straight, feet together, arms by your sides, stomach relaxed.
- Find the bottom of your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone; the midpoint is your waist. (Or use your navel. Pick one and always use it.)
- Wrap the tape around, level all the way round. Check in a mirror.
- Breathe out normally and read the tape at the end of the breath.
- Measure twice. If they differ by more than 1 cm, measure a third time and average.
What’s a healthy waist size?
| Measure | Men | Women | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increased risk | ≥ 94 cm (37 in) | ≥ 80 cm (31.5 in) | WHO / IDF (Europid) |
| Substantially increased risk | ≥ 102 cm (40 in) | ≥ 88 cm (35 in) | WHO |
| Waist-to-height ratio | < 0.5 | < 0.5 | NICE 2022 |
Check your ratio with the waist-to-height calculator.
Tracking your waist over time
Measure weekly on your photo day and look at the monthly trend. A shrinking waist with a flat scale usually means recomposition. Log it next to your progress photos so you can see the shape change that goes with the number.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is waist size measured at the belly button?
For tracking, measuring at the navel is common and repeatable. Health guidelines (WHO, NICE) use the midpoint between the lowest rib and the hip bone.
Is my waist the same as my pants size?
No. Pants sit lower, on the hips, and sizes vary by brand. Your true waist is usually larger than your pant size suggests.
Sources
- World Health Organization, Waist Circumference and Waist–Hip Ratio: Report of a WHO Expert Consultation (2008)
- NICE guideline NG246 / CG189 update on waist-to-height ratio (2022)