I know they say that a woman is supposed to have under a 35 inch waist to reduce the risk of health problems. I'm not sure where on the body that measurement is taken, but today I measured around my belly button and there I'm 39 inches.

Now I feel kind of depressed and scared... I'm only 2 pounds away from a "normal" BMI and I guess I thought most of the reason I was losing weight was for appearance reasons. But now I remember that in my family everybody has a big belly, and heart disease and diabetes run rampant... yuck!! My waist needs to be at least FOUR INCHES smaller for me to not run that risk! And that seems like a LOT.

I've always had a big round belly... knowing it's so much bigger than it should be makes me feel like I'll never get rid of it!! I know it's probably just me being ridiculous, but all of a sudden I feel like I can't do this. I know, one day, one pound at a time, but... I thought I was a lot healthier than I apparently am, and I feel really down. I'd appreciate some support.

Well, generally the waist is not measured at the belly button, but at the narrowest part of your torso (usually a couple of inches above the belly button). There could be as much as a 4" difference--try it!

Actually, for that particular statistical analysis, I remember hearing that the 'waist' measurement was taken two inches above your belly button, as the narrowest part of one's body varied too wildly.

Have you checked with a doctor about your weight and general health? That might be a really easy way to ease your mind. Diabetes and heart disease are scary, but it sounds like you're taking steps to get healthy, and genetics are only part of the story - there are lots of factors you can control, like diet and exercise. If you measure where you should and you still don't feel comfortable with that number, make an appointment with a doctor and see what they suggest.

Thanks for the advice and support!

I measured two inches above my belly button and got 36.5". Probably still a little high, but better

I DID talk to a doctor a few months ago, before I started this whole diet/exercise thing. She said that I was in generally good health then. Granted, I am a couple pounds heavier now than I was then, but I have a lot more muscle in my body now and am eating healthier. So I'm PROBABLY pretty good, health-wise. Good idea about asking a doctor, though -- I will definitely ask about my waist size next time I go in for my annual exam (a few months from now).

I always measure at the narrowest part but I don't remember why. Could be vanity

Waist measurement is another indicator we use to track progress. Just another "one". We sometimes need to step away from the details and look at the bigger picture.

If your doc thought you were in generally good health before ... and now you're getting smaller and improving things in general ... you're doing very well!

Hey!

This isn't a cause and effect deal--it simply shows a correlation between waist size and diabetes. The risk increases as waist size goes up. That doesn't mean that you'll be "struck sick" all of a sudden. Conversely, it doesn't mean that you will have no risk of diabetes if your waist is the "right size."

Keep staying with your plan... keep exercising... Be sure you do some abdominal and core exercise in case some of that measurement is just lack of muscle tone.

Jay

Funny you should mention this, last night I did not sleep well and I had to turn on the light and read a magazine in the middle of the night. I picked up an old issue of SHAPE and there was a blurb about waist size and also about the hip/waist ratio.
I have my own issue with this, too, as no matter how skinny I am, I never have the typical hourglass shape, I am more rectangular. I always roll up my eyes when I read that for example a woman with 40" hips should have a 30" waist. My hips are 39" or something like that, and my waist is 35". And yes, I still have some layer of blubber around my midsection (because it is the part of me where I deposit fat first and lose it last) but most likely, one would have to carve it off of me because it seems really impossible to lose. My hip bones are sticking out but the waist fat will not budge. So I take it with a grain of salt.