:::WARNING - Isn't very healthy opinion and may trigger any past/present ED/Ed-sensitive people:::


I've just about got used to not panicking over scales, 129.5lbs at 5ft 7ins, might be able to accept that ISN'T fat...

But then I measured myself :-( ohh I want a THINNER waist!!

I'm 34E-27-34.5 ins on bust-waist-hips.

People tell me I look thin, how can you look thin with that waist? Granted, esp for my height my hips arn't that big and my large breasts probably make me look thinner and my frame isn't large, its probably small-to-medium.

I have this totally mad fantasy that I want a 24 in waist..any way I can achieve that or is that another dream I have to drop?

emily
xxx

Your body shape will be what it will be - at 129 pounds and 5'7 your an inch taller and I am - I'm 143 pounds at the moment.

My measurements are kinda different though lol - trust me some days i'd kill for smaller hips and slimmer thighs! But I've mostly come to a truce with them.

My current measurements are about 26" waist and 38" hips...try finding a pair of pants that'll fit! Bah! lol.

At my scary skinniest (I was 112 pounds) I had a waist of 22 inches...I could almost wrap my hands around it and hips at 34"

I kept trying to lose weight because I HATED my hips...just LOATHED them...and it almost got out of hand. I realised one day that my body is the way it is and I can only work to improving it to show it's best advantage and not fight it and try and force it to be something it isn't.

I have runners legs, child bearing hips and no boobs - so be it! At least I can be healthy and toned with a 21-22% body fat at 143 pounds!

I'm hoping I'd lose an inch or so if/when I drop these darn last 11lbs or whatever...I'd only "just" be underweight!

Thank you for that response, was pretty interesting..wish I could like my body!

emily
xxx

Oh, I understand TOTALLY... I'd LOVE to have a 24 inch waist, but the only time I ever had one was when I weighed in the 105-114 range. As soon as I even hit 115, it went back up toa 25 again. My current measurements are crap and my waist is just under 30 *gag*

I think it is all a matter of body structure - some people are just built and proportioned differently than others. I've never had much of a waist either, though I too have large breasts (and always did, even while superskinny) - the breasts make your waist look tinier... it can only be a good thing!

If I were you, I'd drop the dream. It's only going to make you more miserable... just being honest

If I could just ask a question... What would a 24 inch waist mean for you, Cousin?

Is this one of those "now my life will work" ideas? Know what I mean? "If only I had X/weighed Y/looked Z then I'd be happy"... ?

Jay

This probably isn't what you wanted to hear, but going underweight for the sake of a 24" waist sounds to me like a recipe for a later bounce back in weight. You're quite young yet and, I'd guess from your university status, without kids. Your goals will likely change dramatically in the next 10 years, and even if they don't, life will throw you curves. (So to speak.) You owe it to yourself to live in a body that you don't constantly have to fight or starve.

Instead of dieting down to a 24" waist, how about building up your shoulders and back? This can make a waist look smaller, just because the differential is larger. Building muscle will also help prevent those 34E boobs from sagging as time, gravity, and possibly kids work their magic.

Kim

I think you need to develop, perhaps with some sort of counseling, what a normal, healthy woman is supposed to look like. From everything I've read a 31" waist is optimal. You are already under that and from your picture look fantastic. I really think this is more about what's going on inside your head and not about your waist. Take care.

Are you serious? Really? If so, that's awesome! I'm just under 30" now and feel like I STILL have a long way to go (came down from a 33" though)... I thought 31" was "unhealthy" if my hips are only 36ish?

The waist-to-hip ratio is controversial. Some studies show that it doesn't really correlate with body fat distribution or cardiovascular risk.

This is all statistics--we are individuals. So, although information can be helpful, it can also be confusing.

Jay

Man....at the moment, i just want to achieve a 29" waist. When i was in high school, i had an 18 inch waist. Yep....18 inch!! But i literally starved myself to get there. Not that i was doing it on purpose, it just was. I remember thinking how my waist was smaller than Scarlett O'Hara's!! lol. but I don't want to be that skinny again. I would just like to see my potbelly go away and have a real indention in the waistline area. my belly button area is like a 35 Inch. That's where i want to lose down to a 29inch. Across the belly button is where my pants tend to sit so it makes sense to me that it should be the part that would be a 29inch waist.

I say give up the dream. I don't think it's the number of inches around that are going to define whether or not you are skinny but maybe if your belly is flat. (Of course, after 3 kids and lots of excess weight, i don't think i'll ever have a flat tummy, but i hope to have just a gentle curve left to it.)

I am 5'7", weigh 130 lbs and have a 27 inch waist. I love it and fit perfectly into most size 6 clothes. Everyone I know tells me I am very thin, even with the waist.

These kinds of posts are what really scared me about starting weight-loss again. I get so obsessed (and, yes, CRC I think you have gotten yourself obsessed) about getting the perfect body. Such as....eventually spending 5 hours at the gym and cutting my calories down to 500....things like that.

Honey...all of us here love you...but we want you to be healthy. EVERYONE wants you to be healthy..your family and friends included. Why is this so important? I don't mean to sound rude...but aren't you trying to give yourself a label? If it's a 24 inch waist that is sexy then I"m totally screwed because I probaby won't ever even get down to a 29 inch waist.

*sigh* I wish you good luck...not necessarily with weight-loss, but with your health sweetie.

Firstly, Emily, you're a perfect hourglass. That's great and much easier than being pear or apple shaped. With E-cup breasts, I think you're going to have to face the fact that stick-like and androgynous are pretty much out of the question for you! You're curvy and gorgeous.

Why 24"? That seems really arbitrary. Have you ever had a 24" waist while you were at a healthy weight? Where does the number come from? Why is it important?

Glroy, you ARE very thin! hahahahahahah

Great advice. Once I accepted my body shape, I felt so much better!