Measurements

by Bianca
(Swan View, WA, Australia)

Can you please clarify the best way to measure the stomach area to determine if someone is within the healthy waist measurement?

There is so much opposing information. What is the actual number people should be aiming for and where on the stomach should I place the tape?

Some places say across the belly button area and some say the most narrow area of the waist (my hourglass shape means my most narrow area is just above my belly button).

I watched an American program once where they were actually getting people to suck in their stomachs for measuring, is this correct practice or should your stomach just be relaxed?

I try to measure myself every month or so along with weighing myself weekly, as I realise weight alone isn't the only aspect of weight loss.

I am not really trying to lose "Weight", but I would like to decrease my fat by a couple percent but I find that even though I can physically see changes (less cellulite and changing shape), my measurements don't seem to change. Can you perhaps do an article outlining the best way to measure one's self and maybe explain why I would be seeing changes, but not on the tape measure, my weight is relatively stable, sometimes I get it down a little more than my 'usual' weight, but if I've had some drinks or eaten too much one day it will reflect within the next few days on the scales but after that one 'bad' day, everything goes back to normal.

Is this fluctuation normal (I'm talking fluctuations of a few hundred grams, maybe a kg if I've been really bad) and does this fluctuation stem from fluid or bloating, as my weight will go back to normal within a day, it seems to me like it couldn't be an 'actual' weight gain.

Thanks for taking the time to read my questions. Hopefully you can clarify a few of these for me, your website has been a valuable source of information for me, so I really feel confident in taking on any advice you have to offer.

Thanks again,

Bianca.