[Closed] Keep your waist to less than half your height...

It should be keep your waist to less than your inside leg measurement. This I’m currently failing at 😩

That’s got to be bollocks surely (the inside leg thing). I have short legs for somebody 5ft 9” and would have to have a 29” waist. That would be on the top thin end

I was being a bit cheeky

Height - 77 inches
Waist - 33 inches
Inside leg - 36 inches

Being a lanky streak of ... has it's merits I guess.

Waist - 86.36 x 2 = 172.72
Height - 175.26

Space for cake!

Hmmm, only just ok on the half-height measurement. But I have gained a bit more recently...for reasons.
Will make a note to get back to where I was, also as my jeans and shorts don't fit either.,

I was being a bit cheeky

Phew!

That’s got to be bollocks surely

Circumference of each or the whole sack?

Circumference of each or the whole sack?

Dangle length.

I'm not even going to measure, I know I need to shed some weight again, but biscuits are so damn tasty!

It doesn't work.

For my very average height, I'd need to add about 3" of waist measurement to reach half my height. That extra 3" of waist makes me very porky indeed - in fact I've never had that waist measurement, even when I weighed 2 stone than I do now with an obvious belly.

What is utterly terrifying is that the guardian article links to an online calculator where you can presumably work out your ratio ....

It's all Covid's fault anyway. Pre-Covid, I rode 20 miles a day commute, then Covid meant I worked from home and went for a lunchtime 10 miler if I could be arsed. Now I work in the office "sometimes" and none of the trousers I wore pre-Covid fit me! So I know my waist is too big without measuring or getting on scales. Thanks for cheering me up with your thread.

It doesn’t work.

For my very average height, I’d need to add about 3″ of waist measurement to reach half my height.

So your waist is less than half your height, which is what the OP says.

Keep your waist to less than half your height…

I think he means that he is well within the acceptable limits even in the past when he was by his own admission fatter.

Which shows you just how fat and unhealthy the average brit is that this is needed.

So your waist is less than half your height, which is what the OP says.

Keep your waist to less than half your height…

Yeah, but the point you've missed is that if my waist is dead on half my height then I'm fat. Plenty of people will ignore the 'less than' bit and only see the 'half waist:height'.

I think he means that he is well within the acceptable limits even in the past when he was by his own admission fatter.

Yes, this.

I'm a little bigger than my dad was at my age now. Both my inside leg and height ratio are well out of synch with my waist. But I'm fit and healthy and my dad is too at 94.

It doesn’t work.

For my very average height, I’d need to add about 3″ of waist measurement to reach half my height. That extra 3″ of waist makes me very porky indeed – in fact I’ve never had that waist measurement, even when I weighed 2 stone than I do now with an obvious belly.

Not sure you've got this right - this is meant to be the 'extreme' you should allow to happen to yourself - not the healthy ideal. The point at which warning bells should be blaring. And this is a message being given out to the UK populus who are collectively a chubby bunch. And this is just the type 2 diabetes bell.

I think it will be very challenging for a lot of people. But like all of these bmi style rough guides, it's rough. At my fattest and leanest I was always way outside the healthy bmi as I naturally carry carry a bit of muscle on broad shoulders. This guide seems better than that.

That’s got to be bollocks surely (the inside leg thing). I have short legs for somebody 5ft 9” and would have to have a 29” waist. That would be on the top thin end

29" waist is pretty much perfect for a 5 foot 9 cyclist...

Anyway, after a quick measure, 36" belly, 6'1", so just squeak in.

Which shows you just how fat and unhealthy the average brit is that this is needed.

You don't need this measure to know that, you just need eyes. Mrs IHN and I were lucky enough to spend six months travelling around Europe about ten years ago, seventeen countries in all. When we came home, two things really hit us:

- the condition of the roads here is by far the worst in Europe, with the exception of rural Romania
- most people in this country just look ill

I think the vast majority of the population will fail this, massively.

I'm 6ft 3in, 79-80kg, not what you'd call 'fat' but my belly is 37" which is only 0.5" under half my height. I have just lost 4-5kg so before that I would have been over. BMI of 21-22 so smack bang in the middle of the healthy range too.

29″ waist is pretty much perfect for a 5 foot 9 cyclist…

I’m not a cyclist, I ride mountain bikes for fun when time allows. Not built the least bit like a roadie.

Yes I was told this a good few years ago when I had a health check up thing with work. Apparently it is a better measure for most people than BMI. Funnily enough I told Mrs D about it this morning as she was worried that her BMI was 25 but she is really pretty skinny.

It works for me too as I just fall within the range also 😀 @ta11pau1 - you see that’s interesting as I am an inch shorter than you but 20kg heavier and have a 38” tub so don’t know where the rest of the weight is!

Yeah, but the point you’ve missed is that if my waist is dead on half my height then I’m fat. Plenty of people will ignore the ‘less than’ bit and only see the ‘half waist:height’.

Apologies, I didn't read that into your original reply. I see what you mean now.

Not sure you’ve got this right – this is meant to be the ‘extreme’ you should allow to happen to yourself – not the healthy ideal. The point at which warning bells should be blaring

The BBC headline is Keep your waist to less than half your height, guidance says NOT Ring the alarm bells if your waist measurement is half your height.

As I said earlier, people won't see the relevant point that you're making, they'll just think that their waist is half their height so they are fine.

And sorry, of course it does work as a calculation, but it doesn't work as decent advice is closer to what I meant.

Yeah, but the point you’ve missed is that if my waist is dead on half my height then I’m fat. Plenty of people will ignore the ‘less than’ bit and only see the ‘half waist:height’.

No, you've still missed the point. Yes, to your eyes as someone who is used to seeing a streak of piss in the mirror you will be fat. That is not in question. Aesthetically you'll be 'one of them'. But the point is that statistically only at that point will your risk of type 2 diabetes be a concern.

You are also coming at this from someone on the right side of the guide. Most folk in your situation won't be going "well then, time to lick some lard'. By habit or genetic fortune you are good to go just as you are. But for the chubbier members of the population it's a goal - dare I say it an achievable goal. If instead of this they had published a photo of you in your skids with the strap line 'This is Jon - he's a healthy streak of piss. Be like Jon' you'd be setting a bar so far up the road as to be out of sight.

they’ll just think that their waist is half their height so they are fine.

But they will be. That's the point. They might not be the fine figure of a man you are - but they will be kerbing their risk of diabetes.

@ta11pau1 – you see that’s interesting as I am an inch shorter than you but 20kg heavier and have a 38” tub so don’t know where the rest of the weight is!

If you've got any upper body muscle it's undoubtedly that, I'm proper skinny, always have been.

I've tried bulking up a few times over the years but never had the dedication to do it, I should do some upper body strength stuff though tbh.

Once my current zwift training plan is over I'll be aiming to lose a few more kg to get the remaining belly fat gone, should get down to 75kg I reckon.

5'11".
28" trousers are tight, 30" are loose so well under 2:1.
What did surprise me was being measured for a wrist support, 7" wrist. I have thin arms but a quarter of my waist seems daft!

I used to get that switching from pure road to a mix of road, CX and MTB XC racing, added a good 3-4 cm to wrists and about 5 or 6 to my neck. But only 3 kilos of extra weight.

5’11”.
28″ trousers are tight, 30″ are loose so well under 2:1.

It's not your trouser waist, it's the biggest bit of your belly. Which, unless you're ripped and have a bangin' six pack, is going to be bigger.

My 34" waist jeans don't stay up, could wear 32", but my belly is 37".

72" tall

36" inside leg

34" waist

BMI 24.7

6'1 and a bit (187cm)
36" belly (but frustratingly between 34" and 36" waist trousers/shorts generally)
33.5" inside leg in trouser sizes
88kg
43yrs

With my BMI being 25.1, advice is I need to lose some weight. However, I've always been broad-shouldered after a childhood of competitive swimming so I'm not fussed and know I'm not especially overweight or unhealthy. Not powerfully built director body shape, but more towards that than skinny.

Looking at the average male Scot though, it's worrying.

But they will be. That’s the point. They might not be the fine figure of a man you are – but they will be kerbing their risk of diabetes.

I'm not arguing with you anymore. In fact you've just been added to my favourite person of the day list!

Oh, can I check whether we are holding our tummies in when we are measuring or adopting a relaxed position? 😀

Can I use the height I was before back injuries or the height I am now?
Similar dimensions to a11y but 10kg heavier.

32 68

boom... eh thats what my trousers tell me, daren't actually get the tape measure out.

Don’t like it. I unexpectedly fit the waist<height/2 guide but know that I am squishy in the middle and could comfortably lose 5-8kg and not be too skinny.

32 68

boom… eh thats what my trousers tell me, daren’t actually get the tape measure out.

I've seen fridges that send shopping lists, and stream music, and my modern tumble drier has an app, although I haven't a clue how an app can be useful in loading a tumbler.

But trousers that tell you your weight? This might actually be the way forward in an obesity crisis. 😀

32::71
Get in.
Weirdly post 50 my body appears to be distributing fat around my body but not on my tummy.
I now have a fatter face, neck and boobs. But can still wear a suit i bought 25 years ago.
Plus my weight is up by 2kg to 78kg

It should be keep your waist to less than your inside leg measurement.

Tick. 70.5", 32" inside leg, 30" waist. Cyclist build. Genes innit.

Sounds like I need to grow a fair bit taller...

I appear to be under tall for my waist

But trousers that tell you your weight? This might actually be the way forward in an obesity crisis. 😀

A tension rated waist button at the back, it breaks at the tension associated with excessive gut and opens the emergency triangular gusset at the back to give a little extra room... but the gusset is red and a littel tail roles out thats has FATTY written along it.
I like it

No measuring equipment at work but improvised and definitely over 4 pants widths tall

That’s got to be bollocks surely (the inside leg thing).

If we're measuring from those then I'm truly buggered.