Stupid tape measure question

When you measure around the waist, do you suck in your gut at all?

If I slouch, it's 32, if I have good posture, it's 31, if I suck it in, it's 30. Which measurement to use?

Stand up straight and measure... don't suck in. 

I only suck in my gut when I'm being taped to meet height/weight standards for work! 

Seriously though, if you're tracking progress, just do it the same way everytime, and good posture is the easiest way to do it accurately.

yeah i think you just stand normal and thats the measure.

opusanna where do you work that they tape measure you - i didn't know employers did that - other then models maybe.

??  Everything I've read so far says to measure your waistline at the smallest part of your torso.  For me, that's just underneath the ribcage.  Now I'm a huuuuuuuuge girl, and there is a ton of fat around there, but sucking in my gut doesn't make it any smaller.

Measuring my TUMMY, however, which is below my waist - I don't suck in.  I could suck that puppy in a good five inches.  Not gonna do it.

Original Post by sfredbull:

yeah i think you just stand normal and thats the measure.

opusanna where do you work that they tape measure you - i didn't know employers did that - other then models maybe.

I know the military does it. The husband is getting measured something like once a week now to see if he's shaping up (which is a shame, because he's not at all over weight--just has a large frame and is a bit short for a male).

That depends. If you want to know the size for health, measure yourself in the morning before eating or drinking anything - if you're lean there's not much to suck in in the first place. If you want the size for clothing then measure the waist after a meal, otherwise the clothes you buy might be a bit snug. It's normal for the waist size to fluctuate, because of the stomach and intestinal content.