You measure your waist at your natural waistline: the midpoint between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hip bones, usually just above your belly button.

Where Do You Measure Your Waist? (Quick Scoop)

The Exact Spot

Think of your waist as the narrowest part of your torso, not where your jeans sit. To find it:

  1. Stand up straight and relax your stomach (no sucking in).
  2. Feel for:
    • The lowest rib.
    • The top of your hip bone (iliac crest).
  3. Place the tape halfway between those two points , all the way around your body.
  1. This is usually just above your belly button, not down on your hips.

That measurement is your waist circumference.

Step‑by‑Step: How to Measure

  • Use a soft, flexible, non‑stretch tape measure.
  • Stand with feet hip‑width apart, arms relaxed or crossed over chest.
  • Wrap the tape around the midpoint between lowest rib and top of hip bone, keeping it level with the floor, including across your lower back.
  • The tape should be snug to the skin but not digging in or compressing your flesh.
  • Breathe out normally, relax your belly, then read the number right after you exhale.
  • Take the measurement twice; if they differ a lot, do a third and average the closest two.

For Clothes vs Health

  • For clothing size (natural waist):
    Measure at the smallest part of your torso, between rib cage and belly button, as above.
  • For mid‑rise/low‑rise pants:
    Measure where that waistband actually sits (often a few cm/inches below your natural waist).
  • For health/fitness tracking:
    • Use the natural waist (midpoint between rib and hip) for consistent tracking and health risk calculators.
* Many guidelines flag higher risk when waist is over about 35 in for women and 40 in for men.

Quick Example

Imagine drawing a horizontal ring around your middle at the point halfway between your last rib and the top edge of your hip bone; that ring—just above your belly button—is exactly where the tape should go for a proper waist measurement.

TL;DR:
Your waist is measured at the natural waistline—halfway between the lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, usually just above your belly button, with the tape level, snug, and measured after a normal exhale.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.