How many inches off your waist is 10 pounds?
Multiple regression tells us that on average, for every 8.5 pounds lost, people dropped an inch off their waist. (And for every 1.5 kilograms lost, people dropped a centimeter off their waist.) Every 10 pounds lost was accompanied by 1.18 inches of waistline reduction.
Ideal Body Weight (IBW) – Hamwi method
Ideal body weight is an estimation of a healthy weight based on height. 6 pounds for every inch thereafter.
However, some research does show slight variations ( 2 ). In general, we can assume that: One pound equals 454 grams. Pure fat contains 8.7–9.5 calories per gram.
"It is possible to lose inches from your waistline within two weeks of beginning a diet and exercise program, with the caveat that those with more abdominal fat will see larger decreases more quickly."
How quickly will you lose weight? The volunteers reduced their waist sizes by an average of 1 inch for every 4lb (1.81kg) they lost. So if you lose 1lb (0.45kg) a week you could hope to reduce your waistline by an inch after four weeks.
Size | Weight | Waist |
---|---|---|
S | 90 - 105 lbs | 25 - 28 1/2" |
M | 100 - 125 lbs | 28 - 31 1/2" |
L | 120 - 135 lbs | 30 - 34 1/2" |
XL | 135 - 160 lbs | 33 - 37 1/2" |
There's no definitive answer to this question, as everyone's body is different. However, a general rule of thumb is that if you're 5′4 and 160 lbs, you should wear pants that are size 12 or larger.
It's possible to gain muscle and reduce body fat without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight may stay the same, even as you lose inches, a sign that you're moving in the right direction.
If you're losing inches but maintaining your weight and you regularly strength train, you may actually be losing fat and gaining muscle. The process of gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time is called body recomposition. Most scales don't differentiate between the amounts of body fat and muscle you have.
A pound of fat looks a heck of a lot like a pound of muscle in terms of volume. The fat has 18% greater volume which is only a small visual difference.
How long does it take to burn 1 lbs of fat?
In terms of the 3,500-calorie rule, that means that if you achieve that 500-calorie deficit at the end of each day, you will lose 1 lb of fat in seven days.
You can also lose inches in 30 days. "Just in my own 15 years of experience in working with patients, I have seen some lose up to five to 10 inches in a month from losing four to eight pounds," Jim told POPSUGAR.

Walking might not be the most strenuous form of exercise, but it is an effective way to get in shape and burn fat. While you can't spot-reduce fat, walking can help reduce overall fat (including belly fat), which, despite being one of the most dangerous types of fat, is also one of the easiest to lose.
The rule of thumb, Fernstrom says, is that losing 8 to 10 pounds translates to going down one size. Still, if you lose "up to 15 pounds, you may be OK in your old size," she says.
On average, every 10 lbs of weight a person loses will equate to 1 pant size smaller.
Eating a healthy, varied diet that is high in fruits and vegetables — including soluble fiber, vitamin D, and probiotics — is the best plan for losing weight from your waistline. Avoiding refined carbohydrates, sugar, and processed foods whenever possible will help you cut calories and get rid of fat more quickly.
In general if you're a woman, you want a measurement that's less than 34.5 inches. If you're a man, a number below 40 inches is ideal. A measurement that's higher than those isn't a death sentence, but it has been strongly linked with a higher risk of several serious diseases including type 2 diabetes.
The smallest waist of a person with normal stature was 33 cm (13 in) and was recorded on Ethel Granger (UK) (1905–82). She reduced from a natural 56 cm (22 in) to 33 cm (13 in) over the period 1929–39.
32B. Typically size 2 or 4 pants if they have stretch.
If majority rules, a size 10 has a 36″ bust, 28″ waist and a 40″ hip. She's five foot five or six inches tall and weighs 140 pounds.
What size would a 200 lb woman wear?
A 200 pound woman typically wears a dress size between 16 and 20, depending on her height and body shape. Dress sizes are based on a woman's bust, waist, and hip measurements.
Jean Size Women (W) | US Misses Size | Hip (Inches) |
---|---|---|
27 | 4 | 37” - 38.5” |
28 | 6 | 38” - 39.5” |
29 | 8 | 39” - 40.5” |
30 | 10 | 40” - 41.5” |
130-150 LBS | 200-210 LBS | |
---|---|---|
5'9" | XS | 2XL |
5'10" | - | 2XL |
5'11" | - | XL |
6' | - | XL |
In general, it takes about 8 pounds to lose your first inch. That is because most of it will be water weight. A more rapid drop of your pounds in the first weeks of your journey is normal, precisely because of water weight.
Muscle is denser than fat, and as it is more compact within your body, as you gain muscle mass, you end up looking thinner, no matter your physical weight. So, if you've been doing a lot of strength training lately, it's likely this is the reason that you're looking fantastic but not dropping those numbers.