Although some women believe that a 19 inch waist is the ideal waist size for a woman, it actually isn’t. And that’s because virtually no adult female can sculpt a 19 in waist naturally (it is, after all, a normal waist size for a 2-year-old child).
Despite being almost impossibly skinny, sculpting a 19″ inch waist is a popular goal for an increasing number of women. Drawing on advice from researchers, doctors, and exercise specialists, this guide explains how some women are able to get a 19 inch waistline—and why aiming for a 19 inch waist is ultimately a bad idea.
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Can you get a 19 inch waist naturally?
Many people would say that achieving a 19 inch waist naturally is completely impossible for an adult woman. But is that really true?
In my years of working in the fitness industry, I’ve never met an in-shape woman with a 19 inch stomach. But that’s not to say that getting a 19″ waist is impossible.
If a really short woman—let’s say that she’s 4′8″—got into fitness model condition and dramatically slimmed her stomach, then there’s a possibility that she could have a 19 in waist, especially if she didn’t have much food in her stomach at the time of measurement.
Of course, the above example is just a thought experiment and, although likely realistic, is a very rare example.
For the vast majority of women, however, a 19 inch waist is utterly impossible to sculpt naturally.
How about a 19.5 inch waist?
A 19.5 inch waist is extremely skinny and still not possible for a healthy woman to achieve naturally unless she has an absolutely tiny frame.
When you consider the fact that an upper leg circumference of 19.5 inches is considered skinny, you start to understand just how unrealistic a 19.5 inch waist really is.
Yet, this alarming comparison doesn’t put every woman off the quest of trimming their waist down to 19 inches, as you shall see.
Are there any disadvantages to having a 19 in waist?
You might have seen this coming: The only way that you can get a legitimate 19 inch waist is by using a waist trainer. But is this a device that you should be using?
Corsets, of course, have been worn by women for hundreds of years. However, doctors are now warning that prolonged use of tightly-fitted waist trainers can negatively affect your bones, nerves, and muscles, in addition to compressing your internal organs. [1]
Personal trainers also note that wearing a waist trainer during your workouts is a particularly bad idea because it could inhibit your movement and encourage bad form. [2] I’ll add to this that the devices could impair your breathing, which may limit oxygen uptake to your muscles.
Additionally, someone who goes through the effort and discomfort to get a 19″ waist might not stop at their initial goal, which could really start to exaggerate the health consequences that are associated with aggressive waist training.
Conclusion: How realistic is sculpting a 19″ waist?
Even if you have a small build and a low body fat level, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be able to get a 19 inch waist. You could, in fact, add around 10 inches to our 19-inch example and still be considered to have a small waistline.
So, while getting a 19 in waist is technically possible for a tiny minority of extremely petite women, it’s far from attainable for the average woman.
It’s important not to starve yourself in the pursuit of a 19″ waist because doing so can result in malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies, which is a high price to pay for having a slimmer stomach (indeed, it’s possible to look really healthy without actually being anywhere near your best health).
References
- Ross, K. (2015, November 5). Waist trainers strangle organs, doctors warn. WXIA. https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/11/05/waist-whittlers-dangers/75225022/
- Stieg, C. (2018, September 26). Why Are People Still Working Out In Waist Trainers? Refinery29. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/are-waist-trainers-dangerous