Appropriate or ideal waist circumference

Nutrition Q&A [Moderated]
1

Dr. Feigenbaum,

I have a few questions regarding appropriate/ideal waist circumference in males. I just listened to part one of episode 26 of the podcast. In the podcast, it was said that a 40-inch waist circumference, as well as a waist circumference close to that (38in, 39in), will negatively affect health.

My questions are: 1. Is there a circumference that you recommend, or is anything under 38 appropriate?
2. In my specific case, I am 26 y/o male, 210 pounds, 6 ft tall. I last checked my waist circumference and came up around 35-36inches. I am currently on week 0 of the 12-week strength program, and I was planning on eating at the “Muscle Gain” macros found in TBAB. Should I instead be focusing on lowering my waist circumference? If so, would you recommend “Fat Loss” or “Recomposition?
3. In TBAB you give a macro option “Recomposition” can you explain a little about what exactly this is and what outcomes to expect while eating at these macros?

Thank you very much

Cody

2

Hey Cody,

So, there are different numbers for different ethnicities, but in general I keep 40" as that upper limit. That said, looking at a single variable to assess the potential risks of carrying too much body fat is difficult to do. I wouldn’t recommend it.

For you, I would be okay gaining weight to optimize your hypertrophy and strength outcomes.