I am 23 years old, 5ft7 and 176lbs. I have been lifting for approximately 3 years, and prior to that, was regularly involved in sports (boxing, wrestling) etc.
Despite my sports background, my waist size has always been a cause of concern. At the start of my lifting journey, my waist size was approximately 36.5 inches at 163lbs. At my heaviest, it increased to 41 inches at 194lbs. And now, after losing 18lbs, my waist size has come down to 38.5 inches at 176lbs.
It seems to me that my waist size is disproportionately large given my weight, and despite making steady and consistent progress in the gym, it’s extremely stubborn.
Do you think there could be some kind of underlying hormonal or genetic issue at play? What do you think is the appropriate plan of action in my case?
As a side-note, I got a blood panel done six months ago. I can provide the complete results if needed. SHBG, DHEAs under the reference range, and testosterone at 452ng/dL.
Body composition, skeletal muscle carrying capacity, anthropometry, and more are all strongly influenced by genetics and are 100% contributory. Not much you can do about them. I do not see this waist as being wildly disproportionate to your weight and height. I suspect your body fat is in the ~20-25% range despite your active background, which leads to the waist circumference you report. Gradual weight loss would be the appropriate plan. Barring other medical history, signs, and/or symptoms that are likely beyond what we can address over the forum, I would not have gotten testosterone labs for any particular reason.
Thank you for your response. It is much appreciated.
Given what you have mentioned about genetics/anthropometry etc, would an appropriate waist measurement target still be the traditional <34’ for myself?