I want to know how i can work on that, and how long would it take to happen? My doctor says something like that would be best for me.
Thanks!

a 24" waist doen't really seem good...thats a size 0 i think...30" seems more reasonable

Using a waist measurement as a sole indicator doesn't really say anything. How tall are you? How much do you currently weigh? What's your BMI?

Some people could easily have a 24 or even 22 inch waist, but some people will NEVER have a 24 inch waist simply because they're not built that way.

Ultimately the only thing that will "work" is eating healthy amounts of food and doing some exercise. But really we'd need a lot more information from you to be able to give any meaningful advice.

I'm 5'5, and 198 pounds. BMI of 32.9

24"????

that really is a bit on the skinny side. i am very surprised a doctor recommended that to you!! as the others have already said other factors are involved...usually a doctor would be focusing on your weight/BMI not merely waist size...

Weight Charts, Ideal Weight Chart, Ideal Body Weight, Ideal Weight for Height
scroll down for weight charts

BBC - Health - Healthy living

BBC NEWS | Health | Public unaware of waist size risk

i'm (almost) 5ft 4 & a medium frame (i think) my healthy recommended weight according to this chart (sometimes they vary by a few lbs) is 124 lbs to 138 lbs...yeah i'd agree with that...though before i started to put this weight on a few yrs ago i actually weighed less about 117 lbs (8 stone 4)...i stuck at that weight for 20 yrs from when i was about 16...except of course for pregnancies & the fact that in times of stress/comfort eating/man problems i would gain & lose the same 7 lbs over & over again...whenever i hit 124lbs i wouldn't go out socially again until i'd lost it!!! @ 124 lbs i felt overweight??!! jesus??! thats the point my healthy weight range actually starts!! goes without saying i must have been a bit daft at the time...i suppose things are all relative to that time/age you are/what weight you've been used to etc..i know in my 20's my concern with my weight had far more to do with what dress i wanted to get into rather than health....anyhoo...........

i know you're an inch+ taller than me but to give you an indication of how thin a 24" waist might look...if you have a peek at my pics in my profile there is a pic of me in a little dress with my sis & a friend...that dress is a UK size 10/size 6 US...as you can see i look very slim....but to be a UK size 6/US size 2 with a 24" waist i'd have to lose the equivalent of 2 dress sizes/4" from my waist from how i look in that pic!!! NO WAY!!! esp as to me now looking back i was too slim in that pic...i much prefer the 3rd pic where i'm in the black body/all in one thingy were i think i was approx a size 12/30" waist. i have no desire to be a size 10 again...i much prefer having the bigger boobs!!!

it amazes me how/why some celebs under eat to keep themselves at a size 4 UK/size 0 US?? victoria beckham/rene zellweger/nicole ritchie??? we all know that this is NOT their natural weight...we saw them before them dieted !!! so who do they think they are fooling?? funny how differtent ppl have different ideas on what looks healthy or even sexy...

UK size 4/US size 0
30-31 inch bust, 23 inch waist and 32-33 inch hips...

personally i think a figure like that belongs on a 11/12 yr old...

yes some ppl are very petite naturally...but you can always tell the difference...those women who continually diet to look very thin have a pinched drawn look to their face...i remember in an interview courtney cox said...In Hollywood, you get your bottom half to be the right size, your face may have to be a little gaunt. You choose your battles...

oh please!!! i'd much rather have a healthy looking happy face (no wonder Posh always looks so friggin miserable...literally starving!!!) & the few extra womanly curves!!! to me women (& men!!) look far sexier with a bit of meat on their bones anyway...

plus we all need a little something to hold onto!!!
(& cuddle too of course !!)

Thanks for the Advice! I've just looked around and for my Height/Weight it would be a lil too much to lose! Even 30 would be fine for me

at your height that would be perfect!! have fun when it comes to buying all your new clothes when you lose the weight!!!

Another thing to keep in mind is that reshaping your body and weight loss don't always go hand in hand. When I first started lifting weights and adding a lot more resistance training into my routine, I stopped losing weight for a while ... but I still lost 2" off my hips.

That's the difference between just dieting to lose weight and adding diet and a good variety of exercise. When you're dieting, you're just losing fat. When you're exercising, you're reshaping your body.

I'm trying to combine both. I walk alot to tone and do situps and crunches too

you're right of course re weight training...sometimes you can lose inches but not weight...i can't speak for applee but i'm actually only dieting to lose weight really...i'm far too lazy to go to a gym to lift weights...lifting shopping bags is my limit i'm afraid!! plus with a child with autism i am constantly on the go, running after him... & another thing is i would never have the time to go to the gym...when finn does go to school (hes very feisty & sometimes puts up too much of a fight for us to actually get him through the door!!) i see clients as i started up a little business. my chief babysitter (my eldest son) is now 21 & obviously has other things he'd rather be doing.....dammit!!

fortunately i did a lot of gymnastics & dancing when i was younger...& i think its true you do keep muscle memory...i can still do the splits & am quite nimble despite my extra weight (& age!! LOL) i do pilates/yoga for my shape & toning...though it tends to be with DVDS now instead of classes. i take the dog out & have a little trampoline too which is good for resistance & a quick fun bounce too!!!


edit...
just noticed your post applee!! we have the same approach i think...

I'm not sure about weight training at 14 because i heard it stunts growth.. I don't think i could do the whole gym run right now! Things are hectic with me too

i had no idea you were only 14!!!! no you're right...don't even think about going to the gym right now!!! the exercise you are doing is fine...you have far more important things to be thinking about...schoolwork & friends!!!

No no no no .... weight training does NOT stunt growth. That's a silly myth.

Here's an article on strength training for teens:
Strength Training

Serious bodybuilding and bulking is not recommended for teens whose bodies are still developing but resistance and good basic weight training is good for EVERYONE. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Sports Medicine both say that age appropriate strength training is not only safe, but encouraged in teens and pre-teens.

Great Posts!! Thanks for the thread, and question, Should be going to bed...

Thankyou both! I'm going to take up some sports, and i think we do have some Dumbells and Things somewere..