COMMENT TO LESLIE
Caveat emptor strictly means "buyer beware" -- loosely used, it's a warning that, if you proceed further, you do so at your own risk.

What is the ideal waist size -- health-wise?
I found these 3 different opinions, all close to each other.

1 The American Heart Association defines optimal waist size as:  below 35 inches for women & 40 inches for men.

2. A study by the American Cancer Society, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded smaller numbers:  below 35 inches for men and below 30 inches for women.

3. Dr Oz:  The ideal waist for women is 32 ½ inches and 35 inches for men.

(No source I found said anything about the ideal waist size changing with chronological age. Want to research that?)

As I looked at my notes just now, I notice something hopeful (for me anyway). Dr. Oz gives the following instructions for measuring waist size:

"Measure at your natural waistline, which is above your hipbone and below the ribcage – not where your belt lies or around your hips. Be mindful of your posture and suck in your stomach since the fat you’re measuring is deep inside the belly."

He also recommends taking your waist size once each month with a measuring tape.

Camille, Colleen, and I measured our waists at belly button level (per Barry Sears' instruction) and did so without sucking in our stomachs (it seemed that would be cheating). So I may be in the healthy zone after all, Camille too, Colleen already is.

Today I'm purchasing a measuring tape.

Two question for you: 

1. How do you differentiate between measuring your waist and measuring your abs? Yesterday, you posted two separate numbers.

2.  What is stromboli?