I've read a few contradicting things about where on your body you should measure your waist. What do you guys do? John? Anyone have any articles with some good instructions?

Also, where do you guys measure hips?

I think the most important thing is to just measure at the same place every time so you can notice change. I measure right at the belly button level because that way I know I'll be doing it at the same place.

so do you measure with gut sucked in or totally relaxed?

I measure relaxed, but standing straight where I wear my pants (my hip bones), and at the place of smallest circumference on my torso, which happens to be right across my middle ab.

http://www.healthcentral.com/cooltools/CT_Fitness/waistmeasure.cfm?xbackurl=bodyfat2M%2Ecfm%7Eage%3D 26%26weightlbs%3D177%26weightkg%3D%26sex%3DMale%26 waist%3D%26hips%3D#hips
Says to stand with your feet slightly apart and measture at the top of your butt.
doing it this way yeilds a 1:1 ratio hips:waist for me - which is good, I was MUCH worse in april.

I take two measurements for this area:-

1. The Belly - taken across my belly button with my stomach relaxed trying not to push it out nor suck it in.
2. The Waist - I classify this as the hips where my pants usually fit. This one's best done first thing in the morning before your pants/belt have compressed the band of fat (yes, fat can be temporarily compressed).

I find these both quite easy to measure the same spot consistantly.