my pear-shaped horror (w/pics)

ever since I can remember I've had this huge, flabby, ugly set of butt-and-thighs. I've been in ballet since I was 4, I've tried swimming, walking, sailing, running, biking, but it doesn't go anywhere! even when I got down to 115 lbs I still had it (I'm 5'3.75, btw, and am currently 118-120 lbs). It also looks very disproportionate in comparison to my upper body, because I can see my ribs when I'm dressing but my thigs connect all the way down! grrr.

I also eat a mostly healthy diet, I think, lots of fruits, most vegs, lean chicken, tuna, whole grains (I love all-bran), skim milk and yogurt for the most part, and I control my portions a lot (I've gotten down from 140 to 115-118 since last year, so I had to learn these things). Still, my teacher says I have "big quads" and I happen to be genetically blessed (cursed) by my mom's side of the family, wich also has this, er, kind of shape. What can I do about it? It's making me crazy to lose weight only around my upper body and not around my lower!

I NEVER wear pants or shorts anymore thanks to it, either.

and now...the horror...beware...

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh168/aith eas/fotsnew027.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh168/aith eas/fotsnew026.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh168/aith eas/fotsnew025.jpg

Well, in my opinion, you just look nice and curvy, round and womanly. I sure wouldn't say that your butt and thighs are "huge flabby and ugly" . I think you look good, in nice proportion. It could be worse you could be shaped like a tree trunk, straight up and down!  I guess you could maybe trim your thighs by toning the inner thigh muscles, but I'm no expert.

That is the way most people want to look!(and why we are here!) You look very womanly-- without those curves you would be a man! Don't scrutinize so much-- you are so pretty!

hello, i have the same problem, and all i can say is that most guys prefer a big butt and meat on those thighs.!!! try to avoid building up your quads with exercises like stairmasters, biking, leg presses, and such and do more cardio with out much leg resistance. like a treadmill or eliptical on a low setting.  :)

the woman above is right too... better to be a pear than a tree trunk!

oh...lol, I never thought I would get these replies, I was thinking something more along the lines of "do more swimming and don't you dare touch those chips" or something like that

unfortunately for Left Thigh, I have a groin pull, and that is also bad for Right Thigh, because I never do any inner thigh exercises thanks to that! ugh. It's been 2-3 years so far, it comes and goes but it never seems to heal completely...ohwell.

sashapino...I must say that's been my biggest "fitness mistake", I used to do a lot of stationary biking in a high resistance level (6/8) and I felt as if I was doing nothing, or as if it was a light workout. I also actually followed the advice of doing "toning exercises", you know, squats, lunges, bench presses, etc. and I have the feeling that it wasn't exactly the best idea.oops xD 

for the record, i think you look great!

and i'm usually kind of overly judgemental. I have an ED and it's made me tht way (or being that way made me have an ED. one or the other)

I'm pretty much pear-shaped too but pretty compact- I also danced from the time I was 3 until I was 19 and I think that lead to me building up some pretty big thigh muscles. Lately, I've been trying squats and lunges to at least firm them up. I think you look great! AND I think I have those pants! lol.

So you were blessed with a round booty!  Guess what?  Guys love that.  I have one as well, and during high school, I hated it.  I was very thin then and had stick legs and arms, but a round bottom.  But then, I started dating.  And all I heard were compliments about how I had  great ---.  You know what I'm saying.  Trust me.  You'll learn to love it.  Right now, I'm trying to lose some weight, but I never want to lose my hips and butt.  They are what make me a sexy woman!

Yeah, the horror **insert eye roll**

I'm not trying to be mean, but you are being a little over-dramatic, aren't you?

Look, if you want to look more proportioned then work on building some upper body muscle.  Build up your shoulders and arms and back, especially the medial deltoids, that will make you look more balanced. 

And you look just fine.  You're genetically shaped this way so you'd best learn to love yourself or you'll be unhappy for the rest of your life.  There's nothing not to love.

sounds so, but it's kind of embarrassing with my (ballet) partner. it's hard for him when he has to carry me around and stuff not to mention he's more used to work with petite 90-lbs girls! lol. Maybe it's time to try bellydancing?

I used to do upper body workouts a long time ago...when I got diagnosed with scoliosis my parents freaked out and got me a therapist to "work it out". however, I must say it's true you should be careful with weights if your body hasn't developed fully, since I stand 1cm shorter than I used to be. xD

hmm...genetics. I wish I could own a medical research institute...oddly enough, that's been one of my longest-living goals...since 1995. cheers.

"he's more used to work with petite 90-lbs girls"

And they're probably severly underweight and possibly have some sort of disordered eating behaviors to keep them that way.

Tell your partner to tough it out ;) You don't get unhealthy for nobody!

I had a mild form of scoliosis as a teen also, my back was curved in the shape of a C, but not by much.  One side of my pelvis still sits slightly higher than the other because of it.  But i'm strong as an ox due to weightlifting :)

How old are you?

yeah, guess he'll *have* to, lol. I do understand he felt sore when he was working with this other girl who was 170-ish lbs (pretty tall tho), BUT he shouldn't be complaining about me breaking his back for now!

I don't have a real big curvature either, but apparently some doctors think I should do surgery- but I really don't want to go through it. And other doctors have told me it doesn't really matter because it's lumbar and doesn't affect my breathing (go figure)

me, 19, I guess that in US and a bunch of other countries I'm still considered a teen. Not the same way in my country :P

Women tend to store fat on their lower body due to higher estrogen levels. The following is an excerpt from Testosterone Nation:

 

"Bartl wrote:
Is there a scientific way the body burns fat? I mean, are there certain area's of the body where fat comes off faster than some other parts?

Yes, and it depends widely on your hormones. This is called 'Biosignature' and was developed by Charles Poliquin. Basically an excess or deficiency in certain hormones favor the storage of fat in certain area. I don't want to give out the whole system but simply:

- If you store a lot of fat in your legs, estrogen is high (this is one of the reasons why women lose lower body fat slower than the rest of their body)

- If your cortisol levels are high you'll store more belly fat and intraviceral fat.

- If you are storing fat around the waist it means that you are insulin resistant (your body doesn't tolerate carbs well and produce too much insulin when you eat them, leading to fat storage)

- If you are storing fat more on your chest and triceps, testosterone is low

- If you are storing more fat in your upper back and armpit area your thyroid levels are low

So depending on your hormonal profile you will lose fat faster at some places than others.

A second factor is vascularity: the more blood flow you have to an area, the easier it is to mobilize fat and use it for fuel. Which is why it is generally easier to get lean arms, shoulders and calves."

Sweety, you have a BEAUTIFUL shapely figure... it looks like you have just enough curves to have a gorgeous body and you shouldn't be afraid to show it off. You'll probably get wolf-whistles if you do! A lot of people would give big bucks to look the way you do naturally!

uh...whats wrong with these pictures?
i would love to have my weight in my hips/butt/thighs rather than just my stomach. my mother was always self concious of her pear shape and she was really depressed, shy, self loathing during her childhood, young adult hood and still struggles with self image and yo-yo dieting in her late 50's.  there's soooo few pictures of her because she hated her looks that much but when i show people, they think she looks gorgeous and i thought she looked like a marilyn type movie star. elegant, womanly, gorgeous!  don't waste your life!! work with what you got and love it!!  you know you are being healthy so don't fight and loathe your natural beauty.  seriously!! i wish someone had told my mom, because not only did it make her waste a lot of good years, but she passed down that insecurity to me and my sister and thanks for websites like this one i can finally start to mend my own self esteem!!

Lol you should see mine. It's a lot worse! Tbh I think you look great.

I have the SAME BODY! I think you look great also! With my body (I am 5ft 3, 33 yo & currently 120lbs) I am upset the way I look with acrrying a big but & heavier thighs. The reason why is that about 7-8 years ago, I was only 108-110 ponds. When you do get that low & are a size 0, it is very tough to put on 10 pounds & be happy. I understand that most people on here would be excited to be our weight & feel it's healthy, but everyon'e view of where weight wise they look & feel the best is different. No two people need to think or look the same way.

 I do have thyroid issues now. My doctor feels that it is from constant dieting & taking diet pills years ago. So, be careful that if you do feel you need to be thinner to do it wisely & healthy. I know that being a size 0 at 33 is a bit unrealistic now, and I know way back by restricting so much that I hurt my metabolism. We live & learn.

I'm not sure if this will make you feel any better but here it goes. 1) I'd love to look like that! 2) I am also a pear just a much larger version at this time :) But one thing I do love is having a big booty. I used to hate it but then I realized that I was never going to have a large chest so I've learn to work with what I've got and have come to terms with my big butt :)

I think you have a very healthy body shape. Everyone has a different shape, but there is a healthy version and in your words a ' huge, flabby, ugly version.' But, that ain't you!

Just because you're a pear or an apple doesn't mean you're genetically destined to be overweight. You might be a pear shape, an hourglass shape, a ruler shape, or an apple shape. Or... In losing weight you may re-shape a little in becoming leaner. Losing weight doesn't change our actual frame. But, depending upon how much you intend/need to lose you could very well be a different shape beneath it all. Layers of fat can create a cushion that gives us the appearance of another shape. But, that ain't you either!

Your shape is a perfectly healthy one! You look fantastic even though you dislike your shape. But, that's something you should come to terms with. Otherwise, regardless of how much weight you loose you'll still never be happy. Lots of women aren't uncomfortable about their weight, they're unhappy with their pre-determined stucture. You got a booty! That's awesome. I wish I had a booty.

I'd like to share with you the cons of having no booty. Firstly, I'm inbetween sizes. Why? Cuhz my hips are what holds my pants up. I don't have to up-zip them because I have nothing to pull them up over. It's nice when you fill your pant size out correctly. Rather than having pants that fit your hips, but not your butt. >_<

Be nice to yourself!  You should wear pants/shorts/skirts. Why? Because you have the booty to make them look good.

My pros for having no booty... I dunno.

I honestly wish I looked like that! I don't have a butt anymore! Be thankful for it! lol

I feel for you! I feel exactly the same way about my butt and thighs (though I'm sure you are at least a couple sizes smaller than me.)

Even at my thinnest (115- 120 lbs) I've been pear shaped and am just beginning to accept myself and love my "imperfections".. A lot of people do find it attractive (some have even told me so..)..

So cheer up- we have got to learn to love the bodies we end up with! What matters finally is not your butt size or your bra size but your confidence and comfort in your own skin (trust me..its true!!). Even the most unconventional looks can look truly beautiful if accompanied by a healthy dose of self-love.