Silly pear shape...

Hey, guys,

So, I'm noticing that when I'm heavier, my shape is more of an hourglass (or maybe not, I don't know), but when I start to slim down, my "true" pear shape starts to come out. Now, that's all fine and dandy, but I'm at that stage where I'm skinnier on top, and I feel really disproportionate from my bottom.

I'm lifting weights 3 to 4 times a week (full body circuit), and I also do 5 days of cardio. I don't really want to lose that much more weight, but I wish the weight would come from my lower body. Anybody else feel this way?

I think I just need a reality check.

Thanks...
Liz

I'm a pear and I don't care! (I'm a poet and didn't know it!) You are what you are. You can't control where your weight comes off. Can't you just get used to your "new" shape? I think you can/will. I think MOST people are pear shapes! Don't be callin' us "silly"! :P haha

Haha, that's not what I meant...we're not silly.

I meant that my lower body is still the size of the old shape...my upper body is the only thing that's changing! Kind of irritating.

I know EXACTLY what you mean.  Its happening to me too.  I think I actually look better heavier because at least my boobs can take on my big butt.  But slowly but surely more and more come from the bottom.  It started with my arms then my boobs.  I thought my ass was taking over my body but then it went down with my hips (just a little).  Now its my thighs that is totally disproportionate.  I think it does look awkward between weights but I am hoping I get proportional again when I reach my goal weight.

the same thing happened to me- I used to be proud of my breasts- they were one of my best features in my opinon... but after doing tons of cardio and not eating enough, they just pretty much disappeard and shriveled up... leaving my big bottom behind. I know how you feel being disporportioned... but just dont kill yourself with your cardio workout routines and eat the right amount of calories... and hopefully your boobs will come back. Mine have started to after becoming more regulated with my routine.

If you dont mind me asking, how much cardio are you doing when you are doing it 5 times a week?

Oh phew. Thanks guys. I just feel like my ass rules my body right now. Ass and hips. And love handles. My thighs are a-okay though...but still. JEEZ.

I do 45-60 minutes of cardio per session. Lately it's been 45 minutes, what with my school schedule being crazy.

digdig,

the same thing is happening to me.  i lost a bunch of weight (lots off the bottom half too) but my lower half is still way larger than my top half.  i only have 12 more lbs to lose and i can't imagine that will make a huge difference in reducing my thigh/leg region.  God help me if all that fat goes from my already smaller breasts.  I'm still mourning the boobage loss. 

i wouldn't fret about it or anything.  it is what it is right?  in my case, i think a lot of it is psychological because no one else seems to have the same issues with my thighs hahaha.  I think it just takes some time to be happy with what you've got.  no one has a perfect body.  just focus on the parts of your body that make you feel like a godess. 

hello, my name is sumi, and I am a pear.

pfft, id rather be a pear!! im a rectangle (see my "im a fruit hybrid" post). pears, in my opinion look pretty good - and your boobs don't get in the way when you run :D

pears also take really good photo shoots, as they are usually from the waist up. 

my daughter is a pear.  she has not yet found a way to lose just on her butt and thighs -- she has lost a lot of weight there, but she also lost the same proportionately on her top -- so she remains a pear.

the only way you can change the shape of your body is to under plastic surgery -- called body sculpting.  I understand that lypo suction, if done properly, permanently removes the fat cells from that section of your body.  thus, if you have it done on your thighs and butt, if you regain weight again, you won't put the weight there.

I'm also a pear.  I feel like I have the top half of one person's body and the bottom half of another, it's really hard to find clothes that fit right at times.  However, if I had to choose between being a pear or an apple, I'd choose the pear anyday.....:)

Hi Liz,

This is my first time posting here! =)

I read your post and based on your weight-loss description, you might not be an hourglass.  Hourglasses tend to put on weight evenly and they take it off evenly as well.  If you are noticing drastic body-type changes (ex., you've lost a great deal of weight from your upper body but your lower body hasn't lost any weight at all), you might not be an hourglass after all.  When a "real" hourglass loses weight, it will come off fairly evenly- you might notice it more in some places but your upper and lower body will not have dramatic weight differences.

Here a good way to tell if you are an hourglass or a pear- this is the general rule:

You are an hourglass ONLY IF your chest measurement and your hip measurement are the same (or an inch or so off, but no more than two inches) and your waist measurement is 10 inches or more smaller than your chest/hip measurement. 

For example, if your measurements are 36-26-36, you are an hourglass.  If your measurement is 36-26-40, you are not an hourglass, you are a pear.

Hourglass has nothing to do with size, it is about shape.  A person could have measurements of 50-40-50 and they are still an hourglass.  For example, I am what some call a "perfect" hourglass- not meaning that I have a perfect body, lol because I MOST DEFINITELY DO NOT- but meaning that my chest and hip measurements are exactly the same and my waist measurement is exactly 10 inches smaller, and I am not thin.  I am an African American woman with very large breasts, very large thighs, and a smaller (not tiny though) waist.  In fact I wear a size 13 in juniors so no one would call me small!  

I do work out 4 times a week- I do cardio, Pilates, and weight training.  I have talked to a few trainers that they told me that if you are an hourglass, your mantra should be "high reps, low weight."  Hourglasses tend to pack on a lot of muscle and therefore adding a lot of weight or resistance to your workouts could cause you to get bulky.  So stay away from lifting heavy weights or classes like kickboxing unless you are looking for bulky muscle.

I think ivillage.com actually has a test where you can find out what yur body type is based on questions about how you gain or lose weight.  I think they also have weight-loss tips for each body type.   You should check it out!

I hope that helped =)

-Nicole