Yup, your basic shape has to do with a lot of things but weight isn't one of them. I have noticed that I look a little more nicely-balanced since I've put some muscle on my shoulders.

Ask a few men ... there's nothing wrong with a nice firm pear shaped bottom!

It would help if my shoulders weren't quite so rounded (then maybe I could carry a shoulder bag without it falling off all the time--another benefit). I'm working on them.

And it is true that I'm pretty happy with how my waist looks. Just the other day I was thinking this was odd because, while I continue to lose inches in my hips, my waist doesn't seem to be getting any smaller. Yet I'm far happier with my waist than my hips. I guess I should be thankful to my hips for that.

I've been reading this thread and sympathizing with many of you and the issues you're dealing with (saggy shrinking boobs, for example). However, I'm posting now because I've really started to notice my shape changing. My hips have never been this narrow in my life (well, other than when I was a child). That's a good thing, but my waist and thighs look huge by comparison. At every weight I've ever been, I've always had an hourglass figure; now I feel like I'm turning into a thick stick.

I finally took my measurements a couple weeks ago (I wish I did that at my highest weight so I could compare, but back then I didn't want to know the numbers). The last time I measured was back when I was 18 and at 130 pounds. At that time, I was 36:28:42 (quite pear shaped) and when I recently checked, I was 36:29:37. I know these are pretty decent stats, but being someone of hispanic decent, I'm a little freaked about losing my hips. I'm not complaining too much though, I'm way happier with how I look now than I did before. Anyway, I just wanted to join in on the gripes.

My over-all shape didn't change a jot proportions wise.

I did take my measurements before I started losing weight (was one of my wake-up calls actually!)

I never measured my boobs because frankly...they're pitiful, always have been always will be! Unless and until I decide to have implants or someone discovers a magic pill to make them grow lol.

Annnnyway...back in the old horror days of 176 pounds I was 29" waist and 40" hips and these days at 130 pounds (and I guess a lot more muscle tone) I'm 24" waist and 36" hips.

Hmmm...scratch that about proportions...apparently I became even MORE pear lol. Bah :P

Wow! 24" waist?! That's so tiny! I've heard that the 36:24:36 measurements are supposedly the ideal (at least in the opinions of men). Well, good for you. And I wouldn't worry about the chest size. I'm envious of my smaller friends whose boobs are nice and perky. Yeah, I'm a 36 when wearing a bra, but when that bra comes off, I have to be careful not to trip over my boobs (ok, well maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration).

I think both of you, Lyria and Goodbye Chubby, have done awesome. Having read some of your other posts, I find both of your stories very inspiring. Judging by the pictures in your profiles, you both look fantastic!

I've lost more inches in my hips than my waist (7 inches in my hips, 5 inches in my waist). But I'm a little on the short side (just under 5' 3") and very short-waisted (I can wear regular pants but have to wear a petite on top - yep, in addition to my pear shape, I'm also weirdly proportioned). One advantage to not having as much difference between my hips and my waist is that it elongates my torso. I like that look, so I'm okay with losing a little curviness. Also, the narrower my hips get, the easier it is to find tops that fit, which at my highest weight was getting to be practically impossible.

I don't bother measuring my boobs either. It's pretty clear by now that they're not going to get an larger and if they get smaller, well, I don't want to know about it.