As well as genetics, I think age has a lot to do with, and so do major changes in health . . .

For example . . . when I was young (back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth ) I was definitely bottom heavy and anything I gained always went to my hips and thighs. Now (at age 64 and over 15 years of Type II diabetes), more of my weight has around my waist and that is the last place it wants to come off.

Have a great day, everybody . . .

Hehe, I was a 34C in highschool and now a 38DD. I'm honestly excited that the boob weight will be going soon. I want to be able to walk into any store and buy a cute bra - I only get mine from Lane Bryant as it is right now. I just hope they don't shrink before my stomach does. ~_~

I'm 20 years old and still gain fat in my stomach first - it's always been that way, ever since I first started being a pudgy kid in middle school. And when I lost weight the first time through unhealthy measures, my stomach was the last thing to completely shrink. I always gain the most in my stomach and my face, so as soon as I became overweight for the first time in five years, it got obvious. I WISH I gained in my butt, hips, and even my thighs - then, I wouldn't feel so FAT!

This might be a far-fetched idea, but I wonder if having diabetes contributes to stomach fat. I have no idea why it would, but it seems to be true with most diabetics I know...

Definitely SHANE. That's what I meant about major changes in health having an impact.

I agree it's mostly genetic but it can definitely be drug related. I always gained weight in my hips and thighs. When I was 40 I had cancer and have since been on steroids - my weight now is almost all in my lower abdoman.

My shape is exactly like my grandmother's was. I gain almost exclusively on the front of my stomach - think 65yo pregnant woman. Yuck. This time, I gained so much that my arms got a little heavier, but no fat legs or butt. I have the same double chin as my gramma, too. My grandmother lived to be 98 years old, so I guess the bad fat distribution didn't hurt her.

I kind of think fat distributes differently every time, cause I lost 90 pounds and when I gained it back the second time I had less in my face, and my stomach isn't as bad as it had been the first time. In 9th grade I was like a pudgy little ball, now this time I'm a little more evened out (look at my avatar).

But man...that might work for weight loss too, if your fat distrubutes differently each time.

I think it has to do with body type- probably genetically linked. Teresa Tapp (www.t-tapp.com) explains this much better than I can, but has to do on your rib to hip measurement and then the ratio between the hip to knee and knee to ankle. Based on these measurements you can find out of you are a short/long torso or short/long leg body type or combination body type where you can gain all over. (me- lucky!! lol) I find it so fascinating, but it really helps explain and helps me understand *why* I can where I do- why I have saddlebags and my sister never will. etc.

Anyway- it's interesting stuff!

I know this thread is super old, so I don't know if anyone will read it or not. I recently read several articles which talked about why people gain weight in certain areas. A belly can indicate thyroid problems. Thighs, something to do with the ovaries and production of estrogen. Others had to do with different hormones, the names of which I can't remember. This does however boil down to genetics as well, because if your momma has thyroid problems (or whatever else) chances are, you have them too. I found the article on hormones at www.figureathlete.com and the one on thyroid etc. was in a magazine.

My trouble spot is my hips and thighs, which you can see in my avatar.

That was always the heaviest spot, and is the last part to be slimming down (but that is happening). I hope the last 10 pounds come from my hips and thighs LOL!

I agree that fat distribution is all genetics. Personally, I gain weight all over, so there are no "skinny" parts of me and no disproportionately "fat" parts, really. But more fat tends to accumulate in my butt/lower abdomen/thighs than anywhere else.

Strangely, even though I'd like to lose more weight, I kind of like my shape (hourglass) and I would actually be reluctant to completely diet that away.

My fat pretty much likes to hang out between my neck and my knees.

Well, for me, age is messing with me. When I was younger, all weight gain in thighs, butt. Now at 44, it's my waist, back, belly, as well as a few extra chins. Oh and my arms--I can't stand to go sleeveless in public--I feel so self-conscious about my huge upper arms.

And my boobs are bigger--C cup, as opposed to B. Now that I have lost about 30lbs., I am starting to drop a few chins and a couple of inches around my waist. I do hope to eventually have better looking arms so I can wear cute sleeveless tops again. I don't even wear tank tops to the gym--always a T-shirt, and when it is hot, I am dying!

Maybe my cup size will go down, but that is a willing price to pay to get rid of extra chins and big arms.

I think for most people is is partly genetics, partly age.

When I was younger, my only disproportionately large area was my inner thighs. Now I also have trouble also with my abdomen, particularly my lower ab. Currently, my upper arms and chin area have more stuff than I'd like, but that may be more due to lose skin than fat deposits.

I'm still hoping to see more improvement in all these areas at a lower weight.

I store most fat in my butt and hips/thighs, upper arms too. I always have a waist, and belly got bigger but not hugely - that is, until I got into my higher range. Then it was like I crossed a line, and the distribution changed. I was still gaining everywhere, but it went disproportionately to my belly and I lost my waist.

I still have ~30 pounds to go, but I seem to have my shape back. I think the belly is bigger than it was before at this weight - in other words, it's sticking around a little bit - but I'm definitely mostly back to my underlying shape.

Interestingly, I swear my chest looks smaller, and my bras show some loss, but the measurement is falling much slower than my waist and hip measurements. I think I must be working out my lats better than I thought .

Sigh, and the double chin is being stubborn. Hate that.