Ok, so I feel I have a fairly proportional body, and have always thought of myself as an hourglass. I'm "top heavy" but that shouldn't stop me from getting in to pants, right? Anyway, I'm sitting here at around 145 pounds and 5' 6.5" and I am still wearing size 10 pants. I'm starting to think I might be an apple. I've lost a lot off my hips and thighs, but also off my ribcage. I bought a pair of motivation 8s that I could zip up only with major muffin top, but they were loose below my butt/ through my thighs. I'm certain I can make it in to the 8s in another 5-10 pounds (10 would take me to goal) but a lot of others who I see around here are my weight but shorter and in size sixes. I still love the idea of being a 6, I've never been that small in my memory, the smallest I remember was juniors 7s. I just can't shake the idea that 10 pounds will not take me to the size I want to be unless it all comes off my waist? Currently I'm 38-29-37 which I thought was "hourglass" is there anyone else who went from more hourglass to apple or another shape as they lost the weight? Or, for that matter had this problem with pants?
I went from an hour glass shape to a banana shape which is far less attractive in my book. Oh well I'm sure our bodies will turn back to our old shapes once were maintaining.
Oh dear, I hear you on the frustrations of not losing weight evenly. I have no "curves" to speak of, but when I was about 25 lbs heavier I felt more "hourglassy" just because of the way my fat distributes. As the fat came off, I felt like my waist got really stubborn too. I am a bit bottom heavy with thick muscular legs. Something dumb like 32-26.5-38.
Like you I really want to be a comfortable 4. I can hack certain dresses and tops but I'm pretty sure I won't be getting into any size 4 pants any time soon.
I just tell myself my body type is "Chun Li" like the Street Fighter character and laugh, because all you can do is laugh.
Ok, so I feel I have a fairly proportional body, and have always thought of myself as an hourglass. I'm "top heavy" but that shouldn't stop me from getting in to pants, right? Anyway, I'm sitting here at around 145 pounds and 5' 6.5" and I am still wearing size 10 pants. I'm starting to think I might be an apple. I've lost a lot off my hips and thighs, but also off my ribcage. I bought a pair of motivation 8s that I could zip up only with major muffin top, but they were loose below my butt/ through my thighs. I'm certain I can make it in to the 8s in another 5-10 pounds (10 would take me to goal) but a lot of others who I see around here are my weight but shorter and in size sixes. I still love the idea of being a 6, I've never been that small in my memory, the smallest I remember was juniors 7s. I just can't shake the idea that 10 pounds will not take me to the size I want to be unless it all comes off my waist? Currently I'm 38-29-37 which I thought was "hourglass" is there anyone else who went from more hourglass to apple or another shape as they lost the weight? Or, for that matter had this problem with pants?
I wonder because I am at 145 or so, and 5'4", and I'm in 8's. I wear 10's too but I can almost pull them off without undoing them at this point. I do have a pair of 6's too and I can wear them, although they're a tiny bit tight but not too bad. I'm 37-33-37...maybe it's the brands I am wearing too? I don't go for designer or anything, as a matter of fact I've been buying walmart jeans as I lose because I just can't stand to spend too much money!! haha Maybe they're cut a bit looser. Also I usually wear the waist around where my waist actually is, I have one pair of low rise that are in 8's that fit OK - but I feel weird in them because I've never worn low rise pants before, I am constantly feeling like I should pull them up!! haha Anyways sorry not much help to you I guess - but I've stayed pretty much proportional I think to how I was before. And with your measurements, I would definitely think you're an hourglass.
First I'd like to say...you'd be surprised what those last 10lbs can do to your clothing size. For reference, I've always bought American Eagle jeans because I have a flat butt, and they actually give the illusion that I have something back there. So all sizes are within the same brand, mostly even the same cut of jeans. I was a 12 (deeefinitely should have been a 14, but I was stubborn) when I started. After going from 180+ to 155-ish, I had gone from a tight 12 to a comfortable 10. I was thrilled, of course, I couldn't remember the last time I'd been in a 10, and the thought of possibly being an 8 was just impossibly unimaginable to me. I made it to my 8's at around 145, and I was so elated that I blew all my goal weight shopping spree money on a new wardrobe. I had NEVER been in 8's before, completely impossible I'd go smaller than that, right? Well, between 145-130 I went from an 8 to a 6, skipped 4, down to a 2. All the same brand. I literally bought the same pair of A/E jeans (same cut and wash color) in 4 different sizes in a time span of about 2 months. Good thing they were on clearance. And so at 130, I was satisfied with my weight, went into maintenance mode, bought MORE knew clothes. It took me a few months for my body to even out at the low weight and I even lost a few more pounds. And what do you know, those 2's were all too big. As in take them out of the dryer, pull them up, and they look like pillow sacks on my butt. I could slide them off without unbuttoning them like PJ pants. Sooooo, I've had to slowly build up my wardrobe with 0's. Freaking 0's!!!!! I never thought I'd see an 8! And I went from an 8 to a 0 in the last third (20lbs) of my weight loss. My point is, the last few pounds can have a remarkable difference on clothing size.
But that doesn't even start to address your question on changing body types. I started out as what I called "curvy," but it was more just blobby. I had big-ish boobs and some jiggle in various places, but I was more of a shapeless blob of chub than an hourglass, which is what I consider to be "curvy." I unfortunately never took measurements to begin with. I lost fairly unevenly...first in my face and arms, then my thighs and bum, and my tummy was the last thing to go. I was all sorts of funky looking at various stages. Even when I reached my maintenance weight, it took a few months for everything to even out.
I'm now around 34-26-32. Kind of a very slightly hourglassy rectangle. But I think that's how I've always been, a very slightly hourglassy rectangle. When I was heavier, my rectangle was just blobbier. Now at least I'm a lean rectangle, lol.
Like Krampus said, NO amount of dieting or even weight training will change our shape (unless we starve ourselves to toothpick shape). We can make it leaner and tighter and smoother. But the best we can do is just accept it, embrace it, and maybe even laugh at it some times. Appreciate it for what it is, don't hate it for what it's not. I'll never be a curvy babe with a great rack and bodacious butt. But I'm fairly happy with being a lean and lithe willowy creature.
Try different brand. I regularly wear 8s and I'm 35/29/36, I doubt and extra inch would give you that much trouble. I also have a few 10s in my closet, does it bug me, yeah a little, but it is what it is so I just continue to work hard at the gym in hopes that a little body recomposition and time will make me shrink into those 6s
It's probably something either in the brand or fit of the pants you are looking at. I am your same height, about 136-138 lb, with 31" waist and 38" hips (I just measured after dinner, OK?). All my high-waist work pants are size 8 except for a couple of size 6; I bought them all when I was about 140-144. Most are wool-blend stretch but I don't like them tight, so the stretch isn't really engaged when I'm standing up. I have one non-work pair of jeans in size 10, which are very baggy in the butt. I buy from the Gap, Banana Republic and a few from the Macy's house brand.