I just read this article about the decline of the classic hourglass figure: Hourglass Figure

Pictures posted by members here seem to refute that trend. Seems like the hourglass figure reigns here, but I wonder if that's due to over-reporting by those with that shape, or if sexy people who find their way to F & E are in some way different than the rest of the world.

Thought I'd take an informal poll. After reading the article I linked to, how would you classify your shape: hourglass, rectangle, spoon or inverted triangle.

Has your basic shape changed since your teens and early twenties?

Ugh!!! Spoon figure. Basic shape hasn't changed since early twenties, but certainly the numbers are far greater after kids than the 93 pounds when I got married. I hate going through the closet getting rid of clothes that will probably never fit again and keeping the ones I have hope for.

Oh yes. I'll 'fess up.

I'm an hourglass at the moment, but that hasn't always been so.

Last year, my shape morphed into a rectangle when an underactive thyroid caused me to gain weight and bloat out in the middle.

In my early twenties, I was definitely a spoon-shape. Wasn't happy about it either, since flat-chested, no-hip boyish figures were in vogue back then.

So, I've been every shape except the inverted triangle. Wonder if that will be the shape of things to come in my old age.

I'm in the majority--a rectangle. Ugh!

More or less hourglass, although with more padding than I'm personally comfortable with. So I guess more like an hourglass wrapped in a blanket? My waist is still pretty defined (but it's a high waist so some may think I don't have one) and my shoulders and hips definitely are larger than my waist area. Still... that may be hard to determine by looking at the baggy clothes I tend to wear since my body fat percentage skyrocketed a few years ago. I think now that I'm back below 40% I should go find myself something nicer.

~Ang

I'm more of a rectangle figure. Of course, our body shapes change for some reason or other (sometimes out of our control), but as long as my boobs are not huge, which they're not, I can live with my shape. I'd rather be a symmetric rectangle and not an oblong circle.

Hi everyone,

I'm not quite and hourglass as I don't have a quite have a tiny waist, even when I'm really thin.

I guess I'mmore of an athletic, rectangular body type when I'm in shape. When gain, I tend to put 90% on in my stomach. What's that, an apple or a circle?!

I'm a rectangle on the verge of being an hourglass...

Body shape has definately changed since my teens and early 20s! I had a body to kill for "back in the day" and didn't know it! My metabolism was such that I didn't ever have to think about what I was putting into my mouth or worry about exercise (which I hated!). I wish I'd known what a slower metabolism and 3 pregnancies was going to do to me back then.

At 41 something clicked and I decided it was time to think about how I was going to spend the rest of my life. I'm happy to have lost 30 pounds this year and several inches. People think I've lost a lot more than I actually have because of how the inches have come off. More importantly, I feel so much better now that I'm eating healthier and exercising regularly. I know I'll never have my 18 yo body again, but at least I don't intend to be the rotund, plump grandma in storybooks either! More like the sexy GG here on the boards!

I'm really proud to be the true soccer mom now who is out in the yard practicing with her kids. They went to the Y with me this afternoon and they are seeing me push myself exercising. I hope that they will follow my example and continue to exercise their whole lives! I only regret that I didn't start sooner. My advice to everyone, find some kind of exercise that you enjoy and get physical. You may never be Ms. America, but you'll feel better and be healthier for it!

I have to share that I've been going to a water-based class plus doing strength training. I've been going on Monday evenings to a water class whose instructor has a reputation for "kicking butt". She told me this afternoon that this class is the hardest thing she does all week. She teaches trekking, spinning, etc. too. She said that I was kicking her butt today (I was the only one to show up). I incredulously asked her "how???" She said she was having to push herself in order to challenge me!!! Wow!!! That made me feel really good! It felt equally good when my teenage daughter touched my leg when I got out of the pool and said, "Dang Mom, I feel hard muscle!" Dang straight! I've been working my butt off - literally! LOL!!! Anyway, I feel really good to know that I can walk and keep up with my kids a little better than I could 6 months ago! Forgive me people, but, "Yea me!!!"

Sorry I got so long...

Cyber Lady - thanks for the complement... with my small boobs I'll never be a real hour glass but I'm definitely not a rectangle - and G. says I still have legs to die for

You're quite welcome, GG! You and Grump both are an inspiration!

I'm not very well endowed in the breast department either and it's so unfair that that's one of the places where I've lost a couple of inches! But I take great comfort in the fact that Hubby is into legs and he's definately into mine!

I'm also inspired by one particular lady who is in my exercise class who is in her 70s and still has great muscle tone and a very nice body. I aspire to be the same way at 70+. I'm not trying to be a teenager again. I just want to be the best me at every age that I can possibly be! It's great to feel like you look good, but I'm really happy to know that by being physically fit I'm potentially lengthening my life. I want to be around and ABLE to enjoy my life to its fullest!

As my wife (Cyberlady) said I've always loved a great pair of gams (that's leggs for you younger folk). I was never into boobs very much. I feel if its more than a hand full the rest is wasted.

Eeeek! I am still an hourg-glass, but barely! Have to get those tummy muscles of mine in shape or I am lost!!!

I know that I have been feeling better since I have gotten back into the gym. Now that I'm staying home with little one, it has been nice to just focus on getting my house in order, taking care of my daughter and husband and also myself..eating better and exercising regularly. I know I'm still young and have time to get into shape, but there is no time like the present, especially since I put on a little bit of baby weight.

Topless (and any other younger lady reading this!), just let me encourage you as an older woman who's "been there, done that" to keep on keeping on! It's sounds like you're doing yourself a huge favor by getting back to the gym. Right now if I could share one message with younger women it would have to be "Take care of yourself!" It's not easy at 40+ to reinvent your lifestyle. I -so- wish that I could go back and make exercise a priority in my life at 25 or younger! I see now that I was only robbing myself and my family of a degree of quality of life by not being physically fit myself. I'm not even necessarily talking about looking good; that's just a fringe benefit to being healthy!

I am really proud of myself at this point because I am so much more able to run and romp with my kids and truly enjoy life. I just want to encourage everyone to take care of their bodies while they are younger. Make taking care of you a priority in your life because you can't truly care for others if you're not taken care of too!

I soooooo agree with Cyber Lady. Be proactive as much as possible with your health.

Also, don't be like me and avoid doctors for a decade because you think they can't help. Some health conditions can sabotage your efforts to regain your pre-pregnancy health and pleasing silhouette.

I'll spare you the gory details of what ten years of hypothyroidism can do to an otherwise healthy body. That's an example of one thing that can go wrong.

Wish I had made an active outdoor lifestyle a family priority from the start, along with trusting that doctors can do more than just embarrass the heck out of you and take your money for doing that.