Skinny arms shoulders, big hips thighs legs...

[Ravenhairedbellydancer]

Hi, i think i mightve posted about this a while back but i recently lost about 5 lbs due stress and loss of appetite and it seems to all have come off my arms and shoulders meanwhile i have huge hips and thighs,, well not huge but HUGE in comparison,, my waist today was 25.5 inches when i got up(no food in me) and my hips 41.5 with a long torso and boney shoulders...... is there any way of being more balanced as far as having a bigger top...i look so weak this way and my bust got smaller im a small 34 c even smaller now..... would working my arms out help or make it even worse?? only thing i can do is keep my weight up to get more fat up top, so i dont look like a snakeon the top, i can only imagine if i dropped to like 120 ( im 5,5 136 now from 141) id look like an anorexic up top and still fat on the bottom..........

 

[Shanazel]

The problem is likely not your body, but your x-ray critical eyes!

It sounds like you are a perfect classic shape for a woman. A twenty five inch waist and full hips? Beautiful. A long torso? Oh, honey, do you know what us short waisted girls would do to be able to wear long drapes of beads across out stomachs? If you dislike your arms and shoulders, you have the option of wearing all sorts of tops with full sleeves and puffed shoulders and detailed stitching and all sorts of wonderful things.

Now that you've told us what you don't like about your body, tell us what you do like.

 

[janaki]

Good point Shanazel! I also would like to hear what you like about your body!

Excercise wise, I would recommend weigh training for the upper body and toning excercises for the lower body. This way you can balance the body shape better. It is impossible to alter the shape of the body you are born with unless you opt for plastic surgery:shok:!

Health and wellbeing comes first!!! I would kill myslef for 25inch waist. I could imagine how gorgeous you would look in a belly dance costume with bare midriff!

 

[Ravenhairedbellydancer]

thanx guys,, i was upset earlier becuz i hate losing weight since i look so frail on top,, i think i will only try to gain the weight back so i look a little more strong.... i am very critical of my body,, im swaybacked, long torsoed and disproptionate.. and I am LOPSIDED but i will say i do like that i have a feminine figure and i appreciate it

 

[janaki]

Hey sweetie,

Hope this extract from an article will make you feel better. Here we go

"PEAR

WHILE women might hanker after that curvy look, the key to feeling good is to make the best of your natural figure.

And if you need some inspiration, look no further than Jennifer Lopez, who has used her pear-shaped figure to perfect effect.

Other stars such as Kate Winslet have done the same thing without having to resort to crash diets or plastic surgery.

Women with a pear-shaped figure will have a narrow upper body, including the bust and waist, but a wider lower body, including hips, bum and thighs.

And the good news is that scientists believe that people with this body shape will live longer, on average, than others.

The Institute of Preventative Medicine in Copenhagen published research showing people with a hip measurement of 40 inches - a size 14 - or greater appeared to have some level of protection against heart conditions that was absent in slimmer people.

That's because hip-fat contains a natural anti-inflammatory called adiponectin which prevents arteries swelling up and becoming blocked.

Storing fat around the hips also has far fewer health risks than storing fat around the waist, although as with all body shapes, it's important to work hard to maintain a healthy weight.

To make the best of your pear-shaped figure, a fitness regime which focuses on building upper body strength is good.

Well-defined shoulders will even out the shape, as will exercises aimed at burning fat on the hips, bottom and thighs.

Power of the pear!!!!

 

[adiemus]

Ravenhaired - I really want to hear what else you LIKE about your body - and yourself!
I'm a proud hourglass, equal width at shoulders and hips, curvy bum and tum, good sized boobs (although they are heading towards my navel thanks to my two lovely kids who are now teenagers!), and legs that I would like to have an extra inch or two longer - but strong and curvy.
Of course there are things that we all would like to have different, but we are all incredible individuals who look gorgeous when we move, and most of us don't have the wish to be super-models!!
So hug your curvy half, and love your slim half - and think that you can always pad your bra, wear decoration on your arms, and drape your belly with beads. Your hips are your feature in this dance, and we cover our legs up - and just reveal a wee bit (mystery!!) - so this is perfect for you!!
I would love to see a photo of you enjoying your wonderful body!
love
Bronnie

 

[RioDancerCO]

Hi RavenHair,
From a fitness standpoint I would suggest a couple relatively simple yoga moves. Down Dog, Plank and Croc. These will all help you build strength and flexibility in your arms and shoulders while also giving you some really nice stretches.
From the perspective of a costumer (and someone with very similar measurements to your own!) I have sometimes found that I feel the need to 'balance' the full skirt and fancy beaded belt with more than just the beaded top. 'Gauntlets', arm bands or other sleeve options can help accent the skirt and visually balance the costume. A necklace that takes up a lot of space like a choker with beads draping downward can also help.
One last thought~ one of my very best friends was giving me guff about a dragon costume that I was uncertain about wearing and told me that I was 'every comic nerd boy's dream come true' because of the contrast between waist and full hips. It's still my favorite compliment (even if it was delivered in a gruff tone ) and I thought you might appreciate it too.

 

[Ravenhairedbellydancer]

thanks for all your help guys.. i think maybe it takes age to get really comfortable with your body... i havent quite gotten their yet but im closer than b4,, i still have issues with weight loss as in when i lose i look frail on my torso and i cant stand it... so im almost like a reverse anorexic sadly, i even force myself to eat many times so i wont lose

 

[Shanazel]

Not age- practice, and even with practice, it's not perfect acceptance for most of us. I dislike my body so much some days that I'd climb out of it if I could, but since I can't, I get back to work at appreciating it for what it is instead of bemoaning what it is not.

 

[charity]

so you cant trim down on the bottom at all? to even out the top and bottom. i would say you have small bones in your arms and wrists and probably bigger bones in your hips/legs. that can happen. you probably could do total body weight training to build up your top and slim down your bottom. i would get a personal trainer, they could tell you all about balancing your body. also run. the impact builds you from the inside. i was a bit smaller on top than bottom too and running evened me out. lengthened the leg muscles and bulked the top from running hard top at least once a week. soft surface will build your bottom, even running on a treadmill is quite different than running on the road. plus do push-ups and pulls ups, that will work the top triangle, shoulders to the bottom of the sternum. it will add bulk.

its one thing to say thats your body, now you love it...i think you have a body type and you can work within it to get the best shape that you can and that you can appreciate. yea i'd say talk to a trainer. if you are part of a gym, some of them are offered for free.

 

[Jane]

Are you sure we aren't twins seperated at birth? Your body style sounds like mine! Plus, I've got legs like a corgi.

Really though, there is nothing you can do about the frame and bone stucture you are born with, but there is always excercise, heathy habits and costume smoke and mirrors. This is what I do to look a bit more balanced.

-Bra push up pads
-Keep the costume interest on the top half
-gauntlets on the upper arms (makes your torso look wider)
-head pieces/head bands etc.
-head to toe costume of the same color (look taller)
-keep costume lines vertically slender
-Circle skirts can work well if you have a small waist and large hips
-Avoid big poofy harem pants, they make us look like we're already doing floor work when we're still standing.
-Wear heels if your ankles can handle it
-Only wear costumes that fit very, very well

 

[da Sage]

Hi, i think i mightve posted about this a while back but i recently lost about 5 lbs due stress and loss of appetite and it seems to all have come off my arms and shoulders meanwhile i have huge hips and thighs,, well not huge but HUGE in comparison,, my waist today was 25.5 inches when i got up(no food in me) and my hips 41.5 with a long torso and boney shoulders...... is there any way of being more balanced as far as having a bigger top...i look so weak this way and my bust got smaller im a small 34 c even smaller now..... would working my arms out help or make it even worse?? only thing i can do is keep my weight up to get more fat up top, so i dont look like a snakeon the top, i can only imagine if i dropped to like 120 ( im 5,5 136 now from 141) id look like an anorexic up top and still fat on the bottom..........

Hip drops look sooooo impressive on women built like you. And if you look carefully, you'll see there's tons of medium/shortlegged women in bellydance, because so many of the moves work well with that figure.

Do you exercise? If not, I recommend weight work. If you already do cardio, cut back on the cardio and add weights...or do aerobics that integrate light weights. You will feel so much stronger, and love your arms and shoulders!

Your upper and lower body may always look different in size, but that doesn't mean they can't be beautiful together.