# Your unique female body shape.



## petite libellule

Which body type can eat whatever they want and not get fat w/ no exercise. ? Cuz I wanna be that one. Right now, I'm not feeling right because my spirit is one body type and my body is another. It's awful! I'm not trolling. I'm totally serious.


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## petite libellule

Even more seriously. How does one exactly know what type they are if they're a combo of both? If you're an hourglass but then gain weight you're an apple. See what I'm saying. This body stuff is stupid .. People should burn Cosmo and be done with it.


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## Promethea

NK said:


> Which body type can eat whatever they want and not get fat w/ no exercise. ? Cuz I wanna be that one. Right now, I'm not feeling right because my spirit is one body type and my body is another. It's awful! I'm not trolling. I'm totally serious.


Ectos don't gain fat as easy as endos, for example. 

Your post just reminded me of something. When I was in college, one of our psych majors polled women on their shoulder width (narrow, average, or broad) and their perception of their weight. 

It turned out that the ladies with more broad shoulders, even at thin and average weight, perceived themselves as heavier than the narrow shouldered ladies. And I mean certainly, if the two of them both wore the same sleeved articles of clothing, the broader shouldered woman will look wider.. clothing could even drape down to make the rest of her body look wider, too. So it made sense to me.

And despite the failed communication between deranged and myself, I do believe that whatever type you are, you can be at your lower healthy weight -- I'm just not going to pretend that an endomorph with a large frame is going to be able to get to the lowest weight that an ecto with a small frame could achieve. 

There are also various medical issues and medications that can hinder ones ability to burn calories as effectively. So, when people start up with the "its as simple as calories in-calories out" they are mistaken. Insulin resistance for example, complicates the calories out mechanism. Cortisone shots will as well.


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## birdsintrees

All in all: we worry too much about what other people think of something we can often only influence with unhealthy efforts. And even when we do achieve that super perfect ideal we have in our minds: it doesn't actually make us a happier human being. You are more than your reflection in the mirror.


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## petite libellule

Lastly, on behalf of every average mom out there, I gotta say, I would be in the right to sue someone for all the psychological issues of not embracing Freddie Krugers face on my stomach. Tiger stripes my ass! I want to see every model be a size 6 minimum!! I want to see every male model with a little pudge on their belly. I want to see women over 40 with wrinkles being drooled over. I want to see a dudes balls hang low in porn! I want to see saggy boobs and bald heads but not both on the same gender :tongue: 

that's want I want! Who else wants this!! Call every NFP out here and let's start another revolution against the industry!!


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## Grandmaster Yoda

Being an ectomorph is fun that you can eat and not have to deal with getting fat but there are two downsides. Gaining muscle is also difficult for ectomorphs and gaining fat. Actually I just repeated the definition. But if you're like me an ectomorph but at the same time you don't have a giant appetite, then you might deal with problems of being underweight. My family criticizes me for being underweight (though according to BMI scales and the doctor himself, I am not underweight). I don't remember what it was called but it was about appetite and preferences, for example one type would prefer eating a few times a day and another got hungry very often. I think it was about metabolism. Like slow oxidizers and quick ones whatever it's called.


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## petite libellule

Promethea said:


> Ectos don't gain fat as easy as endos, for example.
> 
> Your post just reminded me of something. When I was in college, one of our psych majors polled women on their shoulder width (narrow, average, or broad) and their perception of their weight.
> 
> It turned out that the ladies with more broad shoulders, even at thin and average weight, perceived themselves as heavier than the narrow shouldered ladies. And I mean certainly, if the two of them both wore the same sleeved articles of clothing, the broader shouldered woman will look wider.. clothing could even drape down to make the rest of her body look wider, too. So it made sense to me.
> 
> And despite the failed communication between deranged and myself, I do believe that whatever type you are, you can be at your lower healthy weight -- I'm just not going to pretend that an endomorph with a large frame is going to be able to get to the lowest weight than an ecto with a small frame could achieve.
> 
> There are also various medical issues and medications that can hinder ones ability to burn calories as effectively. So, when people start up with the "its as simple as calories in-calories out" they are mistaken. Insulin resistance for example, complicates the calories out mechanism. Cortisone shots will as well.


I don't know what kind of shoulders I have.  My collar bone sticks out even when I've reached muffin top crash diet status. :/


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## petite libellule

I wish I only gained fat in my boobs. It goes to my hips. It's not fair. :'(

its all some mans fault. I just know it!


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## Promethea

NK said:


> Even more seriously. How does one exactly know what type they are if they're a combo of both? If you're an hourglass but then gain weight you're an apple. See what I'm saying. This body stuff is stupid .. People should burn Cosmo and be done with it.


Generally, an apple will gain her weight mostly in her tummy and upper arms. Lindsay Lohan really is a great example of a skinny apple. She is a very thin girl, but you can still see that her fat storage is in the upper body. She has very narrow hips and tiny legs.

An hourglass will gain it all over, but not as much in the waist -- so a larger hourglass is still going to look different from a large apple. The lady from mad men for example - shes still at a healthy weight, but I wouldn't call her skinny, and shes an hourglass.

And yes, finding one's body type can be tricky. I didn't realize that I was an inverted triangle until recently lol. I thought I was just "some weird hourglass with very strong shoulders and arms." lol XD

(And fuck cosmo.)


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## petite libellule

Promethea said:


> Generally, an apple will gain her weight mostly in her tummy and upper arms. Lindsay Lohan really is a great example of a skinny apple. She is a very thin girl, but you can still see that her fat storage is in the upper body. She has very narrow hips and tiny legs.
> 
> An hourglass will gain it all over, but not as much in the waist -- so a larger hourglass is still going to look different from a large apple. The lady from mad men for example - shes still at a healthy weight, but I wouldn't call her skinny, and shes an hourglass.
> 
> And yes, finding one's body type can be tricky. I didn't realize that I was an inverted triangle until recently lol. I thought I was just "some weird hourglass with very strong shoulders and arms." lol XD
> 
> (And fuck cosmo.)


I think I'm a fat hour glass :sad: I hate weight training. I'll never be sexy!! 😩 (jk) to be honest the forums actually helped me to get over myself already.


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## Promethea

NK said:


> I think I'm a fat hour glass :sad: I hate weight training. I'll never be sexy!! &#55357;&#56873; (jk) to be honest the forums actually helped me to get over myself already.


Something tells me you're way more attractive than you give yourself credit for. ; P


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## AddictiveMuse

Promethea said:


> Yeah, I think larger breasts can happen across the board, but they're just less common in some types than others.
> 
> If one's measurements come up as smaller on top than bottom or vice versa, they're likely not an hourglass. I read an article a while back on celebrities whos figures look like hourglass, but don't have the measurements for it - I think angelina jolie was one of them.


yeah I realise how the measurements work, I should probably figure out my type one of these days...


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## petite libellule

: the usual embarrassing NK rubbish ramble. You've missed nothing.  :


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## petite libellule

Not sure if you've heard of this theory that is a little better IMO in helping understanding body type that's primarily focused on the hormones rather than what to dress (the presentation of type). Plus it's applicable for men as well. Most of men fall in the third I've found past the age of 50 when out of shape. Even if they don't drink beer.


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## petite libellule

Dupe


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## Promethea

NK said:


> I have a love hate thing I've got going. When I was very little I was cliche INFJ friends with (no lie here) 3 best friends. One was the girl who had a lazy eye. The other was obese. The other very foreign polish. I recall feeling fat but in pics I wasn't at all. The girl with the lazy eye told me once "my mom said that ugly girls grew up to be pretty and that pretty girls grew up to be ugly" (and considering her mom, she no doubt said that). I've always had a super weird relationship with my body. I had so much attention paid to me as a little girl and as a teenager for being pretty. And it seriously depressed me. Like, no one knows me!  lol! .. As an adult over the years, little by little, each year, I realize how absolutely ridiculous I am! And vain! Which is weird. Not serious vanity. Just that I notice every little imperfection because of years of having my attention brought to it. I am one of those people who fluctuates in weight. I build muscle easy and lose it easy but I have to eat less carb but that is what my body likes!  it's not fair!
> 
> when my mind is in "recovery" resolving it's own issues, I make fun of myself or the issue A LOT! So I really hope I'm not coming off as a jerk face.  but if I joke that I've Freddy Kruger on my tummy and hips, and Ethiopian saggy boobs, I'll laugh and realize that my brain is full of shit! Because I'm no where near that severe. People tell me so. I've never had a guy NOT want me naked. So really. It's all in my head. That and I get scared letting men be first to be in control and if I relax and allow myself to notice the attention, I get a little anxious like I'm not safe but I know I am. And so goes the internal torment nightmare we call NK.


Do you think it could be body dysmorphic disorder? Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA

Or is it just not this extreme?


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## petite libellule

Promethea said:


> Do you think it could be body dysmorphic disorder? Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA
> 
> Or is it just not this extreme?


Not that extreme. I also have an inner emo. This is the part of myself that's a big baby. I do these things because then it detaches me from the parts of the psyche that need to be counseled / coached. I know this is weird. But honesty, the technique works. Name it, creates a detached in-between. I suppose you could say I have those tendencies. But I'm creepily self aware so no, not that extreme as I do the counter phobic thing 24/7 and face my fears as I'm afraid of being afraid. And not having needs met seriously blows.


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## petite libellule

BUT I could still get away with suing the industry on behalf of everyone who has the disorder. Like how people are not allowed to smoke indoors anymore. See .. See .. I think I'm on to something!


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## killerB

I am an hourglass. I run, ride bike and eat almost entirely vegetarian. I am not a skinny runner, some women get that way, but it only compacted my thighs and made me curvier. I lost 5 pounds only, also. I figure this is where my body is supost to be. I used to be skinny, but I was never really a tiny small framed gal. I was uncomfortable with my body when I was younger, but now I feel sexy and happy with it. Women judge themselves too harshly.


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## petite libellule

killerB said:


> I am an hourglass. I run, ride bike and eat almost entirely vegetarian. I am not a skinny runner, some women get that way, but it only compacted my thighs and made me curvier. I lost 5 pounds only, also. I figure this is where my body is supost to be. I used to feel a bit more uptight about it, when I was younger. Now I am at home with my body, I feel sexy and happy with it.


yeah what's up with that. When I'm "on the wagon" working out and diligent about what I eat, I don't get skinny. It's kinda annoying when you're short. People my height are often 95 pounds. But when I'm at my thinnest, I'm 117 if I'm lucky. Otherwise, 120 which according to BMI for my height is overweight. Still think if all of woman kind everywhere got together to sue, we would totally win. Like million man march style demanding the industry reform their retarded ways. I vote we start a riot. :tongue:


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## Aya the Abysswalker

I wanna say hourglass, but my breasts aren't big enough so I dunno.


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## Kanerou

I'm a pear shape in the fat-determined system and currently a busty A shape in the bone-determined one; provided I ever lose this extra weight, I may find I'm actually an X or 8/X hybrid. Most of my weight gain goes to my thighs, butt, and boobs (mostly the thighs and butt), and despite having a ridiculously short waist, it stays proportionally small. It does, however, develop a very pronounced hip shelf; I joke that whether skinny or overweight, I still have no waist one way or the other.


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## LadyO.W.BernieBro

Not sure, l'd have to be a weird combo.

l am pretty dysmorphic about my body and don't ''understand'' it (for lack of a better term, can't perceive my body very well and am just altogether mentally damaged) so relying on comments from other people has been both something l kind of had to do but ultimately unhealthy.


Not an ectomorph, but can be quite thin, although l promise you l put on weight more easily than people think l do.

Can you be a mesomorph who can't gain and lose muscle easily , only fat


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## shakti

Kanerou said:


> @_Promethea_, you forgot the hourglass category from the first article.
> 
> I really like the idea behind the thread. The system below is my favorite and has been since I discovered it; rather than assessing women based on fat, it assesses them based on bone structure, which will never change, though it acknowledges that fat gain can change one's shape. The site also does quite a bit on body proportions, showing how being short in a certain measurement leads to more weight gain there (except for some of us weird ones).
> 
> A (pear)
> O (apple)
> H (rectangle)
> I (boyish)
> X (low-hip hourglass)
> 8 (high-hip hourglass)
> V (inverted triangle)


Wow, this is great, finally a body shape that totally describes me! X marks the spot!


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## Falling Leaves

I have an hourglass-like figure, with slightly wider bust and shoulders than hips and waist. I put weight on my stomach really easily - if I work hard and diet, I have a really nice, slim waist, however, fatty doesn't exercise and has been eating leftover easter chocolate, so I feel very flabby today. 

I have a very heavy bone structure, so even at my thinnest (visible hip bones, defined waist) it's towards the higher end of the BMI scale. I went on one of those weird scales which measure body fat percentage and it told me I was only a few percent below my clearly overweight father  

I am most certainly an endomorph - I get fat really easily, muscle goes on moderately. To be honest, I don't let my actual weight bother me too much - what's more important is whether my long-lost love handles are starting to re-emerge.


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## FallingSlowly

I personally think it would be the sanest thing to forget about ALL those categorisations. I mean, notice how everyone rallies to fit themselves into the categories of this thread and at the same time complains about what they're NOT happy with, and what they'd like to be instead?

It would of course be great if everyone would go: "Oh yeah, that's why I mainly gain fat around my stomach, no reason to worry", but I don't think that's how most of our minds work. I rather hold the view: Why does it even matter if you are an hourglass or a pear? It's not as if these categorisations _don't_ put pressure on women, because most women think it's desirable to be an hourglass or something that most closely resembles a triangle/V with bigger boobs and narrow hips/slim legs. They _know_ they're a pear, but they're still not happy with it. They _know_ they're endomorph, but they want to be ectomorph. In my view, it doesn't help at all, it just puts the (sometimes unhealthy) focus on something else.

I personally believe that _every_ woman can look good if she looks after herself and dresses well. I personally also believe in working out and eating healthily. It doesn't change your frame, but it changes your tone and a lot of other things:
You feel a lot better overall, because it also influences your mind, both psychologically and physiologically. It also changes the appearance of your skin, for example: Your face looks a lot healthier if you don't eat too much processed crap. 

That, however, is everyone's personal decision. As long as whatever you do leads to your being happy with who you are, you're doing something right. If you'd like to change your body, that's your right, too, but it shouldn't be to confirm to whatever the current ideal is. If we're really honest though, we all know it's not gonna happen for a lot of people since we're not living in a vacuum: We're surrounded by "beauty standards" every day. It takes inner strength and confidence to not give a hoot about them. If you have neither, no amount of info about body-types will change that you don't feel good about yourself. Sad but true...


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## Shadows10Girl

I'm not sure if I'm an inverted triangle or the banana shape, because my measurements say banana but my shoulders are pretty wide set in my opinion and I just started developing hips so that's kind of changing but with a 25" waist I'm gonna say banana...
I don't get the frame size - sorry :/
I think I'm a mix of Ecto and Meso because I'm naturally skinny but my arms have always been naturally muscly and I do nothing. NOTHING! o_o
And I'm definitely a fast twitch... 


I want bigger boobs though...


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## Promethea

FallingSlowly said:


> I personally think it would be the sanest thing to forget about ALL those categorisations. I mean, notice how everyone rallies to fit themselves into the categories of this thread and at the same time complains about what they're NOT happy with, and what they'd like to be instead?


It wasn't my perception that _everyone_ was unhappy with their bodies in this thread -- and if some are, it certainly didn't start with this thread, the damage was already done. Maybe if people were aware of this more early on, they would be more accepting of their bodies as they develop into a womanly form.



FallingSlowly said:


> It would of course be great if everyone would go: "Oh yeah, that's why I mainly gain fat around my stomach, no reason to worry", but I don't think that's how most of our minds work.


Well actually - after I learned more about all of this and discovered that I'm an inverted triangle instead of an hourglass, I customized my workouts more to fit that, and I'm actually really excited about this. : )

Knowledge is power.. Knowledge is also acceptance and I will get to that.



FallingSlowly said:


> I rather hold the view: Why does it even matter if you are an hourglass or a pear?


At some point you end up talking about "dressing well" in this post, which is dependent on guess what - your body type. 

The same outfit that flatters a pear might not flatter an apple. Some people just instinctively know what looks more flattering on their figure, others end up reading articles like the one I read, where it tells you what type of swimsuit flatters your figure best. 



FallingSlowly said:


> It's not as if these categorisations _don't_ put pressure on women, because most women think it's desirable to be an hourglass or something that most closely resembles a triangle/V with bigger boobs and narrow hips/slim legs. They _know_ they're a pear, but they're still not happy with it. They _know_ they're endomorph, but they want to be ectomorph. In my view, it doesn't help at all, it just puts the (sometimes unhealthy) focus on something else.


Is it realistic to think that if we ignore the fact that one size/shape doesn't fit all, all women are just going to magically stop focusing on their bodies? I am trying to help them have *more realistic* goals. 

And spiritually, I think the healthy thing to do upon realizing one _cannot change something_, is to _embrace it and do something positive with it_. 

Its the women who think that through diet and exercise they can just morph into an unrealistic goal who are worse off, obviously. I was watching a british documentary, talking about how -most- uk women are or have been on a diet at some point in their lives. What if you realized you're perfectly healthy carrying 20 more lbs than your friend whos a smaller frame -- this is where self-healing, instead of self-hating, can come from -truth-. 



FallingSlowly said:


> *I personally believe that every woman can look good if she looks after herself and dresses well. *


So yeah, as I was saying before - people who help others professionally, to find their most flattering cuts of clothing, are actually using body type theory. 



FallingSlowly said:


> I personally also believe in working out and eating healthily. It doesn't change your frame, but it changes your tone and a lot of other things:
> You feel a lot better overall, because it also influences your mind, both psychologically and physiologically. It also changes the appearance of your skin, for example: Your face looks a lot healthier if you don't eat too much processed crap.


Well sure - everyone needs to eat well and exercise enough. No one is saying don't. 

And you're right - it doesn't change your frame. I have been privy to many an eating disordered girl who thinks shes fat because of her large frame, even with her joints poking out. Someone should probably let those girls know that not everyone has a tiny frame enough to be a healthy 90 lbs -- oh wait, thats what I was actually trying to do here. ; )



FallingSlowly said:


> That, however, is everyone's personal decision. As long as whatever you do leads to your being happy with who you are, you're doing something right. If you'd like to change your body, that's your right, too, but it shouldn't be to confirm to whatever the current ideal is. If we're really honest though, we all know it's not gonna happen for a lot of people since we're not living in a vacuum: We're surrounded by "beauty standards" every day. It takes inner strength and confidence to not give a hoot about them. If you have neither, no amount of info about body-types will change that you don't feel good about yourself. Sad but true...


How does being kept in the dark about information help more than hurt? 

Again, knowledge leads to acceptance. 

I think its great that celebrities like Christina Hendricks and Kate Winslet have stood up for themselves and said that they *are* at a healthy weight. There are many young women though, who eat well and exercise enough, who are more Hendricks, and Winslets size, but are unaware of the fact that it *is* a healthy weight for some people. What ends up happening often, is that these ladies cut calories too much in order to get down to the illusion of a more healthy size (A healthy size for someone else, perhaps someone with a small frame and a different body type.)

Discovering that it is in fact, perfectly normal, is a step toward acceptance. We must accept what we cannot change -- and though we can do a lot through diet and exercise, it simply isn't going to make anyone's frame smaller, or alter the proportions of their measurements in a drastic way.

I'm sorry that you get nothing positive out of this.


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## Children Of The Bad Revolution

Perhaps someone could help me distinguish my body type using my measurements and my info? I'm a small frame (short at 5'3 also) with measurements of 35/36-27/28-38 (sorry it depends on the day lol so sometimes 35/27/38 or 36/28/38). What are these body types? 

It's a nightmare trying to dress myself fashionably also. :'(


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## FallingSlowly

@Promethea
We're actually in agreement about the very foundations of this, and I'm certainly the last person who'd deny that knowledge is power. If someone's uncertain what looks good on them, or how to exercise in a way that's most efficient for them, it only makes sense to ask for help from someone who does. Although we'd possibly already have to open another can of worms where it comes to fashion - who really has any authority on claiming to know for definite what looks "good"? 

The only thing we probably don't agree on (although I'm not even sure, because I actually agree with this:


> And spiritually, I think the healthy thing to do upon realizing one cannot change something, is to embrace it and do something positive with it.


is what we perceive as the root of the problem.

I personally think (and everyone's free to disagree, I don't claim to be right on this) that a lot of women know their body-type, and they know that a pear will never look like, say, a ruler. In their heart of hearts, they probably also know whether they're overweight or not (cases of body dysmorphia aside). They override that knowledge however. The problem is that they don't accept what they've got. We could speculate for hours about the reasons for this without really getting anywhere, but it is my personal belief that acceptance of self is the most important thing. And no, we actually don't disagree on "knowledge leads to acceptance". The question is probably rather: "What knowledge?"

I work with people aged late teens/early 20s (sometimes beyond) on a daily basis, in exactly the industry that I deem partly responsible for a lot of the warped sense of beauty we have these days. The pressures are slightly different ones compared to someone who isn't a performer, granted, but they still have a lot of overlap. I swear to you that for every Kate Winslet type who has the confidence not to play the game, you get ten who don't. And out of these ten, _none_ are misinformed about body types etc. Quite the opposite. For some insane reason, it doesn't matter though. They still want to look like whatever the flavour of the month is. It really _is_ that bad. It also makes no real sense if you think about getting work, because by conforming to some sort of stereotypical look, you actually make yourself more replaceable. They _still_ do it. That's where the real problem lies: It's, IMHO, not always lacking knowledge about the physical side of things, it's choosing to go against it for some reason I'd love to understand.

I guess what I'm ultimately trying to say is that we should "teach", or whatever we want to call it, people the value of being confident enough to be unique. We're actually not that far apart on that one at all. I just prefer to do it without adding more physical pigeonholes (which to me, body types are, but that's my problem ).


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## hailfire

Petite hourglass (5'2", 33.5-24-34.5); small, maybe small-medium frame; ecto-mesomorph possibly? I'm not waifish or spindly, but I have found that fat gain never comes easy to me - muscle however, is not as difficult. If I actually bothered to exercise consistently (I have my recreational activities, but I do them as I please and often when I'm into them, I can do them pretty obsessively). Time, money, and weather often tend to be factors as well.
@isingthebodyelectric: I think I might have a guess, but I'm not entirely sure. A couple questions that may help you figure it out though:
- At your smallest, what do your measurements tend to look like? And
- Where do you find you put on the most weight?


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## Promethea

FallingSlowly said:


> @Promethea
> We're actually in agreement about the very foundations of this, and I'm certainly the last person who'd deny that knowledge is power. If someone's uncertain what looks good on them, or how to exercise in a way that's most efficient for them, it only makes sense to ask for help from someone who does. Although we'd possibly already have to open another can of worms where it comes to fashion - who really has any authority on claiming to know for definite what looks "good"?


Its anyone's opinion what looks good -- I mean my ex liked things on me that I thought showed too much boobage, lol.. 

The thing about dressing for one's figure is just about balance. Some people are still going to color outside the lines on that one, and dress to enhance certain parts if they like, not play them down - or vice versa..




FallingSlowly said:


> The only thing we probably don't agree on (although I'm not even sure, because I actually agree with this:
> 
> is what we perceive as the root of the problem.
> 
> I personally think (and everyone's free to disagree, I don't claim to be right on this) that a lot of women know their body-type, and they know that a pear will never look like, say, a ruler. In their heart of hearts, they probably also know whether they're overweight or not (cases of body dysmorphia aside). They override that knowledge however. The problem is that they don't accept what they've got. We could speculate for hours about the reasons for this without really getting anywhere, but it is my personal belief that acceptance of self is the most important thing. And no, we actually don't disagree on "knowledge leads to acceptance". The question is probably rather: "What knowledge?"
> 
> I work with people aged late teens/early 20s (sometimes beyond) on a daily basis, in exactly the industry that I deem partly responsible for a lot of the warped sense of beauty we have these days. The pressures are slightly different ones compared to someone who isn't a performer, granted, but they still have a lot of overlap. I swear to you that for every Kate Winslet type who has the confidence not to play the game, you get ten who don't. And out of these ten, _none_ are misinformed about body types etc. Quite the opposite. For some insane reason, it doesn't matter though. They still want to look like whatever the flavour of the month is. It really _is_ that bad. It also makes no real sense if you think about getting work, because by conforming to some sort of stereotypical look, you actually make yourself more replaceable. They _still_ do it. That's where the real problem lies: It's, IMHO, not always lacking knowledge about the physical side of things, it's choosing to go against it for some reason I'd love to understand.
> 
> I guess what I'm ultimately trying to say is that we should "teach", or whatever we want to call it, people the value of being confident enough to be unique. We're actually not that far apart on that one at all. I just prefer to do it without adding more physical pigeonholes (which to me, body types are, but that's my problem ).


Sure, a lot of people are going to be unhappy with how they look, despite understanding what they're looking at, and that is unfortunate. Its a larger problem to fix.. I mean outside of these trends in culture, there are no right or wrong body shapes, we're just led to believe there are. A fit apple is just as fit as a fit pear, or any other shape.. they will just always look even if only slightly different from each other.

I don't think its quite pigeonholing -- I mean we are on a forum here in the first place that specializes in helping us apply categories to people's personalities. I'd hope that most of us here don't feel completely bound by that, any more than by an estimate of fat distribution and physical shape. There does exist some wiggle room in anything, personality-wise, or physically; but just like I'm never going to actually be an esfj, through developing my own crappy Fe - I'm also never going to be a pear shape, no matter how many squats I do, that measurement still relies on how wide set your hip bones are for example.

As for how to isolate the larger problem at hand -- I think that many people are working on that. I have seen a lot more body acceptance in recent years than ever before, and I hope to contribute to that in some way, even if I'm starting as small as telling a few people on a forum that their unique body shape is lovely as it is. : )


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## Promethea

isingthebodyelectric said:


> Perhaps someone could help me distinguish my body type using my measurements and my info? I'm a small frame (short at 5'3 also) with measurements of 35/36-27/28-38 (sorry it depends on the day lol so sometimes 35/27/38 or 36/28/38). What are these body types?
> 
> It's a nightmare trying to dress myself fashionably also. :'(


The measurements sound like a slim pear. 

I also checked that with this calculator, and it says the same:

Styling Up - Women Body Shape Calculator


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## CupcakesRDaBestBruv

NK said:


> Lastly, on behalf of every average mom out there, I gotta say, I would be in the right to sue someone for all the psychological issues of not embracing Freddie Krugers face on my stomach. Tiger stripes my ass! I want to see every model be a size 6 minimum!! I want to see every male model with a little pudge on their belly. I want to see women over 40 with wrinkles being drooled over. I want to see a dudes balls hang low in porn! I want to see saggy boobs and bald heads but not both on the same gender :tongue:
> 
> 
> that's want I want! Who else wants this!! Call every NFP out here and let's start another revolution against the industry!!


What about older models aged 70+?
Plumper models?
We are not all Megan Fox clones.


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## BlackDog

I just measured myself for the first time! I don't even know if I did it right... 

39-26-37 (bust, waist, hips)

I am such an amateur, I can't tell if that even sounds right. I am almost 5'10. Does this make me hourglass or no because my bust is bigger than my hips?

I feel like I might have done it wrong. I gain muscle easily but can't eat what I want anymore, everything went to shit last year when I had to go on a ton of medication. I gained like 30 pounds and even though I've lost most of it I feel like my body still hordes calories these days. I need to watch what I eat, it sucks. Not that I don't eat healthy but I love my beer and carbs!

PS @Promethea - Great post!


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## Promethea

BlackDog said:


> I just measured myself for the first time! I don't even know if I did it right...
> 
> 39-26-37 (bust, waist, hips)
> 
> I am such an amateur, I can't tell if that even sounds right. I am almost 5'10. Does this make me hourglass or no because my bust is bigger than my hips?
> 
> I feel like I might have done it wrong. I gain muscle easily but can't eat what I want anymore, everything went to shit last year when I had to go on a ton of medication. I gained like 30 pounds and even though I've lost most of it I feel like my body still hordes calories these days. I need to watch what I eat, it sucks. Not that I don't eat healthy but I love my beer and carbs!
> 
> PS @Promethea - Great post!


If the top measurement is greater than the bottom, then its generally inverted triangle or apple, though because you have such a difference in waist and hip ratio, I'd still say hourglass. Apple and inverted triangle won't have quite as much of a difference between waist and hip.


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## BlackDog

Promethea said:


> If the top measurement is greater than the bottom, then its generally inverted triangle or apple, though because you have such a difference in waist and hip ratio, I'd still say hourglass. Apple and inverted triangle won't have quite as much of a difference between waist and hip.


Okay, thanks! Thats what I figured although I'd never really measured or thought about it before. I went to the link you posted above and punched in my measurements and it came up hourglass too. 

Granted, I'm a good five pounds or so over my ideal weight so maybe that skews it? I don't know. I find all this stuff confusing (dress sizes are ridiculous and inconsistent, I swear).


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## petite libellule

CupcakesRDaBestBruv said:


> What about older models aged 70+?
> Plumper models?
> We are not all Megan Fox clones.


Absolutely!! I think that the people who should be showcased are those who represent the average. Until of course we can be clones of our choosing.


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## Shadows10Girl

NK said:


> Lastly, on behalf of every average mom out there, I gotta say, I would be in the right to sue someone for all the psychological issues of not embracing Freddie Krugers face on my stomach. Tiger stripes my ass! I want to see every model be a size 6 minimum!! I want to see every male model with a little pudge on their belly. I want to see women over 40 with wrinkles being drooled over. I want to see a dudes balls hang low in porn! I want to see saggy boobs and bald heads but not both on the same gender :tongue:
> 
> that's want I want! Who else wants this!! Call every NFP out here and let's start another revolution against the industry!!


NO! That is not okay!! As an ENFP I will firmly stand against you!:shocked:
I am under 18 and didn't know what stretch marks were until the internet and I considered them tiger stripes so don't even go there, you want to get get rid of your stretchmarks? Fine get bio-oil and spray on tan but don't make it seem like a bad thing!
Oh and cause I'm a size 2-4 (6-8 in England) I shouldn't have somebody representing me?
You want old models? Meet Jacky!
http://ronniespirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Jacky-o-shaughnessy-american-apparel.jpg

And for the record the fashion industry is not made for the general public. It is made for people who like to dream and indulge.
And the reason why models were so revolutionary are because they were the Tumblr of the time because accepted people that aren't usually accepted in society. Before the fashion industry tall, lanky girls were considered ugly and were usually bullied in school, they still are actually. Because most teens want to look like a bombshell Jessica Rabbit.
And no matter how much you try and change the fashion industry the clothes won't look good on everybody and probably never will and would be very limiting to for fashion itself. You can give everybody the tools to look good but if they can't style themselves and always try to dress themselves as someone there not. It's not going to work.


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## petite libellule

Shadows10Girl said:


> NO! That is not okay!! As an ENFP I will firmly stand against you!:shocked:
> I am under 18 and didn't know what stretch marks were until the internet and I considered them tiger stripes so don't even go there, you want to get get rid of your stretchmarks? Fine get bio-oil and spray on tan but don't make it seem like a bad thing!
> Oh and cause I'm a size 2-4 (6-8 in England) I shouldn't have somebody representing me?
> You want old models? Meet Jacky!
> http://ronniespirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Jacky-o-shaughnessy-american-apparel.jpg
> 
> And for the record the fashion industry is not made for the general public. It is made for people who like to dream and indulge.
> And the reason why models were so revolutionary are because they were the Tumblr of the time because accepted people that aren't usually accepted in society. Before the fashion industry tall, lanky girls were considered ugly and were usually bullied in school, they still are actually. Because most teens want to look like a bombshell Jessica Rabbit.
> And no matter how much you try and change the fashion industry the clothes won't look good on everybody and probably never will and would be very limiting to for fashion itself. You can give everybody the tools to look good but if they can't style themselves and always try to dress themselves as someone there not. It's not going to work.


Okay. Let's talk when your over 18. Better yet, over 30.


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## Carmine Ermine

Promethea said:


> The lady on the right has a very lovely shaped endomorph type body, very sensual curves.


Agreed, she got me jumping up and down! I think "luscious" is the word


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## Children Of The Bad Revolution

> @isingthebodyelectric: I think I might have a guess, but I'm not entirely sure. A couple questions that may help you figure it out though:- At your smallest, what do your measurements tend to look like? And
> - Where do you find you put on the most weight?


At my smallest is my waist at 27 inches. I think I put on the most weight on my thighs and abdomen/hip/leg area. Though I'm not really sure. Definitely not neck shoulder or chest area.

Edit: Might help to mention the size of clothes I fit into. Tops are usually 10, 8 if I'm lucky (S, S/M in some places. They all vary) Bottoms are 10/12 though jeans never seem to want to fit around my hip area. Dresses usually fit into 10 again 8 if I'm lucky. It's why people annoy me when they presume size 8/10 ladies have no curves. I have some. You don't have to be 36DDD to have curves.

also apparently my body type is a mesomorph but I don't agree with that. I have always thought it was softer rather than leaner. Idek its very confusing.


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## Promethea

Carmine Ermine said:


> Agreed, she got me jumping up and down! I think "luscious" is the word


Lol.. I'd posted this somewhere else (not on this forum) when I was talking about body image stuff and several guys got quite off topic about the lady on the right and her lovely figure. ; P


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## Promethea

BlackDog said:


> Okay, thanks! Thats what I figured although I'd never really measured or thought about it before. I went to the link you posted above and punched in my measurements and it came up hourglass too.
> 
> Granted, I'm a good five pounds or so over my ideal weight so maybe that skews it? I don't know. I find all this stuff confusing (dress sizes are ridiculous and inconsistent, I swear).


Lol.. five lbs. : P
It takes quite a significant lot.. more than that. XD

And yeah.. my sizes range, they're all over the place. I -have- to try things on for myself. I wish I could order cute clothing from online but who knows what -actual- size it is until it arrives.. T_T


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## petite libellule

Carmine Ermine said:


> Agreed, she got me jumping up and down! I think "luscious" is the word


Really? So why is the lady on the right often called fat or thick?


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## Promethea

isingthebodyelectric said:


> At my smallest is my waist at 27 inches. I think I put on the most weight on my thighs and abdomen/hip/leg area. Though I'm not really sure. Definitely not neck shoulder or chest area.
> 
> Edit: Might help to mention the size of clothes I fit into. Tops are usually 10, 8 if I'm lucky (S, S/M in some places. They all vary) Bottoms are 10/12 though jeans never seem to want to fit around my hip area. Dresses usually fit into 10 again 8 if I'm lucky. It's why people annoy me when they presume size 8/10 ladies have no curves. I have some. You don't have to be 36DDD to have curves.


Yeah, my guess is still pear.. Pears will wear their clothing sizes larger on the bottom, smaller on top, and I have heard them complain about finding jeans that fit right through the hips and hiney. Apparently there are some jean cuts that fit better than others for the pear shape though I don't know what those are. I always get the same very straight jeans that fit around my hips, because if I get them the least bit high-waist they feel like steve urkle pants (I'm inverted triangle with an average length waist, so pretty much the opposite of pear). My cousin is pear shape, and we used to just trade clothing because some random things in her closet were more flattering on my shape, and vice versa.


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## Promethea

NK said:


> Really? So why is the lady on the right often called fat or thick?


Some men fetishize very thin bodies, and some even have a fat phobia. I mean this lady is obviously within a healthy weight range, and anyone who would exaggerate her weight has their own weird hang-up about it. Honestly though, I don't know many men who would think shes legitimately fat. 

A lot of times a guy will call girls fat who aren't, just because he doesn't like their personality or something. I mean I knew a girl who was actually technically "underweight" by bmi standards, and she just broke down when some guy just -jokingly- called her fat.(They know it will get to you.) And I think for us ladies looking on when a guy does that, all we see is "so -that- is what these people think is 'fat' these days.. wat??"

Its stupid. Shes hawt.


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## Children Of The Bad Revolution

I haven't come across guys calling women looking like that 'fat'. They seem to tend to bash other body types to prop others up, which isn't cool. Like the 'dogs like bones, men like meat' BS.


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## Promethea

isingthebodyelectric said:


> I haven't come across guys calling women looking like that 'fat'. They seem to tend to bash other body types to prop others up, which isn't cool. Like the 'dogs like bones, men like meat' BS.


Again, why I think its a good reason to educate people on different body types. As you said before, more narrow hips doesn't make someone less womanly, for example. I mean you could measure the fertility of all the body types and you won't find that one is any more fertile than the other. Only when a woman becomes extremely over or under weight, does she stop ovulating.

And when it comes to whatever fetish a person has for whatever body type, well to each their own I suppose - but it bothers me when they start to just openly trash on others. Like I saw a teenage guy posting on an image board, and they showed a photo of a thin apple shaped celebrity (amy winehouse), and he said "I hate women like that." Seriously? I mean is it not possible to merely not find a person attractive, does he have to "hate" them based on their body proportions.. -_-


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## Carmine Ermine

NK said:


> Really? So why is the lady on the right often called fat or thick?


Maybe the same reason as why successful people often get hated on. Unfortunately people who happen to be very naturally attractive get the same treatment and don't know why. I've had that sort of treatment too, often other men would aggressively try to get everyone to think I'm "weird in a bad way" (or or creepy or something else unattractive to women), and I didn't know why, but now I see it as their natural drive (in other words, the other men see me as a sexual threat and if I don't know it, that makes me an easier target for bullying etc, but these days I see it's just their unconscious reaction so I don't get too uptight about it like I used to).

The good side of things is that when you move into the wider world, men with enough abundance anyway obviously don't care about competition because there's no scarcity, and instead see me as a friend automatically and are on my side. So the kind of people I'm friends with are usually the most popular people (at least when there's a "big pond" as they say - if there's a "small pond" like in school, there's more scarcity and then the other men start trying to put me down without being aware.


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## Shadows10Girl

NK said:


> Okay. Let's talk when your over 18. Better yet, over 30.


I don't see why though. 
My ability to see flaws on myself objectively instead of personally won't change and if I do take it personally it'll be listed in my 'to improve' list.
It's your choice wether you look at fashion advertisements as a parallel universe where everybody has flawless skin and can walk down the street in a high couture dress that covers half the road without being looked at weirdly, a universe solely created to make products look better or as the social standard of beauty.
Any extreme we take to change the views of beauty can lead to many health disorders where real just won't cut it anymore because it's human nature to find a norm and try to develop it.
Maybe people should stop comparing themselves to other people because everybody has their burden, like I'm not going to wish I was the busty girl next to me and if she knew that if I don't eat a certain amount of food everyday I end up waking up in the middle of the night screaming in pain as my skin crushes my ribcage, she probably wouldn't want to be me either.
And I find it completely preposterous that we are looking at an industry run by women and gay guys to determine what is universally considered attractive because most guys I know would probably bang one of those models because their famous, not because they find their body psychically attractive.


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## Enfpleasantly

I don't know what my shape would be considered because it changes quite a bit with even a small amount of weight gain or loss. I'm hourglass, but if I get too thin, I become sort of straight up and down from a frontal view, yet I always have an ass. I've never really had weight issues in my legs, but my arms seem to get too thick for my liking with weight gain.

My body often leaves me in a predicament because the pros and cons of weight gain or loss are basically trade-offs. 

*At thinnest: *

Pros- 
*Feel my best
*Very low belly fat
*I can buy anything without even trying it on and it will look good

Cons-
*Lose curves from a frontal view and appear more straight up and down
*Completely lose boobs
--------------------------------------------------
*With weight on:
*
Pros-
*Hourglass figure
*Boobs are there

Cons-
*Can't just buy clothes without trying on first
*Don't feel my best
*Gain tummy fat 

Sigh, it would be nice if I could just combine the two.

As far as the other groups, I would say I have a sm frame, and I think I'm a combo of the ecto, endo, meso...if that's even possible.


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## Pelopra

Promethea said:


> Ectomorphs can also be curvy - and I would call their curves "sharp" curves, instead of "soft" curves like the endo.



what are "sharp" curves?


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## Promethea

Pelopra said:


> what are "sharp" curves?


Softer curves: slim hourglass/endo









Sharper curves: slim (maybe hourglass)/ecto









I would say that both of these ladies are at a lower weight for their build, and you can see how one of them has more bone definition than the other. Even when the endo is in their lower weight range, they will have a slightly softer appearance over the bone structure. (And I have seen endos with eating disorders maintain the softer look, even still.)


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## Pelopra

Promethea said:


> Softer curves: slim hourglass/endo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sharper curves: slim (maybe hourglass)/ecto
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would say that both of these ladies are at a lower weight for their build, and you can see how one of them has more bone definition than the other. Even when the endo is in their lower weight range, they will have a slightly softer appearance over the bone structure. (And I have seen endos with eating disorders maintain the softer look, even still.)


...neither image is loading for me. dunno why. tried visiting source, didn't load there either.
edit: nvm. something weird was going on with my cookies or something. it worked.


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## Children Of The Bad Revolution

I definitely have 'soft' curves. I've always wondered why when losing weight my stomach never looked flat! 

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk


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## Promethea

isingthebodyelectric said:


> I definitely have 'soft' curves. I've always wondered why when losing weight my stomach never looked flat!
> 
> Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk


Yeah, despite fitness myth - a flat, concave, or chiseled ab stomach isn't going to happen for everyone. I have seen some get their body fat percentage even dangerously low and still have a little pooch there. And there is absolutely no -health- reason to get your body fat percentage down to the single digits - its just an aesthetic trend. 

I even knew a fitness instructor who got lipo on her stomach actually. She was really firm everywhere else, and then she had a very soft poochy tummy that wasn't going anyplace despite all her dieting (even diet pills) and obvious constant exercise. 

Everyone's body has places they're more likely to store fat, and for some, thats in the abdomen. One of my female cousins is the opposite though - even at 40ish lbs "overweight" (by bmi) she has a toned looking tummy, she just carries the weight all in her lower body. So, when she gets even very thin, her thighs are still a little soft. 

For some reason, our culture has decided to put a lot of emphasis on how flat and firm one's stomach is.. and sure, "core" strength matters to athletes but even that doesn't mean -needing- the stomach to *appear* completely flat or ripped (we all have stomach muscles, they're just more visible on some people; those who have a low enough body fat percentage and are proportioned in such a way that they don't retain fat in that specific place as much). 

Reading Fedor's bio, I don't think anyone would disagree that hes an amazing athlete - but I have never seen the man with these ripped looking abs that everyones so obsessed with:










I mean he obviously does have a strong core, but hes not counting calories and taking diuretics to show it off.


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## Jwing24

Derange At 170 said:


> Skimming, the bits on endo/ecto/mesomorphs aren't completely accurate. They're absolute theoretical 'models' and everyone exists on a scale between them (as explained accurately) but they're not actual body types. It is true that some people are more likely to gain fat and other muscles, but differences are largely neglicable.
> 
> Those rail thin girls who can raid a whole fridge barely eat anything in the rest of the week and are probably fairly active. The girl that barely eats anything but still gains underestimates how much she eats and is fairly sedative.
> 
> People will say they 'swear they eat everything but don't gain a pound' are overestimating how much they eat. A real life example would be my roommate. I lift weights; he doesn't. He's a stick, I'm built. When I just moved in, everyone swore he ate like a pig. But I was eating 3000 calories per day when I started bodybuilding and they were BLOWN AWAY by the sheer volume of my food. He doesn't count calories, but I do, accurately. And 3000 calories is just 500 more than what an average male should consume. They just noticed the large pizza who often eats, not taking into account that he barely eats anything at all beyond that.
> 
> Even on another forum I post at, some guy was asking for help on how to gain weight. Another classic 'I eat everything in sight but I'm super skinny'. I told him to list a typical day's worth of food and I would count the calories for him. He thought he would be between 4000 and 5000 calories; he only eats 1800.
> 
> Once you start tracking calories accurately, though you'll notice that you're eating far more or less than you've estimated.
> 
> Just think about it. Everyone's bodytemperature is around 37 degrees celsius (give or take). Meaning, we have a similar metabolism. Compare our body temperature to that of a humming bird, who have a ridiculous metabolism and a body temperature of almost 42 degrees celsius. And then to the body temperature and metabolism of a sloth, which is just incredibly slow and low.
> 
> From that, you should already be able to deduce that there isn't that much variation in metabolism in humans. Some factors, mostly hormonal, _can_ influence metabolism. But other than some absolute outliers, they're usually caused by eating too little. For most people, it's safest to assume that you're not an outlier.
> 
> But that's good news. You're not an unfortunate soul who was cursed with bad 'weight gain genetics'.
> 
> This video explains it in pretty great detail for those who are curious:


THIS

I was that guy in college. Wah wah wah I can't gain weight. Years later, now, I guesstimate my calories to be 3000 to 3300. I'm lazy.

The result: 30 lbs gained in ~8months


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## Jwing24

Promethea said:


> Yeah, despite fitness myth - a flat, concave, or chiseled ab stomach isn't going to happen for everyone. I have seen some get their body fat percentage even dangerously low and still have a little pooch there. And there is absolutely no -health- reason to get your body fat percentage down to the single digits - its just an aesthetic trend.
> 
> I even knew a fitness instructor who got lipo on her stomach actually. She was really firm everywhere else, and then she had a very soft poochy tummy that wasn't going anyplace despite all her dieting (even diet pills) and obvious constant exercise.
> 
> Everyone's body has places they're more likely to store fat, and for some, thats in the abdomen. One of my female cousins is the opposite though - even at 40ish lbs "overweight" (by bmi) she has a toned looking tummy, she just carries the weight all in her lower body. So, when she gets even very thin, her thighs are still a little soft.
> 
> For some reason, our culture has decided to put a lot of emphasis on how flat and firm one's stomach is.. and sure, "core" strength matters to athletes but even that doesn't mean -needing- the stomach to *appear* completely flat or ripped (we all have stomach muscles, they're just more visible on some people; those who have a low enough body fat percentage and are proportioned in such a way that they don't retain fat in that specific place as much).
> 
> Reading Fedor's bio, I don't think anyone would disagree that hes an amazing athlete - but I have never seen the man with these ripped looking abs that everyones so obsessed with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I mean he obviously does have a strong core, but hes not counting calories and taking diuretics to show it off.


Definitely this. Personally I'm much more impressed with the person who has a bulging stomach due to large ab muscles from lifting heavy weights than the washboard look, male or female.


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## Children Of The Bad Revolution

I'd be interested in which celebrities are closest to my body type also. At 5'3, 127 or so pounds and a pear...


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