hourglass workout question

I'm naturally an hourglass and I don't find any issue at all with doing ab/core workouts like Pilates and Yoga or even just targeted ab classes. Your abs are not going to 'bulk up'.

Cardio is fine too. So is strength training.

I don't know if all hourglasses are this way, but I find that if I just keep moving, I can fairly easily stay in good shape; the second I stop working out, weight creeps back on.

I don't think all hourglass figures are this way, I used to do those workouts and I did notice my abs flattening out my sides. Come to think of it I have never seen an hourglass pilates instructor. Just to be sure an hourglass is defined as someone whos waist is more than 9 inches smaller than their bust and hips and their bust and hip measurements are within 2-3 inches of each other. Only about 8% of women have a true hourglass figure.

Your abs didn't bulk up; you lost some bodyfat from the top of your hips, so that area appeared straighter. And believe it or not, you can still be an hourglass and have boxy hips. I'm fairly shortwaisted and don't have a nice long, graceful slope to my hips from my waist. My hips get even more square when I work out, although my general proportions remain the same measurement wise. I just don't collect weight on the outer part of my hips or thighs-never have.

Maybe you should tell us what you are trying to accomplish with your workouts and we could be of more help?

I didn't say my abs bulked up I said they flattened out and the waist to hip ratio became less significant, in other words I strengthened my core and my waist became thicker ( I measured ) with muscle giving me less of an hourglass figure than before. I do not want that! I want a less defined waist. So yes certain exercises do make your waist thicker, I learned this from my own experience. Now I would like to know what others have done to make their waist smaller from their experience.

I guess I am confused.

Were your measurements something like this

Bust 38
Waist 28
Hips 38

and then with exercising did you waist numbers get bigger and your hips stay the same as in

Bust 38
waist 32
hips 38

or did your hips/bust get smaller as in

Bust 35
waist 28
hips 35

if this is the case I would say that you aren't as much of an hour glass as you thought you were. Muscle takes up less room on your body than fat so you will naturally get smaller as you lose fat. Once you lose the majority of your fat and start building muscle that is when your muscle will start making you bigger. But that takes a long time and a lot of hard hard work to build muscle. your muscles are also 3 demensional not 2 demensional. so when the become tighter and more defined that is because they are pulling into eachother and tightening up they dont all of a sudden get flattened like a pancake.

I would say that you should either build up your hips tush and thighs and your upper body to make your waist look smaller, or learn to accept your body style.