Measurements...

Depends on your height. 43 inch hips look different on someone 5'11 v. 4'11. It's hard to say without knowing your height. But for health reasons you want your waist/hip ratio to go lower than what it currently is. I'm sure you can do it! Once the lbs start coming off it will readjust

Here's some info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waist–hip_ratio#Indicator_of_health

The WHR has been used as an indicator or measure of the health of a person, and the risk of developing serious health conditions. Research shows that people with "apple-shaped" bodies (with more weight around the waist) face more health risks than those with "pear-shaped" bodies who carry more weight around the hips.

WHR is used as a measurement of obesity, which in turn is a possible indicator of other more serious health conditions.

The National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) states that women with waist-to-hip ratios of more than 0.8 are at increased health risk because of their fat distribution. And that men with waist-to-hip ratios of more than 1.0 are at increased health risk because of their fat distribution.[4]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that women with a ratio of .80 or less is considered safe. And that men with a ratio of .90 or less is considered safe.[5]

A WHR of 0.7 for women and 0.9 for men have been shown to correlate strongly with general health and fertility. Women within the 0.7 range have optimal levels of estrogen and are less susceptible to major diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and ovarian cancers (tenuous).[6] Men with WHRs around 0.9, similarly, have been shown to be more healthy and fertile with less prostate cancer and testicular cancer.[7]

WHR has been found to be a more efficient predictor of mortality in older people than waist circumference or body mass index (BMI).[8] If obesity is redefined using WHR instead of BMI, the proportion of people categorized as at risk of heart attack worldwide increases threefold.[9] The body fat percentage is considered to be an even more accurate measure of relative weight. Of these three measurements, only the waist-hip ratio takes account of the differences in body structure. Hence, it is possible for two women to have vastly different body mass indices but the same waist-hip ratio, or to have the same body mass index but vastly different waist-hip ratios.

Even in ancient civilizations globally, female representations are most often in the 0.6-0.7 range for WHR, suggesting a preference towards lower WHR.[10]

Other studies have found that waist circumference, not WHR, to be a good indicator of cardiovascular risk factors,[11] body fat distribution,[12] and hypertension in type 2 diabetes.[13]

There should be between 8 and 12 inches between hips and waist. My waist is 25.5 on a good day and my hips are a good 37... That's a huge difference, but a ratio of around 0.7 is apparently the 'ideal' - not that there really is one. You are beautiful.