Where has my waist gone?

I used to have a very nice hour-shaped figure. Even when I was fat, I had the right proportions. I just called it a 12 hour glass versus an hour glass.  But now that I'm 43? Where has the shape gone?

My measurements as of January 5th were this:

Bust: 41
Waist: 35
Hip: 43

That is only a 6 inch difference between bust and waist and almost all that difference is in boob size as I have large breasts.

The hip measurement is the lower hip, so across the buttocks. And it is only an 8 inch difference. I look pretty straight when I look at myself in the mirror.

When I got to my thinnest weight so far on this journey (around 165), my measurements were:

Bust: 39.5
Waist: 30.5
Hip: 40.5

Almost a 10" difference.

So, see where I gained most of the weight this fall/winter? I gained it mostly in the gut. Waist went up 4.5 inches while the bust went up 1.5 and hips went up 2.5.

Now that I'm losing again, I can tell I'm losing the spare tire (again), but even when it goes down, it's still not as sharp of a waistline that I had as a teen.

When I was 15, my measurements were 35-24-36. My body was still growing after that point and I never took measurements later - or don't remember them, so who knows what they were as a fully developed teen. But you can see there was a much bigger difference in waist to hip way back then.

Last year too I tried on a skirt that for some reason I still have from HS. I was the same weight that I was in HS when I wore that skirt, however, I wasn't even close to being able to close it at the waist! My waist is much, much bigger than when I was a teen, even when I was fitter at 42!

WHY??? I see it. I have eyes. Most older women have no waist. Especially those that are overweight, but why is that? I know it has to do with menopause, but I wanted to know more.

Well, I was just stumbling across some articles. This one sums it up fairly well: http://www.livestrong.com/article/165644-why-does-your-waist-thicken-at-menopause/

All things menopause are against me! I wonder how much worse it will get as I go from perimenopause to menopause?

Being fit will help, but I don't think it can stop it. I can keep things from getting too saggy and loose by building muscle, but I can't change my hormone levels!

Now I'm wondering if a under 30 inch waist is attainable and if it is attainable, will I be able to keep it that way? I guess I can only try, right?