The Odd Body Shapes

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24

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  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    Have you been tested for cortisol abnormalities? That fat distribution can be a symptom of Cushing's syndrome and a couple of similar disorders.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    http://blog.corewalking.com/pot-belly-stomach-pot-belly-stomach/

    pot-belly-stomach-248x300.jpg

    I wish they taught posture in schools. They still do in some English preps. I have to get after my 10 year-old for slouching. Arg.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    OP, you don't have an abnormal shape at all. It's called having an apple shape. Reese Witherspoon is a pretty classic example. And the fat will go from everywhere eventually, just keep at it.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
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    Well, I can tell you that I never gained weight in my chest. Even at my heaviest, I was still wearing a B cup in bras. I still wear a B, but I've gone down 2 band sizes. I'm not entirely happy about it, but what can you do? Other than have surgery, which I won't do.

    You have gained and lost weight in the chest if you have gone up band size but not gained in the chest by the second band you'd have been an A cup likely with a properly fitted bra most stores are good for those sizes its when you get to the D's and higher that the measurements seem to go funny.. Though I can say I'd love for my chest to do that every time I've gotten smaller up goes my cup size.
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    Apples don't usually gain around the face.

    She should still get tested for cortisol abnormalities so that *if* she has one she can be treated for it.
  • annemw82
    annemw82 Posts: 97 Member
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    Even pushing 300 lbs I never had a butt or huge thighs. I always been all belly and boobs. When I started losing my legs/arms starting looking more proportional to the rest of me. My weird thing though is that my stomach is noticeably split into 2 regions. The upper belly above my bellybutton and my lower abdomen. As I lost most of my upper belly shrank but I still carry a LOT of my weight in my lower belly. I just wish I could twist that part of my body around and move all that weight to my butt so I could for once fill out the backside of a pair of jeans!
  • prensis
    prensis Posts: 7
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    Do you have PCOS? I do and have the same problem as you.

    Here is an excerpt from WebMD on PCOS:

    "High insulin levels increase the production of male hormones called androgens. High androgen levels lead to symptoms such as body hair growth, acne, irregular periods -- and weight gain. Because the weight gain is triggered by male hormones, it is typically in the abdomen. That is where men tend to carry weight. So, instead of having a pear shape, women with PCOS have more of an apple shape."
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Skinny arms and legs and a chubby tummy? Sign me up. It's called "being sedentary." Try moving more throughout the day. 5 minutes of stair walking every couple of hours.

    Also work on loosening up your hip flexors and hamstrings and engaging your glutes. Don't tuck your butt. My tummy flattened dramatically when I got loose enough to actually stand up straight and work the right muscles for a good posture.

    http://www.katysays.com/mind-your-pelvis/

    No, it's not necessarily related to being sedentary. There's also a hormonal component, which is why you see more women start towards an apple pattern of weight gain/distribution in perimenopause, menopause and post menopause. Apple shapes are more common in men at all ages.

    ^ I totally agree. Being sedentary does not give your body an apple shape.

    Sitting on your butt all day gives you biomechanical issues that tend to lead to an apple shape.

    And, Katysays.com has found that men seem to be more likely to "tuck" which is one of these biomechanical issues:

    http://www.katysays.com/hamstrings/

    I just read it. She says no one knows if one sex tends toward it or not. Cool blog though.

    There is no research, but her personal experience is that men have a strong tendency to butt tuck. She tends to be VERY clear on what we know (research) vs what she suspects or posits based on experience.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    http://blog.corewalking.com/pot-belly-stomach-pot-belly-stomach/

    pot-belly-stomach-248x300.jpg

    I wish they taught posture in schools. They still do in some English preps. I have to get after my 10 year-old for slouching. Arg.

    Biomechanics trumps posture. A tight psoas is going to make correct alignment difficult, painful or simply impossible. Working on mobility in the area will help the body naturally position for efficiency.
  • megaqt
    megaqt Posts: 4
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    I'm 115lbs (I think? 55kg - which isn't bad considering I'm 170cm/5'7") and that's me. Slender everywhere, only my waist and tummy have excess fat now. Perfectly normal, we just drew the short straw in genetics. Either gain so much weight you balance out, or lose enough weight to lose the tummy.

    It's not posture or anything else. Just fat. I can pinch a handful of the fat, and if I suddenly had it all removed, my tummy would be flat as hell.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
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    I'm not gonna pretend that I'm not big EVERYWHERE… because I am. But when it comes to proportions...I am VERY apple shaped. Trying to find pants that fit is difficult, because I will measure at LEAST a full size larger in my waist measurements than in my hips. Sometimes even 2 sizes. My chest is proportional to my waist…. but my hips are not. But my grandmother was that way too. Large chest and stomach… but she ran around on little stick legs!
  • KelseyBee2014
    KelseyBee2014 Posts: 188 Member
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    I'm the exact same as you. I'm 5'6, currently 218 lbs. I have an A cup and a huge stomach. My arms and thighs aren't nearly as big as other people who are more proportional. I also carry a lot of weight in my face.

    But what that person said about PCOS could be right. I haven't officially been diagnosed with PCOS yet, but I am almost positive I will be by my next doctor appointment in September! You should definitely get checked for that.

    I can't really help with any suggestions on what to do... I'm still in the beginning stages. I'm just focusing on losing the weight right now! I'm weight training and doing C25K currently. I'm losing a lot of inches in my stomach and bust but very few on my arms and hips and thighs. I'm hoping I might become more of an hourglass shape instead of an apple once I lose weight!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    This reminds me of my neighbor. She is round in the abdomen and has a chubby face and modest chest, but her legs are killer (trim and well defined) and her arms are pretty decent, too.

    I'm the type to gain evenly everywhere, but the first place I notice a change in weight is in the face (confirmed by my sister.)
  • loruddy
    loruddy Posts: 46 Member
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    At my heaviest I was 200 lb. and my waist was the largest part , bigger than my bust and hips.I'm now sitting around 160 lbs. exercise 3-4 time a week. I have got smaller , but my waist to hip ratio is still high, I can feel the muscle under the flab in my tummy, and work hard on my core muscles. At the end of the day you cant beat what mother nature gave you, be happy with yourself, find a style that suits your figure. I personally feel better about my shape when I'm around 140 lbs. hence why I joined this site recently. good luck with your weight loss journey.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    Skinny arms and legs and a chubby tummy? Sign me up. It's called "being sedentary." Try moving more throughout the day. 5 minutes of stair walking every couple of hours.

    Also work on loosening up your hip flexors and hamstrings and engaging your glutes. Don't tuck your butt. My tummy flattened dramatically when I got loose enough to actually stand up straight and work the right muscles for a good posture.

    http://www.katysays.com/mind-your-pelvis/

    No, it's not necessarily related to being sedentary. There's also a hormonal component, which is why you see more women start towards an apple pattern of weight gain/distribution in perimenopause, menopause and post menopause. Apple shapes are more common in men at all ages.

    ^ I totally agree. Being sedentary does not give your body an apple shape.

    Sitting on your butt all day gives you biomechanical issues that tend to lead to an apple shape.

    And, Katysays.com has found that men seem to be more likely to "tuck" which is one of these biomechanical issues:

    http://www.katysays.com/hamstrings/

    Posture can exaggerate or minimize the protrusion of your abdomen. It doesn't change where your weight is distributed.

    While weight distribution defines the "apple shape" I can tell you that I remain an apple shape when thin. Another poster mentioned this as well. It's not just about fat.

    Looking pregnant or having a pot belly, even while at a normal weight, indicates a tight psoas (and tight hip flexors and hamstrings, and the lack of gluteal engagement).

    Everything about the OPs description (lack of a butt, her other problem) indicates a tight psoas as well. I'm not an expert, but I'd certainly suggest that more movement throughout the day and loosening up these tight muscles won't hurt the situation.

    Posture is important but not really related to "apple shape" if genetics influence core adiposity (OP mentioned being fat without significant load on legs or arms) - that's hormonal. The belly forward or anterior pelvic tilt (why can't Katy use the words?) is a significant modern issue in sedentary people.

    Resolving it Is not about walking more or being more active - it is necessary to actively strengthening the weak hip extensor and abdominal muscles (planks, hip thrusts, OHP, various leg raises, etc....)and stretching the tight hip flexor and back muscles (cobra, lunges, hip flexor strech, etc...) to address specific weaknesses and issues.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    http://blog.corewalking.com/pot-belly-stomach-pot-belly-stomach/

    pot-belly-stomach-248x300.jpg

    I wish they taught posture in schools. They still do in some English preps. I have to get after my 10 year-old for slouching. Arg.

    Biomechanics trumps posture. A tight psoas is going to make correct alignment difficult, painful or simply impossible. Working on mobility in the area will help the body naturally position for efficiency.

    There is an easy functional test to identify tight hip flexors

    http://youtu.be/8D5_fmIbqYk
  • lesliemedina100
    lesliemedina100 Posts: 2
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    Hi, I'm Leslie. I'm 5'6 and weigh 113lbs. I have a large rib cage that makes me look fat compared to all my friends who are the same exact height and weight as me. I don't know what to do. I work out about 4 times a week and I eat mostly healthy, I'm a vegetarian. Does anyone know how I can make myself look leaner? Clothes, workouts, eating choices?
    Me
    I I I
    VVV

    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo2-3_zps8b83ce8a.jpg.html

    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo1_zpsd4c34748.jpg.html




    I look like this if I suck in my stomach
    I I I
    VVV
    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo3_zps62dcc724.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2



    I wish i looked like this
    I I I
    VVV
    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo5_zps8176d094.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo4-2_zps7f0e6bca.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1
  • KelseyBee2014
    KelseyBee2014 Posts: 188 Member
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    Hi, I'm Leslie. I'm 5'6 and weigh 113lbs. I have a large rib cage that makes me look fat compared to all my friends who are the same exact height and weight as me. I don't know what to do. I work out about 4 times a week and I eat mostly healthy, I'm a vegetarian. Does anyone know how I can make myself look leaner? Clothes, workouts, eating choices?
    Me
    I I I
    VVV

    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo2-3_zps8b83ce8a.jpg.html

    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo1_zpsd4c34748.jpg.html




    I look like this if I suck in my stomach
    I I I
    VVV
    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo3_zps62dcc724.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2



    I wish i looked like this
    I I I
    VVV
    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo5_zps8176d094.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

    http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/lesliemedina100/media/photo4-2_zps7f0e6bca.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

    Hi Leslie.

    If you are 5'6 and 113 lbs that technically declares you underweight. In your pictures you look extremely underweight. If you want to look like your 'want' photos you will have to gain weight (At least 10 lbs!) and do strength training to tone.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    I have a family member that gained just in her face and torso. But, she has some major health conditions, hormonal imbalances, and is on medication including prednisone. Everyone always thinks she is pregnant. She still has very slim legs.
  • dammitjanet0161
    dammitjanet0161 Posts: 319 Member
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    To be honest I think the apple shape that the OP described is pretty common.

    I think I have an unusual pattern of weight distribution, as I'm kind of a rectangle shape due to having broad shoulders and a long torso but not pear shaped hips. I seem to carry extra weight on my arms, upper chest (around the collarbone, NOT the girls!), and back fat (hello bra strap rolls). I have a large rib cage which seems to stretch out my torso so that I don't really show weight gain around my middle too much, but I get lower belly pooch.

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