Is your body shape (i.e. pear, hourglass, apple) dependent o

2011EP
2011EP Posts: 95 Member
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
I guess my question is if your body shape depens on your weight and how you choose to work out or are you inherently one shape? I've been apple all my life but I hate my belly. Is it possible for someone like me to become an hourglass figure?
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Replies

  • ciberg13
    ciberg13 Posts: 8
    I agree. I've been an apple my while entire life. Even when I was "skinny", I still had no waist. My dad used to say I was built "thick". Nice, huh?
  • Lsng4good
    Lsng4good Posts: 86 Member
    Like you, I'm apple and want hourglass. (who doesn't?!) :) I'm no pro, but I know that you can change your figure by just working out extra hard on your "trouble spots". Like maybe we should be doing my ab exercises in addition to cardio. But remember that when you lose weight it comes from basically everywhere. You can't Only lose weight from one body part.

    Best of luck in this adventure!
  • EbonyGemstoneHealth
    EbonyGemstoneHealth Posts: 249 Member
    I'm an hourglass I think,but my hips seem smaller the more athletic I become,if that sounds wierd,maybe I just view my body wierdly,but I'm not too bothered if it changes,as long as I get slim lean and toned lol!
  • fantm
    fantm Posts: 87 Member
    I've always been a pear, and think I am destined to remain a pear. Even at my lowest weight, fittest body, my hips were big and I'm talking bones, not padding on top of bones.
  • SarahR1984
    SarahR1984 Posts: 212
    I think you are what you are. I'm an apple too and when I was my thinnist My stomach was slim from the side but still wide from the front. You'll always have that boy shape if your an apple. I would give anything to be an hourglass, but I'd also have to grow some hips!
  • ChelDM
    ChelDM Posts: 145
    It is based on bone structure so I don't think there is any changing it...
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    I'm determined to go from a rectangle to an hourglass. So far it's working (just need to lose a couple of inches on my waist). To go from apple to an hourglass might be hard though because you can't determine where you lose fat from, but might as well give it all you have to try! Worse case is you become a super hot apple! :flowerforyou:
  • HeatherShrinking
    HeatherShrinking Posts: 776 Member
    Ohh, I've always wondered that (Bumping!)

    I'm an apple now. I think when I was thin I was kind of a rectangle...or maybe more like a bottle of water (mostly tubular with bumps at the top and bottom?) I never quite fit into the pear, hourglass, inverted triangle guidelines.
  • nerdyandilikeit
    nerdyandilikeit Posts: 2,185 Member
    thats where fashion comes in! im in the same boat as an apple shape. its all about optical illusions created with accessories and dressing for your body.
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
    All dudes want that Y or V shape I suppose, but my ribcage and pelvic bone stick out pretty far, so I'm just cursed with more of an X shape.
  • SarahNicole317
    SarahNicole317 Posts: 302 Member
    The best way to 'change' your body to an hourglass shape is through heavy lifting and clean eating...

    Work on widening your back and shoulders, increase the size of your quads and utilize cardio to burn fat which is going to bring your waist in.
  • pftjill
    pftjill Posts: 488
    Strength train in those areas where you are lacking to give a little added bulk. You don't need to gain fat in there, just bulk the muscle.
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    I'm determined to go from a rectangle to an hourglass. So far it's working (just need to lose a couple of inches on my waist). To go from apple to an hourglass might be hard though because you can't determine where you lose fat from, but might as well give it all you have to try! Worse case is you become a super hot apple! :flowerforyou:

    OMG me too!!
  • Sara1978
    Sara1978 Posts: 213 Member
    I recently discovered that there is a fourth category called banana, and I am it. For we girls who aren't quite curvy enough to call ourselves an hourglass. http://www.mybodygallery.com/body-types.html

    I think a lot of it is bone structure. I am large boned, and my rib cage and hips are pretty much just always going to be right where they are. If I could shave a few more inches off my waist, I *might* be able to call myself an hourglass instead of a banana, but I think that would be a stretch-- I doubt I'd be able to lose much more than one or two more inches while staying healthy.
  • SarahNicole317
    SarahNicole317 Posts: 302 Member
    All dudes want that Y or V shape I suppose, but my ribcage and pelvic bone stick out pretty far, so I'm just cursed with more of an X shape.

    I don't know about the general population, but I think male and female bodybuilders go for the 'X' shape... hence, Tony "The X-Man" Freeman.
  • debbn2011
    debbn2011 Posts: 7
    I like you GW's!
    Good Lucky!!!:smile:
  • loxleys
    loxleys Posts: 230 Member
    I'm top heavy with no waist, i gain weight on my boobs first and if i lose weight it comes off my legs and my hips first. When i drop below 135lbs my boobs finally disappear but i never get a waist line.

    I'd love to be toned all over with some curves in the right places.
  • sweetheart03622
    sweetheart03622 Posts: 928 Member
    You're pretty much stuck what with you've got. Granted, as you lose weight it might be less prominent, but you get what you get. For me, when I'm higher in weight I'm a pear (all goes to my butt, thighs, and chubs up my tummy) and then when I'm thinner I'm an hourglass (stomach thins out, butt things, thighs/hips don't budge). For me, my hips aren't going anywhere. Just focus on toning yourself and as you lose fat you won't notice the typical "apple shape" quite as much.
  • jerseyshorenurse
    jerseyshorenurse Posts: 47 Member
    For the most part, the common info says that you will maintain your general shape/proportions, just with different dimensions. I have hourglass proportions, but the distribution definitely changed a little at different weights. At my heaviest, about 175lbs, my measurements were somewhere around 38.5/32/40 and I had a little more pear-shape. At my middle ground of 115-120, I'm around 35/25/35 and undeniably hourglass. At my lowest, which is really too skinny for me, I was 105-107 and my measurements were something like 34/24/33 and I was starting to lean toward inverted triangle. My body shape is hourglass, but as I exceed or undershoot my ideal weights, I *do* carry the weight in different places. I hope that makes sense and helps a little bit.
  • Val_from_OH
    Val_from_OH Posts: 447 Member
    I used to be an hourglass, but 2 kids later, I am all apple! Hoping that by dropping 30-50 lbs, I will get my hourglass shape back. On the other hand... my boobs like to drop weight first, so I may end up as a pear!
  • shardown
    shardown Posts: 258 Member
    I think a lot of that is dependent on your bone structure.. So unless you want to smash your bones and reconstruct them, I don't think its possible. At my smallest, I had an hourglass figure but now I'm more of a pear. I doubt I'll ever get the hourglass back lol.
  • InstantSunshine
    InstantSunshine Posts: 355 Member
    I would guess I'm an "hourglass" in that I have broader shoulders, lots of T&A (aye!) :wink: and a smaller waist in relation to my bum & hips.

    I can see a few people here saying they'd like this, I think - but would just like to say it's not all it's cracked up to be. I have to elasticate the back of the waistband of every single pair of trousers I own because if they're big enough to go over my bum, they're then at least 8-10 inches too big round the waist.

    Oh and long-line tops ride up and settle on my bum, instead of hanging down to create that lovely long elegant shape they're supposed to.

    Or maybe i've just got a huge bum... ! yeah i think that's what it is... :grumble:
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
    All dudes want that Y or V shape I suppose, but my ribcage and pelvic bone stick out pretty far, so I'm just cursed with more of an X shape.

    I don't know about the general population, but I think male and female bodybuilders go for the 'X' shape... hence, Tony "The X-Man" Freeman.

    I see what you mean, I'm more speaking of upper body only. I suppose if I over-compensated by bulking up my obliques, it would fill in the gap between my pelvic bone and ribcage, so the V-taper would look better.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    I recently discovered that there is a fourth category called banana, and I am it. For we girls who aren't quite curvy enough to call ourselves an hourglass. http://www.mybodygallery.com/body-types.html

    I think a lot of it is bone structure. I am large boned, and my rib cage and hips are pretty much just always going to be right where they are. If I could shave a few more inches off my waist, I *might* be able to call myself an hourglass instead of a banana, but I think that would be a stretch-- I doubt I'd be able to lose much more than one or two more inches while staying healthy.

    I guess I'm a banana -- B.A.N.A.N.A!

    I thought it was called rectangle when your chest & hips are the same measurements and your waist is under 9 inches smaller. I wish what she said about the toned arms was right. That's always the first place I gain and last place I lose. :grumble:
  • jerseyshorenurse
    jerseyshorenurse Posts: 47 Member
    I would guess I'm an "hourglass" in that I have broader shoulders, lots of T&A (aye!) :wink: and a smaller waist in relation to my bum & hips.

    I can see a few people here saying they'd like this, I think - but would just like to say it's not all it's cracked up to be. I have to elasticate the back of the waistband of every single pair of trousers I own because if they're big enough to go over my bum, they're then at least 8-10 inches too big round the waist.

    Oh and long-line tops ride up and settle on my bum, instead of hanging down to create that lovely long elegant shape they're supposed to.

    Or maybe i've just got a huge bum... ! yeah i think that's what it is... :grumble:

    No, I agree. Clothing is made to fit the more common pear-shape. I find dress shopping a total pain the you-know-what. If it fits through the chest, it doesn't fit anywhere else. If it fits everywhere else, I find myself wishing for implants. Hourglass can be a tough shape to dress, even if it's considered 'an ideal.'
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    I would guess I'm an "hourglass" in that I have broader shoulders, lots of T&A (aye!) :wink: and a smaller waist in relation to my bum & hips.

    I can see a few people here saying they'd like this, I think - but would just like to say it's not all it's cracked up to be. I have to elasticate the back of the waistband of every single pair of trousers I own because if they're big enough to go over my bum, they're then at least 8-10 inches too big round the waist.

    Oh and long-line tops ride up and settle on my bum, instead of hanging down to create that lovely long elegant shape they're supposed to.

    Or maybe i've just got a huge bum... ! yeah i think that's what it is... :grumble:

    No, I agree. Clothing is made to fit the more common pear-shape. I find dress shopping a total pain the you-know-what. If it fits through the chest, it doesn't fit anywhere else. If it fits everywhere else, I find myself wishing for implants. Hourglass can be a tough shape to dress, even if it's considered 'an ideal.'

    With celebs like Kim Kardashian and Christina Hendricks being so popular, you'd think that they'd try to market to a group of people, and yet, they don't. I've heard KK say that she pretty much has to get everything tailored to fit her.
  • MrsSanthoff
    MrsSanthoff Posts: 272 Member
    A pear with an apple filling at least around the waist area...but not for long!
  • Bootzey
    Bootzey Posts: 274 Member
    I am a pear. But I just found that out. I didn't know. I THOUGHT I was a hourglass because I have really big boobs and hips. But when I did my measurements around my chest sans the boobs it was a smaller measurement that my stomach by like an inch and a half. Who knew?
  • Supa817
    Supa817 Posts: 17 Member
    I'm an hourglass... I agree with those that say it's hard to find clothes sometimes. My waist to hip ratio is kind of insane... (Like 32inch waist/40 something inch hips) so when I buy pants, they have to fit my hips and always gap at my waist. It's sooo frustrating, but I've always been curvy so it's not going anywhere no matter how much weight I lose. Overall I like myself this way though.
  • Sara1978
    Sara1978 Posts: 213 Member
    I thought it was called rectangle when your chest & hips are the same measurements and your waist is under 9 inches smaller. I wish what she said about the toned arms was right. That's always the first place I gain and last place I lose. :grumble:

    Oh, I guess rectangle would work to describe it too-- but a banana sounds much more fun.
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