Searching for all you Apple shaped women!!

I am most definitely an apple shaped woman. I wish I was more pear shaped as they tend to have flatter tummys where as mine look like a huge bulge with even the slightest layer of fat! All you other apple shaped women, tell me your secrets and successes in how you've managed to get a FLAT tummy and lose all the visceral AND subcutaneous fat. I've read that counting calories is not enough for those of us but rather watching carbs and sugars is the most important. Anyways, I digress. Carry on and thank you!!
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Replies

  • kittybr77
    kittybr77 Posts: 23 Member
    Hi! My name is Cat, and I wish I had advice for you, but all I can say is that I can relate. I am also apple-ish and I have kind of a weird posture, so that extra tummy fat (that shows up so very easily) is emphasized for all to see. One thing I have figured out is that alcohol is not my friend. I know some people say it helps but whenever I cut back to one or two drinks a week, I have way more success. Anyway, I have reached a plateau recently (I even reset my starting weight so I cannot feel anymore gratification from the weight loss to-date) and am trying to re-start my fat-melting, so perhaps we could be accountability friends and share whatever we figure out (feel free to add me if you like)!
  • marebear31485
    marebear31485 Posts: 36 Member
    I'm with you there! I've only lost about 8.5 lbs so far. About 1.5 weeks in. I carry all my weight in my abdomen and some in my arms. I've cut back significantly on carbs and increased my protein so far. I've also added in cardio about 5x a week 20-40 mins depending on how I'm feeling. I work late hours so don't even get home until after 10 to do my exercise. No real advice but feel free to add me and maybe we can follow each other's progress!
  • trbilbao
    trbilbao Posts: 27 Member
    Hello my fellow apples. I too can relate to the frustration of the apple shape especially when it comes to finding clothes that fit well and look good on this shape. I am back again after a relapse and it's very funny/coincidental that I reset my weight today as well. I did very well logging and exercising a few years ago but an achilles injury required over a year to heal and I haven't been that motived to run again until I saw a picture of my gut this past weekend. I keep it on my phone and look at it for motivation and now I am back to MFP. I too find processed carbs, sugar and alcohol seem to go right to my stomach but i REALLY love wine. As I have aged, it seems like I am also getting the lovely back fat in addition to the stomach fat which makes me look hunched and even more round. I would love to see what works for all of you other apples. I just found a site for good spiralizer recipes and am going to try some healthy alternatives to pasta and rice and see if that is successful. Of course, it can't be done without exercise so I am back on a schedule again. My goal is to run a half marathon this year so I have a training plan. Would love to see if we can help each other with the process.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    I am most definitely an apple shaped woman. I wish I was more pear shaped as they tend to have flatter tummys where as mine look like a huge bulge with even the slightest layer of fat! All you other apple shaped women, tell me your secrets and successes in how you've managed to get a FLAT tummy and lose all the visceral AND subcutaneous fat. I've read that counting calories is not enough for those of us but rather watching carbs and sugars is the most important. Anyways, I digress. Carry on and thank you!!

    I don't believe that we really lose weight differently than women with other body shapes. Eat at a deficit and be patient.
    I have lost about 25 lbs and 5" off my waist. I am still overweight so my stomach area is still bigger. I want my waist and hips to be in the same clothing size.
    I'm not on a special diet but find that if I am eating at my calorie goal and meeting my protein goal that I don't go over the carb or sugar goals naturally.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    My stomach fat is finally starting to go. Overall fat loss really is the key though - sadly my stomach is last place I lose from.
    I eat slightly lower carb (nothing drastic, just usually under 120-130 g). I now rarely drink alcohol or Coke, which I'm sure is helping.
    I do an hour of boot camp (high intensity cardio + weight bearing or tabata) twice a week, maybe some kettlebells, and just walk a good bit otherwise. Building strength in my core muscles, back, and shoulders seems like it's helping to improve my posture, and that's doing good things. Crappy posture makes me look even heavier in the stomach region.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,262 Member
    Antd420 wrote: »
    I'm looking for apple shaped women too

    It is probably that the apple shape you are thinking of is not the apple shape that is being referred to in this thread.

    I started out as an apple and am now more rectangular/ruler (some people call this banana shaped but that makes me think I'd be bent over like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.) I still have an excess of subcutaneous stomach fat. There's no special formula for losing it. It just takes time and patience and a calorie deficit. Visceral fat, by the way, is super easy to lose. It's the first to go. It's the subcutaneous stuff that takes forever to lose.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    I am most definitely an apple shaped woman. I wish I was more pear shaped as they tend to have flatter tummys where as mine look like a huge bulge with even the slightest layer of fat! All you other apple shaped women, tell me your secrets and successes in how you've managed to get a FLAT tummy and lose all the visceral AND subcutaneous fat. I've read that counting calories is not enough for those of us but rather watching carbs and sugars is the most important. Anyways, I digress. Carry on and thank you!!

    you cannot dictate where your body stores or loses fat - there's no magic exercise or diet that can control this. it's genetics. lose enough body fat and the tummy goes away, but it may not be the first thing on a person that shrinks. last time i lost weight, my belly was among the last areas to shrink, and that was despite lots of resistance training and a very clean diet that was super low in fat. this time i'm using a higher fat, lower carb diet (to get my blood sugar down), and my body fat is disappearing in the exact same order as when i was eating super low fat.
  • Cbefitforlife
    Cbefitforlife Posts: 83 Member
    you are absolutely right!! Low carb and low fat is the way to go. Eat more fruit, veggies, fiber and lean protein. Try switching up your ab routine. Standing ab workouts on You tube and planks. Don't do the same ab routine everyday and do them every other day. Watch your white foods. Bread, sugar, flour. I am already seeing a difference by following the method above. keeping at it always helps, and never allow yourself to have a cheat day! cheat meals are ok once a week. On vacation and trips I try to walk a lot. I don't count calories because it is too difficult. I try to cut out anything white instead. I have found that using weights will change the shape of my body. Cardio helps you to lose the fat...but then what is left underneath? Have to do both. A good warm up on a stationary bike for 10min. Then do 20min. of cardio but hit it hard. Then do arms or legs and some abs. Switch it up every day...work different muscle groups. Swimming is excellent for flatter abs as well...if you have access to a pool. I disagree that a apple shaped person can't have a 6pack. Anyone can have what they desire with hard work and the right tools. I have seen many transformations. Ask yourself 2 questions: Am I consistant with my diet and exercise routine weekly? Am I doing everything to my knowledge to burn fat from my body? If you can't say a firm yes to these questions, then maybe you are missing something that is keeping you from achieving your goals. Read, do your research...always something new to learn.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    Most Apple shaped women started life as a rectangle or ruler shape and lowering their overall body fat will send them back that direction. It's an athletic looking build and clothes drape well on it. There are plenty of models & actresses with that build to use as examples.
    At midlife, many women drift toward an apple shape due to metabolic concerns & hormone disruptions. Yes, these women would benefit from moderating carbs & eating with the glycemic index in mind. But in order to lose fat they must be in calorie deficit first and foremost. It's not realistic to think they can just exercise their apple problem away either! It starts with food & exercise just helps.
    Weight training can help 'balance' a body type but not fundamentally change it. I'm able to increase my hip measurement through weighted squats but that's measured in the round; nothing will ever give me the flared hips of an hourglass in a full frontal view because that's a skeletal feature. My shoulder bones will always be wider than my hip bones.
    So look beneath the apple at what build you will have at a lower body fat level & work to optimize that. Buy clothes that fit well & consider tailoring if you need it. There are all sorts of fashion tricks of the eye involving draping, hemlines, waist placement etc to balance out your shape. But the best is just lowering your overall body fat to become lean, supple & comfortable in your own skin!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,262 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    Most Apple shaped women started life as a rectangle or ruler shape and lowering their overall body fat will send them back that direction. It's an athletic looking build and clothes drape well on it. There are plenty of models & actresses with that build to use as examples.
    At midlife, many women drift toward an apple shape due to metabolic concerns & hormone disruptions. Yes, these women would benefit from moderating carbs & eating with the glycemic index in mind. But in order to lose fat they must be in calorie deficit first and foremost. It's not realistic to think they can just exercise their apple problem away either! It starts with food & exercise just helps.
    Weight training can help 'balance' a body type but not fundamentally change it. I'm able to increase my hip measurement through weighted squats but that's measured in the round; nothing will ever give me the flared hips of an hourglass in a full frontal view because that's a skeletal feature. My shoulder bones will always be wider than my hip bones.
    So look beneath the apple at what build you will have at a lower body fat level & work to optimize that. Buy clothes that fit well & consider tailoring if you need it. There are all sorts of fashion tricks of the eye involving draping, hemlines, waist placement etc to balance out your shape. But the best is just lowering your overall body fat to become lean, supple & comfortable in your own skin!

    Well stated! You pretty much hit it all on the head, @scolaris .
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    Most Apple shaped women started life as a rectangle or ruler shape and lowering their overall body fat will send them back that direction. It's an athletic looking build and clothes drape well on it. There are plenty of models & actresses with that build to use as examples.
    At midlife, many women drift toward an apple shape due to metabolic concerns & hormone disruptions. Yes, these women would benefit from moderating carbs & eating with the glycemic index in mind. But in order to lose fat they must be in calorie deficit first and foremost. It's not realistic to think they can just exercise their apple problem away either! It starts with food & exercise just helps.
    Weight training can help 'balance' a body type but not fundamentally change it. I'm able to increase my hip measurement through weighted squats but that's measured in the round; nothing will ever give me the flared hips of an hourglass in a full frontal view because that's a skeletal feature. My shoulder bones will always be wider than my hip bones.
    So look beneath the apple at what build you will have at a lower body fat level & work to optimize that. Buy clothes that fit well & consider tailoring if you need it. There are all sorts of fashion tricks of the eye involving draping, hemlines, waist placement etc to balance out your shape. But the best is just lowering your overall body fat to become lean, supple & comfortable in your own skin!

    #1
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    Most Apple shaped women started life as a rectangle or ruler shape and lowering their overall body fat will send them back that direction. It's an athletic looking build and clothes drape well on it. There are plenty of models & actresses with that build to use as examples.
    At midlife, many women drift toward an apple shape due to metabolic concerns & hormone disruptions. Yes, these women would benefit from moderating carbs & eating with the glycemic index in mind. But in order to lose fat they must be in calorie deficit first and foremost. It's not realistic to think they can just exercise their apple problem away either! It starts with food & exercise just helps.
    Weight training can help 'balance' a body type but not fundamentally change it. I'm able to increase my hip measurement through weighted squats but that's measured in the round; nothing will ever give me the flared hips of an hourglass in a full frontal view because that's a skeletal feature. My shoulder bones will always be wider than my hip bones.
    So look beneath the apple at what build you will have at a lower body fat level & work to optimize that. Buy clothes that fit well & consider tailoring if you need it. There are all sorts of fashion tricks of the eye involving draping, hemlines, waist placement etc to balance out your shape. But the best is just lowering your overall body fat to become lean, supple & comfortable in your own skin!

    ^^This. My apple shape makes me nuts because I carry most of my weight through my abdomen, too, but through exercise and eating at a calorie deficit, I've lost 11 inches around my waist so far. I've never tracked carbs, fat, sugar, etc...simple calorie counting has worked for me and still continues to do so.
  • kenyainez
    kenyainez Posts: 222 Member
    Apple Shaped Woman chiming in here. As you can see in my photo that even at a small weight I'm still pretty much up and down. I can lose fat on my abs, it's my boobs that won't go anywhere. LMBO! In that before and after photo I pretty much just did cardio. I've incorporated more weight training to help that wide and flat thing I have called a booty. I'm well aware I won't have a "Big booty Judy" size bum but I'm ok with that. I just want to be the best version of me possible.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    Most Apple shaped women started life as a rectangle or ruler shape and lowering their overall body fat will send them back that direction. It's an athletic looking build and clothes drape well on it. There are plenty of models & actresses with that build to use as examples.
    At midlife, many women drift toward an apple shape due to metabolic concerns & hormone disruptions. Yes, these women would benefit from moderating carbs & eating with the glycemic index in mind. But in order to lose fat they must be in calorie deficit first and foremost. It's not realistic to think they can just exercise their apple problem away either! It starts with food & exercise just helps.
    Weight training can help 'balance' a body type but not fundamentally change it. I'm able to increase my hip measurement through weighted squats but that's measured in the round; nothing will ever give me the flared hips of an hourglass in a full frontal view because that's a skeletal feature. My shoulder bones will always be wider than my hip bones.
    So look beneath the apple at what build you will have at a lower body fat level & work to optimize that. Buy clothes that fit well & consider tailoring if you need it. There are all sorts of fashion tricks of the eye involving draping, hemlines, waist placement etc to balance out your shape. But the best is just lowering your overall body fat to become lean, supple & comfortable in your own skin!

    Will you have the most quoted post ever?

    Similar story here - I am built straight up and down, that's skeleton and I can't change it. Good shoulders, slim hips, can get bigger legs and look like I have some curve through hips but never really get a waist at any weight.

    It is my understanding that pretty much straight up and down when at a healthy weight is the most common body type of all for women, which begs the question - why do people say those with high hip-to-waist ratio have 'child bearing hips or more fertility? If we are the majority, we must be the best at reproducing, right?
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    Hahaha @robininfl Good question! I don't know...
    All I know is I resent women with huge surgical implants and modifications (ahemmm... kardashian girls) being touted as any sort of body type' example. Their 'type' is silicone, collagen, saline & lawd knows what! Ugh
  • khhregister
    khhregister Posts: 229 Member
    Apple here - and I will say that when I am the least bit overweight, the thickness starts most noticeably in my middle. Unless I take out a tape measure, I barely notice any weight gain in my arms or legs - it's so gradual. Whereas the weight hanging on to my middle just looks WRONG to my eyes, like it's out of place.
    The good news is, it's also where I notice slimming down. It may take every last pound I plan to lose before the bulge is gone completely, but it's a nice visual reminder of how far I've come and how much further I have to go.

    Doesn't seem to make a difference whether I am eating low carb or not - this is where I am predisposed to put on a big noticeable fat pad.
  • TxTiffani
    TxTiffani Posts: 798 Member
    Apple shape here too:( I am between 5'0-5'1...got down to 125 a few yrs back and still had a belly that popped out:/ Shooting for 115 this time around;)
  • MsArriabella
    MsArriabella Posts: 469 Member
    Another apple here :( I tend to hold onto belly fat even when I lose weight, as far as I can tell I'm just stuck with a belly so I'll just keep on exercising and watching what I eat and try to make the best of it...feel free to add me if you want more apple support!
  • BLawyered
    BLawyered Posts: 32 Member
    Bump