Body Shape Issue
hburns89
Posts: 1 Member
Hi Everyone!
First question I've ever posted but since I can't seem to find any other discussion or article pertaining to my issue I figured I'd just post the question myself and see where that goes
So I've recently started my weight loss journey and my highest weight was 280lbs (I stand at 5'4'') my starting weight was 276.4lbs and I've also been recently diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes. My current weight as of this morning was 269.5 (finally out of the 270s woohoo!) and as I'm taking pictures for my future progress comparison I'm noticing my body is not shaped the way it used to be.
I usually would gain weight evenly, I was athletically shaped and my body type is Top Hourglass (I have really large breasts but my shoulders are even with my hips). I've been classified as a Mesomorph several times over and I agree because it fits how athletic I was in my pre-teen years.
But since I hit the morbidly obese category and especially since I haven't truly exercised in years (I've also had a desk job where I sit for many hours for the past 2 years) I've noticed that I've basically stopped gaining weight in my lower body. I now gain most of my weight in my upper body which is unusual because I used to gain weight all over. I'm wondering if the reasoning behind this is medical or if it's the food I'm eating, or my lack of exercise has obviously decreased my muscle mass in my lower extremities?
Any help would be appreciated
First question I've ever posted but since I can't seem to find any other discussion or article pertaining to my issue I figured I'd just post the question myself and see where that goes
So I've recently started my weight loss journey and my highest weight was 280lbs (I stand at 5'4'') my starting weight was 276.4lbs and I've also been recently diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes. My current weight as of this morning was 269.5 (finally out of the 270s woohoo!) and as I'm taking pictures for my future progress comparison I'm noticing my body is not shaped the way it used to be.
I usually would gain weight evenly, I was athletically shaped and my body type is Top Hourglass (I have really large breasts but my shoulders are even with my hips). I've been classified as a Mesomorph several times over and I agree because it fits how athletic I was in my pre-teen years.
But since I hit the morbidly obese category and especially since I haven't truly exercised in years (I've also had a desk job where I sit for many hours for the past 2 years) I've noticed that I've basically stopped gaining weight in my lower body. I now gain most of my weight in my upper body which is unusual because I used to gain weight all over. I'm wondering if the reasoning behind this is medical or if it's the food I'm eating, or my lack of exercise has obviously decreased my muscle mass in my lower extremities?
Any help would be appreciated
0
Replies
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I don't think there's a reason we gain weight in certain places. Some people just carry their weight in the upper part of their body and some more in the lower (butt, thighs, and legs). It's just part of your DNA.
Losing the weight, it will sort itself out and you will lose weight all over - although more in certain places first. But how/where you lose first/last is beyond your control.0 -
I don't think there's a reason we gain weight in certain places. Some people just carry their weight in the upper part of their body and some more in the lower (butt, thighs, and legs). It's just part of your DNA.
Losing the weight, it will sort itself out and you will lose weight all over - although more in certain places first. But how/where you lose first/last is beyond your control.
I recommend you research somatotypes. This is important.1 -
Here's a good starting point from a scholarly source
www.uh.edu/fitness/comm_educators/3_somatotypesNEW.htm0 -
I don't think there's a reason we gain weight in certain places. Some people just carry their weight in the upper part of their body and some more in the lower (butt, thighs, and legs). It's just part of your DNA.
Losing the weight, it will sort itself out and you will lose weight all over - although more in certain places first. But how/where you lose first/last is beyond your control.
I recommend you research somatotypes. This is important.
Somatotypes have been debunked.5 -
singingflutelady wrote: »I don't think there's a reason we gain weight in certain places. Some people just carry their weight in the upper part of their body and some more in the lower (butt, thighs, and legs). It's just part of your DNA.
Losing the weight, it will sort itself out and you will lose weight all over - although more in certain places first. But how/where you lose first/last is beyond your control.
I recommend you research somatotypes. This is important.
Somatotypes have been debunked.
LOL. False.0 -
The whole body type mesomorph/hourglass/eggplant etc are all so arbitrary. As you lose weight you'll probably find you lose in different areas at different times and you body shape might change several times over before you get to your goal, not to mention the impact exercise may have, particularly if you start lifting.3
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singingflutelady wrote: »I don't think there's a reason we gain weight in certain places. Some people just carry their weight in the upper part of their body and some more in the lower (butt, thighs, and legs). It's just part of your DNA.
Losing the weight, it will sort itself out and you will lose weight all over - although more in certain places first. But how/where you lose first/last is beyond your control.
I recommend you research somatotypes. This is important.
Somatotypes have been debunked.
LOL. False.
Lol not false. You do realize the person who made them up was a psychologist right?2 -
smotheredincheese wrote: »As you lose weight you'll probably find you lose in different areas at different times and you body shape might change several times over before you get to your goal, not to mention the impact exercise may have, particularly if you start lifting.
And the reason some people lose and store weight in different areas? Somatotypes.0 -
Hi Everyone!
First question I've ever posted but since I can't seem to find any other discussion or article pertaining to my issue I figured I'd just post the question myself and see where that goes
So I've recently started my weight loss journey and my highest weight was 280lbs (I stand at 5'4'') my starting weight was 276.4lbs and I've also been recently diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes. My current weight as of this morning was 269.5 (finally out of the 270s woohoo!) and as I'm taking pictures for my future progress comparison I'm noticing my body is not shaped the way it used to be.
I usually would gain weight evenly, I was athletically shaped and my body type is Top Hourglass (I have really large breasts but my shoulders are even with my hips). I've been classified as a Mesomorph several times over and I agree because it fits how athletic I was in my pre-teen years.
But since I hit the morbidly obese category and especially since I haven't truly exercised in years (I've also had a desk job where I sit for many hours for the past 2 years) I've noticed that I've basically stopped gaining weight in my lower body. I now gain most of my weight in my upper body which is unusual because I used to gain weight all over. I'm wondering if the reasoning behind this is medical or if it's the food I'm eating, or my lack of exercise has obviously decreased my muscle mass in my lower extremities?
Any help would be appreciated
In my experience and observation, some people are shaped very differently when obese compared to when they are at a healthy weight. I think that some of it comes from being inactive and having increased levels of visceral fat, which is the fat that packs around your internal organs. But then some women get that plus enough fat gain in their hips, etc. to keep defined waists. I just kind of throw up my hands and say "who knows?" at times 1 -
The only articles I can find countering somatotypes are from unscholarly sources.
Since this is simply a way of categorizing body types based on the relation between hips and shoulder width you can't really debunk it. Why do some people store weight in their butt and some in their stomach? Because the individual with larger hips has a larger surface area in the rear for fat to be stored. I am a mesomorph so the easiest place for my body to store weight would be in my stomach/chest area. Biology!0 -
Hormonal changes as we age (and as we gain weight) can altar where we gain weight.1
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Your body is not a constant machine, it is continually adapting to the world around it and to it's own hormone and biochemical shifts over time. I don't think there is anything you can eat that will change how your body has decided to react. Strength training will alter body composition, that's the only thing I know of that you can kind of control where muscle gains will occur based on what strength training you chose to follow.
When I was younger extra weight always went directly to my love handles and chest...then for about 10 years everything started going directly to my belly...most recently the belly is shrinking and my booty appears to be growing instead. There is no pattern or rhyme or reason that I have been able to find, it is what it is.0 -
The only articles I can find countering somatotypes are from unscholarly sources.
Since this is simply a way of categorizing body types based on the relation between hips and shoulder width you can't really debunk it. Why do some men store weight in their butt and some in their stomach? Because the man with larger hips has a larger surface area in the rear for fat to be stored. I am a mesomorph so the easiest place for my body to store weight would be in my stomach/chest area. Biology!
The site you gave isn't a research article either. Body shapes/types are real for sure but that has nothing to do with ecto, endo or meso.2 -
The only articles I can find countering somatotypes are from unscholarly sources.
Since this is simply a way of categorizing body types based on the relation between hips and shoulder width you can't really debunk it. Why do some people store weight in their butt and some in their stomach? Because the individual with larger hips has a larger surface area in the rear for fat to be stored. I am a mesomorph so the easiest place for my body to store weight would be in my stomach/chest area. Biology!
Somatotypes are the product of a psychologist who categorized people according to body types and then attributed various personality traits according to those body types. Ectomorph--anxious secretive introverts. Mesomorphs--adventurous and assertive. Endomorphs--fun, affectionate, social. In addition, he used naked photos of undergrads, without their permission, to demonstrate these categories. Somatotyping has a fairly disgusting beginning.
People do have different builds, of course. Specifically in women, it's common to see somebody described as an apple or pear or hourglass shape. I tend to think of those terms as more useful than ectomorph, endomorph, mesomorph since you can move between any of those depending on how much you eat and train while your overall body shape is determined in large part by genetics (e.g., where you tend to store more fat, etc.)6 -
These are the technical definition of somatotypes
Endomorphic Body Type:
soft body
underdeveloped muscles
round shaped
over-developed digestive system
Associated personality traits:
love of food
tolerant
evenness of emotions
love of comfort
sociable
good humored
relaxed
need for affection
Mesomorphic Body Type
Mesomorphic Body Type:
hard, muscular body
overly mature appearance
rectangular shaped
thick skin
upright posture
Associated personality traits:
adventurous
desire for power and dominance
courageous
indifference to what others think or want
assertive, bold
zest for physical activity
competitive
love of risk and chance
Ectomorphic Body Type
Ectomorphic Body Type:
thin
flat chest
delicate build
young appearance
tall
lightly muscled
stoop-shouldered
large brain
Associated personality traits:
self-conscious
preference for privacy
introverted
inhibited
socially anxious
artistic
mentally intense
emotionally restrained
1 -
Espressocycle wrote: »Hormonal changes as we age (and as we gain weight) can altar where we gain weight.
This.0 -
I have yoyo'ed a lot since high school. I noticed this last go around I am 10 lbs away from my highest weight but I can't fit into the pants I could a few years ago when I was at my heaviest. Hormonal changes, age, and activity level all played into my belly getting bigger than the rest of me. It's not unusual to gain weight in different places over the course of a few years. There's not much you can do about it except lose it, and when you do, it will go away wherever it wants whenever it wants.0
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singingflutelady wrote: »These are the technical definition of somatotypes
Endomorphic Body Type:
soft body
underdeveloped muscles
round shaped
over-developed digestive system
Associated personality traits:
love of food
tolerant
evenness of emotions
love of comfort
sociable
good humored
relaxed
need for affection
Mesomorphic Body Type
Mesomorphic Body Type:
hard, muscular body
overly mature appearance
rectangular shaped
thick skin
upright posture
Associated personality traits:
adventurous
desire for power and dominance
courageous
indifference to what others think or want
assertive, bold
zest for physical activity
competitive
love of risk and chance
Ectomorphic Body Type
Ectomorphic Body Type:
thin
flat chest
delicate build
young appearance
tall
lightly muscled
stoop-shouldered
large brain
Associated personality traits:
self-conscious
preference for privacy
introverted
inhibited
socially anxious
artistic
mentally intense
emotionally restrained
This is what we call pseudoscience.5 -
Espressocycle wrote: »Hormonal changes as we age (and as we gain weight) can altar where we gain weight.
^ Agree with this. Hormones can affect fat distribution patterns. It would be hard to pinpoint an exact cause/effect relationship since hormones are affected by environmental factors, but also just change as we age. For instance, I've read that high cortisol is often associated with belly fat, but there are lots of interactions at play and lots more hormones than cortisol.
Here's a more detailed article: https://www.metaboliceffect.com/hormonal-body-fat-signatures/
IMO, his recommendations are overgeneralized. In the end, diet and activity work for any shape.0 -
smotheredincheese wrote: »As you lose weight you'll probably find you lose in different areas at different times and you body shape might change several times over before you get to your goal, not to mention the impact exercise may have, particularly if you start lifting.
And the reason some people lose and store weight in different areas? Somatotypes Genetics.
Fixed it for you. Somatotypes are a made-up construct and people rarely fit neatly into one of those three categories. Somatotypes are about as scientific as horoscopes.3 -
OP, I'm not really sure why, but when I was heavier I noticed more weight was being held in my upper body though I've always been an hour glass shape myself. It's like I "lost" my hourglass. Now that I'm losing weight it's coming back. I've noticed this happen over the years for me. At a certain point of weight gain I lose my shape.0
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Hi Everyone!
First question I've ever posted but since I can't seem to find any other discussion or article pertaining to my issue I figured I'd just post the question myself and see where that goes
So I've recently started my weight loss journey and my highest weight was 280lbs (I stand at 5'4'') my starting weight was 276.4lbs and I've also been recently diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes. My current weight as of this morning was 269.5 (finally out of the 270s woohoo!) and as I'm taking pictures for my future progress comparison I'm noticing my body is not shaped the way it used to be.
I usually would gain weight evenly, I was athletically shaped and my body type is Top Hourglass (I have really large breasts but my shoulders are even with my hips). I've been classified as a Mesomorph several times over and I agree because it fits how athletic I was in my pre-teen years.
But since I hit the morbidly obese category and especially since I haven't truly exercised in years (I've also had a desk job where I sit for many hours for the past 2 years) I've noticed that I've basically stopped gaining weight in my lower body. I now gain most of my weight in my upper body which is unusual because I used to gain weight all over. I'm wondering if the reasoning behind this is medical or if it's the food I'm eating, or my lack of exercise has obviously decreased my muscle mass in my lower extremities?
Any help would be appreciated
In my experience and observation, some people are shaped very differently when obese compared to when they are at a healthy weight. I think that some of it comes from being inactive and having increased levels of visceral fat, which is the fat that packs around your internal organs. But then some women get that plus enough fat gain in their hips, etc. to keep defined waists. I just kind of throw up my hands and say "who knows?" at times
This was my experience.
While I still have large breasts, I was shocked to have my hips completely disappear. They've been there since puberty.1 -
Genetically you've ALWAYS gained fat the same. It may not have appeared as much so when you were younger because of activity level.Hi Everyone!
First question I've ever posted but since I can't seem to find any other discussion or article pertaining to my issue I figured I'd just post the question myself and see where that goes
So I've recently started my weight loss journey and my highest weight was 280lbs (I stand at 5'4'') my starting weight was 276.4lbs and I've also been recently diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes. My current weight as of this morning was 269.5 (finally out of the 270s woohoo!) and as I'm taking pictures for my future progress comparison I'm noticing my body is not shaped the way it used to be.
I usually would gain weight evenly, I was athletically shaped and my body type is Top Hourglass (I have really large breasts but my shoulders are even with my hips). I've been classified as a Mesomorph several times over and I agree because it fits how athletic I was in my pre-teen years.
But since I hit the morbidly obese category and especially since I haven't truly exercised in years (I've also had a desk job where I sit for many hours for the past 2 years) I've noticed that I've basically stopped gaining weight in my lower body. I now gain most of my weight in my upper body which is unusual because I used to gain weight all over. I'm wondering if the reasoning behind this is medical or if it's the food I'm eating, or my lack of exercise has obviously decreased my muscle mass in my lower extremities?
Any help would be appreciated
Many times females will follow their mothers in shape. So is your mother the same shape as you?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
1 -
OP, other than injections or liposuction, there's no way we can change where our bodies put on or take off fat. It's not anything you're eating or any exercise you're doing/not doing. The only thing you can do is lose weight and let your body pull it from wherever it wants to. It can be frustrating (since most people don't lose or gain evenly), but it mostly evens out in the end.1
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Somatotypes are pseudo science. One can be an "ectomorph" as a kid and an "endomorph" as an adult. In other words, the "body type" didn't change just CICO.I don't think there's a reason we gain weight in certain places. Some people just carry their weight in the upper part of their body and some more in the lower (butt, thighs, and legs). It's just part of your DNA.
Losing the weight, it will sort itself out and you will lose weight all over - although more in certain places first. But how/where you lose first/last is beyond your control.
I recommend you research somatotypes. This is important.
Developed by a psychologist and not a physiologist, it was based on BEHAVIORS and not actual empirical measurements of people's body's.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
2 -
No that would be genetics.smotheredincheese wrote: »As you lose weight you'll probably find you lose in different areas at different times and you body shape might change several times over before you get to your goal, not to mention the impact exercise may have, particularly if you start lifting.
And the reason some people lose and store weight in different areas? Somatotypes.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
1 -
also about somatypes https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Sheldon somewhere along the lines someone decided it would be a good idea to lump body shape into these categories and make diets for these body types,if you ask me it was all about making money off of people. not to mention as far as somatypes go if it were true when it came to weight loss,weight gain,etc I would have traits of all 3 categories, so to me that means its all bunk.your body changes over the years,whether you have kids or not. weight aside,as you get older some things shrink,some things get bigger, its how the human body works.0
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Lol, that would be practically all men. I have wider shoulders than my hips. I still store fat first in my stomach and chest area. And I started out as an "ectomorph". How did it change to "mesomorph"? It didn't.The only articles I can find countering somatotypes are from unscholarly sources.
Since this is simply a way of categorizing body types based on the relation between hips and shoulder width you can't really debunk it. Why do some people store weight in their butt and some in their stomach? Because the individual with larger hips has a larger surface area in the rear for fat to be stored. I am a mesomorph so the easiest place for my body to store weight would be in my stomach/chest area. Biology!
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition 2 -
alexrocklorenz wrote: »singingflutelady wrote: »These are the technical definition of somatotypes
Endomorphic Body Type:
soft body
underdeveloped muscles
round shaped
over-developed digestive system
Associated personality traits:
love of food
tolerant
evenness of emotions
love of comfort
sociable
good humored
relaxed
need for affection
Mesomorphic Body Type
Mesomorphic Body Type:
hard, muscular body
overly mature appearance
rectangular shaped
thick skin
upright posture
Associated personality traits:
adventurous
desire for power and dominance
courageous
indifference to what others think or want
assertive, bold
zest for physical activity
competitive
love of risk and chance
Ectomorphic Body Type
Ectomorphic Body Type:
thin
flat chest
delicate build
young appearance
tall
lightly muscled
stoop-shouldered
large brain
Associated personality traits:
self-conscious
preference for privacy
introverted
inhibited
socially anxious
artistic
mentally intense
emotionally restrained
This is what we call pseudoscience.
its what i call as accurate as astrology LOL0 -
The only articles I can find countering somatotypes are from unscholarly sources.
Since this is simply a way of categorizing body types based on the relation between hips and shoulder width you can't really debunk it. Why do some people store weight in their butt and some in their stomach? Because the individual with larger hips has a larger surface area in the rear for fat to be stored. I am a mesomorph so the easiest place for my body to store weight would be in my stomach/chest area. Biology!
Research the terms "android and gynoid fat distribution". That's not somatotypes.1
This discussion has been closed.
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