Searching for all you Apple shaped women!!

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)!

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.

paigeross27 wrote: »

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.

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.

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 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 .

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.

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?

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.

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!

Beneath all the fat, I'm a thick stick with boobs. The "hips" I have are just fat. The first places it comes off are my thighs and back. The last place it comes off is the roll at my "waist".

Since fat makes for a horrible waist, I am also a destroyer of belts. Recently lost more inches at my waist (yeah!), but relied on a belt to keep pants from sliding down and nearly broke through it this week.

I accept these things about myself and only buy belts on sale or discount stores. Now if only my boobs were department store sized rather than European speciality sized -- expensive to shrink out of $100 plus bras in six weeks. Needless to say, I currently own only three bras that sort of half fit, and I do a lot of handwashing.

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 is the best post and makes so much sense. I am an apple shape and never heard of the terms "rectangle" or "ruler" but that is exactly what I was when I was at my lowest weight ten years ago. I had hardly any fat on me but my bust, waist, and hip measurements were all within an inch of each other. Now that I am a lot heavier (goal is to go from 140 to 120), my waist is where most of my fat is. It's so frustrating to find clothes when you are this shape (especially if you have the bonus of being short). I feel resentful sometimes when I see women that are a lot heavier than me but because they actually have a "shape," they look so much better. I just have to get over it. I will never have an hourglass shape but I can definitely get to a point where I feel better about myself.