Can your body type change?

nadinef45

So now that I know my shape I have a couple of follow up questions.

Can your body type change when you lose weight or do people usually maintain the same shape regardless of size?

Also, if I'm an hourglass with pear tendencies, which rules do I adhere to primarily? I'll try both out but it just seems that some of the rules for these two shapes seem to contradict each other so it's hard to know exactly what to do!

Any insight into these two questions are much appreciated!!!

P.S. This forum is so fun!

17 years ago

Body Type

17 replies

Latest reply was from shiny

Maya

Veteran

Body type can change. I was a rectangle for years and then recently I ballooned into an hourglass. But some changes are unlikely. It's not likely that you will go from a pear to an inverted triangle. I once read that apples can change shape the most easily because fat around the stomach is typically the "bad" kind, but pears will just become smaller pears because fat is meant to be stored in the hips (in women). Dunno if it's true or not.

As for body type guidelines, what rules do you think contradict? An hourglass is basically a pear but with a fuller bust or stronger shoulder that helps balance the bottom half out better. Maybe follow rules for the pear on the bottom and hourglass on top?

17 years ago

shiny

Veteran

This is a constant question on calorie count site, which I used to participate in; it helped me lose 20-25 very stubborn pounds that my doctor wanted me to lose because I've long been prediabetic and was getting into the danger zone. I wasn't that overweight but diabetes runs strongly in my family. Even my thin relatives end up with it by their 50s and 60s. So if I don't want to go on insulin, I am told that I have to keep my weight within a very narrow range and be careful with diet and exercise.

Here is what I learned through that forum:

1) If you just diet only, you will basically shrink down to a smaller version of whatever shape you start at.

2) If you diet and do cardio only, it's pretty likely this is going to happen too - though you may make minor improvements in your shape, depending on what cardio you choose.

I'm proof: I ate a fairly low-carb diet (basically a diabetic diet), did no weight training but was running a lot, and doing yoga, and my measurements shrunk. I dropped 4 dress sizes. BUT the proportions all stayed *exactly* the same.... and I find that the 0p's have the exact same fit issues as the 6p's and 8p's did!!!

I may be the same exact shape - but my blood sugar and other numbers are much better and I feel better and my doctor is very happy, so I am embracing this shape!

3) If you take up weight training - and I'm talking heavy weights, not wimpy ones - not the machines but dumbells and barbells i.e. free weights - you can indeed change your body shape!!! Dramatically, depending on how much you do.

I forget the name of the book and web site, but it's some highly-regarded fitness challenge thing where they show these before and afters that are fascinating. Those who commit to the weight training program, end up in their "afters" all having basically the same shape: neither pear or apple. Hourglass is closest description; fit would be the best way to describe it. Like those fitness models you see on the late-night infomercials for fitness products. Proportional all over.

I used to do weight training and my body was definetly a different shape. I had much more of a butt (it's flat now) and better curves to my hips and thighs, balancing out my upper half. My waist was an inch thinner too, my arms thinner, and shoulders more shapely.

I dropped out of it due to various issues, and haven't gotten back into it because it takes a commitment I'm just not up to at this point in my life. Living at the gym just doesn't sound appealing to me anymore, and I can only do so much at home - no room here for a home gym. Maybe one of these days.

Can't answer your other question, because I'm an hourglass with inverted triangle tendencies.

17 years ago

theresa

Active Member

Shiny, your reply to nadine's question sure helped to motivate and inspire me! Congratulations on your weight loss - what an accomplishment! Even though you're not lifting weights anymore, the energy that you now have must feel wonderful.

17 years ago

nadinef45

Active Member

To Maya's question about how the two styles can contradict each other: both bottoms seem to be the same so that's easy! But for an hourglass top, the tips include staying away from too much layering and keep with simple, soft fabrics. For a pear shape, it seems to be pretty much opposite! Wear lots of layers and bring as much attention and focus to your upper half as possible. I think I just have to mess around with a bunch of stuff and see what works best. It's just confusing when you're trying to identify some general rules to start looking for clothes that will compliment you and don't know where to start!

And to Shiny: Thank you for the information! And congratulations on the weight loss. You had a very thorough answer and it was very helpful. And I like that you added that it takes a lot of commitment to change your body shape. I think if you're going to take on that challenge, you have to be aware of what it's actually going to take.

17 years ago

Maya

Veteran

To be honest, Nadine, I haven't found identifying my body type to be very helpful in choosing clothes and silhouettes. I know some of the ladies here will disagree with me on that point, but that has been my experience. I haven't discovered anything new or found clothes shopping easier since finding out I'm an hourglass. I wouldn't get too attached to the rules. Just use them as a starting point and try a whole bunch of things on and you might find there are some pear tips that work better and some hourglass tips that work better.

Oddly enough, I often find that the advice used for the apple seems to work best for me even though the apple is probably about as far from my body type as can be.

17 years ago

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

I carried most of my excess weight in my stomach (upper ab area) and adhered to the rules for apple body types.
Now that the belly has shrunk I am not distracted with that and can see my body shape entirely - an hourglass with pear tendencies.
I do both cardio and weight training but my body shape remains hourglass/slight pear. Weight training defines muscles, it doesn't change your shape. Unless you're a power lifter, which I am not. Many light reps of weight training defines - fewer heavy reps allows you to bulk up.
Clothes will fit different with weight training - I have larger arms and quads especially and have to fit things there first.
I primarily dress as an hourglass, but I try to avoid the basic no-nos for pear shapes to be on the safe side. (Primarily anything in relation to my hips.)

17 years ago

Ana

(website)

Veteran

I'm an hourglass that tends toward an inverted triangle. I knew I had a strong shoulder line before coming to this site, but some of the body shape rules here have helped me (they've at least explained to me why certain styles don't look good on me). However, there are exceptions to every rule. This is why I try everything, because sometimes I'm surprised that something I thought wouldn't work, looks great. After a while, you get a pretty good sense of what works for you and what doesn't, and that is what has helped me the most in streamlining my shopping experience.

17 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Sarbear - I don't want to get too far off topic, but I would like to address this:

"many light reps of weight training defines"

This is a myth - what you are doing is cardio, and perhaps getting some flexibility benefits. But, you might as well not bother, because you aren't building muscle.

You have to challenge the muscle to build muscle. If you can do more than 12 reps, your weights aren't heavy enough. (If you can't do 8 reps, they're TOO heavy).

"fewer heavy reps allows you to bulk up"

If you are female, this is a very common (and unfortunate) myth!! You will not bulk up. Okay.... there are exceptions .... my college roomie is one of them, but her brother was once a world-class bodybuilder, so it runs in her family and is something about her genetics.... but such exceptions are extremely, extremely rare.

A quick science lesson: if you have flabby muscles, they are riddled with fat. Think about a steak and how it has marbling: that is what your muscles look like. If you don't lift heavy weights, your muscles will be bulky.

If you weight train, your body will burn this intramuscular fat first - because it is closer to the muscle itself. So while you may still have subcutaneous fat overlying the muscles and hiding them, your muscles will become sleeker as they get stronger. And the more muscle you have, the higher rate your body burns calories - even while you sleep!! (This is why our guys can eat a zillion calories and not gain a pound - they simply have more muscle than we do. When I was weight training, I could eat a zillion calories more than I can now).

A lot of people who start weight training think they are getting bulky, because they simply haven't progressed enough to that tipping point when the subcutaneous fat starts melting away to reveal the sleek muscle underneath. Or, they see the immediate after-effect: for an hour or so after lifting, you do bulk up a bit because water and blood are rushing into your muscles. This is a temporary effect.

Weight training with heavy weights is also highly important for women, because it builds stronger bones and increases flexibility. If you want to protect yourself from osteoporosis, it's likely that it is more important to lift heavy weights than it is to drink your milk.

17 years ago

Becky

Veteran

Nadine, I am a flat-chested hourglass with a strong shoulder line, so I am learning to pick and choose which upper body suggestions to follow. I want details that will enhance my bust (breast pockets, front ruffles, etc.), but I do not want ones that will enhance my shoulder line (puff sleeves, slash/boat neck, etc.). So I think you need to look at your individual upper half and see what needs to be enhanced and what needs to be minimized (if anything) and go from there.

17 years ago

shiny

Veteran

P.s. this is a great site for any females interested in body building:

http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/.....php?aid=45

17 years ago

nadinef45

Active Member

Thank you, I really appreciate all of the input.

To respond to Maya, I guess I was just looking for a quick fix! Oh well, I guess there could be worse things than taking the time to try on clothes and figure out what works for my body.

I just started taking pictures of my outfits to see what they look like. To my great surprise, they look quite a bit different from this perspective than when I just look in the mirror. How weird, I don't know how to explain it. Anyway, that's helping me identify what does and doesn't look good more objectively. I think I'm going to try to sneak my camera into my next dressing room for instant feedback! Hopefully I don't get busted.

17 years ago

Maya

Veteran

Well I don't want to discourage you! It depends a lot on what you already know as well. I already knew a lot of what to avoid and what to look for so it didn't help me much. I don't think there are ever quick fixes in terms of what to wear. There are just some guidelines that you can loosely follow. It's not enough to tell you exactly what to wear, but it's enough to make a huge department store full of endless possibilities more manageable.

My main problem with the hourglass tips is that there is so much about emphasizing my "tiny" waist...but I don't have a tiny waist. I am an hourglass because of my hips and my chest, not my waist. In fact, I have major problems with a lot things that are supposed to be perfect for hourglasses, like tie waists, belts, and wraps. I guess my lack of a waist might be why I tend to prefer the apple and busty rectangle guidelines on top, even though I'm not apple-ish or rectangular at all.

17 years ago

Alecia

Veteran

I don't mean to hijack this post, but I'm so excited about Shinys' posts. Right on, sister! All true. And Stumptous is a fabulous website! There are even pictures of my gym on it. What a small world!

I'm a BIG proponent of women lifting heavy things. It's really empowering. You get the benefit of being strong and getting a fabulous body. I will say that my body has changed since I started powerlifting but it isn't bulky. It more stuff like my butt lifting so pants fit differently. You know what? I'm willing to take a high butt.

17 years ago

Kyle

Veteran

I weight train three hours a week and do cardio, though not as much as I should. My basic body type has not changed, but it has built my shoulders so they are now as wide as my hips, which has balanced me and made me look less pear-ish. I've been doing it since my son was three (he's 16 now) and we were in a car accident. I needed to strengthen my back and I've kept with it. I have a little more freedom with food because I burn more calories. I was a size 12 when I married and today I am an 8, though I've been as low as a size 6. My dad is 87 years old and rides his bike 10 miles a day (minimum) and then goes to the gym to workout. He takes no medication and has no health problems. I want to be as healthy as possible as I age, and I believe exercise (good genetics help, too) is the best way to make it happen.

17 years ago

anne

Veteran

Maya, just wanted to say that I have quoted you from this thread in a new thread

17 years ago

Maya

Veteran

I hope you remembered to put the copyright symbol, Anne!

17 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Yeah Alecia!

But I do have to reiterate - for full and honest disclosure - that I have not been weight lifting for years now. As I mentioned, for personal reasons (a messy divorce, for one thing... and health issues for another... then just a lack of interest in spending so much time in the gym- and there's no room in our house for a home gym. I have some free weights, but it takes me only a month or so before I tap out and need higher weights). But I'm still a huge proponent - even if I'm not hitting the gym these days.

What's great about weight lifting is that even if you are on and off (like I have been) it still makes a health difference in the grand scheme of things!

Completely coincidentally and out of the blue, this morning my DD15 asked if I would join the gym and pump iron with her. I was kinda taken aback - aren't teens supposed to NOT want to do anything with their mom's??? So maybe I will get back into it afterall.

But oddly enough my knee-jerk reaction was: "I'll join the gym but frankly I'd rather take a yoga class.... and there's that place down the street that offers martial arts, which could be cool." I don't know where that came from. Well, maybe I do. Martial arts is something I've long been intrigued by. (That and anything that has to do with dancing).

Maya, I may have said this to you before, but here I go again... sorry if I'm being obnoxious, but you worry me sometimes, with your negative body image....

I said this to my DD just this morning, and now I'm saying it to you: often we don't see our own bodies the same way others see them. Even in photos. The brain plays weird tricks. I was in the obese range before I had my eldest DD; after she was born was when I got things figured out and got into fitness, weight training, running, and eating healthy... by the time DD#2 was walking, I was fitter than I have ever been in my life.... weighed *more* than I do now , but thinner all over (so thin I was relegated to shopping in the children's size 14 section, which totally sucked)

But even though I was fit as can be, and quite skinny, it took me a few years before my brain caught up and actually clicked in and saw yeah, I'm not obese anymore!!!

It's not just me. As I said, I hung out on a diet forum for awhile, and this is so extremely common. It works the opposite direction too: anorexic women who are skeletal and look in the mirror and just see fat.

So Maya if we all tell you that you have a waist and yes you look fab and svelte... believe us. Because we see something that your brain just hasn't caught up with seeing!

17 years ago

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