Moms: Do you default to a secondary apple tendency? - YouLookFab Forum

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Moms: Do you default to a secondary apple tendency?

ironkurtin

Veteran

I'm an inverted triangle (I just checked - shoulders wider than hips, check), with a little bit of an apple tummy. I notice many other moms list a primary type - and then apple as the secondary type. It's like clockwork!

Now, I never had a totally flat stomach, even when I was at the height of my digestive woes, you could see the bones in my neck, and I was working out regularly (working out being a common remedy for stomach issues). But now, after having my daughter seven years ago, I have a little belly that - no matter what my diet or exercise routine - seems to have settled stubbornly in.
(My personal trainer thought we could get rid of it, sweet little lambkin, but he had the optimism and metabolism of youth. Sample conversation:
Me: Can we take it easy today? I'm a bit tired.
Him: Tired? What do you mean, tired? You mean your muscles are fatigued?
Me: No, just tired. You know, tired.
Him: Like, sleepy?
Me: No. *Tired.* ...How old are you again?
Him: 24.
Me: Kids?
Him: No.
Me: Okay. Trust me, someday you'll know what tired is.
Him: Can't wait.)

What do you think? Does a bite of apple just come naturally with being a mom?

Body Type

19 replies

Latest reply was from

HeleenH

Veteran

I am a pear with a little bit of a tummy, but I never considered that to turn me into a secondary apple. I think I am a well-bottomed pear all the way.
I know that kind of tired, too...

Amy

(website)

Veteran

Tired, yes. I don't have an adorable apple figure though. I carry my weight elsewhere (thighs, not tummy).

Sara L.

Veteran

I don't think being an apple shape is something that happens to every mom. I have a friend, who is a mom, with one of the flattest stomachs I've ever seen. I think it depends on what shape you were before kids. Like you, I've always had a bit of stomach pooch, and now that I've had two kids, things haven't changed. Since I had the stomach pudge before kids though, I think that's just my shape, with or without kids.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I think you may be right in many cases. My mom and my sister developed little tummies while I never have (I've never had children)... but, I've yet to go through menopause, which I understand also can contribute to a little additional belly. I do know that I'm carrying a little more weight around the middle than I did the last time I was the weight and size I am now -- I took some measurements recently and my ribcage (bra band) measurement is a full inch+ smaller than around my natural waist, (which explains why waist belts always drive me nuts because they ride up my torso, I suppose seeking the smallest part of me). I think some of that is the dreaded post-40 love-handle/muffin-top syndrome. Even though I kind of hate both of those terms.

I've also heard many of my friends who have kids talk about their tummy issues, so I don't think you're alone.

Queen Mum

Veteran

hmm, while I have nowhere near a flat tummy, I've never considered myself an apple. I thought an apple was more than just the tummy pooch, but a more rounded middle section overall, affecting the waistline as much as the profile tummy view.

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

I would list "apple" as my primary body type. It defines my clothing choices more than any other feature. If I am not careful, certain waist surrender outfits can make me look like I am six months pregnant. Actually that's what drove me to YLF in the first place a year ago. People kept asking me if I was pregnant. That was not nice! My doctors have told me that it's not going away. My muscles never tightened back up after my pregnancies. No amount of sit ups is going to make it go away so I just have to embrace my body type and dress it as best as I can. I am also very petite so any slight fluctuation in weight immediately and very noticeably ends up at my midsection.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I think an apple tendency is common after childbirth- your bones shift and your skin stretches- but of course there are lucky ladies who don't get that.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I also think that apple body type is more that not having a washboard flat tummy. As long as you have a very defined waist comparing to your hips you are not an apple IMO.
I have 2 children and my tummy is not completely flat. My waist measurement is 3 in. bigger than it was before I had kids but it is still very defined so no apple in sight here.
The same goes for my mom who is 67 years old and has a very defined waist - menopause or not.

ironkurtin

Veteran

I have no waist at all. Actually, by reading another site, my body proportions - longer legs, shorter torso - means that I literally have no room between my ribcage and hips for a waist to show! So yes, although I selected the little pooch as a topic, I do think I have a secondary apple - way more than hourglass or pear. Sorry if that was confusing!

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I too consider an apple to be a more rounded tummy that starts above the waist and continues to near the hip. I have a little belly pooch (and a child) but it starts just below my waist and from the side I have a very definite indentation at the waist.

I consider myself an hourglass with pear tendency. I am also quite long-legged for my height and quite short-waisted.

Fruitful

Veteran

Love your transcript of the convo with your trainer IK! I had to laugh. The sad thing is, being a guy he might not ever experience or understand that tiredness... some men leave all the heavy lifting of parenting to women.

On topic, I am starting to wonder if I should admit to being secondarily apple too. I really don't want to admit it as all my life I haven't been and I feel like it will go away if I lose weight. I'm very definitely pear shaped but because my bust is small my stomach doesn't have to stick out much to protrude beyond said bust. When I'm indulging negativity about my body I don't think of myself as an apple or a pear, more a baby whale swelling out on back and front. That sounds so bad when I write it down!

Isabel

Veteran

I don't know, but how timely.

I do know that hormones play a big role in these things. I always had a very flat stomach, even after my children were born. Now though, with age ( 47 ) and meds to treat my estrogen postive breast cancer, I have developed the belly of a middle-aged, beer guzzling, football, couch potato ( male of course ). I finally decided, today, that I was going to buy some new clothes for my new body. It was a bit depressing at first. But at least it fits ! I think that I am ok with the way it is...and probably will be now for the rest of my life. I just wished I had gazed at my lovely abdomen more adoringly before !!! ( I remind myself all the time that when I am 70, I am going to look back and think that I looked hot at this point LOL )

catgirl

Veteran

I'm also an IT/apple. I've never had a flat stomach and even when I was dangerously thin, it was still there, just that extra pooch around the middle.

I would love to know what it's like to have flat abs, because it does seem like the one attribute that no one finds genuinely attractive (vs. booty or boobage, which is a more acceptable body part to have in generous amounts). I mean, no one ever says, "Wow, that's some hot-looking gut!" That's the tough part for me.

Dashrashi

Veteran

I think a little belly can be cute, AG, but my cultural biases insist that that's only so if it comes along with a well-defined waist. So it goes...

(For the record, I'm not a mom but I'm fairly sure I'm an hourglass with secondary apple, so I fully anticipate going full-apple if and after I have kids.)

catgirl

Veteran

Dash, my husband says the same, but a cute little belly at 25 is not so adorable after stretch marks and aging skin... It's not the focus of my life, but more a wishful thinking kind of thing to daydream of washboard abs.

anne

Veteran

I am a mother of three, and certainly wonder at times if I have apple tendencies, but it wouldn't be my secondary body type, as I have three other possiblites for body type - pear, hourglass and rectangle.

Like Fruitful, my very small bust makes me more conscious of any belly sticking out - I only have 6 inches at best between my bust and waist measurements. However I have a quite well defined waist at the sides, so I think that rules apples out.

Also I remember Angie saying that Hourglasses - and -Pears- with- a -bit extra- around- the middle are her most commonly dressed body type

From my observations of other Mums, (and I have done plenty) there are 3 types who are more likely to have definite apple secondary types - short waisted IT'sare the most likely, followed by short waisted rectangles and lastly shortwaisted pears of the high hip variety. Short waistedness is the unifying feature here.

qfbrenda

Veteran

I don't think I'm a secondary apple and don't tend to gain weight there. I gain and lose weight all over evenly. But after multiple pregnancies--a high number compared to most on this board--my abs will never be the same. I have a squish there that doesn't want to go away even though I'm a healthy weight and work out a lot.

cciele

Veteran

Pre-kids and middle age, I was an hourglass. Now my waist has definitely thickened! I'm in the rectangle category now, but I wonder if I am actually more apple-y? Who knows

Anonymous

I'm usually an hourglass, but do have some tummy flab after having 4 children. Three of the births were c-section deliveries, and no matter how much I diet and exercise, that flab doesn't ever tone up or go away. I consider myself lucky to be a size 6/8 who can wear most off-the-rack clothing without alterations. The only alterations I usually have to make are hemming pants. Rarely do I have to have a skirt hemmed or sleeves shortened. I just make sure to select tailored clothing that works for my body type and disguises (to the best of the garment's ability) my tummy flab. It's all about illusion dressing!