Hey Girlies!
To continue on with the body shape health and fitness series, we will now address the apple shape! Now, you may have wondered to yourselves, WHY am I an apple shape? The answer to this question is that your adrenal glands are over working and as a result, you're cortisol hormone dominant! The adrenal glands are responsible for producing the cortisol hormone, which is also known as the stress hormone. It's responsible for letting us know when to react in dangerous or life threatening situations. However, in the apple shape's case, the adrenal glands are over producing cortisol when it's
NOT necessary! When too much cortisol is produced, it causes weight gain and mainly in the midsection.
One of the most common experiences for this shape is: frequent urination (because of too much pressure or stress on the adrenal glands), lack or inability to sleep, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, sinus allergies, low vitamin D levels, diabetes, body inflammation, chronic fatigue, and lack of concentration.
Now that I gave you a brief description as to WHY you are an apple shape, let me list and explain the foods that you need to include in your diet to help lower and maintain those cortisol hormones:
1. 1. Eat foods that are HIGH in protein, such as:
a. Lean meat protein (chicken breasts and fish)
i. Eat ONLY organic free ranged chicken breasts not treated with hormones! If it does NOT say those words on the package, DO NOT EAT IT! Nowadays,
companies are injecting chickens with hormones to make them bigger, which will provide more meat per chicken, cutting down costs on their ends.
Those hormones, when ingested, will attach themselves or mimic those estrogen hormones we have in our bodies, causing more fat and cellulite gain,
as well as imbalances to our hormones, which can open up a plethora of problems, such as tumors and chronic fatigue, to name a few.
ii. You can eat other meats, like beef or turkey, but again make sure that they say that they have not been injected with any hormones! I do suggest
to try and limit your beef intake, since red meat is not necessarily the best for your overall health. But in moderation, it's definitely okay!
b. Protein has the ability to keep us fuller longer, which will ultimately reduce the temptation to reach for sugary and unhealthy snacks
2. Eats foods that are HIGH in complex carbohydrates-These foods are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which are essential to eliminating waste and
toxins from our body, examples of these are:
a. Beans
i. Including lentils
b. Whole grain cereals, breads, & rice
i. I suggest the brand Kashi for cereals, but make sure the box says Non-Gmo ingredients
*Non-Gmo means that the ingredients have not been genetically modified or changed. Again, just like I mentioned how hormones are being
injected into meat, the same is true in fruits and veggies to make them larger and the color more vibrant. This is why sometimes you see
fruits and veggies in the supermarket that look extremely huge and not normal, it because they're NOT normal! That's why I'd again, suggest
purchasing organic fruits and veggies or from a local farmer's market, since they generally don't use GMOs; they don't have the pressure from
these big companies to produce a certain standard or image of fruit and veggies. Yes, that's right, just like we have the ideal image in
Hollywood, we now have it in our foods!
ii. For oatmeal, I suggest the brand Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats, which should be available in your local supermarket chain
(stop & shop, Food Emporium, etc.) in the health food aisle
*Steel cut oats is not a glycemic carb. Glycemic carbs cause blood sugar and insulin levels to rapidly increase, which ultimately promotes
weight gain in the apple shape, since they naturally have the tendency to have these levels easily spiked
iii. For bread, I suggest the brands, Food for Life and Ezekiel Bread. You MUST keep these breads frozen to maintain all of the natural benefits
from the whole grain ingredients.
* Most of their breads contain barley, which as I just mentioned in point ii, lowers and controls cortisol levels. They also do NOT include
refined carbs, which are comprised mainly of processed sugars (hence the word refined-which means to change), these sugars spike your
blood sugar levels, thus increasing those cortisol levels, too!
iv. I suggest brown rice, quinoa, or wild rice, instead of plain white rice, since they have a lot more nutrients and white rice is a refined carb, which as
mentioned is a no, no!
c. I do want to mention that constipation among apple shapes is likely when too much fiber is consumed, so don't go overboard by eating these foods
2 times a day, everyday. I've seen it negatively effect my husband, who's an apple shape!
i. Yes, there is such a thing as GOOD fat, lol! These are rich in Omega-3s, Polysaturated, and Monosaturated fats (look on the label on your foods and
you'll see the last two listed next to it's content).
a. Avocados (they have anti-inflammatory fats, good for the stomach!)
b. Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and cashews)
c. Cold, non-pressed or refined GMO free extra virgin oils (olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and coconut oils)
* DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT COOK WITH OLIVE OIL ON HIGH HEAT! WHEN IT HITS A HIGH TEMP, IT TURNS FROM GOOD CHOLESTEROL TO BAD
CHOLESTEROL, CAUSING HEART PROBLEMS! USE THIS FOR SAUTÉING ONLY AND USE THE CANOLA, PEANUT, OR COCONUT OILS FOR MEATS!
d. Fish (salmon and sea bass)- these fish posses anti-inflammatory fats (for the stomach)
5. Lastly, eat dairy that has not been treated with hormones. It will usually say no rBST and/or rBGH
a. Yogurt
i. I suggest the Liberté Yogurt perfection brand, which I know for sure is available at Mrs. Greens
ii. Chobani Greek Yogurt does NOT offer this!
b. Milk
i. Cow's milk (1-2% and whole- where the fat has not been removed)
ii. Almond (I HIGHLY SUGGEST THE SILK BRAND)
iii. Coconut (I HIGHLY SUGGEST THE SILK BRAND)
iv. DO NOT DRINK SOY MILK, EVER! Soy is a low grade protein and can cause tumors to develop and become cancerous!
Vitamins & Supplements:
I always suggest consuming protein shakes to help optimize your workout results, especially if you're weight training! DO NOT CONSUME ANY PROTEIN THAT HAS SOY AS AN INGREDIENT! Remember, it's pre-cancerous causing and is a low quality protein!
1. Protein powders
a. I HIGHLY suggest the Vega Sport performance protein in their recover option. They also offer pre-work out and work out drinks, if you enjoy those as
well.
i. They contain NO dairy, gluten, soy, or additional sugars!
b. Multivitamins
i. These are essential because no matter how much we try, we don't always get in our daily needed intake of fruits and veggies. Multivitamins help
fill in any missing holes and help increase our overall vitality!
* I suggest the brand Alive!, which you can find at your local supermarket or New Chapter's Every Woman Multivitamin sold in health food stores
c. Consume a vitamin D3 supplement
i. I suggest starting off with 1000IU then gradually work your way up to 5000IU. This supplement is great for your bone health and supports a
healthy immune system, as well as helps in preventing various cancers.
a. Everyone in my house takes this supplement, including my 12 year old step-daughter (she takes 1000IU). She was born anemic and would get
sick VERY easily and now, she probably catches a cold once a year, as do my husband and I, which lasts like a day!
NOW FOR THE FITNESS:
1. Cardio
a. You must include cardio in your fitness routine as an apple shape, it's essential! Not only is it great for burning calories, but, it's also great for
heart health, and this shape as a greater chance of developing heart disease(s).
i. You should definitely be doing at least 30 minutes of cardio daily, either in walking, running, jogging, swimming, or biking
b. AVOID the elliptical!
* I've read many research reports that have stated that the elliptical provided little to no substantial effect on one's muscle and definition
development and the benefits were the same to that of walking around in the mall (who agrees that's way more fun?!)
c. The treadmill
* I suggest walking on an incline to for about 20 minutes (of course consult your physician to ensure that you're physically capable of doing this) on
an increased speed to get the heart rate going (like a power walk)
d. The stair master
* This machine will do wonders for your booty! What I like to do is with each step, I kick backwards while squeezing my butt with the opposite leg
e. Bike riding
* This is another exercise that's great for your legs, especially those calves! To get the most out of this workout for your tush and legs, try
standing and leaning slightly forward while peddling
f. Walking/running outdoors
* If you don't have a gym membership or are not interested and prefer to outdoors, walking and/or running is also great. If you are able to walk
to where you need or want to go, do it! What I like to do is park my car further from the entrance to the supermarket or shopping malls, forcing me
to choose health over connivence ;)
** You heard me mention the use of ankle weights in one of my recent videos (watch here). They make a world of a difference in any fitness
routine and can be added while walking, running, or playing sports to increase the difficulty and engage all your lower body muscles at once!
they'll get big and bulky. Guys, do I look big and bulky?! I'm sure you'll answer no and guess what? I lift weights! . Now, for this body shape, you want to
primarily focus on your arms, stomach, and butt. I wouldn't suggest training your back and shoulders much, since this shape tends to have wider
shoulders and back and the muscle growth can cause them to become and appear much larger. Concentrate on toning and defining the areas I mention
and you'll look more fit and toned/sculpted.
a. Glute/butt sculpting workouts (ALL DONE USING MY ANKLE WEIGHTS) 3 SETS of about 10-20 reps (depending on what you can do, yet that's a
challenge):
1. Squats (using free weights, "dumbbells" as well as the smith machine at the gym)
2. Walking lunges
3. In place lunges
4. Hip adductor and abductor machine
5. The glute machine
6. Russian deadlifts
7. One leg deadlifts
8. Leg press
b. Arm workouts:
1. Dumbbell curls
2. Triceps pushdown with a rope attachment
3. Decline EZ bar triceps extension
4. Overhead tricep extensions
c. Ab workouts:
1. Prone plank
2. The climb up
3. Single leg stretch
4. Ab crunch machine
There are some ladies that I follow on Instagram because they're workouts are AMAZING! I suggest you follow them and only do the workouts they provide that match up to what I mentioned you need to focus on, so don't too much of shoulders and back!:
*tanaashleee
* dev1fit
* mariza_villarreal and her other account marizavillarreal_
*michelle_lewin and her other account michelle_lewin_
3. Yoga
Since this shape tends to have higher levels of cortisol, which are the "stress hormones", I highly suggest giving yoga a try. It's relaxing and incorporates
a full body workout, improving breathing skills, muscle definition, and strength training, to name a few. I also suggest having some quality alone time,
either in your home or elsewhere (a beautiful park is quite relaxing, especially with water). Try writing down your thoughts and feeling to prevent them
from replaying in your mind over and over, causing stress to resurface. I also suggest thinking about the relationships you have. Is there anyone who
is bringing you down or a "Debbie Downer", someone who's always negative? You may want to consider omitting these people from your life, as hard as
it may be. It's taking a toll on your mind and body, which you don't need!
The last thing I want to mention is that you must be drinking plenty of water to help flush out toxins and regulate your blood flow. Try to reduce the amount of sugary drinks and sodas and eventually, you should try to eliminate them completely from your diet, since they are horrible for the apple shape in spiking blood and insulin levels through the roof; I don't care if it's "diet"...yea right!
How do you know how much water is enough? Well, simply multiply your current weight by 2/3 (or .67=67%) and the number you get is the amount of oz you should be drinking daily. I also want to add that I've read research (back in my pre-med days), that mentioned the ice-water in particular, can help reduce the amount of cortisol, which I would like and suggest you try.
I hope you ladies found this helpful! Check back on Friday to learn some tips for all you rectangular shapes. I will be unable to continue tomorrow, due to an event I'm attending and Thursday a video will be going up!
Disclaimer: Please consult your physician before making any significant changes to your diet and work out routine to know if it's best for your specific needs!
Xo,
