You may have considered dressing to suit your body shape, but you can also eat and exercise for your body shape in order to achieve the best possible proportion. Depending on where your problem areas are and what areas you'd like to emphasize, a certain workout routine and specialized diet tailored for your body shape can help you get the most from your body and feel confident and attractive no matter what size your hips, thighs or tummy may be.
Hourglass
Often touted as the most desirable shape, the hourglass shape is the most proportionate body shape. Classified by a larger chest, larger hips and a smaller waist, some people with hourglass shapes may be concerned with the hip and thigh area. If you have an hourglass shape, try adding both cardio and resistance training to your workout, suggests WomenFitness.net. This will help you build muscle, burn fat and keep your shape in check. When eating, choose dairy and lean protein to keep your muscle mass high and to keep your waist looking tiny.
Pear
A person with a pear shape is traditionally smaller through the chest and stomach, and carries most of his weight in the hips and thigh area. This shape is common, and results in a disproportion between the top and bottom half of the body. To balance a pear shape, try pairing aerobic activities like running or dancing with strength training on the bottom half of your body in the form of lunges, squats and other exercises that will target your lower half. For your diet, "Fitness" magazine recommends avoiding fatty foods, as the fat can be stored in your hip and thigh area. Instead, choose low-fat offerings like lean protein, whole grains, lentils and low-fat cereal.
Apple
People with apple-shaped bodies carry most of their weight in the tummy and thigh area, resulting in a rounded appearance on the torso. If you are an apple shape, you likely have complaints about your midsection and how easy it seems to be to gain weight in your belly. To give yourself a slimmer look, target your belly by teaming cardio with hardcore ab work. Crunches, wood chops, and reverse crunches can help burn fat from your midsection, notes Gaiam.com. For your diet, stick to low carb alternatives with healthy fats. Luckily, Kathie Swift, RD, nutrition director for the UltraWellness Center in Massachusetts notes that abdominal fat is the easiest to lose, so you should be able to achieve results by adding exercise and watching what you eat.
Boy
If you are a "boy" shape, also known as a "ruler" or "chili pepper," you have a straight body without much deviation from your chest, belly and hip area. People with boy-shaped bodies struggle to find proportion without the help of curves. When you exercise, stick to lean muscle-building fitness like running, yoga and dance. Any amount of fat can make you look out of proportion, so focus on staying slim. Neva Cochran, RD, a dietitian and nutrition consultant, suggests a diet of healthy fats, carbohydrates and protein in combination for the best body possible.
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