Your personal body shape determines how well you fit into clothes and how to effectively exercise for best results. For most women, the ideal body shape is that of an hourglass or figure eight, but not everyone is that fortunate. Women are born with a specific body shape, so no matter how much you desire to change it, you have to learn to deal with your genetic makeup and work with what you have. The best approach for accommodating your personal body attributes is to first establish which body shape you carry.
Step 1
Stand in front of the mirror nude or wearing undergarments. Focus on just your torso area--excluding arms, legs, neck and breasts--to better visualize if you resemble a pear, inverted triangle, rectangle or hourglass. Write down one of the four common body shapes you think you fall under.
Step 2
Take your tape measure and measure the circumference of your chest. Start your measurement from the middle of your bust line and continue around your back. Record your measurement.
Step 3
Measure the circumference of your waist. Find the smallest part of your body or position your measuring tape 1 inch from your navel and measure around to your back. Record your measurement.
Step 4
Measure the circumference of your hips. Find the widest point on your hip area and measure around to your backside (just above your glutes). Record your measurement.
Step 5
Compare your chest, waist and hip measurements with the typical measurements that follow the pear; rectangle (ruler); inverted triangle (cone); and hourglass to confirm your prediction and determine which body shape you actually are.
Tips and Warnings
- To maintain a healthy body shape, choose a diet that does not include high fat foods that will later accumulate in the most common trouble areas--hips, thighs, and upper arms; carrying excess weight only accentuates your body shape. If you are unhappy with your body shape, there are ways to slightly change or enhance your look naturally through exercise. Incorporate an exercise regimen consisting of resistance and aerobic training that caters to your specific body shape. (See Resources)
Things You'll Need
- Full-length mirror
- Tape measure
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