Foods for Pear Shapes

Apples and pears are more than choices in your grocery store produce section, they are a way of describing certain body types. A pear-shaped individual carries more weight around the hips and glutes, creating a bottom heavy look. While the fat carried in the hips is considered subcutaneous fat, which is less dangerous than the visceral fat found around the abdomen, eating a diet low in fat is best to shed excess pounds that place pressure on leg veins and throw off your body balance.

Pear Challenges

A pear-shaped individual tends to collect more fat in the thighs and hips. The fat cells in your hips and thighs are virtual magnets for fat. The fat is then stored there and released when needed for energy. Because of this, when you eat foods that are high in fat, any excess fat that is not burned through physical activity is stored in the hips, glutes and thighs. The old saying "a moment on the lips, forever on the hips" is especially true when your body is described as a pear shape. A pear shape also has a slower metabolism than someone with an apple shape, making it harder to lose weight overall.

Low Fat Diet

The most important component of your diet is to avoid foods that have a high saturated fat content, warns Marie Savard, author of "Apples & Pears: The Body Shape Solution for Weight Loss and Wellness." This allows you to skip the process where excess fat is stored on your hips. Instead, focus on foods that contain complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid saturated fats in any form, which are the fats that become solid at room temperature -- think fatty meats and oils -- instead choosing healthy fats like those from avocados and olive oil.

Bone Loss Foods

A person with a pear-shaped body is more prone to osteoporosis and other bone-density issues. This occurs specifically in women, since pear shapes create weaker estrogen. That estrogen is necessary for maintaining bone strength, and when it is weak or not released in adequate amounts, bone issues can arise. By eating a diet high in calcium and soy and avoiding sugar and fat, you can keep your bone strong. It's also vital that you have a yearly bone density scan after age 50 to detect osteoporosis.

Exercise

Your pear body shape cannot be balanced with diet alone. Trying methods of exercise that allow you to build bone strength, burn excess fat and create stronger hips and thighs can help shrink your problem areas. Pear shapes are also more prone to self esteem issues, Savard tells CBS News. Exercise can help raise confidence while leading to a better healthy body. Try resistance training to help maintain bone and muscle strength, adding cardiovascular activity to burn the excess fat causing your pear shape.