Different Body Shapes: Exercise & Diet

Though one can steer their horses of creativity in infinite directions when it comes to thinking of a perfect shape, the idea of a perfect body shape may differ from person to person, as everyone has his/her own set of imagination. However, this is no fun, but a serious matter of fitness and health. So, without much ado, let’s have a quick look at a few common types of body shapes. And simultaneously we will also throw some light on how one can sculpt his/her body shape to their own set of needs and requirements via exercise and diet.

Types of Body Shapes

Hourglass Body Shape – 

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An Hourglass shaped body is one of the quite famous body shapes. It is a body shape that is well-proportioned in both upper and lower sections of the body, accompanied with a slim waist.

It generally looks good, especially when you are a ramp model. However, in case you do not want to look too slim, you may want to gain weight, particularly in the hips and chest section.

Exercise:

Both cardio and resistance are helpful as an exercise for an hourglass shaped body. Cardio is great for keeping your weight in check. Whereas, resistance can help  maintain the balance between your upper and lower body. Though the goal here is to gain mass, however, it is important to use light weight during resistance exercises, so as to not gain too mush muscle mass.

Following types of exercises can be useful –

• Biceps curls, shoulder presses and squats.
• Swimming
• Jogging
• Exercise bike

Diet:

Lean and High-Quality Proteins: skinless chicken, tuna, lentils, cottage cheese and peas.

Non-starchy Vegetables: cabbage, broccoli, baby corn, green beans, bean sprouts, cucumber, cauliflower etc.

Healthy oils and Omega 3 sources: Omega 3 rich seafood, flaxseed oil, avocados, nuts and olive oil.

Avoid:

Anything high in fat, starch and sugar should be avoided.
Carrots, beets, potatoes, animal fat (except fish), high-sugar foods, carbonated drinks, bananas, white flour, all fast foods, raisins, pineapple etc.

Pear Body Shape – 

Image Source: www.stylecraze.com

Exercise:

The exercise routine for a pear shaped body should be focused on aerobics. This will help improve your lower body shape and slim it as per target. Also, doing some resistance exercises is also important as it is a great workout to build your upper body muscles. And again, one must not forget to do the resistance exercises with light weights to avoid any extra muscle gain.

Following exercises can be helpful –

• Cycling
• Skipping
• Walking
• Push ups and shoulder presses

Diet:

Small and frequent meals will help you a lot. Half diet should contain Complex Carbs – Oatmeal, whole wheat bread, brown rice, cereals, fresh fruits & vegetables. The other half of the diet should be a balanced combination of lean protein such as skinless chicken and fish, and healthy fats such as olive oil, almonds and avocados. The more natural and clean your diet is the better it would work for you.

Avoid:

All foods that are high in fat are a strict No-No!

Apple Body Shape – 

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People with an Apple shaped body, have a bigger top half of their bodies than the lower body area. This makes the chest area large and the hip area slim. Stomach is not flat in this case.

Exercise:

For an apple shaped body, the cardio workout has to be of low-impact. This is important as this ensures that cardio exercises performed do not exert much pressure on your lower part of the body. Aerobic training helps a lot in slimming down and shedding that extra & unnecessary body fat.

Following exercises can be useful –

• Uphill walking
• Running
• Leg squats
• Stair climbing

Diet:

More Complex Carbohydrates: Brown rice, whole grains, quinoa, oatmeal, vegetables & fruits (except the ones with starch).

Balanced/Moderate Proteins: lean meat, skinless chicken, seafood, beans, lentils and low-fat yogurt.

Healthy Fats: Avocado, nuts, flax seed powder & oil and olive oil for dressing

Avoid:

Artificial sugar foods, refined oil, butter, margarine, cheese, potatoes, fast food and alcohol.

Rectangular Body Shape –  ​

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A Slim and waif-like thin body shape is what we call a rectangular shaped body. The hip size and the waist size do not show any noticeable difference. There can be a weight gain seen in the stomach area or the back area maybe, but the arms and legs are still slender in shape. Even the shoulder area size can be seen in sync with the area of waist and hips.

Exercise:

The focus should be on cardio exercises to workout on the stomach area to lose weight. Other muscle-building exercises should also be done to bring a balanced symmetrical shape to the body.

Following exercises can be useful:

• Spinning
• Uphill walking or jogging
• Squats
• Bench and shoulder presses
• Stretching

Diet:

High-Quality Proteins: Chicken, tuna, shellfish, poached eggs, greek yogurt, whey protein, etc.
Complex Carbs:  Brown rice, whole grains, quinoa, oatmeal, vegetables & fruits (except the ones with starch).
Healthy Fats: Avocado, nuts, flax seed powder & oil and olive oil for dressing

A disciplined diet and workout are very important to achieve the perfect body shape you have always dreamt of. However, it is also important to keep a check on not exerting yourself beyond what your body can possibly handle. Therefore, please ensure to consult your trainer or doctor, in case you have any health issues wherein you might have to avoid taking certain kind of diet or performing any particular type of exercise.

Healthkart has an expert team of certified nutritionists, fitness experts, and trainers. This dedicated expert panel caters to any queries you might have regarding diet requirements, health supplements, bodybuilding & fitness training. You can reach out to us for free counseling on 0124 – 461-6444.