Pretty much everyone knows that your body type has an effect on which clothes look best on you. Girls with an hourglass figure, for example, become highly adept at selecting waist-cinching garments that make them look their best, while apple-shaped ladies opt for tops with ruching or other forgiving features.
What might surprise you, however, is that your shape also has an effect on how you should go about the process of losing weight. If you have been trying in vain to slim down for quite some time now, you might not be to blame; your process might be what’s wrong. Before you embark on another weight loss journey, consider whether your efforts mesh with your body style and change them if they don’t to improve your chances of success.
The Apple
Apples carry their weight right around the middle. These juicy folks generally have slender lower bodies that contrast with their more rotund middles. Apples have a slight advantage when it comes to weight loss, as abdominal fats break down more rapidly than fats stored in some other parts of the body.
For optimal weight loss, apples should include monounsaturated fats in their diets. These fats, found in nuts, olive oil and avocados, help the body burn fat. Apples should limit their carb intake, as carbs increase insulin levels that can already be problematic in apples. When eating carbs, apples should stick to complex ones.
To achieve and sustain weight loss, apples must hit the gym. While it may seem that ab exercises would trim down that middle, such is not the case. Apples should instead focus on cardio as this form of exercise will speed up their metabolisms and help those pounds melt away.
The Pear
Pears are bottom heavy, carrying their weight in their hips, thighs and butts. These sweet people generally have slender upper bodies and flat abdomens. The biggest challenge associated with being a pear is weight loss. While fat stored in the midsection is generally quite simple to lose, fat stored in the lower body just hangs on in a frustratingly difficult fashion.
To improve their chances of shedding pounds, pears should consume a diet rich in complex carbs like those found in whole-grain cereals and beans. For protein, pears should seek lean options, such as chicken and fish.
Another way to slim down ideal of pears is sweating the day away at the gym, focusing on aerobic exercises that utilize the lower body heavily. Biking and running are ideal options for pears, as these exercises rely heavily on lower-body strength and promote weight loss in the areas that pears struggle with most.
The Hourglass
Hourglasses are the envy of many. These timeless beauties have slender waists, pronounced chests and flowy hips. But it’s not all good news for the hourglass gals. Hourglasses are often prone to obesity, so it is commonly a task to keep this ideal figure in check.
Hourglasses need to focus on moderation in their eating; unlike many other body types, there isn’t a magic mix of foods that will help people this body type lose weight. To shed pounds, or prevent them from sticking to their hips, hourglasses need to focus on a protein-rich, low-fat diet. Hourglasses should avoid sweets and nuts, as these foods promote weight gain.
When hitting the gym, hourglasses should engage in a full-body toning regiment. Particularly beneficial are exercises that target the upper arms and thighs as, without these exercises, hourglasses can become more flabby than they would like.
The Chili Pepper
Chili peppers are generally long and narrow. These hot-and-spicy individuals have little easily observable differences between their shoulders, waists and hips. While chili peppers aren’t generally prone to gaining weight easily, they, like everyone, can over-indulge and end up with some extra pudge. When they do, they commonly pack on these pounds in their midsection.
For optimal health and weight loss, chili peppers should seek to incorporate healthy fats into their diets. They should plan meal plans rich in complex carbs like those found in fruits and vegetables. They should also load up on lean proteins found in fish and chicken.
When exercising, chili peppers should spend most of their time strength training. This form of exercise helps create curves – which chili peppers traditionally sorely lack. It also helps build muscle definition that makes the chili pepper frame look decidedly less lanky.
