I bet you’ve heard that there are different body shapes. We, in RawBeautySource believe that every body is beautiful! But did you know that each of those shapes requires different care?
People are trying to follow the same eating and sports regimes and look equally good, however, as those people have different body shapes, it is impossible to achieve the same result. One particular diet will always work better for one body shape and will have less effect on another. And in some rare cases, it can even have a negative effect on a person with a third type of body shape.
That is why knowing your type of body is crucial not only for maintaining a great physical appearance but also for ensuring a healthy lifestyle and confidence.
In this article, you will learn about the physical characteristics of each body shape, so that you can determine your own type and notice the differences with the others. Besides, you will find useful tips and tricks on how to take proper care of your particular body, according to its shape, in order to keep your mind and body healthy and beautiful.
But what are the different body shapes that exist? Well, there are many different opinions about the number of body shapes. Yet, the main ones will be described in detail in this blog post. Those are Apple, Pear, Rectangle, and Hourglass.
The body shapes defined by the widest and most narrow parts of the body.
You can easily recognize it by thinking where do you gain most weight? Is it on the hips? Maybe in the stomach area? Or if you are from the lucky ones, every extra kilogram goes to your boobs? We are here to help you identify your own body situation!
Let’s dive in!
Apple
Characteristics:
- Shoulders broader than hips
- Gain weight mainly in the stomach and chest area
- Do not have defined waist
- Thin legs and narrow hips
Best foods:
Apple’s perfect eating regime is based on protein, fiber, and healthy fats. By all means, exclude processed foods, saturated fat, flour, sugar, and high doses of salt. Here are the foods which to base your diet on:
- Fish and seafood
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Yogurt and Kefir
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Leafy veggies
- Olive oil
- Nuts (but not cashew)
Clothing tips:
- The goal is to draw the attention to your neck and face
- Emphasize on your neck with V-shaped necked shirts
- Don’t wear tight tops and blouses
- Big earrings, which attract the attention are a YES
- Wear skinny jeans and yoga pants to emphasize your beautiful legs
- Dresses are always a great choice.
Health concerns:
As people with apple body shape tend to gain weight in the torso area, they are considered to be risk factors for cardiac diseases, heart attacks, and high cholesterol levels. The reason for this is the fact that often, the fatty tissue, which is built around the main internal organs in the torso, pressures them and damages their functions.
Too much fatty tissue in the boob area can limit the proper heart functions, and excess waist-fat tissue may prevent the liver from producing enough good cholesterol, which may lead to arteries buildup. Another concern is the increased risk of Diabetes type 2.
If you identify yourself with this body shape, you should control your weight and do regular cholesterol and blood sugar checks in order to prevent any health issues.
Pear
Characteristics:
- The widest area of the body is the hips
- Gain weight mainly on the thighs and butt
- Have defined waist
- Small boobs and relatively narrow shoulders
Best foods:
Pear’s perfect eating regime is based on low-fat and high-fiber. It is best to avoid consuming starchy vegetables, processed foods, saturated fats, red meat, whole-fat dairy products, fatty fish, and sugar. The foods, which to base your diet on are:
- Poultry
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Leafy veggies
- Wholegrains
- Lentils, beans
- Olive oil
- Codfish and tuna
Clothing tips:
- The goal is to draw attention to the waist and torso
- Wear T-shirts and blouses, with bright colors and patterns
- High-waist jeans and skirts are a must to emphasize the waist
- Stick to neutral colors with no patterns when you buy jeans or pants
- Waist belt (either big or small) is a YES
- Don’t wear pants that are too wide
- Bold necklaces, earrings, and other accessories are a great choice
Health concerns:
Medical experts claim that the pear shape is the best in terms of health. As the thickest layer of fatty tissue is located in the hip and thighs areas, there are no concerns about the limitation of the work of any torso organ. However, Pears are more prone to developing osteoporosis and ovarian cysts when gaining excess kilograms. That is why, if you are with pear body shape, it is advisable to have regular checks in the gynecologist’s office and take proper care of your bone health.
Another concern that people have with this body shape is cellulitis. However, this is not a health concern, as it does not imply any health complications or issues. You can learn how to get rid and prevent cellulite in our dedicated blog post.
Rectangle
Characteristics:
- Shoulders and hips are equally wide
- Not well-defined waist
- You gain weight evenly on all body areas and remain with same proportions shoulders-hips
- Your body does not have a lot of defined curves
- Athletic look
Best foods:
Rectangle’s perfect eating regime is based on high protein and low-carb. It is recommendable to avoid the consumption of potatoes, rice, processed foods, sugar, very sweet fruits, pasta and bread, and sweets. The foods, which to base your diet on are:
- Poultry
- Fish and seafood
- Red meat (lamb, pork, beef)
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Yogurt and kefir
- Veggies (except starchy ones)
- Olive oil
Clothing tips:
- The goal is to make the chest look bigger and waist smaller
- Wear T-shirts and blouses with pockets, patterns and bold designs on the chest and neck area
- Wear tops with ¾ sleeves
- Tuck your tops into the jeans or pants
- Mid-waist straight jeans and pants are a perfect choice
- Do not wear wide dresses, which don’t have a definition on the waist, or chest
Health concerns:
This body shape is not medically related to any health issues when the weight is under control. People with Rectangle body type are usually with a fast metabolism and don’t gain weight as quickly as the other body types. However, if they bear any risk of obesity, they also bear the risk of high blood pressure problems, unbalanced cholesterol levels, osteoporosis, and even heart attacks and strokes.
Hourglass
Characteristics:
- Shoulders and hips are equally wide
- The waist is very well defined
- You gain weight equally on chest, shoulder, hip and thighs areas
- Your body has defined curves
Best foods:
Hourglass’s perfect eating regime is similar to the one of Pear, but with some additions. It is based on high fiber and low-carb. It is recommendable to avoid the consumption of starchy vegetables, processed foods, sugar, sweets, and saturated fats. The foods, which to base your diet on are high in fiber and healthy fats (Omega 3 and 6):
- Poultry
- Fish and seafood
- Yogurt and kefir
- Veggies (except starchy ones)
- Berries and citrus fruits
- Wholegrain rice
- Nuts and seeds
- Olive oil
Clothing tips:
- The goal is to emphasize the waist and curves
- Waist belts are a must
- Wear high waist jeans, pants and skirts
- Dresses that emphasize on the waist are an absolute YES
- Avoid too wide clothes
- Boat neck tops and blouses look great
- Avoid pleats in the hips area
Health concerns:
This body shape is not medically related to any severe health issues when the weight is under control. However, in cases of fast weight gain, the risk of high blood pressure, heart diseases, and osteoporosis. That is why it is recommended to keep track of your weight, if you have this type of body shape, in order to prevent such health complications.
On the other hand, people with Hourglass body may struggle with persistent cellulite. Nonetheless, as mentioned before, this is not a health issue that can cause complications and other problems.