Do you know what your body type is? Are you an apple, a pear or a string bean? Find out which fruit or vegetable best reflects your body
shape, and then follow our exercise advice below.
Apple shape
People with an apple shape typically have wide shoulders, a large chest and belly, while their legs are usually on the skinny side.
Workout
Concentrate of heart-thumping aerobics classes like running and spinning, for 20 to 45 minutes four to five times a week. Your strength training should involve a number of repetitions using light (1kg to 2.5kg) weights to tone the arms and legs without adding too much mass.
Avoid
Try to shed a few kilograms from your waist before starting any intense abdominal workout; otherwise you may build muscle beneath the fat, which will make you look larger.
Pear shape
People with a pear typically have narrow shoulders, a small chest and wider buttocks and hips.
Workout
Opt for exercises that will help slim the lower half of your body. These include walking, running and swimming, at least four times a week. Concentrate on building your back and arm muscles with lots of upper-body strength training. Do eight repetitions of each exercise using the heaviest amount of weight that you can lift, working your way up to 4.5 to 5kgs.
Avoid
Bulking up the legs with activities like biking with high resistance, stair climbing, or doing any lower-body work with weights over 10 kilograms.
String Bean
This lean shape means that you’re narrow from the head down to the toes.
Workout
This shape requires serious definition. Weight training will help carve out the curves. Use 2.5 to 5kg dumbbells to pump up your upper body, and set machines at 10 kilograms of more for a lower body workout. Because skinny women tend to have weak middles, they need to concentrate on strengthening the abdominal muscles. Full-body toning classes like boxing, ballet and yoga are ideal.
Avoid
Limit your cardio work to one hour a day, or you’ll be burning too many calories to maintain a healthy weight.