Are You An Hour Glass, Apple, Pear Or Tube?

by Cass Sweeney
(Anglesey)

That is the question posed by island personal trainer, Cass Sweeney, who wants us to focus more on our shape than on our weight.

If you are living on Anglesey or nearby on the mainland, then you may want to follow up on these ideas from Cass Sweeney and start exercising for your shape.

Cass, a REPS certified Personal Trainer working for JJB Fitness in Bangor, continues her series on health and fitness.

Modern living places far too much emphasis on weight and not enough on shape. We should work with our shape, and NOT against it, and use it to the best advantage.

This is not rocket science, but few of us get it right, the message is simple. "Eat well, look great!"

There are four basic points to note: firstly, cutting down on food encourages the body to store fat - crash diets seldom work!

Secondly, low to medium Gi foods are ideal - look out for information on packets in the shops.

Thirdly, eat fresh fruit in moderation, vegetables and grains plus some lean protein to reach and maintain your ideal weight.

Finally, and just as important as the others, portion control is the key to success.

As far as exercise professionals are concerned, there are four basic body shapes: the tube, apple, pear and hour glass.

For those of us who have increased in size over the years, we need to think back to our body shape as it was before the rot set in.

Once we're comfortable with our identification, we can set about putting together an exercise programme to make the most of the shape we were born with.

To out it into a nutshell, for those hour glass figures that have turned into apples over the years, help is at hand!

Get rid of the old and bring back the You!

Tubes are possibly the most envied figure of all and also the easiest to change. Ideal exercises include the single arm shoulder press which helps to build strength and shape in the upper body - very effective when done with dumb bells.

Apples usually have fantastic legs: long and lean but still shapely. We need to tone and strengthen them to make them even sexier.

A good exercise is walking lunges (with weights) which ensure that all the muscles of your legs and mid-section work hard.

For those of you that are Pears, narrow shoulders, elegant arms and narrow backs are your best features, but don't give up on the hips and thighs.

Fitness ball hamstring curls are one of the most effective exercises to shape and tone the back of the thighs.

Hour glass is the classic female figure and it's important to balance the upper and lower body curves so that your narrow waist is emphasised. A good exercise to shape and tone the shoulder and upper arm muscles is the Lateral Raise.

Cass Sweeney is a freelance REPS certified Personal Trainer.

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