Knowing your body shape is important so that you will know what your assets and imperfections are. Once you have come into terms with your best features and your body problems, you can start to find ways to enhance the good in you and hide your flaws.

You can also take advantage of your body shape when it comes to finding the best workout routine and exercise program. For instance, if your boyfriend seems to be losing weight while you are still stuck to the same measurements even if you have been exercising and working out together at the same intensity, then there must be something amiss. To maximize the effects of your workout, you better try looking for moves that complement your body type.

Pear Shape

You will know that you have a pear-shaped body if your vital statistics is somewhere near 32-30-40. Women in this category usually have big hips and bottoms and a slim upper body. The parts where they usually gain inches are below the waist, such as thighs and hips. Furthermore, there is a tendency for pear-shaped women to look heavier than their actual weight. Celebrities under this body type include Jennifer Lopez and Kate Winslet.

The best exercise program for you is light to medium-resistance aerobics coupled with a lot of lower-body exercises. In order to trim down your lower half, you have to concentrate on activities that work out your thighs and pelvic muscles. You can try cycling, leg lifts, and fast walking. However, it would be best to avoid jumping ropes with weights, high-impact exercises, leg presses, squats, lunges and leg extensions because these might make your lower body look bigger and more muscular.

Apple Shape

Looking at the apple, you will know that individuals considered as having apple-shaped bodies are top heavy. If you have thick waist, full breasts, and wide torso and upper back, then you definitely have an apple-shaped body. The concentration of body fat in women who are apple-shaped is in the stomach and the upper back. Believe it or not, Katherine McPhee and Catherine Zeta Jones belong to this category.

The proper exercise program for such body type includes aerobic training, low-resistance as well as low repetition strength training. Stair climbing, leg presses, running, dead lifts and leg squats are appropriate. Yoga and Pilates moves are also effective, particularly those that concentrate on the core areas. However, you should avoid heavy weight lifting, full leg lifts, and other leg-resistance trainings. The good news is that apple-shaped bodies lose weight easily, as the fat in the stomach is easier to burn or break down than those found in the thighs and hips.

Hourglass Shape

Halle Berry, Salma Hayek and even Barbie are just some of the women who are considered to have hourglass-shaped bodies. If you fall into this type, your measurements are close to 34-24-34, which is considered as one of the most perfect body shapes. Unfortunately, women under this category usually gain weight all over the body, particularly in the breasts and hips areas.

Cardio exercises and strength training is very important for those who have an hourglass body. Perfect activities for such women include stationary biking, bicep curls, slow jogging, swimming, jumping rope, fast walking, push-ups and squats. However, you need to make sure that you avoid leg presses, kickboxing, spinning, step classes and other high-impact exercises.

Despite your body type, you can accelerate your weight loss if you combine exercise and strength training with dieting. Actually, the fastest way to shed pounds is by dieting or eating healthier. To help curb your appetite and boost your metabolism, you can also try using natural weight supplements, such as Phenocal.