How to Perfect Your Female Body Shape: the Right Exercises and Nutrition for Hourglass, Ruler, Spoon and Cone Body Shapes

No matter your female body shape, you can lose inches primarily from your “problem areas” and re-shape your body!

According to the body shapes anatomical classification brought to the mainstream of the fitness world by Edward Jackowski, your shape falls into one of the four body shapes: Hourglass, Ruler, Spoon and Cone.

You may have encountered the other three women body shapes under different names. For example:

*The curvy Hourglass figure is also known as Figure 8.

*The slender Ruler female body shape is also known as Rectangle or Banana.

*The bottom-heavy Spoon body shape is also known as Triangle or Pear.

*The top-heavy Cone body shape is also known as Inverted Triangle or Apple.

Look at the pictures below – you’ll easily recognize the female body shape you can relate to for the corresponding workouts for body re-shaping and increased fat loss from the “trouble spots”.

If you aren’t sure which of the four body shapes you have, here’s a detailed description.

So, which Female Body Shape are You?

1. Hourglass Female Body Shape

1a. Hourglass Body Workouts:

With an Hourglass body your muscles bulk up faster, so do NOT add weights to your exercising routine until you lost most of your body fat.

Favor: impact sports that require high speed and low to medium resistance that involve both upper and lower body:

• Isolated exercises: L-kicks, leg-outs, leg curls & lifts, vertical scissors, arms push-outs, biceps curls, triceps kickbacks, upright rows, front & behind-the-neck presses – all at high reps, 30-50 repetitions for each exercise.
  
• Whole-body workouts: long-distance swimming (crawl stroke only) jumping rope, 5 Tibetan rites, fast walking with no incline, skiing, stationary biking at low resistance.

Avoid: jogging, rollerblading, step classes, walking on an incline, kick-boxing, spinning and high-impact aerobics – as all these will add bulk to your leg muscles.

Would it be helpful to you to see workout videos showing you the correct (and safe) way to exercise for your body shape and step-by-step guidance to unleash your perfect body? If you need an effective program that’s flexible and fits into your life no matter your age and current shape you’re in, I encourage you to take a look at Belinda Benn’s Get Lean Program >>

1b. Diet for the Hourglass Figure:

Favor: lean, high-quality proteins (skinless chicken/turkey breast, lean beef/veal, tuna, cod), cooked/raw high-fiber, non-starchy vegetables: (cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, and all leafy green vegetables) and all fruits.

Make sure to include foods that are good omega 3 sources (wild salmon, halibut, sardines, flaxseed oil, avocados, nuts, olive oil) as these help burn more of your body fat. For cooking, use only healthy cooking oils to avoid toxins, which bind your body fat making losing weight much harder.

Avoid: cooked starchy vegetables (carrots, beets, potatoes), animal fat (except fatty fish), carbonated drinks, and foods high in sugar.

If you hadn’t done it yet, check you’re a real Hourglass from the four body shapes.

2. Ruler Female Body Shape

2a. Workouts for the Ruler Body Shape:

Favor: anything that requires long and sustained aerobic movements – without weights until you reach your ideal weight. Do a stretching routine before and after any workouts, and – most of all – do not skip the abdominal exercises to flatten stomach; start with them, as you’ll have more energy.

• Isolated exercises: upper and lower abdominal crunches, full sit-ups, push-ups, spinning, and all upper- or lower-body exercises using medium/high resistance.
  
• Whole-body workouts: long-distance running on an incline, 5 Tibetan rites, rollerblading, long-distance swimming, aquatic exercise routines, kick-boxing, jumping rope (preferably with a weighted rope), stationary biking/stepping, skiing, any elliptical machine – all with medium/high resistance.

Avoid: exercises that may cause discomfort to the lower back region (vertical scissors, leg lifts and side leg lifts) – but, as soon as you add abdominal strength and hamstring flexibility, you may start doing these too.

2b. Diet for the Ruler Body Shape:

Favor: high-quality proteins (chicken/turkey, beef/veal, tuna, shellfish, beans, whole wheat & rye products) and all complex carbs (all fruits and non-starchy vegetables, brown rice).

Include foods that are good omega 3 sources (wild salmon, halibut, sardines, flaxseed oil, avocados, nuts, olive oil), as these help burn more of your body fat.

For cooking, use only healthy cooking oils to avoid dangerous toxins that bind your body fat making losing weight much harder.

Avoid: simple carbs (high starches like white rice and white wheat flour products, potatoes), carbonated drinks, and foods high in sugar.

If you hadn’t done it yet, check you’re a real  Ruler (Rectangle) from the four body shapes.

3. Spoon Female Body Shape

3a. Workouts for the Spoon Body Shape:

Favor: any movements that require lower body flexibility, strength, and coordination, with absolutely NO resistance or weights – as the Spoon female body shape is already heavier on the lower body.

• Isolated exercises: marching in place on toes, all variations of push-ups, L-kicks, leg-outs, one-legged leg lifts, side leg lifts, standing knee to opposite chest, and vertical scissors.
  
• Whole-body workouts: brisk walking with no incline, 5 Tibetan rites, skiing, jumping rope.

Avoid: all leg curls, presses, and extensions; squats, spinning, step classes, kick-boxing, skating, rollerblading, long-distance running, high-impact aerobics, as these further develop your lower body.

Would it be helpful to you to see workout videos showing you the correct (and safe) way to exercise for your body shape and step-by-step guidance to unleash your perfect body? If you need an effective program that’s flexible and fits into your life no matter your age and current shape you’re in, I encourage you to take a look at Belinda Benn’s Get Lean Program >>

3b. Diet for the Spoon Body Shape:

Favor: lean, high-quality proteins (skinless chicken/turkey breast, lean beef/veal, tuna, cod), cooked/raw high-fiber, non-starchy vegetables: (cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, and all leafy green vegetables) and fruits that are not too sweet (berries, prunes, cherries, apples).

Include foods that are good omega 3 sources (wild salmon, halibut, sardines, flaxseed oil, avocados, nuts, olive oil), as these help burn more of your body fat.
For cooking, use only healthy cooking oils to avoid dangerous toxins that bind your body fat.

Avoid: sweet fruits (pears, apricots, melons, grapes, pineapple), cooked starchy vegetables (carrots, beets, potatoes), all foods containing fats (except fatty fish), carbonated drinks and foods high in sugar.

If you hadn’t done it yet, check you’re a real  Spoon from the four body shapes.

4. Cone Female Body Shape

4a. Workouts for the Cone Body Shape:

Favor: Quick, short movements with low resistance for your upper body and focus more on high resistance on your lower body and abdomen to strengthen, add some mass, and improve the proportion of your female body shape.

• Isolated exercises: all lower-body exercises with medium/high resistance, squats, upper & lower abdominal crunches, hamstring & upper-body stretches.
  
• Whole-body workouts: jumping rope, 5 Tibetan rites, racquet sports, slow walking on inclines, stationary biking/stepping with medium/high resistance.

Avoid: all upper-body exercises with weights, bench presses, rowing, as these increase the volume of your already strong upper body.

4b. Diet for the Cone Body Shape:

Favor: high-quality proteins (chicken/turkey, beef/veal, tuna, shellfish, beans, whole wheat & rye products) and all complex carbs (all fruits and vegetables, brown rice).
Include foods that are good omega 3 sources (wild salmon, halibut, sardines, flaxseed oil, avocados, nuts, olive oil), as these help burn more of your body fat.
For cooking, use only healthy cooking oils to avoid dangerous toxins.

Avoid: simple carbs (high starches like white rice, white wheat products, and potatoes), carbonated drinks and foods high in sugar.

If you hadn’t done it yet, check you’re a real  Cone from the four body shapes.

If this female body shape system seems too complicated or you are still not sure of your body shape, check its simplified version of only two body shapes: Apples and Pears >>