How Does a Woman Achieve an Hourglass Figure?
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Accounting for Body Type
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Although many magazines and television shows would have women believe differently, all bodies weren't made to be a size 6. To achieve an hourglass figure, the first thing you must understand and take into account is your own body type. There are many different body types to account for; considering factors like bone structure, frame and where you hold your weight will help you achieve you goal more efficiently. The focus of achieving an hourglass figure is shape rather than size. Contrary to popular belief, most men don't care how big a woman is as much as they care about her actual figure. Shaping your body, no matter how big or small you are, is what will help you look great in that dress and fill it out in the right areas.
Exercising the Midsection and Lower Body
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Since there isn't much that can be done about the size of your upper body (beyond slimming and toning), you should place much more emphasis on the midsection and lower body during exercise. Framing your figure eight around the size of your chest is the best approach to take. Lots of focus must be placed on the midsection, via exercises like crunches, sit-ups and exercises for the back and the "love handles" (obliques).
The diameter of your lower body should mirror the size of your chest to give you that perfect, symmetrical hourglass figure. Exercise techniques like the stair-climber, squats and Jane-Fonda's workout help sculpt the thighs while toning them. These exercises will also help to tone the backside, hips and inner thighs when done correctly.
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Cardio Exercise
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Cardio may be the single most hated type of exercise, but it is completely necessary to achieve a figure change of any type. Recent studies have shown that cardio that includes short bursts of the body working at full throttle is more effective. For example, if riding a bike is what you choose for your cardio workout, instead of going at one pace, it is best to start out at a maintainable pace and then cycle as fast as you can for 1 minute, returning to the maintainable pace thereafter. Doing cardio exercises in this fashion helps shed the pounds quicker and give you a more effective workout. Most cardio can be used as a lower-body workout as well, since these exercises generally include the legs.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Picture provided by andreyutzu.
