How to Change From a Pear Shape to an Hourglass Shape

Two key proportions differ between pear and hourglass shapes. A pear-shaped person will likely have wide hips and a disproportionately small chest. Contrastly, an hourglass figure boasts curvy but proportionate hips with a decreased stomach girth and a larger chest that balances out the hip measurements. Adding specific exercises and modifying your nutrition regimen can help you to transform your pear shape into an hourglass figure to a certain extent. However, because genetics plays a significant role in your overall body shape, you may have some limitations on how much you are able to change your shape.

Because your hips are wider than most, add hip toning exercises to your routine to help tighten those muscles. Perform weighted leg side lifts with a weighted cuff around your ankle. Lift your leg sideways away from your body, keeping the knee straight and ankle flexed. You can perform this from the floor while lying on your opposite side. To really challenge yourself and exercise the opposite hip as well, do your side leg lifts while standing on the opposite leg. Add weight gradually as performing lower weighted resistance for more repetitions can help you achieve a smaller appearance.

Pilates and yoga are effective tools in your arsenal to help combat the wide hips and bulging lower stomach associated with the pear shape. For total abdominal involvement, several exercises can offer results without using any specialized equipment. The plank position, held for at least 30 seconds, hones in on almost every abdominal muscle. Take care to hold your body straight and avoid bending at the hips for this exercise to be effective.

Also, a prolonged stretch can target these muscles. Lie on your back and extend your arms and legs straight up and down away from your body horizontal to the floor. As you exhale, try to grow a little taller, i.e. extend your arms and legs further away from your trunk. As you exhale, suck in your stomach and lower abdomen muscles and hold them in place as you inhale. Hold for at least 30 seconds.

Adding girth to your chest as well as perking up your chest muscles can help to improve your overall proportions. Add a chest press to your weekly set of exercises to tone and lift your chest. Lie on your back on a bench or on the floor if you don't have access to a bench. Using dumbbells in both hands or a weighted bar, start with your hands shoulder-width apart at chest height. Exhale as you press your arms away from you to lift the weight straight up toward the ceiling. Inhale as you return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times for three sets total.

To be even more effective, you need to compliment your exercises with a nutrition change. Lowering your calories and reducing fat content will help you to reduce body fat, which is an effective aid in transforming to an hourglass shape. Change to leaner versions of protein in your diet as well to help your body add more muscle tissue in the hips and chest. Adding aerobic exercise will also help you to burn more calories.