Matching Your Figure to the Right Exercises After Pregnancy

There are generally four main body types: the tube, hourglass, apple and pear. Once you know which body type you fall into, customizing your exercise to your shape will help you lose weight with less frustration after pregnancy.

1. Tube

Characteristics: The tube shape is lean without curves. Shoulders, waist and hips are all similar in width. The person may also have rolled shoulders and a slouch.

Exercises to do: Do Pilates and yoga, both of which will strengthen core muscles and tone up the stomach. Also try fitball, which is a good core exercise for variety. Add arm dips on the edge of chairs to tone up arms, walking lunges to firm up glutes which will add curves to hips and rotational crunches to target oblique muscles to accentuate the waist.

All these exercises are gentle enough to be done after pregnancy.

2. Hourglass

Characteristics: The hourglass has shoulders and hips that are of similar width, with a small and curved waistline. The posture may not be balanced if the person is overweight.

Exercises to do: Start doing about 30 to 40 minutes of cardiovascular workouts three times a week to maintain the curvy shape. Try brisk walking and swimming, both of which are good for weight loss. Do a variety of abdominal workouts ranging from crunches to Pilates to tone up the stomach. Try fitball wall squats which are great for the abs, legs and bottom. Do stationary lunges for the butt and legs and push-ups for an upper body workout.

All these exercises are gentle enough to be done after pregnancy.

3. Apple

Characteristics: The apple shape tends to store fat, especially around the middle. People with this shape tend to have broad shoulders with a small and flat bottom and a heavy top.

Exercises to do: Good options are roller blading, cycling and Frisbee. Each exercise has to be at least 30 minutes and has to be done three times a week. Try Pilates or fitball to tone abdominal muscles and improve core stability. Do at least two to three different sets of abdominal workouts of 12 to 15 repetitions to target stomach.

You can start off with the gentler Pilates and fitball and please check with your doctor after pregnancy before starting the cardio exercises.

4. Pear

Characteristics: The pear shape has hips and thighs that are wider than chest and shoulders with a heavy bottom. The weight is deposited primarily around the lower body.

Exercises to do: Do cardiovascular exercises for overall weight loss, which will also mean lower body fat percentage. Target lower body with a variety of workouts like spinning, walking uphill and running. Try doing wide squats and walking leg lunges. Light weight-lifting exercises will be good for an upper body workout.

Please check with your doctor after pregnancy before starting the cardio exercises.