There is a lot of talk about what is the perfect body shape. TV, magazines and social media all have their own version of “ideal” body. And one of the most popular body shapes is known as the hourglass body. It was popularized by the pin-up girls of the 1950s. The hourglass body shape is defined by having a narrow waist and broader hips.
The body shape was seen as a symbol of beauty and fertility. If you have an hourglass body shape, chances are you can carry off a very feminine style.
I’ve prepared a 30-day challenge for you! If you’re ready and willing to commit to making a difference in your life and taking the initiative to simplify by doing it, I encourage you to take up our challenge and put it into practice.
The hourglass body, is it achievable?
Hourglass body is the shape that every woman wants to get. It is a classic shape. The body types are extremely desirable because it’s proportional and it’s recommended by fitness gurus. But getting this body structure is easier said than done, especially when your weight is constantly fluctuating.
Source: Sociomix
Women who are either underweight or overweight usually find it difficult to maintain the hourglass figure that nearly every woman dreams of.
This body shape has been popularized by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, and Nicki Minaj. In this blog we will look at the different ways to create or achieve the hourglass body shape.
How can we achieve hourglass body shape?
Even though, it’s undeniable truth about the human body is that, our body aspects also depend on genetics. Genetics are the heart of an hourglass shape. Afterall, it is the genetics that are responsible for the distribution of fat, muscle, and bone.
However, the hourglass body shape, an ideal female body can be achieved, but you need to know what you are doing, and what you need to do.
Well, how?
I know several ideas might have crossed your mind right now – some might have thought of plastic surgery? Exercising with a proper diet? Or you might be at the verge of giving up your dream to get this sexiest body shape.
It’s definitely true that not all of us are born with the shape, so some of us will need to work hard to get it.
Well, firstly plastic surgery would be a very cruel thing to do with your god gifted body, I won’t suggest you to go for it. Secondly, yes exercise and a proper diet can help you get an hourglass figure.
But you also need to know how to exercise and what kind of diet you should take in order to get an attractive body. Let me give you an insight about exercises and diets which will help you in attaining an ideal body shape.
Do you want to know? If yes! Then keep reading…
Simple yet effective exercises –
To begin with, let’s start with the proper form of exercises that one should do. There are some exercises that are proven to help you get the hourglass figure without the need of going to gym, yet there are some that pretty much don’t work.
If you’re someone who doesn’t have spare time for going to the gym. These easy yet effective home workouts are for you! Also, you can practice this exercise without the need of any equipment.
Source: Muscle & Fitness
Let’s get started…
- Squats
- Donkey kicks
- Leg pulses
- Fire hydrants
- Cross overs
- Single leg bridge
- High donkey kicks
- Bulgarian split squats
- Russian twist
- Glute bridge to leg rise
- Lateral lunges
- Pistol squats
- Squat with lateral leg raise
- Side lunges
- Sumo jump squats
- Sumo squat side crunch
- Up-down plank
- Plank
- Jump squat
- Side plank leg raise
- Frog jumps
- One legged row
- Plie squat calf raises
- Wall squats
- Goblet squat
- Halo reverse lunge
- Modified pushups
- Bicycle crunches
- Burpees
- Knee hugs
- Plank hip dips
- Alternative heel touches
- Wall sit
- Windshield wipers
- Oblique twist
- Double leg lift
- Wall plank
- Hip raises
Well, don’t get overwhelmed by looking at the list. You don’t have to do all these exercises together. However, you can choose a few exercises and do them in sets. While choosing the set of exercises keep it mind to categorize them into three parts.
Upper – middle – lower
Also, decide the pre/post workout meals beforehand.
For example –
- Choose 1 exercise that hits the upper body, such as push up (if you’re focusing on building more glutes and a sexy waist then one should focus on middle and lower body workouts).
- Choose 5 – 6 exercises that hit the middle body, which is your waist/abs. Such as – Hip raises, Russian twist, side planks, oblique twist, windshield wipers, double leg lift etc.
- Choose 5 – 6 exercises for your lower body, which is your hips/butt or booty. Want a bubble body? Yes, I do. So, choose exercises such as – fire hydrants, side hip abduction, side jump squats, sumo squats, glute bridge, side kick, lunges etc.
Finally, after deciding the set of exercises – decide how many times you’ll repeat them. 2-3 sets of 15 reps each will be enough. If you’re new don’t be rough on yourself.
And just so you know – all these exercises don’t require any equipment, alright. I’ll only suggest you buy yourself a yoga mat, a resistance band for fast results. Start slow and just be consistent.
Apart from that, it is not necessarily like – the above-mentioned exercises are only for hourglass body shape. You can use/practice them for weight loss, building abs etc.
We talked enough about exercises, let’s discuss some healthy diets.
Healthy diet for your healthy soul and ideal body!
The human body is a complex machine and it can take a lot of punishment. The only way to make a machine run how it should be is to make sure that you take care of it. As you already know, an hourglass body shape is achieved by healthy eating and staying fit.
If you want to get an hourglass body, you need to change your diet and increase your levels of physical activity.
The hourglass figure is achieved by having weight in the right places. Also, you need to control your portions and eat only the amount your body requires.
Source: SFGA
However, losing weight at once that’s not what we want – so you’ve to make sure that your body is healthy and strong.
First understand, our body contains three major muscle groups. The core, the thighs and the buttocks. These muscle groups give your body that hourglass shape. Like I said before – categorize your body in three parts “upper-middle-lower”.
So, in other words – an hourglass figure is all about having less fat around the waist, and more around the hips. For which you not only need to consume the right number of calories, you need to eat the right kinds of food.
There are certain foods that will help you get your desired figure.
Let’s dig into it…
For breakfast (400-450 calories)
- 1 cup oatmeal with water or milk
- ½ cup almond milk
- You can also go for protein powder (1 scoop)
- ½ cup berries with oatmeal (optional)
Morning snack (100-150 calories)
- Hard Boiled egg 1 or 2
- 1 medium apple or banana
Lunch (200-300 calories)
- Skinless & boneless chicken breast
- Brown rice (1 bowl)
- Steamed vegetables (like broccoli)
Afternoon snack (200-300 calories)
- Organic peanut butter
- Fruits or boiled veggies
Dinner (350-400 calories)
- Fish (salmon)
- Potato (6 ounces)
- A plate of mixed green salad
Total calories – 1250 to 1600, generally, the ideal recommended daily calorie intake for a woman is 2000 calories.
Foods to add – Foods that you can add in your food routine are – Brown bread, whole wheat pasta, legumes, cheese, oils, cheese, nuts, all vegetables, corn, all fruits & berries, red meat & fish, potatoes, honey, yogurt, Apple cider vinegar, bone broth, lemon water etc.
Foods to avoid – High salty & processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, carbonated beverages, too much sugar, oils like – vegetables oils, fried foods, white flour, spicy food, fatty food, refined sugar, dairy products, etc.
The 30 days challenge – no junk food!
So, it’s time for the challenge. Are you ready to clean yourself?
30 days is a long time, but is exactly what we need to achieve the hourglass body, a healthy body, healthy mind and healthy lifestyle.
I know the problem which most of us face – it doesn’t matter if you’re a gym goer or a home workout freak. Some of us don’t seem to be able to achieve the ideal body we desire even after grinding for hours!
That is why, I came up with this 30-day challenge – “the only key to success is consistency” remember that! This challenge is to challenge yourself to be consistent and follow the given rules, alright?
So, here’s the rules –
All DON’Ts
- No sugar, no candy
- No chocolate
- No caffeine
- No smoking and drinking (just in case if you do)
- No soda & juice
- No biscuits
- No pastries
- No white bread
- No fast food
- No cake, no muffins, no donuts
- No ice-creams
- No chips
- No fried food
All DO’s
- Clean your fridge/ home
- Find an app that helps with tracking your calories intake and sleep
- Try boiled green leafy
- Eat nutritious breakfast
- Eat frequently but less
- Drink plenty of water
- Choose whole grains
- Wake up and sleep early
- Start journaling
- Do exercise everyday
- Mediate for 5-15 minutes everyday
- Listen to mindfulness podcast
- Sing a song or read a book
It’ll be tough to complete the challenge at the first attempt but give your best. This challenge will surely help you level up in life. A great sigma man once said “No human can survive without a routine”. So, build a wonderful routine and implement/practice it.
