How to eat right for your body shape and lose weight

Everyone loses and gains weight at different rates because of the body type you’re born with and the way each type responds to hormones and foods.

When it comes to dieting sometimes it's not only about calories, moving more, and cutting out alcohol  it can also be about recognising and respecting your body type.  Whether you're shaped like an apple or a pear it could be the key to losing weight and feeling healthier. Here are some changes you can make…

Apple shape

If you have an apple body shape you tend to carry all or most of weight through your belly fat. With the legs and arms staying fairly slim.

Typical cravings – Starchy foods like bread and pastas as well as fizzy drinks and caffeine.

Hormone watch point – Insulin. The key to losing weight for the Apple is getting her blood sugar levels under control.

Foods to eat – Clean protein, including chicken lean beef, pork and fish. Healthy fats like eggs, avocado, nuts, seeds, nut butter and full fat cheeses. Leafy greens like spinach and kale.

Foods to avoid – Starchy carbs, high sugar fruits, coffee and fizzy drinks.

Celebrity apples – Catherine Zeta Jones, Colleen Rooney.

Apple shape eating plan

Breakfast: 3tbsp cottage cheese with tomatoes, handful spinach.

Lunch: Turkey steak with raw veggies, 3tbsp fresh salsa and ½ avocado.

Dinner: Kale, mushroom and onion omelette made with 2 eggs.

Snack: Small bag salted popcorn.

Pear shape

Pears mostly gain weight around hips and thighs with sometimes a small pouch of fat around the lower abdomen. They tend to suffer more with fluid retention and PMS affected by hormones.

Typical cravings – High fat dairy like creamy cheese, lattes and rich desserts.

Hormone watch point – Estrogen if other hormones like progesterone are out of balance, can promote lower body weight gain.

Foods to eat – High fibre vegetables and fruit. Small amounts of protein like turkey breast and white fish such as cod and non-dairy fats like coconut oils and eggs.

Foods to avoid – Heavy cheeses, cream and sauces, caffeine and alcohol.

Celebrity pears – Kim Kardashian, Beyonce.

Par shape eating plan

Breakfast: 1 tub Greek yoghurt with handful berries.

Lunch: Grilled chicken breast with large green salad and 1 tsp oil dressing.

Dinner: Small portion cod cooked in coconut oil, sea salt, and 3tbsp, with broccoli.

Snack: 1 apple with 1 tbsp nut butter

Hour glass body shape

This body type tend to gain weight evenly throughout body, most obviously around the face but also round knees and ankles giving a soft, rounded look.

Typical cravings – Dairy products especially ice-creams, refined sugar, carbs such as pastries and sweets.

Hormone watch point – The master of hormones, the pituitary gland that affects both cortisol and insulin.

Foods to eat – Whole grains cereals, like oatmeal and quinoa, one serving of lean protein like lean chicken or fish, plenty of spices like cumin and cinnamon.

Foods to avoid – Dairy products, refined carbs and sweets.

Celebrity hour glasses – Carol Vorderman, Kelly Brooke.

Hour glass eating plan

Breakfast: Smoothie made with 3tbsp Greek yoghurt, coconut milk, berries, dash of cinnamon.

Lunch: Grilled salmon fillet with grilled tomatoes, pepper and onions.

Dinner: Grilled chicken breast, ½ sweet potato, baked and 3tbsp. broccoli.

Snack: 5 prunes, handful unsalted nuts.