What Should Pear-Shaped Women Eat?
The good news is that pear-shaped bodies are associated with better health compared to other body types. However, it is not possible to selectively target specific types of body fat, such as that mainly concentrated on our hips, thighs, and buttocks.
I’m sure there were instances when you were out shopping for clothes, spotted a gorgeous piece on a rack, and decided to try it on. To your frustration, it doesn’t look quite right on you.
Out of this desperation and frustration, Angie Martin, who is a ‘Petite Pear’ herself, decided to solve the ‘pear-shaped’ problem for women everywhere and created Pear Collections.
The brand was created to celebrate, promote, and support a welcoming experience for pear-shaped and curvaceous women everywhere. More than just highlighting a woman’s beauty, we strive to help women feel comfortable and confident in their own skin.
What Causes Women to Have Pear-shaped Bodies?
A person with a “pear” body type tends to store fat easily around the hips and thighs. It is called “passive” fat. As far as insulin resistance and cholesterol levels are concerned, it could be health-promoting.
Having a pear-shaped body is determined by many factors, but note that it is more common for women to be pear-shaped due to estrogen secretion. Estrogen levels in our bodies lead the body to store fat in the lower body.
Our body shape is determined by these factors:
- Genetics
- Bone structure
- Hormone secretion (estrogen)
- Overall build
NOTE: We at Pear Collections do not claim to be medical professionals, health professionals, or dieticians. What we share here are basic guidelines, culled from careful research, to provide information and knowledge, and to inspire women to understand why we are what we are. We do, however, encourage you to seek professional help if you have any concerns about your health.
Are Pear-Shaped bodies healthier?
For anyone who’s ever caught sight of their rear end and cannot help themselves but have a minor meltdown, we have news for you. It turns out that having big thighs can actually be good for you, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
Additionally, a study published by the European Heart Journal found that a greater proportion of body fat in the legs was linked to a significant decrease in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women.
If you maintain a healthy lifestyle, your risk of contracting degenerative diseases is lower. So, if you have more in your trunk, it may be time to embrace your pear-shaped body.
Your lower half is fabulous and doesn't need any help getting attention, but your upper half might need a little help getting the attention it deserves. There is a sense of calm, subtlety, and more elegance when people can see beyond your curvy half.
What Should Pear-shaped Women Eat?
From what we know so far, the hormone estrogen is a factor that determines where our bodies store and/or distribute fat. For us, they concentrate on our buttocks, thighs, and legs.
Estrogen can be naturally produced by the body and can also be obtained from the foods we eat. Foods that promote estrogen production include high-fat dairy, caffeine, non-organic meats, processed meats, alcohol, trans fat, and unfermented soy foods.
We are not saying you should not eat these types of foods; a more practical approach is to limit your portions to avoid messing with your body’s natural balance. You can even help your body along by increasing your intake of fibre found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes.
An intake of 30–40 grams of fibre daily slows insulin release and helps slow estrogen production. Instead of denying yourself certain foods, it is better to think about the groups of foods you should eat more of.
A mixture of these types of food helps you in meeting your body’s nutritional requirements, keeps you feeling full longer, and reduces food cravings.
These include:
- Vegetables – They contain a high amount of fibre, and leafy greens also contain high amounts of calcium.
- Fruits – Although they contain higher sugar content, they are NATURAL sugars. When combined with high fibre and water content, they don’t cause havoc with your blood sugar when in moderation.
- Whole grains – Although they have a bad rep because they contain higher carbs, they can actually help curb fat over the long-term.
- Legumes and beans – These foods are great sources of plant-based protein. Plus factors of these foods are that they leave you feeling fuller, which naturally reduces your cravings and food intake and lowers systolic blood pressure.
- Nuts and seeds – Despite being high in calories and fat, a study found that those who eat two or more portions of nuts per week resulted in 31% lower risk of weight gain.
- Fatty Fish – All fish is good, but fatty fish is even better. Fatty fish contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids that many, if not most, of us, don’t get enough of.
What, no meat?!! Sure, you can! But like we said earlier, limit your portions. And if you can, avoid processed meats, since they are high in sodium, which causes the body to retain water.
It’s not that bad, nor should you feel guilty for treating yourself occasionally. However, don’t make it a habit of eating these types of food on a regular basis:
- Junk foods
- Fried foods
- Sugar-sweetened beverages
- Refined carbohydrates
- Processed meats
- Trans fats
It’s Great to be a Pear!
Even though we must keep our fat intake in check, about 25 per cent of our calories should come from macronutrients. Our bodies need ample amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly those found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Basically, aim for about one serving of good fat at every meal.
News flash for pear-shaped ladies out there, Pear Collections is here not only to provide you with fabulous clothing that fits your luscious curves. We are also here to help you get to know and love your beautiful self and boost your self-esteem. We invite you to check out our community forum, sign up for our newsletter, and learn what our experts have to share.