What body shape am I – is it an hourglass, a triangle, or maybe a rectangle? If this question troubles you, we have a solution – a foolproof body type calculator that only needs a few seconds to give you a clear answer. Instead of analyzing your reflection in the mirror and wondering which shape does it resemble the most, we give you a fast and reliable way to determine what is your body type. Just input your measurements into the body shape calculator and let it classify you into one of seven most popular groups. Make sure to calculate your ideal weight, too!
How to take measurements?
Our body shape calculator needs four measurements to accurately determine your body type. You can use the measurements you took for the body fat calculator.
- Bust: measure at the fullest point of your bust with a soft measuring tape. Make sure that the tape is not too tight by breathing in and out.
- Waist: your waist is the narrowest part of your torso. The measuring tape you bring around your waist should sit tightly, but it shouldn’t “dig” into your skin. Don’t pull your stomach in, either.
- Hips: you measure your hips it the widest point below your waist. Remember to remove your clothing and to keep your feet together so that the measurement is as accurate as possible.
- High hip: this is also a hip measurement, but taken in a different place than the previous one. It is taken at the top of the hip curve – not at its widest point! You need to localize the upper swell of the hip over your pelvic bone.
It doesn’t matter which units you use for the measurement – our body type calculator deals equally well with imperial and metric units.
What is my body type?
Our body shape calculator will classify your body into one of seven most popular types. Naturally, not all women falling into one category are the same.
- Hourglass: this body shape is balanced and harmonious. The bust and hips are proportional and well-balanced, and the waist is clearly defined.
- Top hourglass: it is similar to the regular hourglass with a beautifully defined waist. Your bust is visibly larger than your hips.
- Bottom hourglass: just like the top hourglass, this body type has a clearly defined waist. Your bust is smaller than the hips.
- Spoon: if you’re a spoon, your hips are much larger than your bust. Your hips have a shelf-like appearance, and you have a nicely defined waist.
- Triangle: triangles have a slim upper body and wide hips (typically wider than the shoulders). Their waist is not clearly accentuated.
- Inverted triangle: inverted triangles have a subtle waist and a proportionally larger upper body. Your bust and shoulders are quite wide, and the hips are slim.
- Rectangle: this is a “boyish” body type – your hips, waist, and bust are about the same size. Your body is well proportioned and athletic in appearance.
Now that you have solved the pressing issue of “What body shape am I?”, you can use this knowledge for your benefit. Making informed choices while dressing or shopping for clothes will surely make you a more confident and beautiful person!
FAQ
What is the most common body shape?
The most common body shape is a rectangle, which makes up 46% of women. A rectangle is a woman whose waist is less than nine inches smaller than their hips or bust. Next are the bottom-heavy ‘spoons’, whose hips are two or more inches larger than their busts. These account for approximately 20% of the female population. Third are the inverted triangle, making up about 14% of the population. These are women whose busts are three or more inches larger than their hips. Finally are the hourglasses, women who have a roughly equal hip and bust, with a narrower waist. These women make up about 8%.
Does a woman’s body shape change with age?
Yes, as a woman ages the concentrations of hormones in her body will alter, causing her body shape to change. The first changes occur at puberty. Pre-pubescent boys and girls have a similar hip-waist ratio, but the large amounts of estrogen produced at the onset of puberty cause a female’s hips to widen and breasts to develop. Estrogen also causes fat to be stored in the buttocks, thighs and hips. Pregnancy causes estrogen levels to rise again, causing the breasts to enlarge, although this is generally reversed after pregnancy. At the onset of menopause, the decreased estrogen levels cause a womans breasts to shrink, as well as the redistribution of fat to the waist or abdomen.
Can you change your body shape?
Once you have finished puberty, it is largely impossible to change your body shape – your bone structure and proportions are mostly defined. There are however some changes that can be made. Gaining or losing fat will change the size of your buttocks, thighs and hips if you are a premenopausal woman, or the size of your waist and abdomen if you are a man or post-menopausal woman. Gaining muscle mass is another way of altering your shape – by targeting particular muscle groups you can accentuate them, e.g., your shoulders to look more athletic, your hamstrings and glutes for longer-looking legs.
What is my body type?
There are three body types; ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph. If you are lean and long, find it difficult to build muscle, and have ever been accused of being a ‘beanpole’, you’re probably an ectomorph. If you tend to be on the heavier side, and find it difficult to lose body fat, you are likely an endomorph. If you find it easy to gain muscle and have a high metabolism, you may be a mesomorph. However, please be aware that you are unlikely to be strictly one of these body types, and they exist as a scale between all of them. Think of it as a triangle.
What are the 3 main body types?
The three main somatotypes are; ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph. Ectomorphs tend to be tall and slight of build, and find it difficult to gain weight. Your favourite basketball player is mostly likely an ectomorph. Endomorphs, on the other hand, have no problem gaining weight, and tend to have a lot of muscle and fat. They are not always overweight though – Marylin Monroe was an endomorph. The last type are mesomorphs, what you will typically picture when you think of an athlete. They are strong, and tend to have a high metabolism. Don’t forget though that everyone exists as a mix of different proportions of all three types.
What are the 5 female body types?
The 5 main female body types are as follows:
- Rectangle – A rectangle is a woman whose body shape means having waist measurements that are less than 9 inches smaller than the hip or bust measurements. So, you are not particularly curvy, your waist is not well-defined and your weight is fairly distributed throughout the body.This shape of the body is also called as the straight or ruler body.
- Triangle – aka pear, hips wider than bust, defined bust but not waist, proportionately slim arms and shoulders, weight is distributed to bottom and legs rather than upper body.
- Hourglass – hip and bust measurement are nearly equal, while the waist is narrower.
- Spoon – hips are much larger than bust, with clearly defined waist. Hips are shelf-like.
- Inverted triangle – narrow waist, with shoulders and bust are much wider than hips.
What is the meaning of 36 24 36 figure?
A 36 24 36 figure is a type of hourglass figure. The three numbers each refer to a specific measurement of a woman’s body. The first is the bust, measured around the fullest point of the chest. The next measurement is the waist, which is the narrowest part of a relaxed torso. The final measurement is around the hips, the widest point below the waist when both feet are together. The 36 24 36 figure is measured in inches, and in centimeters is known as the 90 60 90 figure.
What is a healthy waist size?
The ideal waist size for a woman is 32 ½ inches (82.5 cm), while for men it is 35 inches (88.9 cm). The waist is defined as the narrowest part of the body between the hips and ribs. The World Health Organisation states that an absolute waist circumference greater than 40 in (102 cm) for men and 35 in (88 cm) for women means that that person is obese. Obesity is also defined as a waist-hip ratio greater than 0.9 for males and 0.85 for females. You can check yours with our waist-hip ratio calculator. People who are obese suffer from an increased risk of diabetes, asthma and Alzheimers, among other problems.
Does your body shape change when you lose weight?
Yes, your body shape does change when you lose weight. If you are female, your body will naturally store weight on your buttocks, thighs and hips due to the estrogen present in your body. By losing weight, these areas will become slimmer. If you are male, your body will store its fat on your stomach, you losing weight can help you shift that beer belly.
What is a zero figure?
A zero figure, or a size zero, is a women’s clothing size in the US clothing sizes system. It is a size that fits measurement of bust/waist/hips anywhere between 30 22 32 inches (76 56 81 cm) to 36 28 36 inches (90 71.5 90 cm), depending on the style and make. Originally a size 8 in 1958, it is now known as a size 0 due to vanity sizing. Zero figure is often associated with anorexia. If you or others around you are worried that you may be underweight, please consult a doctor.