Embrace your body
Whether you're a size 6 or 16, learning to shake what your mama gave you - whether that's glorious curves or a killer athletic bod - is they key to radiating confidence.
Identifying your body shape will dictate your best options for diet, exercise and a killer wardrobe.
"Body type and fat storage are the keys to figuring out the best diet and exercise programs for each person," Shannon MacLachlan, owner of Healthy Body Healthy Mind, says. "Fatty deposits have a direct correlation with our body's hormones, so whether you're an apple (round in the middle), a pear (bigger on the bottom), rectangle (narrow all over), or an hourglass (defined waist), losing weight is not the same for everyone."
Much of our physical appearance comes down to good, old-fashioned genetics - if you were blessed with a Kim Kardashian booty, you can't squat your way to a Rosie Huntington-Whitely bod - but there are certain lifestyle choices that can improve your look (and confidence). Ms MacLachlan says apple shapes should feast on healthy fats and a controlled carbohydrate intake with fibre-rich, complex carbs (like beans, fruits and vegies).
Pear shapes, she says, need to watch their fat intake. "Butt and thigh fat (cellulite) make it difficult for the blood supply to reach fat stores and makes the fat hard to be broken down," she says.
"Pears should follow a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, such as lentils and beans and lean proteins like chicken or fish and vegies, which will help melt fat."
Ms MacLachlan says hourglass shapes should aim to eat an equal amount of fat, carbohydrates and protein to stay shapely, yet firm.
She says rectangle shapes do well on a diet that incorporates healthy fats, eating fish, olive oil, nuts, lean protein and complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegies and beans.
What you can't change with diet and exercise can be easily remedied with a killer wardrobe to amp up your babe factor; it's a matter of finding what suits you. The Westfield Body Shape Survey found 93 per cent of Australian women are not confident that the clothes they buy suit their body shape and yet only 8 per cent of women have undergone a professional body-shape assessment.
"There is something rather wonderful about wearing an outfit that we know we look great in - it puts a spring in our step," says stylist Elizabeth Clarke, who runs the Be Styled personal styling sessions through Claremont Quarter.
"It doesn't have to cost a fortune and you don't need a lot of clothing, it is about having exactly the right pieces for you and your lifestyle," she says.
For fuller figures, Ms Clarke suggests a simple, soft and monochromatic silhouette, with just a hint of structure.
"For example, a beautifully cut, fitted dress that wraps and twists around the body with a semi-structured shoulder hides bumps while creating shape, making it an invaluable camouflaging tool," she says.
"Avoid prints and patterns, instead try colour-blocking your outfit - it will give the illusion of a longer and leaner body line," she says.
Ms Clarke says a lean, tomboyish shape needs well-placed volume to give it curvy femininity.
"Define your waist with a belt, tucked-in shirt or waisted dress," she says. "A low neckline will emphasise or create cleavage, whilst this season's architectural skirt will create a strong silhouette."
