Women come in a number of different shapes and knowing your own body shape an help you develop a diet and workout routine to better help with your trouble spots. While people like to argue about the number of molds that femininity likes to pour itself into, I believe that the four different figures listed below account for most women without making classification overly confusing.

Here are the Four Shapes:

The Pear: The pear shape is a shape that many women can relate to. Like the fruit, pear shaped women have a prominent lower region, with the hips bearing most of the weight. The hips and lower waist may also be prominent, but the once again like the fruit, the top is slender with small shoulders and thin arms. Hilary Clinton is a good example of a pear.

The Apple: Like this rosy round fruit, Apple shaped women are round and tend to have a large midsection and ,or chest. With the weight going to the chest and midsection,  women whom are apples are more prone to back problems. The Comedian Roseanne isa good example of an apple.

The Hour Glass: a balance between both the apple and the pair, with a narrow waist thrown in, the hour glass figure is the shape most women find themselves wishing they were.  With distinct shoulders and curvy hips, the hour glass is considered to be the ideal full feminine shape. GQ's sexiest women alive, Scarlett Johansson ,is a good example of  classic hour glass.

The Ruler: Women who lack curves and have a straight, plank like figures are known as rulers. Kate Moss's waif like figure is a good example of this.

While the pear, the apple, the hour glass and the ruler are all distinctly different from one another, what each of these shapes have in common is that extra weight almost always drifts to the shapes more prominent regions. For example, if a pear shaped women add 30 pound to her frame, it is most likely going to show up in her hips and rear  while her shoulders and midsection stays slim.

Knowing what shape you are can help you  target those problem areas and develop a good workout routine to help tone and shape the areas that are most likely to pack on the weight. Apples, for example, might want to try more upper body and ab toning while hourglasses might want to do more full body workouts. Accepting your particular body shape and using good nutrition and exercise that focuses on the problem area is important for both being healthy and looking your best.