Are you stuck in a rut at the gym? Do you find that your current exercise or diet plan just isn’t giving you the results you want? One-size-fits-all workout plans and diets don’t work. Bodies are different so they require different fitness approaches. Many find that taking a look at your body type and tailoring your exercises accordingly works well in finally seeing some results.
Bodies will fall into three basic categories: Endomorph, Mesomorph, and Ectomorph. Below I will offer a description, along with workout and diet tips for each.
Endomorph
Description: The endomorph body type is the naturally fat body type. It is normally soft, round or curvy, with an overall pear or apple shape. The illusion of a larger abdominal area is also present, though this may not be true. The waist will also be wide, the face round, and the overall bone structure will be large. The thighs and buttocks tend to be larger as well. Endomorphs have an increased amount of fat storage since they have a higher number of fat cells than most people. Because of this endomorphs will find it hard to lose weight but they gain weight easily. An endomorph could eat half as much as other body types and still gain weight as they have the slowest metabolism. This body type has the greatest risk for developing obesity. Famous endomorph bodies include Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jack Black.
Workout Tips: Many endomorphs avoid weight training because they don’t want to bulk up. You should not avoid weights! Start lifting moderate weight as light weights aren’t going to be as effective for building muscle and transforming your body shape. The moderate weight will not only build muscle but it will also boost your metabolism. Try circuit training or full body strength training three times a week. You should do one weight exercise per body part. Do two sets with a weight amount that will allow ten to twelve repetitions. Along with the weight training, do 45 minutes of medium intensity cardio twice a week and 20 minutes of high intensity interval cardio twice a week to achieve maximum fat burning. Great cardio workouts include an interval step class, spinning classes, and kickboxing classes. On the treadmill try fast-paced walking with an incline and cross training intervals.
Diet Tips: You want to drink lots of water and load up on your fiber. The water will transport your nutrients and flush out the waste. Limit your fat intake to around 20% of your total calories. Eat proteins like turkey, fish and chicken. Limit your sugar and carbohydrate intake but don’t avoid carbs all together. Carbohydrates like brown rice, grains, fruits, oatmeal, vegetables, whole wheat bread and pasta, bagels and sweet potatoes are good choices. Eat five to six small meals a day. This will keep your energy level up and your metabolism working for you throughout the day.
Mesomorphs
Description: This is the “best” body type to have. Mesomorphs are considered athletic, with a hard muscular body. Females will have that Hourglass or Rectangle shape while males will be more triangular or rectangular. Mesomorphs will typically be your professional athletes, fitness models, bodybuilders and the like. This body type can pack on muscle mass easily and has no problems losing weight. Generally, Mesomorphs have great posture and thick skin. Mesomorphs have only a moderate risk of becoming obese.
Workout Tips: The best workouts for the Mesomorph include boot camp training, Step Classes, Pilates, and Yoga. Circuit training is great for this body type since it has you move quickly from one exercise to another, something that builds strength and stamina without building massive muscle. For weight training, use light to moderate weight three times a week and do no more than three exercises per body part. You will want to complete two to four sets, twelve to fifteen repetitions for each set. This regimen will give you a toned look rather than bulk you up. For cardio, three to five moderate to intense workouts will keep you looking slim and toned, with high intensity workouts being the preference. Try Stairmaster intervals, running or sprinting, and jumping rope. Change and variety in your exercises is probably one of the most important things for a Mesomorph. This ensures that your body doesn’t adapt to your workout routine and it also ensures that your muscles will develop proportionately so that you look “shapely” rather than “bulky.” Change the style of your workout or the intensity for example. In general, Mesomorphs don’t need long workout sessions.
Diet Tips: You want to eat a balanced diet that includes 40% complex carbohydrate, 30%-40% lean protein and 20%-30% fat. This will give you your full supply of nutrients with enough calories to build muscle and stay lean. If you want to lose weight, reduce your calorie intake by 200 to 500 calories a day. This will give you a ½ to 1 pound weight loss weekly. If you want lean muscle as opposed to muscle mass eat only enough carbohydrates to fuel your workouts. More carbohydrates will add more muscle mass. For your fat intake, include healthy fats from nuts, olive oil, flaxseed oil and avocados.
Ectomorphs
Description: This body type is very petite and thin. The bones are light and the muscles are extremely small. The physique is most times rectangular or linear. This gives them that straight up and down appearance. They won’t have many curves and are most times flat chested. It is very difficult for Ectomorphs to gain weight. This will be true of both fat and muscle. These are the people that have been skinny all of their life. This is due to an extremely high metabolism. They can eat basically anything and never gain weight or get fat. On the down side it is extremely hard to gain muscle mass. Ectomorphs have to work extremely hard for every ounce of muscle mass they gain. This body type has little to no risk of becoming obese.
Workout Tips: You will want to work out each muscle group once a week with heavy weights. Do two to three basic exercises for each body part. For each exercise perform three to four sets, six to ten repetitions for each set. Basic push-ups, squats, step-ups and rows work well for Ectomorphs. For cardio, do twenty to thirty minutes three times a week. You could walk on the treadmill, attend a kickboxing class, or even participate in martial arts. Cardio should really be kept to a minimum as you want to use your calories to build more muscle.
Diet Tips: The Ectomorphs diet is going to be extremely important to gaining muscle. Don’t skip meals and avoid junk food or anything that’s fried. You will need to eat a lot more than you would normally if you’re trying to build muscle. Eat complex carbohydrates like multi grain bread, rice, pasta, granola, and dried fruits. The key is to eat more calories than you burn. Go with six small meals a day to keep fueling your muscles. Eat one gram of protein for every pound you weigh. Don’t let your fat intake go any higher than 30%. And get plenty of rest. Your muscles do not grow when you’re lifting weights. And make sure that your muscles stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
Remember, most people aren’t going to fall neatly into one of these categories. If it sounds like you’re more Endomorph than Ectomorph, follow the Endomorph guidelines and see how it works for you. Stay healthy!
