Determining which body type you belong to can be liberating. It can help you better understand your body composition, the efforts you need to put in to gain muscles, the sports that will suit you, the foods that will help you stay fit and achieve weight loss, and so on.
No matter how hard some people try, genetics will always be a step ahead of them. You can’t beat your body type when it comes to fitness or weight loss. Clean eating is an essential aspect of fitness, regardless of your build.
You can boost your health and weight loss and get rid of any barriers you are facing by understanding your body type and knowing how to eat to help it become optimal.
Our body type does not only define how we look but also provides information relating to how our body responds to food intake. It also determines the characteristics of your hormonal and sympathetic nervous system (SNS). It has also been identified that a person’s body type can also define their metabolic capabilities and set them apart from other individuals when it comes to processing different types of food and gaining or losing weight. Which means it is an important factor that can be used to optimize your health goals.
Body types consist of three main categories:EctomorphEndomorphMesomorph
Most people can look like they possess characteristics of more than one of these categories, but that is probably because of the years of training and physical care they put into their health and body. And they could also be a mixture of two different body types because of their parents.
Let’s now get into what these body types mean and what the ideal diet is in each case.
1. Ectomorph
People belonging to this type are lean and skinny, meaning they have skinny limbs and a slender, narrow body. These types have a high metabolic rate which makes them resilient to weight gain. But that also means that they have difficulty putting on muscles. Ectomorphs can get away with eating excessive amounts food without gaining weight and they do not have problems with weight loss as well. They naturally have low body fat. But that’s not to say that they do not need to exercise or live a healthy lifestyle, we all do.
What to Eat
If you belong to the ectomorph category, you must aim to consume higher carbohydrates and lower fats. Carbohydrates work great for this type. Proteins must also be consumed but in moderate quantity. Fats consumed should be of good quality. Examples are nuts, avocado, chia seeds, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil.
For ectomorphs is has been suggested by some experts that distributing the nutrients in these proportions is ideal 55% carbohydrates, 25% protein and 20% fats.
2. Endomorph
Endomorphs sometimes feel they are the unlucky body type, being one myself I often seem challenging to get results and it seems that we always have to work harder than the other two body types to achieve minimal results.
Endomorphs are often fuller, rounder and have the tendency to store a lot of fat. Our body shape is round and the joints are long. We have large bone structure and some people in this category sometimes find it a bit more challenging to live an active lifestyle. This might be due to the challenges and frustrations of not getting the success they want as quickly as they want compared to the other body types.
As endomorphs, our metabolic rate is characteristically very low and that promotes storage of fat and the tendency to gain excess weight. This can be discouraging and frustrating for people with this body type and it is understandable why some people get fed-up and get lazy.
But that is not the right answer either, once they create a plan which includes understanding their body type it is easier to get results and achieve overall success in their weight loss and fitness journey.
Knowing your body type will eliminate all the confusion and misinformation that has added to the frustration that people are experiencing and it will keep things simple but successful. No diet or controlled eating patterns will give the success that learning and understanding our body types, eating for that body type and exercising for that body type can.
What to Eat
An endomorph would need to consume good quality fats and protein. As far as the intake of carbohydrates, it is tricky but very do-able for endomorphs to put more emphasis on good fats and proteins while incorporating some good low glycemic carbohydrates.
Therefore a breakdown of 25% carbohydrates, 35% protein and 40% fat. In simple words, consider eating more fats and protein and fewer carbohydrates is a great place to start and tweaking might be necessary based on results.
3. Mesomorph
This body type is considered to be genetically gifted. Mesomorphs are lean, muscular, athletic and naturally active, making them great at sports. Their bodies are proportionally built, consisting of medium sized bone structure and considerably lean mass. People belonging to this body type can gain and lose weight easily by changing their diet and activity level. Due to high testosterone, mesomorphs can build muscle easily.
What to Eat
If you are a mesomorph, you should consider consuming a balanced diet. Which means splitting eating proportions into 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat. The ability to gain muscle and weight easily means that you should focus on effective weight management throughout your life.
Going on a trip without a map or directions is the same thing as not knowing your body type but expecting results or success in weight loss or fitness journey. We often don’t appreciate what our body does for us without asking until it stops doing it for us. Getting fit, losing weight and achieving health is simple but not easy to do.
But we can make it simple and easier by understanding the subject which is our body. This way we will have the information, understand the needs and get the edge to get what we want.