Are you training, and eating for your body type?
One of the wonderful experiences of being an individual is that we all come in different shapes and sizes and therefore depending on the goal, must consider training and eating a specific way. To help people better strategies for their fitness goals, I want to share how some people may need to consider approaching their health and wellness goals based on where they may fit within there particular somatotype, also known as body types. Understanding these three body types is important and it is possible that you might be training and eating a certain way and not seeing results. So I hope by creating this awareness creates a positive impact on your current health and fitness regimen.
According to Precision Nutrition, people may be categorized under three different body types;
1. Ectomorph
2. Mesomorph
3. Endomorph
There are genetically in-between body types such as ecto-mesomoprh (athletic looking yet still on the thin side) and endo-mesomorph (heavily muscled yet carrying extra body fat around the mid section) However, in this post, we will only focus on the three listed above.
Body Type 1 Ectomorph
Ectomorphs are considered people who are hard muscle gainers. These individuals may work hard at the gym and have a hard time gaining muscle mass. It may seem as if no matter what they do, they have a hard time seeing the pounds go up on the scale. People with this body type may consider themselves to be very skinny and typically gravitate towards running and endurance exercise. Some of the characteristics of this body type are; thyroid dominant, fast metabolic rate, high sympathetic nervous system activity and higher carbohydrate tolerance.(Precision Nutrition)
For people who fit in this category,if muscle mass is the goal, it is recommended that they make a conscientious effort to potentially decrease their cardio output and add more strength training. Many say to avoid cardio all together however, in my professional opinion it is important to continue to work your cardiovascular muscles for health and longevity purposes.
With that said, the next focus is paying close attention to the amount of calories you are consuming through out the day. Typically people who fall in this bracket eat little calories to stimulate growth, and adding long duration cardio may make it even more challenging to gain muscle. As mentioned before, you may have a high metabolic rate so adding more quality food to your diet will help increase your energy levels, strength and muscle mass.
I recommend that these people consider adding more protein and a higher percentage of healthy carbohydrates in their nutrition.
My generic recommendation is to focus primarily on strength training 3 to 5x a week, if your schedule permits, with a mix of one to two days a week of High Interval Training (HITT) 20-30 minutes tops per session and 1 to 2 days of steady state cardio for 30-40 minutes for heart health.
Recommended Macro nutrient Breakdown for Increasing Muscle Mass: (High Carb) 55% Carbohydrates, 25% Protein, 20% Healthy Fats
Body Type 2 Mesomorphs
The middle body types are Mesomorphs. Mesomorphs are considered jacked and lean. These individuals can look at a dumbbell and get a nice pump just because. These are the individuals who have been lifting in the gym for years and their ab muscles are showing through their shirt. This body type may have a low body fat percentage and a high muscle density. Some of the characteristics of this body types are: testosterone and growth hormone dominant, moderate to high sympathetic nervous system activity and moderate carbohydrate tolerance. Their goals may be, continue to build muscle mass while maintaining low body fat percentage or support sports athletic performance.(Precision Nutrition)
My recommendation to these individuals are to keep doing what you are doing. However, consider high intensity interval training to your current training routine if you are not doing so and a few long distance cardiovascular activities to promote heart health. Although, many may appear “healthy” from the outside, which most are, some may focus on macro based diet and avoid eating healthier nutrients to satisfy their macro goals. I would highly recommend for those who fit in this cardio to take time to go to the doctors and monitor their blood levels and add a comprehensive cardio routine for heart health and longevity.
In addition, it is possible due to the amount of muscle mass people in this category have, and style of training, that flexibility may be a concern. So I would also recommend, affectively using stretching and recovery techniques to protect the muscles from injury and recover faster from your next training session.
Recommended Macro nutrients Breakdown: (Balanced) 35% Carbohydrates, 30% Protein , 35% Healthy Fats
Body Type 3 Endomorphs
The third body type is the Endomorphs, people who fit in this category are those who naturally gravitate towards strength training in addition, may hold more weight around their mid section. Some of the characteristics of this body types are insulin dominant, slow metabolic rate, low sympathetic nervous system activity and low carbohydrate tolerance. In addition, the typical goals are lose body fat, especially in the central area; abdominal and lower back according to Precision Nutrition.
Endomorphs who wish to transition towards a Mesomorph physique, may want to consider adding more cardio on a daily basis for about roughly 45 minutes to an 1 hour. In addition, circuit style resistance training. They may want to practice exercises that will keep their heart rate at their fat utilization zone more often so that they reap the benefits of using efficient amount of calories during there training.
In addition, increase the non exercise related activities such as going for walks for 10-20 minutes at times through out the day, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and standing up from their office space by increasing daily activity.
People who fit in this category, also want and need to monitor their caloric intake for a period of time so that they can get a better understanding of how many calories are going in to their body. Once they understand how much calories are going in, then consider making changes to the amount of food consumed and increase the daily movement activities.
These suggestions may be support those who fit in these brackets however, I recognize that every one is different and may need more specific style training and coaching due to their metabolism, lifestyle and or circumstances so it is always best to refer to a qualified coach when in need.
Recommended Macro nutrients breakdown: (Low Carb, High Protein, High Fat) 20% Carbohydrates, 35% Protein, 45% Healthy Fats.
Please comment below if any of these body types resonated with you and what your current strategy is of your goals.
