Body Types

The 3 body types: What is your body type and what training and diet are best for your needs?

Imagine you’re out to eat with a friend at your favorite Italian restaurant. You’re both on a healthy kick right now – you’ve been exercising, eating healthy and trying to learn as much about nutrition as you can.

With us so far?

Then your friend decides to order pasta. What gives?

You start thinking and realize she eats pasta a lot. Pretty often. Yet for some reason, she’s thinner than you, stays toned and fit no matter what he/she seems to eat.

Why? Well this might just be because she has a different body type. This person with a seemingly unfair advantage, is what’s known as a mesomorph. 

Do you know what your body type is?

Even if you’re doing a lot of the same ‘right things,’ as that friend, you might not see the same results as someone else on the same diet and workout plan.

Wondering how does that work? More importantly, how is that fair?

Well, we all have different body types. That’s not a bad thing, and it’s not the end of the world! Different body types just means that your diet and training regimen need be adjusted to reflect the goals and challenges of your specific body’s needs. The more you know, the more you can tailor your efforts to your specific body’s needs.

You hear some people talk about having a fast metabolism or slow.

You’ll notice some people seem to build muscle with less effort. One important lesson you’ll hear us discuss is how to tailor the Perfect Diet for YOUR Body–do you know what you might be missing? Remember what works best for you can only be figured out by, you guess it, YOU.

One training or diet program does not fit all. Understanding your body type’s unique needs fast tracks you toward your fitness goals.

One training or diet program does not fit all. Understanding your body type's unique needs fast tracks you toward your fitness goals.
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Depending on the body type you have, different foods and activity will affect you differently. Today, we’ll help you tailor your eating and training to your specific body type and goals. Remember, the more you come to understand your body, the easier it is not just work harder, but smarter.

Ectomorph Mesomorph and Endomorph: What Do the 3 Body Types Tell Us?

Essentially, there are 3 main body types:

• Ectomorph 
• Mesomorph
• Endomorph

Of course, some people may fall between these categories as well.

So which body type are you?

That’s the million dollar question, because your body type determines which sports might be a good fit, the right training approach, and what you should eat in order to gain energy for activities.

For example, maybe you just need to add more cardio to fine tune around the edges, but for others, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) proves highly effective for building muscle and burning fat.

Understanding Your Body Type

Today our focus is on specializing your focus on what works best for your specific body type.

Pro Tip: one thing that remains true across the board, is that for building muscle, regardless of your body type you will need a good protein shake after workouts and between meals to manage hunger, and help you reach your daily protein requirements. If you’re going to go with a supplement, which is much cheaper than getting all that protein from whole food, go for whey isolate.

Essential for any body type, we rated the Best Tasting Protein Powder in order to help our readers reach their protein needs cheaply, while keeping their shakes delicious and nutritious.

Now we all have different body types, but you can alter what you eat and how you exercise to get better results and improve upon your physique. But for example, men body types (regardless of which type) are going to be a lot different than female body types.

A lot of people call this method of tailoring your goals to your body type, the body type diet – and by the end of this article, you’ll know why.

Side note: that friend we mentioned earlier, the one who eats pasta all day and keeps ripped muscles, is likely an ectomorph, because they can always sneak more pasta into their lives with a light speed metabolism. Don’t be frustrated yet.

We’ll explain more on this just a bit later.

So a lot of people just assume that their body type is how they look on the outside. However, it’s more than just looks.

This is key:

Body type isn't just the appearance of your body, but the natural tendencies and reactions your body has to food and physical activity.
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Some of us gain muscle more easily. Unfortunately, some of us also build up fat much more easily.

So what do we do with this information?

Your body type provides critical information on how you’re going to respond to certain inputs (food, weight training, cardio, even rest).

What Does Body Type Tell Us When It Comes to Planning Diet and Exercise

Did you know that understanding your body type can tell you a great deal of information regarding your hormonal and sympathetic nervous system (aka SNS) and all the qualities that go along with

Do you know about the key role of leptin and ghrelin on hunger signals?

These certain characteristics can be connected to the varying metabolic differences from you and your friend. So basically, once you figure out your body type, you can change the food and nutrients you eat in order to generate the best results and body composition.

Body types are called somatotypes and like we said, there are 3 general types.

3 body types:

1. Mesomorph,
2. endomorph
3. and ectomorph.

Now before you start measuring yourself up to make sure you fit into one of these boxes, known that there aren’t many people who fall completely 100% into one specific category, weeding out the rest.

Remember that whole, every body is different? well there are plenty of people do fall between these categories, this is why it’s so important for each person to learn about their body’s own responses.

Often times, people are a blend of the different character attributes.

Body Types: Nature Vs. Nature

Never forget that years of healthy choices and dedication to exercise can change the look and categorization of your ‘body type.’

As you progress towards your goals, always remember how useful it can be to accurately take body measurements. This is one of the best ways to encourage yourself and recognize your progress.

On that light, it is imperative to keep a food and exercise log if you really want to track your progress. You can find excellent an excellent, comprehensive fitness tracker for Under $20 on Amazon.

What do we mean by that? Well, let’s take a look at the average bodybuilder. They probably consider themselves a straight up mesomorph. However, that person is actually an endomorph that has years of training and dieting under his or her belt. Or, they could be an ectomorph that’s been downing protein shakes for the last decade. Either way, you get the idea.

We’ll define each one and see if you can decide where you fit.

The 3 Body Types Break Down:

1. Ectomorph Body Type:

Lets start with ectomorph diet strategy first. The ectomorph body type tends to be on the thinner side because these people have smaller bone structures and thinner limbs. They’re what you might consider the endurance athlete to look like. They also tend to have sensitivities to catecholamines (things like norepinephrine and epinephrine).

Many us are always asking ourselves: Are Carbs Evil? Well, not for everyone.

In addition, ectomorphs body type is dominant in SNS and thyroid. You’ll see a pretty quick and (unfair) tolerance for carbs (we’re all jealous) and a fast rater metabolic rate.

Because they’re able to digest carbs quickly, this group excels when there are more carbs in the diet, with an even amount of protein and a lot lower intake of fat.

Ectomorph Diet:

1. Around 55% carbs,
2. 25% protein
3. 20% natural fat.

If that’s too much math for you, aim for higher amounts of carbs and lower amounts of fat.

Ectomorph men:

Should get about 2 palms-worth of protein, 2 fists full of veggies, 3 cupped handful of carbs and maybe 1 thumbs worth of fat – all of this at every meal.

Ectomorph women’s diets:

Should look a little different. First, they only need 1 palm worth of protein and 1 fist worth of veggies. They should have about 1/2 thumb worth of fat and 2-cupped handfuls of carbs. At least they still get the carbs!

Do you know Why You Should Be Eating Resistant Starch? It turns out certain carbs are exactly what your body needs.

2. Mesomorph Body Type:

What is the mesomorph body type? Well, these guys have an athletic body, but are medium sized when it comes to bone structure. Think sprinting type athletes, fitness models, running backs–lean, mean and muscular.

And, if they’re pretty active,mesomorph body type tend to have a lot of lean mass. A lot of the famous wrestlers, athletes and gymnasts you know fit into this category. They are definitely dominant when it comes to testosterone and hormone growth.

Whether or not you’re a mesomorph body type, building muscle requires healthy testosterone levels. Regardless of your body type, there are healthy Natural Ways to Boost Testosterone without doctors.

First and foremost, mesomorphs are the lucky few that build muscle easier than most people. they also tend to maintain a lower level of body fat.

Mesomorph Diet:

1. 40% carbs
2. 30% protein
3. 30% natural fat

A mesomorph diet for men, they get 2 palms of protein, 2 fists of veggies, 2-cupped handfuls of carbs and 2 thumbs worth of fat.

Mesomorph female gets the same kind of diet, except they only get one – so 1 protein, 1 veggie, 1 carb, 1 fat.

Endomorph Body Type

And finally the endomorph diet.Basically, you know the lineman in football you see? Yeah, they’re endomorphs. Any extra calories in endomorphs don’t really burn off like they do in ectomorphs. In actuality, they’re likely stored as fat.

Overall, endomorph body type is categorized by:

• larger bone structure,
• have higher levels of overall body mass
• and tend to carry more fat mass.

Endomorph fat loss is a little bit difficult because of this and a lower tolerance for carbs. But, there leads to a greater change of energy storage for both lean and fat mass.

You may have been able to guess but this group does a lot better on a diet that’s high in fat and protein. Now, while they can have carbs, it is best for these carbs to be timed appropriately and under control (like only after exercise).

Q: What’s the best time for carbs if you’re watching your fat levels?

A: Right after you work out is a great time to add a banana to your shake. This actually helps drive protein synthesis for muscle repair

If you’re struggling with fat loss, try these Best Exercises for Losing Fat While Gaining Muscle.

Endomorph Diet: 

•  40% of their diet being fats
• 35% being protein,
• Around 25% for carbs.

So guys, stride for 2 palms of protein, 2 fists of veggies, 1 cupped handful of carbs, and about 3 thumbs worth of fats.

The endomorph female diet is about 1 palm full of protein, only 1 fist full of veggies, half a cupped handful of carbs, and 2 thumbs worth of fats.

Where Does Your Body Type Fit in?

Like we said, you probably don’t fit perfectly into just one of these types. Here’s what we suggest – experiment! Try various strategies and see what works for you. But if you’re getting frustrated and can’t decide where you fall, there’s still hope.

No matter what your body type is – athletic, husky, small boned, big boned, whatever- or your overall health and wellness, the way your body handles carb intakes can seriously improve your activity level.

This might go without saying but try and stay away from the sugary starches!

If you know you’re going to hit the gym at noon, eat your carbs before you go–but stick to brown rice, yams, fruit or other clean carbs.

You’ll find better you’re preforming better and your recovery time is shortened. It gives you the perfect boost you need to get you going and keep you going.

Now, depending on what your body type is, your tolerance and needs for carbs (and other nutrients) are going to be different. It should be your goal to figure out how to make it match. After all, carbs can either make or break you, so you probably want to find out which side you’re on.

And we all know that not all carbs are created equal. Just because you have trouble adding weight, does not make a greasy bag of chips a good idea.

Don’t forget that we’re not getting any younger here and there are various things that might come into play that’ll influence your body type. Things like puberty, menopause, and andropause can all affect your body type.

And as a gentle reminder, we’ll tell you what some carb-rich foods are. Things like dried fruits, yams, potatoes, sweet potatoes, whole grains (things like quinoa, amaranth, millet, barley, breads), and recovery drinks and sugar.

We’ll leave you with a breakdown of everything so you can decide which category you fall into.

Body Types Carbs and Where You Fit In

High carb tolerance

Body Type Generally Ectomorph

Carb times: A lot of carbs around exercise time with starch whole grains throughout the day. Focus on fruits and veggies at every single meal, too.

Medium carb tolerance

Body Type Generally Mesomorph

Carb times: Stick with carb-rich foods before your exercise but mix in some starches and whole grains at other times – just do so in moderation. Again, fruits and veggies at every single meal.

Low carb tolerance

Body Type Generally Endomorph

Carb times: Virtually any carb intake should be done before exercise. Fruits and veggies at every meal (mostly overtaking the meal).

Conclusion

All of this info can help aid you in your journey, because these are awesome rules in order for your muscles to grow and maintain, as well as possible lose some weight.

If you’re brand spanking new to this whole eating healthy thing, don’t be discouraged!

We get it. It can feel like an uphill battle when you’re trying to achieve a body that isn’t exactly what nature had in the cards for you. At the end of the day, improvement is possible for EVERYONE. It’s all about what you’re willing to put into it and sometimes what you’re willing to give up. Blaming your genetics will not solve anything, that’s for sure.

Timing and tailoring your diet and exercise to the behavior of your body type is a key to making the most of your body’s strengths and fighting its own less health tendencies. Remember, these are guidelines that are based on observed statistics and familiar behaviors. Many people fall between the categories of body types.

To an extent, you should always think about your body as an ongoing experiment to continually optimize your health. This process comes with making a commitment to continually learn more about your health.

-Terry Asher