BODY TYPES & NUTRITION

Not everybody’s created equal. Before you start your nutrition regimen, its always a good idea to figure out your Body Type. This will help you tailor your diet better and set realistic and attainable goals.

There are 3 basic human body types:

Ectomorph: They are distinguished by a lack of much fat or muscle tissue.

Mesomorph : This is marked by a well developed musculature.

Endomorph :  This is characterized by a preponderance of body fat.

This is how the 3 body types look like:

Everybody is different since we all have different genetic and cultural traits. If everyone ate the same things and started exercising similarly, we would not look the same. This is because each person’s genetic inheritance influences their bone structure, body size, shape, and weight differently.

Thus, every body type should eat differently as per what appeals to them. This will not only maintain one’s healthy weight but also prevent any kind of eating disorders.

ECTOMORPHS:

Ectomorphs are individuals characterized by smaller bone structures and thinner limbs. They are characterized by:

Narrow hips and clavicals
Small joints (wrists and ankles)
A thin build
Stringy muscle bellies
Long limbs
Proper nutrition is very important, especially for those who consider themselves as “Ectomorphs”. It typically means that they have a faster metabolism , a tough time gaining body weight and higher overall caloric needs.

An ectomorph must typically start his or her diet plan by following the main principles for big gains in muscle size and strength.

As an Ectomorph, your ideal nutrition consists of about 55% of complex carbohydrates , 30% good quality proteins and 15% healthy fats.

Ectomorphs’ Ideal Body Type Diet

Avoid fatty foods, especially animal fat, cold cuts, mayonnaise, full-fat dairy, rich desserts, packaged foods, chips.

As an Ectomorph, the ideal nutrition consists of about 55% of complex carbohydrates (whole grains, rice, nuts all vegetables), approx. 30% quality proteins (whey, chicken, eggs), and up to 15% healthy fats cold-pressed virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil and good omega 3 sources like fish and sea food.

MESOMORPHS

Mesomorphs have a medium sized bone structure and athletic body, and if they’re active, they usually have a considerable amount of lean mass. They are characterized as follows:

Wide clavicles
A narrow waist
Thinner joints
Long and round muscle bellies
As a mesomorph, you are likely to put on muscle easily and also easy to gain and lose body weight. However,  mesomorphs yet need a targeted diet plan that helps them avoid fat gain and improve overall health.

BALANCE  is very important for a mesomorph, who falls between an ectomorph and an endomorph. A typical diet for mesomorphs should comprise of 45% complex carbohydrates, 35% good quality proteins and up to 20% healthy fats.

Mesomorphs’ Ideal Body Type Diet

Avoid fatty foods (full-fat dairy, fatty meats, cold cuts, mayonnaise, very rich desserts,) and minimize as much as possible refined carbohydrates (sugars and white flour products), as they cause rapid weight gain triggering a fat-storage metabolism.

As a Mesomorph, you should eat 3 smaller meals favoring foods high in quality protein (whey, chicken, eggs) and complex carbohydrates (leafy greens and non starchy vegetables).

Approx. 45% complex carbohydrates, 35% quality proteins and up to 20% healthy fats; use cold-pressed virgin olive oil and flaxseed oil in salads and get used to cooking with rice bran oil.

Include fish and seafood, as they are good omega 3 sources-omega 3 and weight loss connection is well-known.

In between meals get a healthy snack: fruits (except the sweet ones, like bananas, pineapple, grapes, mango, watermelon), raw almonds, plain yogurt or various smoothies with the right foods for you, as above.

ENDOMORPHS

Endomorphs have a larger bone structure with higher amounts of total body mass and fat mass. They tend to be naturally less active and thus have more tendency to store energy as fat. Thus, they have a particularly easy time gaining weight but hard to shed kilos. The main characteristics of a Endomorph is:

They look blocky
Wider and thicker joints
Wider hips than the clavicles
Shorter limbs
Out of all the three body types, Endomorphs have the greatest tendency towards roundness. Being an endomorph, obesity is very common in males in females.

“Apple shaped obesity” is more commonly seen in males where there is excess fat in and around the belly, while “Pear shaped obesity” is commonly seen in females with excess fat on the hips and buttocks.

Endomorphs’ Ideal Body Type Diet

As an Endomorph, your nutrition for losing weight should be roughly up to 30% complex carbohydrates (starchy vegetables, brown rice, whole grains), about 45% quality protein (chicken breast, whey protein) and about 25% healthy fats: omega 3 sources (fish, seafood) and ricebran oil, which helps to increase your sluggish metabolism. Also, to keep your metabolic rate up, divide your daily meals into smaller portions so that you have something to eat handy every 2-3 hours.

Avoid as much as you can all types of sugar (including all fruits except berries) and simple carbohydrates like white flour products and pasta, white rice, potatoes, because they cause a rapid rise of your blood sugar level, which, in turn triggers the release of insulin, the fat-storage hormone. Never end your meals feeling completely full.

Endomorphs typically do best on a higher fat and protein intake with carbohydrate intake being controlled and properly timed (e.g., after exercise). More fat and protein, less carbohydrate.

A nutrient distribution for this body type might be around 25% carbs, 35% protein, and 40% fat.

KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE – YOUR DAILY NEEDS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS YOU ARE !!