Before you start your training and nutrition regimen, it's a good idea to establish your body type.
Knowing which of the three basic body types you're closest to, will help you better tailor your diet and exercise plan and set realistic, attainable goals that pave the way to your success.
We are not all made the same, people come in all shapes, but most can be placed into a particular category: mesomorph, ectomorph, or endomorph body type.
Are You An Endomorph?
Characteristics Of An Endomorph
? Smooth, round body
? Gains muscle easily, but tends to be underdeveloped
? Medium/ large joints/ bones
? High levels of body fat
? Small shoulders, high waist and large hips creating a pear-shaped physique in women
? Difficult to keep lost body fat off
? Slow metabolic rate
? Lose weight slowly and find it difficult
The Good With The Bad!
The good news is endomorphs can pack on muscle fairly easily. The bad news is this body type is prone to excessive accumulation of body fat!
Women tend to have pear-shaped bodies, with fat distribution concentrated in the hips and thighs, and then often in the upper arms and lower legs.
Men have the “beer belly” and are just overall fat or plump. Endomorphs sometimes claim they don’t eat that much, but an endomorph can also have a large appetite.
and the bad...
? Endomorphs will have a harder time losing weight. But this is not to say that endomorphs can’t lose weight! They will simply have to work harder to lose the weight than their fellow ectomorphs.
? Endomorphs will require more determination than perhaps a mesomorph would, to achieve the same goal. Endomorphs have to train hard and must eat healthily most of the time.
? Endomorphs gain fat quickly when eating the wrong types of foods because their metabolism is not so fast. They also find it difficult to lose weight through diet alone.
Endomorph Diet Tips
Endomorphs may be more sensitive to spikes in insulin, it's important that they focus on low-glycemic carb foods. These foods have a mild effect on blood sugar, helping to keep blood sugar levels steady.
High fiber foods:? Fruits
? Vegetables
? Whole grains
Pile your plate high at each meal with green vegetables, and choose whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa over white rice and pasta.
Protein is an important part of an endomorph's diet for two reasons: First, protein is the most satiating of the macronutrients, so it will help fill you up at each meal and prevent food cravings and snacking between meals to limit calorie intake. Second, protein will support an intense training regimen, which is an important component of weight loss for an endomorph. The protein source should come from lean sources like:? Fish? Chicken? TurkeyOily fish are also a good source which also provides healthy fats.Healthy fats can also be found in foods like:? Avocado? Nuts? Houmous? SalmonAim for a nutrient distribution close to 30 percent carbs, 35 percent protein and 35 percent fat.
Stay away from the bread, cereal, cracker and refined sugars.
Endomorph Exercise Tips
Endomorphs typically have a difficult time losing fat with diet alone, so a well-rounded fitness program is a must for the endomorph.
Exercise is essential to boosting metabolism and must include both weight and cardio training. In general, endomorphs must commit to a lifelong program without over-training!
Building muscle comes easily for endomorphs; however, a slower metabolism and extra body fat make it much harder for endomorphs to stay lean. This can be helped by: -
? Incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) two to three days a week.
? Incorporating weight training three times per week.
Endomorphs should choose workouts that combine compound, high-intensity exercises. Exercises with the maximum amount of muscle recruitment, such as squats, increase potent muscle-building hormones significantly.
If you are combining weight training with your HIIT training, try to ensure that you do the high-intensity element before you start with the weights. This will help with burning that excess fat!
Take Home Message
Make the most of the body you were given...We can’t all be gifted with the “ideal” body, but with hard work, dedication and the right diet and exercise plan we can all achieve our goals!
Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.
