What is The Best Diet and Workout for Your Body Type

Depending upon your genetics, as well as what you eat and your exercise routine, your shape may be different than others. Not everyone likes the shape they are born with so then what? Depending on your genetics, body fat, and muscle mass, your body takes on a particular type of shape.
 

The Three Body Types

Endomorphs – These people have bigger bones than the other body types. Endomorphs usually have round faces and large thighs and hips, too. Their arms and legs tend to be short and tapering, giving them a stocky appearance. Most endomorphs have small hands and feet and a high waistline. Since endomorphs usually have higher levels of body fat than other types of bodies, they appear larger. They can build muscle and lean mass easily, however, but weight loss may be more difficult for them.

Many women are endomorphs and it makes sense if you think about it. From an evolutionary standpoint, woman need fat stores for pregnancy and nursing. A common complaint of endomorphs is that they don’t want to pump up their legs and desire to lose weight from their bellies. Losing weight doesn’t work this way, unfortunately, our genes determine our weight loss patterns. This is why building muscle tone helps shape up the endomorph while weight is being removed.

The best asset of the endomorph is that they have strong, powerful legs that serve as fat-burning machines. A good nutritional tip for people with this body type is for them to eat fewer fats and carbohydrates and choose foods that are low in fat, like beans, egg white, and lean cuts of meat.

READ Five Diet and Exercise Myths That Actually Make You Gain Weight

Mesomorphs – This body type is described as an athletic build. Mesomorphs usually have an hourglass figure or ruler shape and gain muscle mass easily. The majority of mesomorphs are broad-shouldered with a narrow waist. They have a fast metabolism and can lose weight easily. These people lose weight easily so maintaining a fit physique is not hard at all. A common concern of mesomorphs is that they don’t want to get bulky.

The best asset of mesomorphs is that they lose fat easily and have great muscle tone with little effort. A good nutritional tip for these folks is for them to eat a diet of lean proteins and vegetables because muscle store glycogen from carbohydrates which can make you look bloated.

Ectomorphs- These individuals have a thin, linear appearance. Ectomorphs have narrow waists, hips, and shoulders, giving them a ruler appearance. Ectomorphs easily lose weight and have low levels of body fat. It is hard for these people to gain lean muscle mass and put on weight, however. These people can eat everything in the frig and still look stick-like. However, if they don’t take care of their bodies, they become ‘skinny-fat’ where most of their body mass is fat but they still look thin.

The best asset of the Ectomorph is that the body has very little fat so it is easy to maintain a good-looking physique. For adequate nutrition, these body types should eat complete meals with carbs, fat, and proteins for muscle repair.

The Best Exercises For Your Body Type

The best exercise for Endomorphs

The best exercise for the endomorphic body type is cardio workout. They should start out with every other day routine and build up to six times a week. This type of exercise allows them to burn fat reserves stored on the body while toning muscles.

The best cardio exercise for the endomorph is long-term endurance training. Cardio exercises should be done on a regular schedule for these folks to maintain fitness.
 

• Cycling – This can be indoor or outdoor. Start doing 15 minutes and slowly build up to 30 minute intervals.
• Treadmill - Start with an easy pace for 15 minutes and gradually increase the time on the treadmill. As you get fitter increase time and intensity. You can fast pace walk, jog, or run.
• Walking - Start with an easy pace on flat ground for 15 minutes. As you get fitter increase time and intensity. You can do this on trails or tracks.
• Swimming – It is best to start with 15 minutes and increase in line with fitness.
• Strength Training – You don’t want your legs to get bigger but the large muscles of the glutes, legs, and back burn the most calories per day. Working these muscles give you an overall slimmer appearance.
• Stretching – Pilates and yoga are great choices to allow your body to be well-balanced. These exercises are great ways to give you better tone and an overall slimmer appearing physique.

The best exercise for Mesomorphs

This body type is shaped like an upside down A.  These people have an athletic appearance and many women with this body type want to have rounder appearing bottoms and shapelier legs. Mesopmorhic body types benefit from a combination of light weight training to tone muscles and cardio to maintain their weight.

• Treadmill – Since mesomorphs are built for lifting, they often struggle with cardio. It is important for overall heart health, however. Use the treadmill for short burst of speed with cool-down walks in between. Aim for twenty minutes of cardio at a time and maintain it.
• Cycling – Start at 15 minutes and work up to 20 minutes. Do interval periods alternating fast cycling with slow-paced cycling.
• Strength training – Work your whole body to create balance. Focus on exercises that increase muscle mass to your glutes and legs. Choose a weight with some resistance.
• Squats – These are good for the buttocks and legs. To balance out the mesomorph shape, work on incorporating these into your routine.
• Stretching – You will appear taller and leaner through the use of yoga and pilates. These exercises help the mesomorph to appear toned and balanced.

READ Cardio vs Weight Lifting

The best exercise for Ectomorphs

The best exercises for the Ectomorph is weight training. This helps build muscle mass and develop a more visual appealing body form. The best way to determine the right amount of weight training is to use light to medium weights, to avoid injury and to do sets of repetitions. Since the Ectomorph is built for cardio, long distant running is easy for these people.

• Weights – For shoulders, do dumbbell raises. For biceps, do curls. For triceps, do tricep extensions and pushups. For legs, do squats. Choosing heavier weights for the first two sets and then follow that with lighter weights is a ‘drop set’ which helps in strength training.
• Cardio – Cross country or long distance running is good but so is spinning, the treadmill, or other machines at the gym.
• Stretching – Since strength training can tighten muscles, pilates and yoga is great stretching maneuvers. These exercises make the body look toned and help loosen tightened muscles.