Endomorph, Mesomorph, Or Ectomorph? (The 3 Body Types)

Your body type, known as your somatotype in the world of physiology, will help you determine your own unique needs from workout programs to supplements and diets.

Using a body type calculator, you can find out what your body type is and create a specific workout and diet plans designed for your success.

Are you an endomorph, mesomorph, or ectomorph?

The 3 body types seem to affect your diet and workout; thus, it’s vital to know where you fit so you can reach your body goals.

So you understand what characterizes each body type, and you’ve figured out what yours is. But what are you supposed to do with this information, anyway?

Endomorph Fitn​ess Tips:

• Cardio is your friend. Think one or two days a week at the least. Fat-burning is at its best after training, as you’ll have run out of glycogen and your body will have to move into burning body tissue for energy. This will make fat loss easier.
• Rather than jogging along, focus on interval training. Think two minutes fast, one minute slow to get that fat burning fast.
• If you’re looking to gain muscle, go for about four days of weightlifting – the goal is to get as much burn as possible while avoiding overtraining. Challenge yourself to follow and go to failure after around 10 reps.
• You need maximum muscle use, so focus on weight training that hits numerous muscles at once, like squats and deadlifts.

Mesomorphs have a wide variety of goals – some are looking to avoid bulking up too much while maintaining an athletic lifestyle.

This is especially true for women who want to maintain a more feminine, hourglass physique.

Others are bodybuilding experts and are completely content to continue to bulk up.

Let’s look at how diet and workout plans can help mesomorphs reach their unique goals.

Mesomorph Dieting Tips:

• It’s all about balance, mesomorphs. Don’t go for a high-protein diet unless you want to bulk up. Otherwise, think an equal amount of carbs, proteins, and fats for balanced nutrition. Eva de Angelis, a licensed dietitian nutritionist and health writer, recommends dividing your plate into three sections: 1) good quality protein (such as white meat, eggs, fish, beans, lentils, or Greek yogurt), 2) fruits and vegetables of any kind, and 3) whole grains (such as quinoa, brown rice, and oatmeal).
• Whole foods over processed foods – this will help you avoid potential muscle melting into fat.
• Even your metabolism is going to slow down easily someday. When it does, you’ll have to learn how to reign in your calorie count to avoid fat gains along with your muscle gains. This does not mean doing away totally with carbohydrates and fats. Registered dietitian Wendy Lord advises including healthy fats and complex carbs such as whole grains which are digested more slowly and could provide sustained energy.

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• If weight gain is what you want, one of the easiest ways to do this is to up your calorie intake, especially when it comes to healthy fats and proteins. Tired of hearing you need to eat more? We’re sorry, but it’s a key part of the bulking process!
• Try to eat every two hours at least.
• Add a lot of protein powder and pre- and post-workout supplements to your diet.
• Go for high-calorie weight gain shakes to get those extra calories in.
• For once, we’re going to tell you not to be afraid of junk food and cheat days. Highly processed foods aren’t good for anyone but don’t be afraid to hit that greasy pizza joint from time to time.

Ectomorph Fitness Tips:

• Often, ectomorphs are “skinny fat,” meaning they lack muscle mass and have more fat. Getting your body composition measurements is a good starting point to see just how much muscle you want or need to gain.
• Weightlifting is your new best friend. Hit numerous muscle groups with compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and pull-ups.
• Don’t over-train. Hit each muscle group only once a week, and with only a few exercises.
• Keep cardio at a minimum. You really don’t need that calorie burn.
• Give yourself the necessary rest days to avoid putting your muscles through too much stress and failing to bulk.

Although dividing people into three different body types is an imperfect system, typically, most people fall fairly neatly into one of these categories. When it comes to women, though, the amount of body types can range anywhere from three to eight, depending on who you’re asking. (4)

If you hadn’t heard of endomorphs, mesomorphs, or ectomorphs before reading this article, you’re not alone.

We love to talk about workout as a one-size-fits-all type of thing, but knowing your body type is going to give you that edge to really reach your goals.

Nutritionist and author Lisa Richards highlights the importance of remembering that everyone is different. Individuals all have their unique nutritional needs based on their age, sex, weight, height, and activity level.

Whether you’re aiming for weight loss or gain, muscle growth or simple weight maintenance, your diet and workout plan need adjusting based on your body type.

Are you an endomorph looking to lose weight?

A mesomorph high on bulking up?

An ectomorph just looking to get toned?

Whatever your goal is, try out these tips.

How’s your experience been with your body type?