Leaders like Joanna Soh<\/a> are shaking up the health and fitness world by showing us how our body composition, bone structure, and fat\/muscle distribution can change our lives.<\/p>\n In a celebration of all body types, we decided it was time to shed some light on the concept of ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph vody types. Today, you\u2019ll learn how to define your body type, what each category means, and how you can adapt your health strategy to suit your unique needs.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with the basics.<\/p>\n Endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph are all words that refer to a kind of body type. Your body type is decided by a variety of genetic<\/a> and environmental factors. The categories we\u2019re discussing today address everything from your fat\/muscle ratio, your skeletal structure, and more.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you need to know about each type.<\/p>\n Defining characteristics of the ectomorph include tall, thin, and lanky limbs. Individuals defined as ectomorphs often have rounder bone structures, with wide hips and stocky limbs. However, these people tend to struggle with gaining weight, regardless of what they eat. If you\u2019re an ectomorph, you\u2019ll have a lean body with small muscles, which means you\u2019ll need a lot of carbs to gain weight.<\/p>\n Experts recommend eating a lot of protein if you\u2019re an ectomorph, to help with building muscles. You might also need to invest in high-intensity interval training to make the biggest difference to your body.<\/p>\n Almost the exact opposite of an ectomorph, endomorphs find it very difficult to get rid of fat. These individuals gain weight faster and often look curvy. If you\u2019re an endomorph, you\u2019ll have a more triangular bone structure, with narrow hips, broad shoulders, and shorter limbs.<\/p>\n Endomorphs gain more muscle during workouts, but a slow metabolism<\/a> means they\u2019re more likely to store fat than build muscle. If you\u2019re an endomorph, you\u2019ll need to keep carbs low and improve your intake of good fats and protein. Cardio, high-intensity exercise, and metabolism-boosting routines are common among endomorphs.<\/p>\n Considered by many to be the \u201cideal\u201d body type, a mesomorph individual looks lightweight and well-structured, with a flatter ribcage, thinner bones, long limbs, and a rectangular bone structure. Mesomorphs aren\u2019t underweight or overweight, they have a natural tendency to stay at their perfect level. Hence, mesomorphs can experiment with different foods and diets to maintain their ideal weight.<\/p>\n Mesomorphs often benefit from extra exposure to vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants and will appreciate a protein-based diet for muscle building. To maintain muscle, mesomorphs should also commit to regular bouts of cardio and weight-based training.<\/p>\n We definitely recommend checking out Joanna Soh\u2019s video<\/a> for more insights into the somatypes (different body types) and categories you might fall into.<\/p>\n Ectomorphs are naturally skinnier and find it harder to gain muscle and fat. If this applies to you, you\u2019ll need to really follow the fundamentals when it comes to building muscle. This means increasing your calorie intake carefully. Make sure you know the right diet for your genes<\/a> before you increase your food intake. Protein levels are particularly important for gaining muscle.<\/p>\n Consume protein regularly before and after your workout, and remember to focus on strategies for building muscle. Strength training and high-intensity interval training will be excellent for keeping your body working as much as possible. Hypertrophy strength training is common among ectomorphs, as is consuming protein before bed to boost synthesis rates.<\/p>\n As an endomorph, your major concern may be on losing fat. This means you\u2019ll need to cut down your calorie intake carefully. You could consider looking into intermittent fasting<\/a> to help improve your metabolic rate and cut down on foods with high-calorie counts. Though your exact dietary strategy should depend on your genetic traits, it\u2019s often good to start by reducing fat intake and increasing protein consumption.<\/p>\n Protein is great for converting energy into muscle, which will help you to burn more fat long-term. You may also want to cut down on carbs, depending on how your body metabolises them. For training, focus on cardio first. High-intensity cardio training will help to burn fat and improve your overall endurance levels. You can also try HIIT and circuit training to start boosting your metabolic rate.<\/p>\n Endomorphs are more likely to take on weight, so be careful about the kind of exercise you do if you\u2019re already a little overweight. Weight-bearing exercises will be more likely to create joint issues before you lose weight. Strength training is also essential to give yourself the power you need to continue working out. The more muscle you have, the faster you\u2019ll burn fat too.<\/p>\n Some people assume that because Mesomorphs have the \u201cideal\u201d body type, they don\u2019t have to work as hard to maintain that structure. However, the reality is that you do need to work if you want to maintain your body. You\u2019ll start to lose muscle mass as you get older as a mesomorph, so it\u2019s important to use strength training and muscle building to counteract this.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a mesomorph, try to find a sport or activity you can enjoy and commit to for as long as possible. Step up your strength training and make sure you\u2019re eating a balanced diet with plenty of protein, particularly as you begin to age.<\/p>\n Remember that you can also easily gain weight<\/a> just as much as you can gain muscle as a mesomorph. With this in mind, be cautious about your carb and fat levels.<\/p>\n Knowing your body type is a great way to turbo-charge your workout and diet strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is one of the reasons why we always recommend a genetic DNA test for anyone in search of the perfect fitness routine. Knowing how your body works means you can tailor your workouts and meal plans to your specific needs.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, while the categories of endomorph, ectomorph, and mesomorph offer a good starting point, they\u2019re limited in what they can really tell you. Unlike a DNA test which offers a tailored view of your entire genetic structure, these 3 body types can only provide advice based on the category you seem to fall into most.<\/p>\n It\u2019s doubtful that you\u2019re going to be a pure endomorph ectomorph or mesomorph. Most people need to use the Heath-Carter method<\/a> for measuring what mix of somatypes they are. With this rating system, you\u2019d be scored in endomorph features first, then mesomorph, then ectomorph.<\/p>\n A rating of 1-7-5 would be mostly mesomorph but with a lot of ectomorph tendencies.<\/p>\n The fact that we all fall into multiple somatype groups means it\u2019s a bit tougher to train exactly for \u201cyour body type.\u201d For instance, you might be a mesomorph and endomorph mix who gains muscle quickly, but also gains weight fast when you add extra carbs to your diet.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re planning the ideal exercise and diet plan, you\u2019ll need to ensure that you\u2019re looking at all of your somatypes, not just the one category you sway into most.<\/p>\n The good news for anyone who hasn\u2019t identified with their \u201cideal\u201d body type here is that your somatype isn\u2019t a life sentence. While you are more likely to gain weight or maintain muscle with some body types than others, you can still make a difference. To your body weigh the right training, diet, and strategy.<\/p>\n The first step is making sure you understand all of your body, not just a part of it. Get a CircleDNA test<\/a> to learn more about your genetic structure, and how various factors in your body might be influencing the way you gain and lose weight. Your DNA can give you a behind-the-scenes look at why certain exercise and diet routines aren\u2019t working for you.<\/p>\n Once you understand your body type and your genetics, you can begin to build a workout strategy built for your needs. This could mean swapping carbs and fat for more protein in your diet, investing in intermittent fasting strategies, or changing up your exercise efforts.<\/p>\n Somatypes, like any insight into your body, can provide you with valuable information on how to upgrade your health and fitness routine. However, it\u2019s still up to you to take a closer look at the finer details and tune your strategy accordingly.<\/p>\nJust Your Type: Are You Ectomorph, Mesomorph or Endomorph?<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\nCharacteristics of an Ectomorph<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Characteristics of an Endomorph<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Characteristics of a Mesomorph<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Fitness Tips for Different Somatype Categories<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\nEctomorph Workout Options<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Endomorph Workout Options<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Mesomorph Workout Options<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What if You Fall Between Categories?<\/h2>\n
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Transforming your Body, the Right Way<\/h2>\n
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