Getting in shape can be hard, but did you know that your body type has a lot to do with how you lose and or gain weight? There are 3 main body types, and today I am going to share with you workouts by body type to help you along in your fitness journey.
Losing weight or getting in better shape can be so confusing. There is so much information out there, that it is hard to know what’s good and what is not. It can feel overwhelming to figure out what exercises work best for you. But, fear not, this guide will get you on the right track to finding the best workouts for your body type.
The Three Main Body Types Explained:
Ectomorph: People with an ectomorph body type tend to be long and lean and may find it a bit more difficult to build muscle or gain weigh.
Ectomorphs are usually the tall thin girls who have long arms and legs. You know, the ones that eat a bag of Cheetos, a slice of pizza, and a slice of cake, and don’t gain a single pound.
Endomorph: People with an endomorph body type tend to have a bigger frame, and their bodies tend to gain body fat easily
Endomorphs are usually the short and stocky built people. In most cases, these are the people who feel like everything they eat shows on their bodies.
Mesomorph: These lucky people tend to have muscular body types with high metabolism.
Mesomorphs, the ones who have the well-defined muscles, are naturally strong, and tend to gain muscle very easily.
Because each of these frames are so different, you can probably see why it is important to know where you fall in the spectrum, and how workouts by body type can be beneficial to you.
How Exercise and Body Type Work Together
One of the main things I have learned in my many years of working out, is that exercise is not one size fit all. Exercise is kind of like that sweater you want to buy online that only comes in “one size”. When it arrives, it looks like an extra smedium, and doesn’t fit.
Welp, that’s because nothing in life is a fit for all. Insert those shirts that now say “one size fits most”. Anyhoo, I have heard many people complain over the years about having a hard time losing weight. As we all know, there are many factors involved with losing weight. However, your body type has a lot to do with the steps you need to take to achieve your fitness or weight loss goals.
Some exercises work better for some body types than they do for others. In this post, I will guide you through how to workout based on your individual body type.
Workouts By Body Type
Exercise and Training for Ectomorph Body Types
In my 20’s, I definitely had an ectomorph body. I ate whatever I wanted, and somehow, I was always just naturally thin, not just thin, I was skinny. I am not someone who wants to be stick thin, so as I started to learn more about health and fitness, I decided to work hard and build the body I wanted. Also, there’s something about hitting those 30’s that throws that whole ectomorphic body type down the drain. One bag of Cheetos, and your girl can’t zip her pants, but here we are.
Exercise for Ectomorph body types
Exercise/Training: Because people with this body type can have a hard time gaining weight. Weights will become your friend. It is best to go heavy (only when your body can lift heavy) and do a lower number of reps. Doing lower reps is especially important if you are new to working out. Be sure to rest in between sets and allow your body 1 – 2 days to recover after completing a heavy weight lifting session.
Cardio: A lot of ectomorphs tend to be cardio bunnies. While cardio can be very helpful for some, extended amounts are not good for your body type. Ectomorphs have very high metabolism, so everything that goes in, gets burned relatively quickly. Stick to HIIT Cardio exercises and avoid those 45-minute treadmill sessions.
Eating: That high metabolism works in your favor here too. I know that when I first started working out, I was almost always hungry. Eat healthy foods often to help your body build lean muscle. Your body needs protein, healthy fats, and healthy carbs.
Exercise and Training for Endomorph Body Types
Endomorph body types are the polar opposite of ectomorphs. Endomorphs have no trouble gaining weight. The difficulty comes in losing the weight. For endomorphs it is important that you pay attention to what you put in your body. Also, frequent exercise will be your friend.
Exercise/Training: Endomorphic body types will want to list weights with little rest in between sets. What this means, is that you will want to focus on doing supersets when you workout. For example, you might do 25 jumping jacks, 10 pushups, and a 30 second plank. These exercises are done back to back, and the short rest period does not come until you have finished all three exercises.
Cardio: HIIT Cardio works well for this body type too. Those short intense bursts of cardio will help to get your body going.
Diet: Endomorphs need a lot of healthy fats (think avocados) and little carbohydrates (limited pasta and rice). The larger consumption of healthy fats will help to push out some of the excess body fat, and the reduced carbohydrate intake will help you burn more fat. Remember that portion sizes are very important as well. Healthy eating is about what is on your plate, and also how much of it you consume. A big part to keeping your weight under control for endomorphic body types is being mindful of both what, and how much you eat.
Exercise for Mesomorph body types
Mesomorph body types gain muscle with ease and they can gain or lose weight without a lot of effort. Lucky! These are the natural athletes, the track stars, the volleyball players. The people who seem to always be in shape. People with this body type tend to do extremely well at high intensity sports.
Exercise/Training: Movements that work multiple muscle groups at the same time work well for mesomorph body types. Exercises like deadlifts, squats, pull ups, are good for mesomorphic body types.
Cardio: Mesomorph body types can benefit from doing cardio as well, but it should be in combination with weight lifting. This body type responds best to lifting weights.
Diet: Mesomorphs should stick to eating a reasonable amount of carbs, healthy fats, and protein. Don’t overdo it on the carbs even though this body type burns fat easily, you don’t want to push or test the waters too much.
Somethings To Keep In Mind
All of the above-mentioned body types can be either overweight or underweight. Depending on your diet and level of exercise, even someone who is a natural mesomorph could be overweight.
Ectomorph: Higher carb intake, lower fat intake, moderate protein intake
Endomorph: Lower carb intake, higher healthy fat intake, moderate protein intake
Mesomorph: Higher carb intake, lower fat intake, moderate protein intake
Men tend to have more muscle mass than us ladies, which makes it easier for them to consume higher carb diets than we can.
The higher your body fat percentage is, the lower your tolerance for carbs will be
Workouts By Body Type & Nutrition
I talked a lot about what types of food to eat along with workouts by body type, but another key component to this equation is how often and when you eat. This becomes especially important when you talk about eating before and after your workouts.
Before You Workout
When I am doing cardio, I work out in a fasted state. This means that I will workout on an empty stomach. I do this because in the past, eating before running has made me very sick. Fasted workouts may not work for you, but we have to try things to figure out what our bodies prefer.
Fasted training can prove to be beneficial for endomorphic body types who are looking to lose weight. I only work out in a fasted state when I am having a cardio only day. I strongly urge against working out in a fasted sate when you are doing weight training.
Here are a few foods that you can eat before your workout if you prefer to eat beforehand:
Protein smoothie
Whole grain toast with almond butter
Oatmeal with a banana
For strength/weight training, make sure to eat prior to heading to the gym. You will want to eat 30 minutes to 1 hour before working out.
If I am weight lifting early in the day, I will eat 1 – 2 hard boiled eggs with a little bit of salt, pepper, and cayenne powder on them.
More tips to help you build lean muscle
If you are working out in the evening, you can eat fish or chicken with veggies. Since I do not consume meat, I would eat a small quinoa bowl with black beans, fresh veggies, and avocado.
After you workout
After my morning weight training sessions, I like to drink a strawberry protein powder, coconut milk smoothie. I like to add frozen strawberries to eat to make it taste like a milkshake. I like to have the smoothie because it is easier to digest, and then I will eat a full meal 1 – 2 hour post workout.
1 -2 hours post workout
I consume a meal of protein/fat/carb that is in line with my ecto/meso body type using the measurements I shared above.
Endos: Meat or fish, vegetables, and healthy fat
Ectos/Mesos: Meat or fish, vegetables, healthy fat, and a starch like potatoes (white or sweet)
Remember that as you start an exercise regimen, it is important to find what works best for you. The information above are guidelines to help you along your fitness journey. Now that you better understand your body, doing these workouts by body type will help get your closer to your goals.
If you need more meal plan ideas, check out my 7-day meal plan to get you started. I share healthy meal options that are friendly for meat eaters and vegetarians.
Home Workouts by Body Type
Ectomorphs
Endomorphs
Mesomorphs
Materials for your workouts click the links below
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