Everyone has a type.
We all know the struggles of being a food lover. It’s a constant war between fitness and passion; and by passion, we mean eating. Have you ever tried working out to compensate for your appetite and thought, “Why isn’t this working?” Or on the flip side, have you ever tried eating healthier and still not losing any weight?
Body Types: What are they and why do they matter?
Also known as somatotypes, body types are categories in which different physiques fit into. To put it simply, they give us a closer look into how our bodies respond to diet and exercise. Knowing this could be the key to your fitness journey, whether that’s building muscle or losing weight.
You might think you’re a slave to your eating habits, but don’t be fooled! There is hope for us foodies! Whether you’re a fitness noob or just someone who hasn’t figured out what works for your body yet, this could be the answer to your problems.
Fake news: The more you work out, the bigger you'll get. The less you eat, the more weight you'll lose.
Our bodies are a lot more diverse than you think. Know more about your metabolism, where to focus your calorie intake, the intensity of your workouts, and required cardio to reach your goals. Find out which body type you are!
Ectomorph
The skinny legend.
Jokes aside, ectomorphs do tend to be on the thinner side. You might have a delicate frame: lighter build or leaner muscles. If you classify as a hardgainer (i.e. it’s hard for you to gain both muscle and fat), this might be you. Your fast metabolism gets in the way of keeping on any weight.
What to do:
Typically, your goal isn’t to lose weight because that isn’t a problem. But in order to gain muscle, you have to gain some weight. Focusing your diet on more calories will add to your potential weight gain, and short, intense spurts of working out will maximize those #gainz by retaining those muscles without burning it away.
Mesomorph
The Olympian.
The funny thing about mesomorphs is they’re not exactly athletes, but they do naturally have an athletic physique. They do have a larger bone structure than ectomorphs, because they generally have a harder or firmer body. If you find it easy to lose weight, but also easy to gain weight, you might be a mesomorph.
What to do:
While you might think this is the nice balance between the two body types, you also fluctuate the most! Use your body type to your advantage by monitoring your calorie intake (eat what you want, but control how much), and then use that consistency with a combination of cardio and weight training to lose weight and retain or build muscle, whichever your goal is.
Endomorph
The thicc bih.
Shoutout to those who are large and in charge! Endormorphs tend to be on the bigger side of the spectrum: meaning they’re both solid and soft compared to most. If you gain weight easily but find it had to lose weight and gain muscle, you might be an endomorph. Your body type is never something to be ashamed of – it’s just a matter of what you do with the weight you gain.
What to do:
Difficulty in gaining muscle means a large portion of your weight is fat, so you can keep it to a minimum by watching what you eat. Easier said than done, we know! The force of food is strong, but if you eat smart, your tummy’s happiness won’t have to suffer. Focus on high protein, and complement that with heavy cardio and light weights and you’ll definitely be able to tone and define your physique.
Combination
The wild card.
Not so fast! While there may be 3 body types, our bodies are complex entities with minds of their own. If you see more than one body type that you relate to, you must be a combo.
What to do:
Educate yourself and observe your body’s habits and patterns, and personalize these prescriptions to how you read your body.
The takeaway?
Prior to finding out what your body type is, you might have reached a point where you think there’s no chance of taking control of you body. Now that you have a better idea, always remember that you don’t have to suffer in order to reach your goal, and that no body type is better than the other! Keep committing to your goal and eating smart without depriving yourself of all the beautiful food around you, and you’ll be unstoppable.
Do you even lift (your phone), bro? You can use the Booky app to search for new fitness activities and places to workout. iPhone, Android, no internet, we got you, fam.
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