Let’s face it, the words “college” and “workout” go hand-in-hand. Especially at a Big Ten University, health and fitness is unavoidable. It’s one thing to be healthy and active, but are you optimizing your workouts?
Many people don’t know that there are workouts and diets tailored to three main body types. So, have you ever wondered why that Brazilian Butt Lift workout you found via Instagram worked faster for your best friend than for you? The answer could be found in one of these three words: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph.
Ectomorphs can be described as “the model” type. That friend that eats pizza several times a week and never pays the physical price for it…that’s her. They are generally thin with very little muscle mass and have a supercharged metabolism. This body type usually has a linear to slight hourglass appearance with long limbs.
“The model” could be considered lucky because they were born with a shape that requires little maintenance. However, health is important for everyone. The ectomorphs diet and workout all depends on their goal. Maintaining this shape could be as simple as jogging or doing yoga along with regular healthy eating habits. To become more shapely, resistance training is ideal for this body type. Workouts that target multiple areas at once like squats and bench pressing will help an ectomorph gain mass in the right places. Adding nutrient rich foods like squash, corn and potatoes to your diet is beneficial, also.
Mesomorphs are likely the “natural athlete” and the most common body type. They have a slim to medium build and typically find it easy to lose weight, gain weight, then lose it again depending on how consistently they hit the gym (or buy Ben & Jerry’s depending on how you look at it.)
Since this body type is generally athletic, it’s very easy for mesomorphs to gain muscle. This means intensive cardio (running, swimming, biking) is a must and weight training should be kept at a minimum. Too much weight training for mesomorphs can turn naturally fit into WWF really quick. (Yikes!) It’s important to have a healthy balance of carbs and lean protein like whole grains, fish and lean red meat on occasion. These keep mesomorphs slim and toned instead of adding extra bulk.
Endomorphs are the curvy type. This body type can range from an unbelievable hourglass shape (i.e. Sofia Vergara) or fuller in appearance. Their metabolism is likely slower than usual and it’s typically harder to lose weight than to gain it.
The curvy girl’s diet is most important. Studies show that protein rich low-carb diets tend to work best for this body type. However, that doesn’t mean carbs should be avoided altogether, but any kind of white bread is a no-no. Unlike multigrain breads, white breads turn into pure sugar once broken down in the body. So, kiss the ciabatta bread and pound cake goodbye and learn to love oat bran and pumpernickel. Cap your workouts at a maximum of four weight training days and two cardio days a week. Indulge in secret weapon fat burners like grapefruit and green tea.
No matter what body type you are science shows that the trick to earning your best body is working with what you’ve got. So, don’t fight who you are and love yourself on your fitness journey! At the end of the day, confidence is most important.