No Need for a Body Type Test – Discover the Three Body Types, Your Ideal Body Type Diet & the Best Workouts for Quick Weight Loss
Find out here about each of the three body types - endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph - you don't need a body type test! These are the most common male and female body types when it comes to gaining and losing weight.
You'll not only figure out what's yours immediately without taking a body type test, but you'll also find practical suggestions for your ideal nutrition plan and workout routine to lose weight quickly and keep the weight off.
Finally, beyond these three different body types we'll talk about apples and pears body shapes, a body typing system based on where you tend to store the extra fat (on your upper body vs. lower body).
Before we start, there's a key point to remember.
Your body type is a genetic blueprint and will always remain the same, even when you change the ratio of body fat over muscle mass with the right nutrition and workouts.
So take a look below and - based on the general characteristics - determine which of these three body types you have.
Three Body Types: #1. Endomorph
From all three body types, endomorphs are "fat retainers". As an endomorph you will always struggle to lose weight and will have to pay much more attention to what you eat and how you exercise because you are genetically prone to store fat easily.
I know. It's incredibly frustrating, it seems downright unfair... The good news is that with the right body type diet and workouts you can get as lean as you want to be :) Well-known in-shape endomorphs are Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey, Kate Winslet, Cindy Crawford.
Bone frame: typically a heavier build with short limbs and large joints, wide hips and shoulders;
Soft tissue: tend to be naturally well-covered with fat tissue, even a little overweight; women are softer and curvier, with a very feminine aspect.
Metabolism: sluggish, low energy; stores fat easily and holds onto it stronger than all other body types, retains fluids easily.
Temperament: caring, patient, tolerant, extroverted, very nourishing, loves comfort (even luxury), good food and being with people.
Ideal body type diet to lose weight: avoid (better yet, eliminate) all sugars (including all fruits except berries) and simple carbohydrates (sweets and white flour products and pasta, white rice, potatoes) as these cause a rapid rise of your blood sugar level, which, in turn triggers the release of insulin, the fat-storage hormone.
Favor instead small quantities (not more than 30%) of complex carbs (green vegetables, brown rice, whole grains), 50% quality protein (chicken/turkey breast, lean beef, whey protein) and 20% healthy fats: omega 3 sources (fish, seafood) and especially coconut oil, which helps to increase your sluggish metabolism.
To keep your metabolic rate up, be sure to divide your daily meals into smaller portions so that you have something to eat handy every 2-3 hours. Also, never end your meals feeling completely full.
Strength training: tone-up your muscle mass at least 3-4 times a week at higher intensity to keep your metabolism high and shape up your body. The most effective workout is interval training for weight loss. If you're a woman, consider Curves workout centers - as these not only provide the right workouts for you, but also the motivation and fun of working out with a friendly group of health-minded women.
Aerobic exercise: as an endomorph you need more cardio than the other body types to lose fat and keep it off; do at least 45 minutes high intensity aerobics 5-6 times a week, preferably in the morning to boost your metabolism for the rest of the day. In addition, get more active throughout the day - you really need to stay in motion to keep your metabolism up and burning calories.
*** If your body type is predominantly endomorphic, you probably hate any type of exercise or intense physical activity. However, keep in mind that of all the three body types, for endomorphs diet alone is NEVER enough to lose weight, keep it off and shape up. Your slow metabolic rate must be boosted consistently with both strength training and aerobic exercise.
Three Body Types: #2. Mesomorph
Of the three body types, the mesomorph puts on weight and loses it relatively easy with the right diet and exercising routine. Notable examples of in-shape mesomorphs are... Madonna, Britney Spears, Gloria Estefan, Tina Turner.
Bone frame: powerful frame, medium build, medium joints, large bones, with broad shoulders wider than the hips (slightly wider for women and a LOT more wider for men).
Soft tissue: naturally (i.e., when not overweight) with a lot of dense muscle mass and lean (even without exercising).
Metabolism: fast; losing fat and gaining muscle easily, but hard to get really skinny due to the dense muscle mass.
Temperament: active, dynamic, assertive, courageous, energetic, even aggressive and competitive, and often risk taker.
Ideal body type diet to lose weight: avoid fatty foods minimize as much as possible refined cabs (sugars and white flour products), as they cause rapid weight gain triggering a fat storage metabolism.
Eat 3 smaller meals favoring foods high in quality protein (whey, turkey, chicken, lean beef, eggs) and complex carbohydrates (leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables).
As a mesomorph, your 45-50% of calories should come from complex carbs, 40% from proteins and 10-15% from healthy fats (flaxseed oil, olive oil, coconut oil) and omega 3s sources (fish, seafood).
Additionally, in between meals have a healthy snack: fruits (except the sweet ones: bananas, pineapple, grapes, mango, watermelon), raw almonds, plain yogurt or various smoothies with the right foods for you, as above.
Strength training: strengthen your core with various exercises to flatten your stomach or pilates; tone and shape-up your muscles through light circuit training or body weight workouts 2-3 times a week.
Aerobic exercise: keep looking lean and trim through 30-45 minutes of aerobics 3-5 times a week at moderate to fast pace. The most effective aerobic workouts are: various aquatic exercise routines, crunch cardio, hula hoop workout, circuit training, stairmaster, rope jumping, power yoga.
Three Body Types: #3. Ectomorph
Of the three body types, the naturally skinny ectomorph puts on weight the hardest - whether muscle mass or body fat. Some well-known, in-shape ectomorphs are Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Whitney Houston.
Bone frame: long, thin limbs, small joints, light build, with small waist and narrow shoulders.
Soft tissue: not much muscle tissue or body fat, typically underweight.
Metabolism: fast, not storing carbs as fat; difficulty to gain muscle, low in muscular strength.
Ideal body type diet to lose weight: avoid fatty foods, especially animal fat - except omega 3 sources (fish, seafood). Favor foods high in complex carbohydrates (whole grains, rice, nuts, all vegetables) making sure they are about 55-60% of your meals.
Always include quality proteins (whey, turkey, chicken, eggs), about 30% of your meals and small amounts - i.e., 10-15% of healthy fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil).
Strength training: build up your muscle mass through daily moderate-heavy intensity split routine, working parts of your body alternatively and individually with body weight workouts, like a high intensity calisthenics routine or the five Tibetan exercises for increased strength and flexibility.
Aerobic exercise: aerobic workouts aren't really necessary for weight loss; but they are important for you so you can release stress (an issue for most ectomorphs), build stamina and improve your heart health: 15-30 min. aerobic exercise 3 times a week, at a moderate to fast pace is enough. The best aerobics? Try some of the fun fat burning workouts.
You should know that there is almost always some overlapping between these three body types, but no moving from one group to another. For example, if you are predominantly a mesomorph, you can trim down as much as you can, but will never become an ectomorph. Similarly, you can be an in-shape endomorph, but you still can’t pass as a mesomorph.
As you can see, you don't need to take a body type test to identify your type. As you age and gain more weight, you may relate better to the typing system of apples and pears body shapes >>
"Thank you, thank you, thank you for putting together such a wonderful site! Eye-opening info on the different body types... it really helped me understand how to adjust my meals to lose weight without craving sweets and being hungry all day... or crushing after lunch. I've already lost 12 pounds in the last three weeks and I'm thrilled!! Never ever thought it would be so easy!"
