Weight Loss and Healthy Living

In 1940, American psychologist William Sheldon proposed the theory that humans could be classified into distinct body types. His body types, referred to as somatotypes, were based on the "germ layers" of embryonic development. While Sheldron tried to tie these body types into psychological profiles, the bodybuilding world embraced these classifications as way to determine what type of training and nutrition is required to succeed at building a peak physique. The question is: should your training and nutrition depend on your body type?


The concept of body types is controversial. While many trainers swear by the concept, others will say that the generalizations are too broad and each individual has many other characteristics that need to be examined before creating a custom program. In general, research suggests that somatotypes are important and do play a role in how the human body responds to training. Therefore, they should be taken into consideration.

Ectomorphs

Ectomorphs are named after the ectoderm, the tissue that becomes the skin of the body. The ectomorph type is characterized by a slender, lean body with little muscle mass or bone density. In the bodybuilding world, ectomorphs are referred to as "hard gainers" because they have difficulty adding muscle mass. One study found that ectomorphs are characterized by significantly less fat-free mass (of which a large part is muscle mass)¹.

The Characteristics

• Slender build
• Flat chest
• Less muscle mass
• Endurance sports come easily

Training

• Ectomorphs are naturally good runners, cyclists, and distance athletes
• Ectomorphs should integrate low repetition, high intensity weight training into their routines in order to maximize mass gains
• Resistance training should focus on full body workouts involving compound, multi-joint movements, such as squats, dead-lifts, pull-ups, bent-over rows, chest presses and military presses
• Ectomorphs should only train with weights 2 or 3 times per week to allow maximum recovery

Nutrition

• Ectomorphs should eat frequently throughout the day
• Ectomorphs are more tolerant of carbohydrates and can handle a higher percentage of carbohydrate in the diet
• Ectomorphs should look into fluids such as shakes and juices to add overall calories if having difficulty gaining weight
• Post workout shakes are perfect for ectomorphs looking to build muscle

Endomorphs

Endomorphs are named after the endoderm, the tissue that becomes the digestive track as well as metabolic organs such as the thyroid. The endomorph is typically overweight. Their body is characterized as soft and round. Endomorphs struggle with weight loss but tend to gain muscle easily.

The Characteristics

• Heavy build
• Lots of belly fat
• Strong
• Substantial muscle (although it is usually hidden by fat)
• High intensity sports come easily (lifting, power-lifting, sprinting)

Training

• Endomorphs struggle with fat loss and typically must integrate a lot of cardio in order to shed fat
• Endomorphs should integrate medium-to-low repetition training, emphasizing both hypertrophy and strength gains
• Endomorphs can typically handle 3 - 5 resistance training sessions within a week
• Endomorphs typically struggle at endurance activities and are more suited to high intensity cardio
• I typically recommend 2 -3 High Internsity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions along with 1 - 2 longer, low intensity cardio sessions per week for endomorphs looking to shed fat

Nutrition

• Endomorphs are more sensitive to carbohydrates and should focus on lower carbohydrate intake as well as natural, whole, and unprocessed carbohydrates
• Endomorphs respond well to higher protein and fats in the diet, especially fish oil
• Endomorphs are more prone to carbohydrate cravings and should integrate a significant amount of fiber, protein, or fats with every meal to slow digestion and minimize the impact of carbohydrate on blood sugar
• Endomorphs seem to respond well to training on an empty stomach

Mesomorphs

Mesomorphs are named after the mesoderm, the tissue that becomes the musculoskeletal system (muscles and bones). Mesomorphs tend to have the "dream physique" many people aspire to. They are lean and heavily muscled. They gain muscle and lose fat rather easily, and in fact most can maintain shape with little exercise or attention to nutrition. One study found that mesomorphs actually improve aerobic capacity faster than other body types².

The Characteristics

• Athletic
• Lean and well muscled
• Good posture and bone structure

Training

• Mesomorphs gain muscle easily and respond well to most training
• Mesomorphs can handle perhaps the highest volume of both cardio and resistance training
• Mesomorphs do gain fat more easily than ectomorphs and therefore should integrate moderate amounts of cardio into their schedule

Nutrition

• Mesomorphs respond well to a balanced nutrition plan that has similar amounts of protein and carbohydrates, with slightly higher carbohydrates
• While mesomorphs maintain their weight easily, they should still focus on natural, whole foods to maintain optimal health

These descriptions should help you determine your general body type. Some people believe that you can be "in between" types. It is also possible to change your body type through training. For example, when I started training, I was a classic endomorph, as you can see from this picture. After training for years, I was able to move my body type closer to a classic mesomorph, as in this picture. Therefore, I consider myself to be an endo-mesomorph rather than a pure endomorph.

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References

1. Association of dominant somatotype of men with body structure, function during exercise, and nutritional assessment. Bolonchuk WW, Siders WA, et al. Am J Hum Biol. 2000 Mar;12(2):167-180.
2. Effects of dominant somatotype on aerobic capacity trainability. Chauoachi M, Chauoachi A, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2005 Dec;39(12):954-9.

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