“Everything ain’t for everybody,” as my grandmother used to say. And that is so true when it comes to weight loss and overall health. What works for you might not work for the next person. Your body type can dictacte how your body reacts to certain exercises and diets…especially in the morning. Take a look at the breakdown of your body type below, originally shared by Oprah, and see which one works for you:
Ectomorph Body Type
Your body type in a nutshell: You’re naturally lean and have trouble putting weight on. You may also be thin but carry a lot of fat (aka “skinny fat”).
Your ideal routine: One that embraces the unexpected. You may find you naturally gravitate toward endurance activities (like running), says Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD, CSCS, director of performance nutrition at Precision Nutrition. However, that may mean you’re missing out on essential strength-building workouts. For a well-rounded routine, add in plyometrics (jumping lunges, squat jumps, box jumps) or weight-based exercises, recommends Stacy Sims, PhD, exercise physiologist.
Endomorph Body Type
As an endomorph, you usually put body fat on easily, and it can be tough to lose weight. Your upper and lower body can fall into different body types, so you may notice you store fat up top or in your rear or thighs, says Sims.
You May Also Like
Your ideal routine: Calm and restorative. Lowering your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that prompts your body to store fat, is key. First up: Practice mindfulness meditation. The technique, where you sit quietly and focus on your breath, has been shown to help reduce morning cortisol levels, therefore reducing stress.
Finding an exercise you love and sticking with it is another powerful buffer against stress. Though you will want to be mindful of how you fuel up before extreme exercises. “Hard workouts will cause your body to release a lot of cortisol during recovery, stimulating your body to put on fat,” says Sims. To buffer that effect, you should eat a pre-exercise snack instead of going to the gym without anything in your stomach. A light bite that includes both carbs and protein, like a little vanilla protein powder, stirred into coffee with a small banana will power you through without overloading on calories, says Sims.
Come breakfast time, choose metabolism-boosting eats. That means higher fat (avocado, nuts) and protein (eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese) plus fewer carbs (oats, whole grains), which will work well for fat-burning and keep you satiated until lunch.
Mesomorph Body Type
This body type means you can easily pack on muscle (you might describe your body type “athletic”). You can also be a combination of an endomorph and mesomorph. For instance,…
