The Three Body Types

There are three body types, and it's important to understand how your body type affects your fitness and health.

The concept of somatotypes (body types) was developed by American pyschologist William H. Sheldon during the 1940s. Sheldon’s three distinct body types are ectomorphic, mesomorphic and endomorphic. Very few people are 100% of one body type. There's usually a mix of two or even all three types. However, most people tend to gravitate towards one body type predominantly.

Here's an overview of each of the three body types:

Ectomorphic - Ectomorphs have slender frames, low body fat and fast metabolisms. They tend to have muscles that are long and thin, especially in the arms and legs.

Many ectomorphs are too thin and have a desire to increase muscle mass and gain weight. They need to consume plenty of daily calories in the form of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats, follow a good weight lifting program, and avoid doing too much aerobic exercise.

Bodybuilding Revealed is an excellent resource for ectomorphs looking to gain muscle mass.

Mesomorphic - Mesomorphs have lean, muscular bodies with wide shoulders, narrow waists, low body fat and fast metabolisms. They build muscle and lose body fat easily and respond well to almost any type of exercise.

Because they're naturally muscular and low in body fat, mesomorphs often get by with unhealthy diets and infrequent workouts. But even mesomorphs need to eat right and exercise on a regular basis if they want to stay fit and healthy as they get older.

Endomorphic - Endomorphs have stocky frames, high body fat and slow metabolisms. They store body fat easily and have trouble losing it.

Endomorphs often have varying degrees of carbohydrate sensitivity and insulin resistance, so high protein, low to moderate carbohydrate diets often work well for them. Endomorphs need to do plenty of aerobic exercise in order to burn calories and reduce body fat. They also need to lift weights in order to get a better muscle to fat ratio and therefore improve metabolism.

Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is an excellent resource for endomorphs looking to lose body fat.

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