The composition of the bodies of human beings is not the same. There are different types of bodies with different characteristics. The Mesomorph Body Type is a body type that is marked with more muscle than fat in the body. As there is extra muscle mass in the body, people with this body type may need more calories in their diet than others. If there is a higher percentage of muscle than body fat, it might be a mesomorph body type. Mesomorph bodies can gain or lose weight quite easily. If you want to know about this class of body type, this article is a perfect choice. In this article, we will cover the type of body from all aspects.
What are Body Types?
This was not very long ago when this question gained much importance that all bodies in human beings are not the same. Many differences are important to keep in mind before proper care of the body to get optimum results. Researcher and psychologist William Schledon was the first person who first used the term body types in the 1940s when he called them as somatotypes. After that many articles were published on this topic by researchers all over the world. This article also focuses on the physical attributes of body types to determine both the skeletal frame and composition of the body.
Mesomorph Body Type
According to Sheldon, the mesomorph body type is a special body type that is specified to have the ability to develop muscles easily. When different types of bodies were studied it came to know that the percentage of the muscles in the Mesomorphs body type is surprisingly more than other body types. Muscles of the body were extraordinarily larger than other body types. Such people were found to be solid yet most of them were underweight. Some Other characteristics that were observed in people with this body type include a muscular chest, strong shoulders, a large muscular heart, strong muscular arms, strong muscular legs, and even weight distribution. It is good news that people with a Mesomorph body type can eat anything they want because such people don’t gain weight and it has been observed that most of them are underweight.
Various Body Types for Mesomorph: Two main somatotypes are described by Sheldon.
1)- Ectomorph.
2)- Endomorph.
Ectomorph
Ectomorph body type is characterized by a little body fat with a small frame size. This body type gives a long, lean, and smart look to a person’s body. It also shows a little muscle ass. People with the Ectomorph body type experience difficulty in gaining muscles or weight. Therefore, they have to work hard in the gym and pay more attention to their calorie intake.
Endomorph
This body type is characterized by fewer muscles but higher body fat that makes their body look round and soft. They are not usually overweight but people with Endomorph body type indeed tend to put on pounds more easily. Thus they are more likely to gain weight than other types.
Different Combinations of Body Type
People with combinations of more than one body type also exist. For example, ecto-endomorphs have pear-shaped bodies. They have more fat storage on the lower half and thinner upper bodies while the Endo-ectomorphs have more fat storage on the upper body with thinner hips, thighs, and legs. Thus they have an apple-shaped body.
Body types depend on your diet plan. Your diet can change your natural propensity and frame size but it is not possible to change your body type by eating a certain diet. However, you can tweak your diet plan to make the most of your body type and maintain a healthy weight. The Mesomorphs tend to gain or lose weight easily because they have higher muscle mass. Therefore, they need more calories than other body types. Mesomorphs can get more benefits by taking higher-protein diets but lower carbohydrates. And it’s a delicate equilibrium that must be maintained. So always keep an eye on your plate and divide it into thirds while focusing on the following food groups:
Fruits and Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet so they must be on one-third of your plate. Avoid processed varieties of fruits and vegetables that contain added sugar or salt but prefer whole fruits and vegetables with their skins because whole fruits are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and phytochemicals that are necessary to support a strong immune system and muscle repair.
Whole Grains: Quinoa, oatmeal, and brown rice are considered as the best whole grains and you must have them on one-third of your plate. These foods help to round out meals and fill the stomach. Fats in these wholegrain are so important but the most important is to choose the right one for your body type. To fulfill the needs of fats in the body you can add avocado, nuts seeds, olive oil, and coconut into your diet.
Protein: One-third of your plate must have proteinaceous foods for example, fish, lentils, beans, white meat, eggs, and Greek yogurt or some other dairy products with high-protein content. These are good choices for making up the deficiency of protein in your body.
Make an appointment with a certified nutritionist and determine the calorie needs of your body type. You also can use a detailed online calculator to get informed about the exact and accurate percentage of your body fat and somatotype.
Weekly Sample Menu for the Mesomorph Body Type
Mesomorphs are rich in muscular parts of the body and more muscles indicate the need for more calories as fuel. If you are engaged in a workout daily, you may need to schedule your eating habits to optimize your energy and recovery. Trainers suggest eating small snacks before and after an activity. This can help you to optimize your energy levels. So here is a complete guide for mesomorph body types to select the best menu for a week. Let’s take a look!
1st Day of the Week:
Breakfast: Pecans, cinnamon with raisins, and Greek yogurt parfait made with pumpkin.
Snack: Any fresh fruit or berries with two full-boiled eggs.
Lunch: Fresh veggies chopped as a salad with sweet potato chunks and avocado slices.
Evening Snacks: Red, green, or yellow bell pepper salad with Hummus.
Supper: Brown rice, stir-fried chicken, or fish with some vegetables and nuts.
2nd day of the Week:
Breakfast: Yellow fruit smoothies like banana or mango mixed with spinach, buttermilk, and soy milk.
Snacks: One or two fresh oranges and cheese sticks.
Lunch: A roll made of whole grain, a full plate of salad with vinaigrette plus two or three bean chili.
Evening Snacks: Fresh veggies dipped in yogurt-based sauce.
Supper: Noodles or spaghetti with tomato and garlic sauce.
3rd day of the Week:
Breakfast: Two hard-boiled eggs, brown bread toast with honey and almond butter.
Snacks: Mix trail.
Lunch: Whole grain pizza topped with olives, mushrooms, chicken, and stirred veggies.
Evening Snack: Protein shakes with a small chocolate bar.
Supper: Roasted broccoli, stir sweet potatoes in butter, and baked salmon.
4th day of the Week:
Breakfast: Crushed nuts with pineapple and cottage cheese.
Snacks: One or two fresh oranges with roasted chickpeas.
Lunch: Sweet potato, cucumber, tomato, and bell peppers chopped as a salad with turkey chili.
Evening snacks: Celery sticks and flavored or seasoned tuna only one packet.
Supper: Lettuce wraps filled with fajita and steak, topped with avocado and onion slices.
5th day of the Week:
Breakfast: Toasted quinoa with buttermilk and sunflower seeds plus blueberries mixed in Greek yogurt.
Snacks: Hummus with fresh vegetable salad.
Lunch: Whole grain wraps with carrots, onions, tomatoes, and chicken pieces.
Evening Snacks: Bread roll with mustard and bell peppers.
Supper: Baked salmon and tuna salad.
6th day of the Week:
Breakfast: Fresh fruits like peaches, apricot, or avocado, avocado toast, and one fully boiled egg.
Snack: Protein shakes with a chocolate bar.
Lunch: Green vegetables chopped salad mixed with Greek yogurt, with baked chicken pieces.
Evening Snacks: Fresh orange and roasted beans or lentils.
Supper: Baked sweet potatoes and roasted chicken with sauce.
7th day of the Week:
Breakfast: Banana shake with veggies and whole grain roll.
Snacks: Peanut butter with celery.
Lunch: Salad of fresh vegetables and fruits with grilled salmon.
Evening Snacks: Protein shake.
Supper: Stir-fried veggies and baked chicken with a quinoa bowl.
Mesomorph Diet and You
“Lucky you are, if you have a mesomorph body type”, claimed expert dietitian Catudal. Yes, because the mesomorph body type is the most malleable type through exercise and diet. Since you can’t alter your frame size or bone structure, then it is possible to lose weight by building muscle.
In addition, people with mesomorph body type are generally able to digest more carbs. A board-certified nutrition specialist, Dr. Melina has claimed that by following a mesomorph diet, anyone can enjoy the satisfaction of being able to burn their calories evenly between protein, fats, and carbohydrates rather than making restrictions on their diet and feeling deprived or starved.
Researchers are still working to find more proof to verify that the mesomorph body type tolerates carbs better than other body types.
Negative Impacts of Mesomorph Diet
If you’re physically active and have sports-related activities, a balanced diet will not benefit you because such a diet includes a pretty even split between fats, protein, and carbohydrates. This is the saying of some nutritionists but all experts are not on board with the same idea.
Some experts deny the idea and don’t support eating for your somatotype instead they prefer to focus on where your body is storing fat. Fat storage around the middle of the body is a great risk factor for developing severe metabolic problems including obesity and heart problems that make it more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and higher cholesterol levels. So always consider your waist circumference to where it needs to be. According to a suggestion by expert physicians, the ideal waist circumference for men is 40 inches while for women it is 30 to 35 inches. It must be your primary goal to maintain your fat storage and waist circumference and this can be achievable by following other diet plans such as the Mediterranean Diet or else.
Role of Gender in Body Type
Men have less tendency to gain weight than women. Men and women both can have mesomorph body types but it is a fact that body type and body size are two different things. So gender’s influence on body type is not very clear till time.
According to a recent study, children are also found with mesomorph somatotype due to their other body functions but more research is needed to support the research.
So it is not wrong to say that your body type is determined by many factors including genetics which plays a very important role but gender, diet, and ethnicity also have effects on your body type.
Mesomorph Body Type and Bodybuilding
Although mesomorph body type people appear more muscular than those with other body types, there is no cut-and-paste exercise for any body type. For your convenience some workouts suitable for mesomorph body type are described, try these, if you’re!
Weight Training
There are no fixed rules to design workout plans for any body type. However, people with mesomorph body type have the extra benefit of large and massive muscles. Therefore they can do well with weight training for bodybuilding. They can perform these workouts even up to five days a week easily.
To perform weight training workouts, select at least four to five weight training exercises with the help of your gym trainer. Perform at least three sets of each using moderate to high-intensity training followed by 7 to 10 repetitions in each set. Manage each set for 40 to 80 seconds.
What? Not interested in looking bulky? Then you can maintain your muscular look by doing more repetitions of such workouts with lighter weights.
Cardio Exercises
Are you mesomorph and looking for workouts that can make you more lean? Consider 25 to 50 minutes of regular cardiovascular exercises. These exercises must be part of your daily routine at least five days of week.
Initially steady exercises like cyclin and running also add to (HIIT) intensity interval training to get fast-blasting power. It involves bursts of intense workouts with lighter intervals.
Conclusion
Mesomorphs enjoy a fast and smooth metabolism that supports the quick processing of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. With heavy muscle mass and performing cardio or doing weight training in the gym, you may stay on a balanced diet better than other body types.
Knowing about your somatotype helps you to make your body size fit and attractive. Being a mesomorph you may need more calories to keep yourself working efficiently. Certain exercises are there that may help you to either bulk up or lean out.
So manage a meeting with your fitness professional and dietitian to create a better exercise and diet plan that may work best for your mesomorph body type.
