It is fairly common knowledge that people come in different shapes and sizes. It can be useful to know what body type you are so that you can better understand your metabolism, and how diet and exercise will effect you. Different body types, and the associated metabolism, will also effect your propensity to gain weight in fat, and your ability to build lean muscle through training. There are three body types: endomorph, ectomorph and mesomorph.

Endomorph

Endomorphs are naturally big and carry more fat. The body shape itself looks wide, round, soft and curvy. An endomorph may look like he or she carries weight around their waist but his may not always be the case as they will naturally be wide, often with a round face and with a large overall bone structure. Buttocks and thighs also tend to be larger. An endomorph will usually have a larger amount of fat storage due to the fact that they have a higher number of fat cells than other body types. Their body shape typically is apple or pear shaped. Endomorphs also have the slowest metabolism and therefore find it relatively difficult to lose weight and they tend to gain weight easily. If you are an endomorph and want to boost your metabolism, consider a nutrition and exercise program. Drink plenty of water (1.5 to 2 liters per day) and eat smaller meals, more often (4-6 meals per day) with good food choices consisting of lean protein, a small amount of carbohydrate (preferably whole grain) and plenty fresh fruits and vegetables. Exercise regularly. A regular brisk walk will help to burn fat, while some resistance training will help boost your metabolism and build lean muscle.

Mesomorph

Mesomorphs have a naturally athletic build. Female mesomorphs have an hourglass shape, while males are triangular/rectangular. Mesomorphs enjoy the advantage of being able to lose weight easily and can also develop lean muscle relatively easily. Even though they enjoy a physical advantage, mesomorphs may still become overweight or obese through lack of exercise and/or poor nutrition. Mesomorphs have a moderate metabolism and will therefore put on weight if there is a sufficient calorie surplus (i.e. if their calorific intake is sufficiently greater than the amount of calories they burn in energy expenditure).

Ectomorph

Ectomorphs tend to be slim and petite. They have small bones and their musculature tends to be lean. The ectomporph body shape is linear or rectangular. They are not very curvaceous and are often flat chested, with naturally low body fat. Ectomorph metabolism is naturally very high, and they therefore find it very difficult to gain weight either as fat or as lean muscle. Although their risk of obesity is low, a healthy diet and exercise program is just as important for the ectomorph in order to ensure good overall health.

It is important to take into account your body type, especially when you are considering figures such as the Body Mass Index (BMI) which does not take into account body composition. A good indication of your body type is the size if your wrist, as it is one of the few bones in the human body whose size you can see all the way around. Once you know your body type, you will be in a better position to assess your natural rate of metabolism and how best to achieve your physical goals.

Along with a healthy diet and exercise program, there are natural supplements that can benefit each body type. If looking to lose weight, check out a product like ThyroZene or Super Fat Burner. If looking to maintain a healthy weight and build lean muscle mass, check out Vanilla RTD.

Metabolic Process30 Dec 2008