If you are devotedly hitting the gym on a daily basis, working out on a cookie cutter program from a magazine or your trainer, eating well, you might be overlooking a small feature that could have a huge outcome with your success at the gym—your body type. Your body’s basic shape and traits will have pros and cons when it comes to gaining or losing weight. For the uninitiated, there are three basic body types: Endomorph —the full-bodied diva— a.k.a. YOU; Ectomorph—the rail-thin woman who launches a thousand brands and lastly, the Mesomorph or Meso—the sportsperson who brings home gold from the Olympics.
How to identify a Mesomorph?
For starters, a mesomorph has a large bone structure, large muscles and a natural athletic physique. They make for great sportspersons, their natural shape and ability to put on muscle is a boon. Most of them find it quite easy to gain and lose weight. They tend to be naturally strong, which is the perfect base for building muscle.
What is on a meso woman’s plate?
Typically, mesos do best with a diet that consists of a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The amount of food they consume also depends on their level of physical activity. In fact, mesos need to keep their carbohydrate intake between 40 percent and 60 percent. Dietician Shweta Prasad advises “A meso’s typical diet portion should consist of portioned meals the size of a balled fist—that’s one portion size, literally. Case in point, a meso woman must include at each meal one palm of protein dense foods; one fist of vegetables; one cupped handful of carb dense foods; one thumb of fat dense foods.” Prasad further counsels that a mesomorph needs to break her meals into five or six smaller ones throughout the day. Lastly, she also cautions that “mesos should remember to eat enough calories to maintain their muscle mass. So make your calories count by choosing whole foods over processed foods, which tend to be more nutrient-dense and lower in unhealthy fat, salt and sugar. Focus on non-starchy vegetables, fresh fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, low- or non-fat dairy products as well as nuts and seeds.”
What are the advantages of being a mesomorph?
1. The mesomorph body type is naturally strong.
2. Mesos respond best to weight training where the results are usually seen very quickly, especially in newbies.
3. Mesos love workouts. Considering how naturally athletic they are, they are most likely to be personal trainers, body builders, into team sports or trying out new physical activities.
What are the disadvantages of being a mesomorph?
1. The downside to mesos is they gain fat more easily than ectomorphs.
2. They must watch their calorie intake because if they slip, they could lose or gain weight in the opposite direction of what they were aiming for…
3. Most mesos are driven by the adrenal glands that create the hormone, cortisol. This means that when they are under stress or stop exercising, they are prone to put on weight easily around their tummies.
Source: Femina
