The main task that an ectomorph—or, Ecto—needs to look after is to promote muscle gain. An Ecto is that typical skinny girl who can eat all day and her super fast metabolism burns through it all like wildfire. Generally, ectos have a smaller build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually she is long limbed and narrow shouldered. Think Deepika Padukone or Kalki Kochlin; Abhishek Bachchan or Farhan Akhtar. Ectomorphs find it very hard to gain weight.
What is the best diet for an ectomorph?
An ectomorph needs to increase an intake of calories in her diet with a balanced body building diet plan to gain muscle. As a true-blue ectomorph, she needs to include 1,000 calories or as a moderate, 750 calories wouldn’t be too shabby over your maintenance levels. You need not worry whether intake of such huge amount of calories increases the amount of fat levels in your body. In fact, these calories help ectos in the fast growth of muscles and repair them as they have high metabolic rates.
What is an ectomorph meal plan look like?
Breakfast – Banana and seasonal berries smoothie (348 calories) or French Toast Total Calories (315 calories)
Midmorning Snack – A handful of dried fruits and nuts (350 calories)
Lunch – Red meat stews (300 calories) with a side portion of stir-fried vegetables (122 calories)
Evening Snack – Banana and seasonal berries smoothie (197 calories)
Dinner – Brown rice (332 calories) accompanied by a sweet and sour chicken dish (237 calories).
Pros of an Ectomorph Diet
• Ectomorphs never have to watch their calorie-intake
• They have a fast metabolism
• This body type is genetically blessed with superior aerobic capacity.
• Can lose fat very quickly
Cons of an Ectomorph Diet
• Ectomorphs are hard gainers because they have low muscle-building potential and it is difficult for them to put on lean muscle mass.
• Narrower shoulders
• Smaller bone structure
• Fast metabolism equals burning off calories like a bush fire.
How does it work (out) for an Ecto?
Since ectos have a fast metabolism, they need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. Cardio can be cut back as gaining weight is difficult enough. Dietician Shweta Prasad recommends supplements. Generally, ectomorphs can lose fat very easily which makes cutting back to lean muscle easier for them. “So don’t skip meals for any reason and you will need to eat a lot more than normal,” cautions Prasad. “If and whenever necessary, avoid junk and fried food. Eat meals for every one hour, 30 minutes (at least six meals a day) as the key is to have more calories than you burn. Protein, carbs and fat ratio in terms of percentage of calories can be 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats. Intake of complex carbohydrates like pasta, rice, grain bread, and dried fruits can help you gain maximum results. Drink plenty of water to keep your muscles hydrated and get enough rest—which is necessary—to gain the perfect weight and muscle strength,” she concludes.
Source: Femina
