Best Exercises and Foods for your Body Type

Ectomorphic Body Type
Since ectomorphs burn calories very quickly and tend to want to gain weight, their fitness routines will differ. Good exercise for ectomorphs includes intense weight training workouts that will tire the muscles and build them up. Weight training is also good for building bone density, which is important for women, whose bones are prone to osteoporosis. Cardiovascular exercise is still important for general health and wellbeing.

Weight training: Three times per week, targeting the upper and lower body. Perform moderate to heavy weights with a low number of repetitions (2 x 8 repetitions), as too much activity will burn lots of calories. The goal should be to try to build muscle, rather than waste calories minimizing what muscle tissue you already have.

Cardio: Thirty minutes, three times per week, of low-to-moderate intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking and swimming. Swimming is highly recommended because the water provides resistance, which is great for muscle toning.

Diet: Lucky you! Due to an extra fast metabolism, you actually need to eat more calories than people with other body types, especially if you're trying to build muscle. Don’t get too carried away, though, thinking you can eat whatever you want,making healthy choices is still important. Focus on complex carbohydrates, such as multi-grain breads, pasta and whole grains, fruit and vegetables. It’s best to eat often and snack on foods such as nuts and dried fruit.

Mesomorphs

Mesomorphs already have great muscle tone and low body fat. A balanced combination of cardio training is great for this body shape, along with resistance exercises that promote strength and flexibility.

Strength training: Yoga or Pilates, three times per week, provides muscular conditioning in a routine more likely to develop muscle tone, not size. This type of exercise will ensure a good balance between the upper and lower body, and encourage balance, stretching and flexibility.

Cardio: Circuit training (moving quickly from one exercise to the next without a break), one or two times per week, promotes strength and stamina without building bulk. Other options include boot camp, spin and step classes.

Diet: If your goal is to put on muscle, you need to consume an excess of both complex carbohydrates and protein. If you consume too many calories and don’t exercise, you will put on extra fat. Aim for lean protein, such as turkey, chicken, low-fat dairy, fish and legumes, and opt for carbohydrates with a low-glycemic index (slow-digesting), such as grainy breads, brown rice and noodles, and include healthy fats from raw nuts, olive oil, flaxseed oil and avocados


Endomorphs (Pear shape)

Endomorphs usually carry extra fat around the lower abdomen, hips and thighs, so the key is to start with a program that burns calories. Many endomorphs avoid weight training because they don't want to bulk up. You should not avoid weights! Since building lean muscle also burns fat, endomorphs should also include weight training in their fitness plans to give their metabolism an extra boost at the same time.

Weight training: Once or twice per week of moderate weight training, using the whole body. Use light to moderate exercises, with lots of repetitions, at a slow pace (3 x 15 repetitions) to burn extra calories. To improve body symmetry, you may want to double up on upper-body exercises. For example, push-ups, pull-downs and chin-ups.

Cardio: Thirty to 60 minutes of cardio work, three to six times per week, for maximum fat and calorie burn. Your cardio workouts should generally be done at a moderately intense level, such as brisk walking (adding hills), elliptical training, stair climbing, jogging and incline walking. Be sure to choose a safe exercise as the extra weight can cause increased pressure on joints and bones, so it is important to avoid engaging in exercises that can add stress to these areas. Also, increase incidental exercise levels by walking (instead of driving) and taking the stairs (instead of lifts or escalators). The goal should be to burn as many calories as possible.

Diet:If you eat more calories than you need to maintain your current weight, your body will store those extra calories as fat. So, you should try to lower your total calorie intake by eating five or six mini-meals per day (this also helps ward off hunger). Never wait until you’re hungry to eat and never eat until full. Instead, load up on high-fiber, low-glycemic index carbohydrates, such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrain breads, pastas and brown rice, to keep you satisfied for longer. Avoid sugar, processed food and junk food entirely. Drink enough water to stay properly hydrated. Also eat as much lean protein as possible, avoiding fatty meats and alcohol, which are high in calories.