Body Types: All the morphs & In Between
Back in the 1940s a doctor decided there were three generalized body composition types. Not to be confused with the endless body shapes out there. I’d say people fall somewhere in this spectrum at any given point in life. Super general, huh? That’s because it is!
Between the cracks of the three are little overlaps where people tend to fall smack in the middle of two types. Why should I know my body type, you ask? This tool will steer you in the proper direction with nutrition and exercises. Overarching everything it’s helpful to know as much as possible about your own body when taking a nose dive into your personal wellness adventure.
The human body is wonderfully capable of overcoming a LOT. If you find yourself landing in a less desirable place on the body composition spectrum, don’t get caught up. Our bodies are able and willing to change if you give it the proper nutrition, exercise, and love that it needs. Some of us may take longer to see the fruits of our labors than others, don’t be discouraged. This is just your jumping off point, somewhere you can find your footing to start the descent into healthful bliss. For trainers, the body type generalization will be our favorite way to scale some training options for you right from the start, without even taking measurements or probing your lifestyle. It’s not a judgement, it’s an imaginary scale, helpful in developing a program for YOU.
Now---the body types. Ectomorph, Mesomorph, Endomorph. Those are the 3 main body types. The two ‘tweeners are Ecto-mesomorph and Meso-endomorph. Pick up on the gibberish, yet?! As a trainer for the past decade on and off, I’ve secured a talent for guessing a client’s body weight within a 5 pound range, as well as the knack for picking up on your body composition within a super close range. Call it sizing you up, I call it picking up on the starting point faster so I can come up with the solution. If you can become aware of the body type category you fall under, you’ll better be able to do a bit of sizing up on your own when it comes to finding a successful workout or nutrition plan, or both.
Ectomorph
Narrow structure through shoulders and hips, with a leanness throughout the body. If you’re an Ectomorph, you struggle to add any mass to your body whether it be fat OR muscle and can often claim that infamous ‘I can eat what I want’ to people with confidence. Maybe it’s hard to fit in ‘skinny jeans’ even when you’re feeling ‘skinny fat’. You’re likely a hyperactive person with small bone structure.
Mesomorph
This is that body type when you look at the hot guy and he has the ‘V’ shape from his shoulders to his waist. Um…. Yeah. Typically as a female this is less pronounced though still present. Think sporty, not stocky. If you fall here, you are a lucky ducky with the ability to develop muscle relatively quick, with even muscular distribution. Weight loss and gain can happen quickly for you.
Endomorph
Stocky bone structure. Blocky for men and curvier for women. If you have always struggled to see those baby muscles even when you try super hard to lose the fat, this is probably you, or maybe a combo of your body type. It will take great effort to trim the fat and see those gains, just be persistent! Gaining fat fast can be helped by proper nutrition and exercise.
In between: Ecto-mesomorph & Endo-mesomorph
You may not fully be one or the other, though you could fall between Ecto-meso and Endo-meso depending on where you lean. Meaning, if you’re lanky but can gain muscle quick, you might be more of an Ecto-meso. If you put fat on fast but gain muscle quick, that might mean you’re more of an Endo-meso.
FINALLY…
Just because you might be in the Endomorph category does NOT mean you are supposed fat! Similarly, an Ectomorph can still be skinny fat and not visibly as lanky. Remember that these body types are indicative of your body COMPOSITION and beyond that a tool to get you from point A to point B. Use the information to be informed about what kind of eating and exercise should be at play here. Where you begin doesn’t have to be where you end up.
Another thing, being female you’re automatically going to have more body fat than a male. Hormones play a factor in this, especially if you’re suffering from PCOS (Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) or had a baby anywhere in the vicinity of trying to nab down your body comp (totes includes breastfeeding too!). So have some dang grace ladies, in all areas, when you’re looking for the right program for yourself! If you still have NO clue where to begin, you are welcome to check out my programs and schedule a 1 on 1 virtual session with me to get yourself in the right direction.