Weight Loss and Body Types

There are tons of reasons out there for losing weight. These reasons could include medical, aesthetic, personal and many more. No matter what the reason, millions of people try to lose weight every year. While some prevail others fail, and while it does have a lot to do with your eating and exercise habits, as well as your motivation, your body type also plays a big roll in the amount of effort you have to put forth in order to lose your unwanted weight.

As we are all aware everybody is different, which is why some people are naturally thin while others are bigger, some find it easy and don't have to do much to lose weight, while others of us have to work very hard to lose even just a couple of pounds. When if comes to body types there are 3 main types; Ectomorph, Endomorph, Mesomorph.

Ectomorph

Ectomorphs are often described as being:
-naturally thin
-frail
-skinny
-small framed

People with an Ectomorphic body type have a very hard time gaining any type of weight. No matter how much they eat or how little they exercise, individuals of this body type have supercharged metabolisms that would almost appear to speed up the more they eat, keeping them from gaining any kind of significant weight.

Mesomorph

Mesomorphs are often described as being:
-broad shouldered
-muscular
-medium framed
-naturally fit

People who fall into this body type are often very muscular and lean. Very rarely are they skinny but they are not fat as well. Mesomorphs fall into the middle of the 3 categories as mesomorphic individuals have to be somewhat careful about what they eat, as well as the amount of exercise they are getting. These individuals can gain or lose weight fairly easy as their body type and metabolism are those of a natural athlete.

Endomorph

Endomorphs are often described as:
-overwheight
-soft bodied
-underdeveloped muscles
-hard time losing weight

Endomorphs are the body type that most of the individuals having trouble losing weight fall into. Endomorphs have to pay very close attention to the types of foods as well as the amount of foods they ingest as their metabolisms are naturally slow. This body type stores fat very easily and therefore exercise for endomorphic individuals is an absolute must, in order to burn off the extra calories, as well as to raise your metabolism speed.

If you’re an individual with an endomorphic like body, then it is going to take a lot of work for you to lose those unwanted pounds. That is not to say that it is impossible, or almost unheard of it, just means that you will have to go that extra mile in order to see the results that you are after. So the question that I hear most of you asking yourselves now is “how do I go about losing weight if I’m in this position?”

Nutrition

It is very important that when it comes to the food that you eat, that you are eating healthy low fat foods. Foods that are high in sugars, sodium and fat are going to be your biggest foes when it comes to losing weight. When choosing foods stick to fruits vegetables, whole grains (pasta, bread, cereals etc), dairy, and lean meats (chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef etc). These foods contain many nutrients such as protein, fibber, complex carbohydrates, and many vitamins and minerals.

These kinds of foods will help to keep your metabolism going strong, and will help to curb your appetite by allowing you to feel full longer. As a side note, foods that contain refined sugars, and flour; such as white bread, candy, soda, pastries etc, can be very detrimental to your attempts to lose weight, so stay away from these types of foods as much as you possibly can.

Make sure that you are getting enough water as it helps to curb your appetite as well as helps to keep your muscles working. It also aids in the digestion of your food and the normal functionality of your body. Instead of eating 3 or less large meals it is recommended that you eat 6 smaller meals throughout the day as this helps to keep your metabolism sped up, and therefore helps to burn more calories.

Exercise

Exercise is going to be very important for those of you with and endomorphic body type. Exercise is what is going to help you to burn off any of those extra calories that are lingering around after the day is through. Exercising can be done anytime of the day and it is recommended that you participate in about 30-45 min of exercise 3-5 times a week minimum.

Exercises should include activities that get your heart rate up. These are the exercises that are going to most effectively burn off those extra unwanted calories. These exercises can include activities like:

-cycling (stationary or regular)
-running
-jogging
-swimming
-aerobics
-rollerblading
-sports (tennis, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer etc.)

These exercises will get your heart rate up which will in turn cause those extra calories to melt away, as your body is in need of increased fuel consumption to keep up with these activities. It is important to note that you should see a doctor before starting rigorous activities, and you should never overdo it as this will cause more harm than good.

Attitude

Believe it or not attitude plays a very big role in losing weight, no matter what body type you are. The reason why most people who try to lose weight fail not because they cheat too much on foods, or not that they don’t exercise enough, its because peoples attitude is negative and they end up giving up when they see very little results in the first little bit.

Losing weight is not going to be an overnight event. You didn’t gain all that weight within a couple of weeks and you’re certainly not going to lose it all within a couple weeks. The important thing to remember when losing weight or even building muscle is that consistency is key. It is also important to state that when losing weight you will have high times as well as low times, it is during your low times that your attitude, persistence and motivation is needed to pull you through and keep you from quitting.

Anybody can lose weight, it does not matter one bit about your body type, aside from medical conditions, as long as you follow a balanced healthy diet, regular exercise, and don’t give up you are bound to start losing weight. So why not start today, get yourself a journal and start making the necessary changes needed to change your life for the better, forever.

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