The Secrets Out

Feb 19, 2019

     IT’S 2010 AND I’M A BROKE COLLEGE KID LIVING IN A PSEUDO FRAT-HOUSE WITH A BUNCH OF GUYS THAT WERE ON THE UNIVERSITY CHEER TEAM WITH ME. THIS IS THE TIME IN OUR LIVES THAT WE WERE SURVIVING OFF ALCOHOL, FAST FOOD, SUB-PAR WORKOUTS, AND LITTLE SLEEP; AND LET ME TELL YOU, IT SHOWED. ALL OF US HAD THAT TYPICAL FRATERNITY BRO BODY THAT SAID “HELL YEAH I WORKOUT AND DRINK PROTEIN SHAKES, BUT LET ME HIT THAT KEG-STAND FIRST.” THAT IS, ALL OF US EXCEPT ONE. ZAK, THAT SLY BASTARD. HE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO LIVE OFF 99 CENT TOTINO PIZZAS, WORKED OUT LESS THAN ME, AND STILL HAD A F****** 6-PACK! THE HATE. ANGER. JEALOUSY. AND ABOVE ALL, SELF-LOATHING THIS CAUSED CAN’T EVEN BE DESCRIBED. HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS RARE-SPECIMEN GAVE LITTLE EFFORT TO HIS BODY, BUT MANAGED TO HAVE THAT HOLY GRAIL OF FITNESS? WELL, HERE I AM, 9 YEARS LATER CRACKING THE CODE!
     OUTSIDE OF THE ALCOHOL THAT ZAK WOULD PASS ON; THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND HIM WERE OUR BODY TYPES. DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE THREE BODY TYPES THAT EVERYONE CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO? RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BODY TYPES GOES DEEPER THAN JUST PHYSICAL QUALITIES, BUT ALSO THAT THESE BODY TYPES DIFFER ON A CELLULAR LEVEL. THESE DIFFERENCES AFFECT EVERYTHING FROM RESPONSE TO TRAINING AND METABOLISM TO CARB TOLERANCE AND ENERGY STORES.

ECTOMORPHS

     THE FIRST BODY TYPE WE’RE BREAKING DOWN ARE ECTOMORPHS. THIS IS THE BODY TYPE THAT ZAK WAS AND IS OFTEN FOUND AMONG ENDURANCE AND TRACK ATHLETES. THEY’RE TYPICALLY TALL, HAVE LONGER LIMBS, HAVE AN ABOVE AVERAGE METABOLISM, AND A HIGHER CARB TOLERANCE COMPARED TO THEIR PEERS. EVEN THOUGH THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE IDEAL BODY, I HAD ONE THING OVER ZAK BECAUSE OF HIS ECTOMORPHIC QUALITIES; I COULD PUT ON MUSCLE FASTER THAN HIM. FOR ECTOMORPHS IT’S USUALLY PRETTY HARD FOR THEM TO PUT ON WEIGHT DUE TO THE FASTER METABOLISM AND CARBOHYDRATE TOLERANCE. THIS IS WHY HE (ZAK) COULD DOWN MULTIPLE PIZZAS AND STILL NOT SEE THE SCALE MOVE WHATSOEVER. ECTOMORPHS TYPICALLY RESPOND BETTER TO A HIGH-CARBOHYDRATE DIET WITH MODERATE PROTEIN AND LOWER FAT. A ROUGH ESTIMATE AT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM A MACRONUTRIENT STAND POINT WOULD BE:

Carbohydrates: 55%

Protein: 25%

Fats: 20%

SO, IF YOU’RE LOOKING AT IT FROM A “SHREDDING” STANDPOINT AN ECTOMORPH IS THE IDEAL BODY TYPE, BUT IF YOU’RE TRYING TO PUT ON WEIGHT OR MUSLCE THEN YOU’D RATHER FALL INTO ONE OF THE OTHER TWO BODY TYPES.

MESOMORPH

     THIS BODY TYPE IS NORMALLY CHARACTERIZED WITH MEDIUM-SIZED BONE/LIMB LENGTHS AND ATHLETIC BODIES THAT SEEM TO HOLD AND MAINTAIN MUSLCE FAIRLY WELL, WHILE KEEPING BODY FAT LEVELS ON THE LOWER END. A POPULAR ATHLETE WITH A MESOMORPH BODY TYPE WOULD BE A GYMNASTS. ONCE I LEARNED ABOUT BODY TYPES I KNEW THIS IS WHERE I FELL AND IN MY EYES, I NOW HAD THE UPPER HAND ON ZAK! US MESOMORPHS CAN DO WELL ON A VARIETY OF DIET/MACRO BREAKDOWNS DEPENDING ON PERSONAL PREFERENCE AND GOALS. KEEPING A GOOD BALANCE OF CARBS, PROTEIN, AND FATS IN THE DIET IS KEY TO BUILDING AND MAINTAINING MUSCLE AND HEALTHY LEVELS OF FAT. A MACRO BREAKDOWN THAT MESOMORPHS COULD DO WELL ON COULD LOOK SOMETHING LIKE:

Carbohydrates: 40%

Protein : 30%

Fats: 40%

ENDOMORPH (STRONGMAN)

     THE LAST BODY TYPE WE’RE GOING TO BREAKDOWN IS THE ENDOMORPH. THIS IS THE BODY TYPE THAT’S TYPICALLY COMMON AMONG STRONGMEN ATHLETES OR LINEMEN ON A FOOTBALL TEAM. THEY HAVE LARGER BONE STRUCTURES AND TEND TO HOLD MUCH LARGER AMOUNTS OF BODY MASS, MUSLCE, AND FAT. ENDOMORPHS CAN STORE ENERGY (CALORIES) BETTER THAN IT’S COUNTER-BODY TYPES, BUT BECAUSE OF THIS IT’S ALSO HARDER FOR THEM TO “CUT” WEIGHT. THEY WILL TYPICALLY DO BEST ON A HIGHER FAT, MODERATE PROTEIN, AND LOW CARB DIET/MACRO BREAKDOWN. HERE’S WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE:

Carbohydrates: 25%

Protein: 35%

Fats: 40%

     IS IT POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO BE A MIX OF BODY TYPES? YOU BET IT IS. JUST LIKE ALL DIETS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, IT TAKES TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS FOR YOU AND YOUR BODY, BUT I PROMISE THAT IF YOU START EATING FOR YOUR BODY TYPE, YOU’LL BE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR LOOKING AND FEELING BETTER! SORRY ZAK, BUT YOUR SECRETS OUT. YOU’RE NOT SOME ALIEN SUPERHERO OR GREEK GOD. YOU’RE JUST A CARB-HUNGRY ECTOMORPH!
LOOKING FOR SOME HELP IN PUTTING TOGETHER A NUTRITION PLAN FOR YOUR BODY TYPE? SET UP A TIME TO MEET WITH OUR COACH TO START BUILDING YOUR OWN CUSTOM PROGRAM!

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