All the metabolic factors are determined firstly on the basis of genetical constituents. Based on the body’s metabolism, there are three categories of body type: Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph.
Ectomorph
The key secret lies in Ectomorph is the body’s tendency to u se up the food consumed. They tend to have a higher metabolic rate than other types. Ectomorphs’s body is able to burn out what they eat at an enormous rate and this is why they are not able to gain muscle.
To gain muscle in such body type is difficult but not impossible. The Maini principle has opted for a healthy diet instead of unhealthy junks as it can alter the blood profile and cause other metabolic disorders like diabetes.
There are a few key points to keep in mind for all the ectomorphs if they are looking for muscle gain. Eat in every two to four hours and avoid cold foods as they are not easily digestible. Stack up on calories and targeted nutrient-rich foods.
So, here’s a list of some of the nutrients you need to include in your diet for healthy muscle gain :
Carbohydrates:
Instead of simple refined carbs, go for complex carbohydrates because they are harder to breakdown by the body.
The slow breakdown of these carbs helps in building body muscles. Consume large amounts of complex carbs to meet up your daily calorie intake.
Eat complex carbohydrate-rich foods like brown rice, oatmeal, broken wheat (dalia), bran chapati, ragi, bajra, quinoa, whole wheat, sweet potatoes and if the regular diet does not contain enough quantity of complex carbs, opt for fibre rich supplements like tri fibre, isabgul etc.
Proteins:
Proteins are the building block of any organism. Having a lean body type ectomorph’s face trouble to gain weight. Protein provide the lean body mass and help in structure formation, thus having good quality protein through diet is essential.
Include high-protein foods like eggs, chicken breast, fish, tofu in a regular diet. If adequate protein requirement is not met through regular diet supplementation become necessary for example one can include Power Protein or Power Massive in the daily diet regime. You can check Steadfast's best muscle gainer range.
Fats:
‘Fat’ the term is not always bad. Our body needs a definite amount of fat to perform the basic function like cell formation, protection etc. Including healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids in the diet promotes good heart health and keep the circulatory system healthy. Saturated fats must be avoided as they clog your arteries and make you fall in heart-related risks. Food example flaxseeds, avocado, freshwater fish, ripe olives, nuts and seeds include your regular diet.
If you fall under the ectomorph category, you need to inculcate these foods in your daily diet. One thing to keep in mind that even if your body’s tendency to breakdown calories is fast, it clearly doesn’t mean that you should start eating unhealthy foods. Go for foods with the targeted nutrients that your body type needs and this way you will achieve better results.
Mesomorph
This body type is characterised by muscular with the moderate bone structure. People with such body type usually have broad shoulders and a narrow waist. This body type naturally has low-fat levels and can easily lose or gain weight. They are ‘genetically gifted’ as they have a compact, naturally lean and strong body.
This gifted category has a balanced metabolic rate. The muscular structure supports physical activities without fatigue and they are very energetic. They have strong bones thus are less likely to get injured.
As we are already discussing mesomorphs have several advantages like:
The body type provides an easy gain of muscle mass and weight loss as well.
They can easily adapt to any kind of workout and the body will adjust quickly.
They have an optimum amount of metabolism which can be improved with little dietary modification.
A typical diet for mesomorphs should consist of balance carbs or fats, proteins, and plate filled with vegetables and fruits.
Carbohydrate: Complex carb is the best choice to cleanse and maintain the bodies function at the same time providing energy. For example, whole wheat chapati, bran chapati, oats, parboiled had pound/ sealed rice, sewn potato can be included in the diet.
Protein: Protein-rich diet always helps to maintain the muscle mass and repair the damage. Lean protein helps to do all those along with maintaining the blood profile. Lean protein-rich foods like chicken, egg white, toned milk, pulses are a great choice. If adequate protein requirement through a regular diet is not met the supplementation with power protein, incredible whey or liv raw can be done.
Fats: Healthy fats are a source of fuel of the body at the same time maintaining cell structure and function. It provides essential fatty acids, keeps skin softer, and delivers fat-soluble vitamins. Healthy fats such as flax seeds, avocado, chia seeds, coconut oil, mustard oil etc can be included in the regular diet through various recipes.
A healthy diet is necessary for every body type but there are the different diet for each body type, mesomorph is benefitted by the fact that they are flexible and can get quick positive results with adding healthy foods in the diet.
Endomorph
This body type falls under bulky and broad type. This body type gains fat easily, have a slow metabolism, naturally chubby, and usually of thick arms and legs. They retain more subcutaneous fat, slowly lose weight but have well ability to gain muscle. This type also generally know as a pear-shaped structure because the fat of endomorph has a tendency to settle into the lower regions of the body, predominantly in the lower abdomen, hips, and thighs, rather than being distributed evenly throughout the body.
Characteristic:
Endomorphs are genetically prone to store more fat easily due to various issues with hormone’s tendencies, energy consumption and metabolism.
Even after heavy loss struggles through a workout, it seems like fat goes down at a really slow rate.
They are usually large-framed with medium to large joints.
Endomorphs are recommended to stay away from insulin spiking foods and focus more on proteins, low carbs, fibres, and healthy fat.
Carbohydrate: Although endomorph is sensitive to simple carbohydrate due to slower metabolism complex carbs work really good. For example, whole wheat chapati, bran chapati, oats, parboiled had pound/ sealed rice, sewn potato can be included in the diet. Additionally, fibre supplements like tri fibre can also be included in a regular diet to improve metabolism.
Proteins: Proteins has a more thermic effect more than carbohydrates and fats. A protein-rich diet is less likely to be stored as body fat than a diet high in carbs or fat. It also allows a reduction in calories along with a minimal feeling of hunger. Protein-rich foods are egg white, soy, and skimmed milk, lean fish and chicken can be added in a regular diet. If the diet is inadequate in good quality protein supplementation with liv raw can be helpful.
Fat: Healthy fat help lowering blood cholesterol levels and shedding excess weight by acting as an anti-inflammatory agent. It’s an absolutely essential nutrient for endomorphs, which also helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E, and K. Sources of healthy fat are flax seeds, avocado, chia seeds, almond, mustard oil, etc.
Endomorphs should emphasise on proteins intake. Proteins help in preserving lean body mass. It is necessary to choose food which filling without increasing too many calories and the best way to do this is to have green veggies in diet. Regular intake of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables also helps to achieve the desired weight.
As a conclusion before planning the diet first find out which category you fall under and then choose the right food. It is not advisable to consume unhealthily refined or fast food in any condition.
