Fat Loss for Each Body Type
If you’re frustrated after following a “one size fits all” fitness plan that didn’t work, you’re not alone. My biggest goal in the BeyondFit Life Club is to support women! I want to help them learn how to #dofitnessbetter and to create their own unique body type blueprint.
The truth is there’s no one size fits all approach to body change. Knowing your individual body type is the ONLY way to get results long-term. And take your physique to the next level.
While there are general principles that can be practiced by everyone, when it comes to taking it to the “next level” you have to adjust these principles based on YOUR body type to make them work for YOU.
Everyone is genetically predisposed to being a certain somatotype (body type). BUT, with training, environmental influences, and nutrition changes, we can dramatically change the look and shape of our genetic body type! If you want to see significant changes in your body shape, you need to train in a way that compliments it and works WITH your body rather than against it.
Know Your Body Type: Ectomorph, Endomorph & Mesomorph
Learning your body type will help you train smarter and take your results to the next level!
What you might be doing wrong:
Three days of strength training should be coupled with two days of low-intensity, leisurely activity like leisurely walks, yoga, stretching or foam rolling. First, ditch the treadmill. Ectomorphs often gravitate to long, slow distance work, but it’s the worst thing they can do. It may be tempting to pack your routine with classic bodybuilder moves such as bicep curls, but that’s another mistake. The BeyondFit Hybrids are KEY for ectomorphs. I often see ectomorphs focusing on isolation moves, whereas big, compound movements such as the squat will involve more muscles and give you the hormonal boost that helps build muscle. I still use isolation moves, but they’re supplementary to the main workout moves. For an ectomorph, 80% of moves should be working big muscle groups, using things like our BeyondFit Hybrid moves from our monthly downloadable workouts.
What you should be doing:
Compound movements or hybrid exercises, sets in the 8-12 rep range and quite a lot of volume are what you’re looking for. There’s no need to live in the gym to put on muscle. If you’re working out 4-5 days a week you’ll be burning off any hard earned muscle. I tend to limit my ectomorphs to three workouts a week, keeping the actual training time after a warm-up less than 30 minutes.
What to eat:
In terms of nutrition, a diet that is high in calories, carbs, protein and fat will aid you in your quest for muscle gain. This should not be mistaken for eating precisely what you like. Rather, it just means you should eat more of what is healthy. Good news, you don’t have to steer clear of carbs such as oats, sweet potatoes, brown rice, etc. Fats found in nuts, seeds and avocado will also bring about the right results. Ectomorphs should respond well to carbs, which will spike blood sugar and help to drive protein to their muscles. Stick to the complex kind, such as sweet potatoes and brown rice. Aim for 1-2g per lb of bodyweight per day of protein at the minimum, but be wary of overdoing it.
BONUS TIP:
It’s important for ectomorphs to use supplements properly. I’d advise drinking a carb/protein shake before and during your workout, and either another one or a good meal afterwards. Due to their high stress nature, ectomorphs do well with supplements like BCAAs (branch chained amino acids) which help lower cortisol and protect that hard earned muscle.
What you might be doing wrong:
Mesomorphs often won’t train as hard as they can, that’s why I love our BeyondFit Life workouts. I usually give them timed workouts, to give them goals to aim for and raise their workout intensity…and it WORKS!
What you should be doing:
I get mesomorphs to train athletically, so I might do sprints, metabolic conditioning or other plyometrics in addition to their hybrid weight training. They respond well to low reps and power moves. Alternatively, interval sprints will pump up their metabolism and strip away fat.
What to eat:
Although the usual caveats apply, the good news is that your body will respond well to whatever healthy food you put into it. You can eat a moderate amount of carbs and err on the side of more when it comes to protein. A basic guideline for mesomorphs to follow would be to consume meals that are 40% complex carbohydrates, 30% lean protein and 30% healthy fats. So, for example, a plate that contained vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli, grilled chicken and olive oil with brown rice would represent a staple dish for this body type.
BONUS TIP:
Mesomorphs respond well to BCAAs because they will aid their recovery from athletic workouts and help them work out harder. You should also factor in recovery days. Although the explosive nature of athletic workouts minimizes the eccentric [lowering] portion of your moves, which helps stave off muscle soreness, some light movements on your rest days will help get the blood flowing and keep you feeling good.
What you might be doing wrong:
First, the good bit, there’s no point in spending hours plodding away on a treadmill. The first thing I tell people trying to lose weight is to ditch the long, slow, steady-state cardiovascular work. Then I get them doing more interval-based conditioning to strip away fat. Sprints and metabolic conditioning are AMAZING. And if you’re doing hundreds of crunches to try and shift your gut, ditch them now. ‘Spot-reducing’ fat just doesn’t work. You need to lose it from everywhere to see results around your waistline.
What you should be doing:
While much of the endomorph’s focus should be on shedding fat through hormonal responses to high intensity exercise, here at BeyondFit we’re of the opinion that weight-training is best because it carries on burning calories long after your final set. What’s more, the calories you ingest during the recovery period will help your muscles grow rather than fueling your gut. Therefore, we recommend doing three days a week of high intensity hybrid weight training (heavy weight, low reps) alongside your sprints or metabolic conditioning. Combine hypertrophy work (muscle-building) with conditioning to strip away unwanted body fat. If you want to download a specific schedule that tells you exactly what to do when, head on over to the BeyondFit Life Club.
What to eat:
From a nutrition perspective, a low-carb diet that still includes oats and brown rice should be complimented by a high protein and fiber intake. Nutrients such as green tea and spinach will help with the fat burning process. You’ll have to watch what you eat more strictly than people with other body shapes. Get your carbs from vegetables and steer clear of white bread and rice. Focus on the 2 P’s, protein and produce.
BONUS TIP:
There’s evidence that extra weight around the midsection indicates high stress levels or a low ability to handle stress. Try to minimize the effects of the stress hormone, cortisol, by getting plenty of sleep and avoiding overtraining. A couple of other things that contribute to that dreaded belly fat are DRINKS. Avoid sports drinks, they’re full of carbs and they’ll spike your blood sugar through the roof. And, of course, steer clear of the booze or find a better way to enjoy your alcoholic drinks.
The BeyondFit Life Club is designed to teach you how to eat and train smarter and more efficiently to meet your own personal goals.
This program is filled with amazing women (at all stages of life)! They want to welcome you and encourage you to be the strongest and healthiest version of YOU!