adminHELLO, gentle readers. I hope I find you all well and fit!Recently, I wrote on body typing and I hope the information provided assisted you
in determining your specific body type. As I mentioned, understanding your body type is a vital role in achieving your desired weight and health goals. You might wonder why when you exercise so much and eat so little, your body barely changes, while your friend who eats and does exercise seems not to be gaining. This is because your body types are different and so the foods you eat and the exercise you perform affect you both differently.
Different foods are stored in different parts of the body depending on your body type and therefore you also lose the weight differently. As I mentioned in the previous article, women fall into one of these four categories: Gynaeoid, Android, Thyroid and Lymphatic; while men fall into one of these or a combination of two: Endomorphs, Ectomorphs and Mesomorphs.
Gynaeoid women tend to have a predominance of the female hormone oestrogen, (oestrogen dominance) which targets the uterine region, the hips, thighs and breasts. Excessive oestrogens promote fat deposition around the lower parts of the body as well as cellulite. If weight loss is attempted by following a very low fat low calorie diet, there is a reduction from the breasts, shoulders and arms, etc, but alas not from the thighs and buttocks, which I am sure many of you have noticed. Favour lean, high-quality proteins (skinless chicken/turkey breast, lean beef/veal, tuna, cod), cooked/raw high-fibre, non-starchy vegetables: (cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, and all leafy green vegetables) and all fruits. Make sure to include foods that are good omega 3 sources (wild salmon, halibut, sardines, flaxseed oil, avocados, nuts, olive oil) as these help burn more of your body fat.
Avoid cooked starchy vegetables (carrots, beets, and potatoes), animal fat (except fatty fish), carbonated drinks, and foods high in sugar. When cooking, use only healthy cooking oils to avoid toxins, which bind your body fat making losing weight much harder.
Android women have an anabolic metabolism, which leads to a body building tendency, so strength, both physical and mental, are prominent characteristics. Weight gain occurs in the upper part of the body and on the front of the abdomen, so that an apple-shape may develop. Favour high-quality proteins (chicken/turkey, beef/veal, tuna, shellfish, beans, whole-wheat and rye products) and all complex carbs (all fruits and vegetables, brown rice). Include foods that are good omega 3 sources (wild salmon, halibut, sardines, flaxseed oil, avocados, nuts, olive oil), as these help burn more of your body fat.
Avoid simple carbs (high starches like white rice, white wheat products, and potatoes), carbonated drinks and foods high in sugar. When cooking, use only healthy cooking oils to avoid dangerous toxins.
Thyroid women are least likely to develop cellulite, but if it does occur, it will be on the buttocks and backs of the thighs. Favour high-quality proteins (chicken/turkey, beef/veal, tuna, shellfish, beans, whole-wheat & rye products) and all complex carbs (all fruits and non-starchy vegetables, brown rice). Include foods that are good omega 3 sources (wild salmon, halibut, sardines, flaxseed oil, avocados, nuts, olive oil), as these help burn more of your body fat.
Avoid simple carbs (high starches like white rice and white wheat flour products, potatoes), carbonated drinks, and foods high in sugar. When cooking, use only healthy cooking oils to avoid dangerous toxins, which bind your body fat making losing weight much harder.
Weight gain occurs over the entire body in Lymphatic women. Favour lean, high-quality proteins (skinless chicken/turkey breast, lean beef/veal, tuna, cod), cooked/raw high-fibre, non-starchy vegetables: (cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, and all leafy green vegetables) and fruits that are not too sweet (berries, prunes, cherries, apples). Include foods that are good omega 3 sources (wild salmon, halibut, sardines, flaxseed oil, avocados, nuts, olive oil), as these help burn more of your body fat.
Avoid sweet fruits (pears, apricots, melons, grapes, pineapple), cooked starchy vegetables (carrots, beets, potatoes), all foods containing fats (except fatty fish), carbonated drinks and foods high in sugar.
When cooking, use only healthy cooking oils to avoid toxins that bind your body fat.
An Endomorph’s biggest concern should be the losing of fat and adopting a lifestyle that keeps it off. Strength training should be done to get a better muscle to fat ratio and therefore improve metabolism. Use moderate weights at a fast training pace (very little rest between sets and exercises). You should lower your calorie intake (but not try to starve yourself) and should eat frequent but small meals. Sugars, sweets and junk food should be eliminated from your diet.
A Mesomorph has a naturally fit body but to maintain it or improve it they should exercise and diet correctly for their type. Strength training can be done more often and for longer sessions then would be good for an Ectomorph, but you must still be careful not to overdo it. You should train with moderate to heavy weights and at a moderate pace, not resting too long between sets. You will find you gain muscle quite easy (some women and even men might not want to get too bulky, but this won’t happen suddenly. When you are happy with your muscle size simply train to maintain it). Stick to a good healthy diet to keep you lean and muscular, and watch for any slow-creeping fat gains.
Siba Guzha is a professional fitness trainer at BODY FOCUS GYM EXECUTIVE: Send your feedback to: 1st Floor, Meikles Mutare: Tel: 020 64712ext218; Cell: 0772 789 110 or Email: [email protected]
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