The Endomorphic Body Type
An endomorph body type refers to a body type, which is adept at storing fuel with fat and muscle usually concentrated at the lower parts of the body. Endomorph females who have this body type frequently experience struggles losing weight and managing your overall fitness levels.
Endomorphs tend to gain weight easily while having a difficult time losing it. Females who have this body type are usually curvaceous and soft while showing a feminine body shape. Males with the endomorph body type, on the other hand, tend to have round and soft bodies.
If you notice that you have problems losing weight even if you exert a lot of effort then there’s a great chance that you fall into the endomorph category. Among the most common characteristics showcased by endomorphs are the following:
- Soft and round physique
- Naturally chubby
- Long trunk and tapered limbs
- Short neck
- Wide bone structure
- Prominent upper arms and thighs
- High fat-to-muscle ratio
- Have muscles concealed beneath layers of subcutaneous fats
- High BMI or weight range
- Strong bones
- Poor muscle definition
As an endomorph, you have a higher chance of gaining weight easily because of your poor metabolism but there is still a way for you to drop the excess weight and enjoy a leaner and more balanced physique. All it takes is to develop a diet and exercise plan, which greatly considers your body type as you can expect to respond well to it.
Getting a more balanced physique for endomorphs is actually all about developing your shoulders as well as getting rid of the excess weight from the lower part of your body. You can also take advantage of a cardio plan with low to medium intensity. As far as your meal plans are concerned, it would be best to focus on a 1,750-calorie meal plan daily, which is rich in fiber.
Best Diet Approach for Endomorph Females
Your body type actually plays a major role not only in figuring out the best sports and exercise plan that’s suitable for you and how easily you gain and lose weight but also in determining the kinds of foods that can fuel your body and promote weight loss. If you’re an endomorph and one of those women struggling with weight loss then note that the best diet plans for you are those that are low in carbohydrates and high in fiber.
Note that as an endomorph, you have a high insulin and carbohydrate sensitivity. Your body converts foods rich in carbs into sugar, increasing their chances of being stored as fats instead of being burned for energy. With that in mind, it would be best to stick to a low-carb diet for several days a week. By significantly reducing your carb intake, you can encourage your body to burn fat.
Here are just some reasons why a low-carb diet works for endomorphs:
Increases your Consumption of Protein
By creating an endomorph diet plan, which has a lower amount of carbs, you also get the chance to increase your intake of protein. It’s actually beneficial for you, especially if your goal is to lose the weight. What’s good about increased protein intake is that it also leads to quick satiation. With that, expect the low-carb and high-protein diet to give you full control of your appetite.
An increase in protein intake is also helpful in retaining or gaining lean muscle mass when you’re losing weight. A higher amount of protein in your diet plan results in a higher lean muscle mass and an increase in the amount of fats burned during the weight loss process.
Reduces your Sugar Intake
When following a low-carb diet, one of the carbs that you have to get rid of from your meal plans is sugar. It, therefore, automatically reduces your intake of sugar and reduces your risk of dealing with metabolic problems caused by fructose. Note that if your liver accumulates excessive amounts of glycogen, the fructose that will reach there gets converted into fat.
This will result in a high level of blood lipid or increased risk of experiencing fatty liver. This further results in insulin sensitivity, poor metabolism, and glucose tolerance, causing you to gain more weight. That won’t be the case if you stick to a low-carb diet since your sugar intake will be reduced dramatically.
Increases Fat in your Meals
What’s good about increasing fat in your meals while taking in fewer carbohydrates is that it also works in slowing down the gastric emptying process. This results in making you feel full for longer because it takes a longer time for food to reach your gut. You will have lower appetite, which will subsequently reduce your calorie consumption, making it possible to attain weight loss in the process.
Other Potential Benefits
A low-carb diet is also good for endomorph females because it works fast and aids in minimizing your caloric density while increasing your nutrient density at the same time. It also helps you remove foods that are really rich in fat from your diet, such as potato chips and cheesecake. Furthermore, it lets you enjoy flavorful foods, so expect to have an easier time sticking to it for a long time.
Steps to Attaining Success when Following the Low-carb Diet
#1 – Eat Frequently
Taking frequent meals is the key to success when following a low-carb diet. You need frequent meals to gain the right balance of cortisol and insulin. Your goal should be to eat around 5-6 small meals daily spaced out every 2-3 hours.
#2 – Include Complete Protein and Healthy Fats in your Meals
Make sure that each of your meals comes with one source of complete protein. Some options are free-range and wild-caught animal proteins. Healthy fats should also form part of your meals. Aside from enhancing the flavors of the foods you take in, healthy fats also aid in quick and proper nutrient absorption. Some excellent sources of healthy fats are nut oils, avocado, olive oil, and coconut oil.
#3 – Make Green Veggies a Part of your Diet
The best recommendation is 2-3 cups of green veggies incorporated into your meals. Aside from being rich in nutrients, these vegetables also help you get fuller for longer. They also provide a good supply of fiber into your diet.
#4 – Stay Away from Drinks Rich in Calories
Ensure that your diet includes only those liquids that do not contain calories. Some of your best options are coffee, tea, and pure water. Stay away from sweetened drinks.
#5 – Customize your Carbohydrate Consumption
It would be best for you to customize your carbohydrate consumption based on your specific needs. For instance, if you fall under those who are overweight with minimal activities (just like most of the endomorph female population) then make sure that your daily carb intake is only 50 grams to guarantee weight loss.
7-day Endomorph Low-carb Diet Plan
|
Day |
Breakfast |
Lunch |
Dinner |
Snacks |
|
1 |
½ banana
1 glass protein shake ½ cup oatmeal |
1 6-oz. can tuna with sesame seeds and low-fat mayonnaise
½ peach Celery sticks |
1 cup veggies
6-oz. lean protein 1 sweet potato |
1 tbsp. pumpkin seed
1 peach |
|
2 |
1 slice ham and cheese
½ slice whole-grain toast ½ cup blueberries |
6-oz. lean protein
½ cup edamame 2 cups romaine ¼ avocado |
8-oz. steak
½ cup strawberries ½ cup broccoli |
1 glass protein shake |
|
3 |
½ cup porridge containing 1 tbsp. crushed walnuts
½ cup soy milk |
1 grilled fish fillet
2 cups veggie salad |
100-g steak
½ cup wild rice (cooked) |
1 pear
Brazil nuts |
|
4 |
Poached eggs with 1 slice of cheese
1 cup coffee with cream or milk 3 pcs. strawberries |
6-oz. lean protein
1 small sweet potato 1 cup veggies ½ cup berries |
chicken breast
cup strawberries and walnuts cup cabbage salad |
Soy yogurt with granola |
|
5 |
2 slices of carrot and cheddar sandwich
Some slices of pineapple |
1 salmon steak
½ cup green beans small side salad |
Grilled Chicken Breast
1 cup rice |
1 orange
Almonds |
|
6 |
½ cup oatmeal
1 banana Protein shake |
roasted chicken breast
Vegetable salad with at least 7 veggies |
Lean chicken sausage
Mashed potato Steamed veggies |
2 rice crackers |
|
7 |
Scrambled egg whites
½ cup grapes 1 cup coffee or tea |
Spinach salad containing almonds
½ cup pineapple |
Pork chop
1 cup cucumber salad ½ cup cantaloupe |
Some celery sticks |
Endomorph Weight Training and Exercise Plan
One of the most common misconceptions when it comes to working out is that women should avoid lifting weights and focus on cardio workouts even more. It’s the reason why there is only a small number of women doing weight training. It’s time to change that misconception, though as weight training is actually helpful in trimming inches from your waist and hips and transforming your whole health and body for the better.
Here are five of the benefits that women, especially endomorphs, can get from weight training:
Benefit 1: Loses Body Fat
With weight training, building muscle will be much easier for you. The good thing about building and increasing lean muscle is that it also improves your metabolism, resulting in an improved ability to burn more calories throughout the day. An average woman who does strength training 2-3 times weekly for a period of 2 months can even gain almost 2 lbs. of lean muscle while losing 3.5 lbs. of fats.
Benefit 2: Improves Strength without Bulking Up
Most women do not strength train because they are afraid that this will cause them to bulk up. It’s actually a misconception as such case won’t happen. Note that women don’t have enough testosterone designed to gain and build muscles as men. That said, expect weight training to actually help you develop strength and muscle definition without the bulk.
Benefit 3: Adds Curves to your Body
Another positive benefit of weight training to endomorph females is that it adds more curves to their body. Your gained muscle can actually help you obtain a nice hourglass figure. Weight training is, therefore, the answer to your desire to develop lovely curves and retain them.
Benefit 4: Elevates Energy
Weight training can also help elevate your energy. It has a positive impact on your energy balance. That said, it would be best to grab a barbell in place of your afternoon coffee. Aside from lifting your energy, this workout can also improve your mood because it helps release endorphins.
Benefit 5: Promotes Better Heart Health
Weight training also makes you less prone to developing heart diseases. In fact, lifting weights can lower your chances of having risk factors for heart disease, like large waist circumference, increased glucose level and blood pressure, and high triglyceride level.
Check out the video below to learn more tips on workouts for endomorph body types.
High Intensity Interval Training
Aside from weight training, high intensity interval training (HIIT) is also a great exercise for endomorph females. HIIT refers to workouts with an aim of alternating intense activities and fixed periods of activities that are less intense. It could also be alternated with a period of complete rest.
An example is running intensely for a minute then alternating it with walking for two minutes. Do this for 5 times within a 15-minute workout. If you’re an endomorph then HIIT is also a good workout for you. Here are the reasons why:
Increases your Metabolic Rate
A sluggish metabolism is a common problem among endomorphs. This problem can actually be solved with the help of HIIT. It lets you burn calories and increase your metabolic rate even hours after your exercise. It is also capable of shifting your metabolism towards utilizing excess fats for energy instead of carbs.
Burns Fats and Calories in a Short Period
As an endomorph, you can greatly benefit from a workout that burns fats and calories within just a short period, and that’s what you can expect from HIIT. A 15-minute HIIT workout can even let you burn more calories than walking or jogging on a treadmill for at least one hour.
Loses Fat Instead of Muscle
Cardio workouts are often linked to muscle loss. This isn’t the case with HIIT. In fact, you can combine HIIT with weight training to ensure that you preserve your gained muscle while shedding excess fat and weight.
Conclusion
Endomorph females, while facing struggles with weight loss, can actually attain their target weight if they just customize their diet and exercise plan based exactly on their body type. If you’re an endomorph then you’ll gain favorable results by tailoring your workout plan through weight training and HIIT and your meal plan through a low-carb diet.