Are you naturally blessed with an athletic body? Can you eat whatever you want without worrying about gaining pounds? Do your friends envy you for the perfect body you have? If this sounds like you, you are a mesomorph. As a mesomorph, you do not really need to struggle to be in a good shape. But having a fitness plan and a targeted mesomorph diet never really hurts.
The Mesomorph Female Type
Mesomorph females are considered as the “genetically gifted.” They have compact, strong, and naturally lean bodies with excellent postures. Their shoulders are usually wider than their hips giving them the famous ‘hourglass’ figure.
Mesomorph females usually have medium-sized bone structures and moderate body frames. They find it easier to build muscle but may also be prone to gain weight and body fat.
Other important features of a mesomorph body type include:
- Efficient metabolisms
- Strong and muscular bodies
- Quick response to exercise
- Symmetrical physiques
- Low body fat
- Fast at sprinting
Being a mesomorph does not mean you will magically put on muscle and stay lean. You have to put in work. Even if you do have a nice lean physique now, there is always a room for improvement.
Consider the following these 10 mesomorph diet tips to improve your health and maintain your fitness level.
Mesomorph Diet Tip#1: Follow a High Protein Diet
While every body type requires fat, protein, and carbohydrates; mesomorph tends to respond much better to high-protein diets. You are likely to lose fat and maintain weight when one-third of your plate is filled entirely with protein.
Adding small quantities of protein in every meal will help you with muscle building and repair. That is why most of the diet plans targeting mesomorphs focus more on consuming beef, fish, turkey, chicken, Greek yogurt, lentils, and eggs.
Mesomorph Diet Tip#2: Exercise at least 4 times per week (LISS and heavy weight training)
As a mesomorph, your body responds quite well to light-intensity steady state cardio (LISS). Balancing it with weight training is highly recommended to stimulate muscle growth.
Try to incorporate timed workouts in your daily routine to increase density and get killer results. Adopt a schedule of moderate repetitions using moderate-to-heavy weights.
Perform two to three sets with 8 to 12 repetitions each. Repeat this 4 day per week for arms, chest, legs, and back and shoulders. Consider performing compound lifting exercises.
Performing light to moderate intensity cardio sessions at least thrice a week is also beneficial for a mesomorph female. It may not be as effective as weight training but can help improve your fitness level with minimal risk of injury.
Mesomorph Diet Tip#3: Eliminate Low Fat and Processed Foods
Mesomorphs generally have a less body fat than endomorphs and do not gain fat easily. However, this does not mean that following a healthy clean diet is not necessary. As a mesomorph, you still need to monitor and control your calorie intake in order to avoid excessive weight gain.
How can you control your calorie intake?
Watch out for processed foods as they provide you with nothing but empty calories. This means cutting back on cakes, fries, crackers, biscuits, high calorie processed protein bars, and other related types of food.
To make calories count, try adding whole foods to your daily mesomorph diet plan. These foods are much more nutrient-dense and have lower quantities of sugar and unhealthy fat.
Mesomorph Diet Tip#4: Eat Lean Protein
Mesomorphs tend to lose weight much more quickly with a high-protein diet. This is because proteins control hormones that determine your hunger levels. So by consuming lean protein, you are actually improving your satiety levels.
Lean protein is said to have a high thermal effect of food. This means that it burns the maximum amount of calories during digestion than fats or carbohydrates.
Some great sources of lean protein include black beans, hemp seeds, chicken, turkey, eggs, and lean beef.
Mesomorph Diet Tip#5: Do Not Fear Carbs
Carbohydrates are a fairly important part of a typical mesomorph diet. Carbs provide energy to your body in the form of glucose. They also trigger glycogen re-synthesis in your muscles right after an exercise session.
Mesomorph females must mix up their carb choices to include fruit, vegetables, and whole grains like brown rice and quinoa. Adding fiber-rich carb sources such as sweet potatoes to your diet will also promote satiety and prevent overeating.
Lean more towards choosing colorful, seasonal vegetables and fruits and make sure they are organic.
The best time to consume higher carbohydrate foods for a mesomorph is before and directly after a workout.
Mesomorph Diet Tip#6: Eat Healthy Fat
A mesomorph diet with moderate to high quantities of healthy fats can help maintain body weight. It can even accelerate fat loss as long as you do not eat more calories than you burn. [1]
Various studies have proven how a high intake of healthy fats can cause weight loss equal to that of a low-fat diet. [2] [3] Additionally, healthy fats such as coconut oil, avocado, seeds, and nuts also reduce inflammation and increase satiety. [4]
So don’t forget to add healthy fat to your daily diet.
Mesomorph Diet Tip#7: Drink 64 ounces of water each day
Regardless of your body type, water is essential for proper growth and functioning. Water drives metabolic processes and provides suitable conditions for metabolic enzymes to work.
Dehydration, on the other hand, makes your body sluggish and causes muscles cramps. So you need to drink enough water to perform better in the gym.
A 2003 study has indicated that drinking around 2 cups of water before a workout session boosts your metabolism by 30 percent. [5] This means that your chances of losing fat and maintaining weight are much higher when you are properly hydrated.
Try drinking at least 64 oz. or 8 glasses of water per day as a part of your mesomorph diet.
Mesomorph Diet Tip#8: Take Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Branched-chain Amino Acid (BCAA) supplements are one of the most popular supplements in the fitness world. These BCAAs help you gain muscle up by reducing mental and physical fatigue.
Studies have shown that consuming BCAA supplements leads to 15% less fatigue in people during exercise. [6] [7] These amino acids can also reduce muscle soreness by 33 percent. [8]
Research has also shown that BCAAs activate enzymes that build your muscles. In addition, these supplements can reduce your risk of becoming obese or overweight. [9]
Mesomorph females following a normal gym schedule should consume 3 to 5 grams of BCAA per day. In other words, they can take BCAA powder 1-2 times a day.
If you are following a rigorous training schedule (5+ days per week), your BCAA dosage becomes higher. You may take up to 12 grams per day in 4-5 divided doses.
Read more about the benefits of BCAA’s here.
Mesomorph Diet Tip#9: Consume Casein Protein Before Bed
Casein protein is derived from cow’s milk. In fact, almost 80 percent of the protein content in milk.
The ability of casein to gel and glob makes it an amazing protein supplement. During digestion, casein forms a gel as soon as it hits the stomach acid. This not only decreases the rate of digestion but also slows down the release of amino acids in it.
Consuming casein at night provides a constant source of protein to your muscles. As casein slowly releases its amino acids, your muscles keep receiving a trickle of food throughout the night. This aids in muscle growth and repair.
Studies have also shown that if you consume a sufficient amount of protein before bed, it will maximize muscle gains by regulating growth hormone. [10]
Mesomorph Diet Tip#10: Get At Least 8 Hours of Sleep
Sleep deprivation harms your body in many different ways. It increases the release of stress hormones and induces inflammation in the body. This increases the risk of different diseases like diabetes, heart attacks, and even cancer.
A lack of sleep can also disrupt the blood levels of ghrelin and leptin, the appetite-controlling hormones. This can make it extremely difficult for you to maintain a healthy weight let alone lose it.
A peaceful sleep for 6-8 hours, on the other hand, energizes your body and keeps your mind alert. This will eventually improve your gym performance and maintain hormonal balance.
If you are a mesomorph wanting to maximize on your muscle building genetics, follow these 10 tips to fully develop your lean body. Subscribe to our newsletter where we offer great meal and workout plans for mesomorphs, endomorphs, and ectomorphs to achieve optimal fitness.
