The study of somatyping classifies body types into 3 main groups –
ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph (the suffix morph comes
from Greek morphos, and means form, shape, or structure). Of
course, it is rare to find a person whose body type falls completely
into one of these groups. Most of us share a mix of these genetic
traits.

The Mesomorph
The mesomorph is the person we all love to hate – and are secretly
jealous of. They have the following characteristics:

– Naturally muscular
– Naturally lean
– Broad shoulders
– Lose fat easily
– Gain muscle and strength easily
– Efficient and fast-burning metabolism

These people are generally gifted bodybuilders and athletes. If you
found your way to this web site, the chances are you are not
predominantly mesomorph.

The Endomorph
This body type stores fat very easily, and finds it hard to lose the
fat. An endomorph often has a sluggish metabolism, and must be
particularly careful with their diet. Here are some common
characteristics of the endomorph body type:

– Tend to be naturally overweight
– Gain fat easily
– Find it difficult to lose the fat
– Larger around the waist
– Possibly sensitive to carbohydrates (particularly processed and
refined carbs)
– Slow metabolism
– Body shape is more rounded or pear shaped
– Often has reasonable strength levels

If you are predominantly endomorphic – you will probably find that
diet alone (i.e. diet without exercise) will not be enough to bring
down your weight levels. Because you have a slow metabolic rate,
it must be boosted with aerobic exercise and weight training.

You will probably need to be careful with carbohydrate
consumption (and we are not saying here that carbs are the
“enemy”). The traditional American Heart Association
recommendations may not be the best thing, as they are typically
high in carbohydrates. A balanced lower carb diet such as the Zone
diet or South Beach Diet may be best. See our editors Top 5 diet
plans for weight loss.

Although it seems like the hardest thing to do – good aerobic
exercise in the morning will be very helpful. Unfortunately it seems
like a cruel genetic “roll of the dice”, that means endomorphs must
work so much harder to keep the fat off.

The Ectomorph
Ectomorphs are naturally lean and thin. They seem to eat all sorts
of unhealthy foods, and yet stay slim. However endomorphs are
also low in muscular strength, and find it difficult to gain muscle.
Here are the common characteristics on an ectomorph:

– Fast metabolism
– Naturally thin or wiry
– Find it hard to gain weight
– Naturally lower in strength levels
– Often high energy levels, and tend to be overactive.

Ectomorphs can get fat! Fat Loss for the Ectomorph is a different
undertaking to other body types. Read this post at Diet-Blog.

Can you change your body type?
This is a difficult question. Most body types are genetic traits – they
are the way we were born, and genes don’t change. However many
other things do change with age – such as metabolism and
hormonal activity. Many people often find that as they get older
they can tend to get more “endomorphic” in nature. It gets harder
to lose fat (particularly around the stomach or waist), and eating
unhealthy foods seems to pack the weight on more easily than it
did when younger.

However recent research has shown that a woman’s figure can be classified in
a number of different ways.

Hourglass
Bust and hips are basically the same circumference – though the bust can be
up to 1″ larger than the hips. The waist is then 9″ or more smaller than the bust.

Spoon
Where the hips are 2″ or more larger than the bust. The waist is less than 9.25″
smaller than the bust.

Rectangle
Where the bust and hips are basically the same circumference. The waist is
less than 9″ smaller than the bust.

Triangle
The bust is 3.6″ larger than the hips and the waist is less than 9″ smaller than
the bust.

What about Apples or Pears?
Apple and pear classifications are useful in determining body fat distribution. It
is generally thought that there are more health risks for the apple shape. This
can be determined by measuring your waist to hip ratio. A ratio of 0.8 or above
indicates that you are an apple shape. A ratio of under 0.8 means you are a
pear shape.

Apples
The apple shaped woman carries most her body fat in the abdominal region.
She will generally have narrow hips, larger breasts, and a relatively large waist.
Apple-shaped women have more fat surrounding their internal organs (visceral
fat).

This kind of fat presents many more risks than subcutaneous fat; it decreases
insulin sensitivity, raises blood pressure, and decreases levels of ‘good’ (HDL)
cholesterol. These are all key indicators of heart disease risk and diabetes risk.

The higher the waist to hip ratio, the higher the risk.

Pears
The pear-shaped woman carries most of her body fat around the hips, thighs,
and buttocks. She will generally have a smaller upper body (smaller breasts)
and a heavier lower body.

The risks for the overweight pear-shaped woman are quite different to the
apple shape. A pear-shaped woman will typically be more susceptible to
cellulite and varicose veins – and to eating disorders. However the
pear-shaped woman does not carry the same kind of health problems that the
apple shape does.

Due to popular culture’s obsession with rail-thin women, there is considerable
pressure on women to be a certain shape. However even when a pear-shaped
woman loses weight – she is still a pear shape. This unrealistic pressure can
lead many (often young women) down the path to disordered eating and body
image problems.

Weight Loss for Apples and Pears
There are some who believe that a specific dietary regimen will help each body
shape.:

Apples
Lower carbohydrate diet (avoiding processed and ‘white’ carbs).
Pears
Lower fat diet (avoiding full fat foods; cheeses, butter).

Layer by Layer
Many people compare subcutaneous fat to the layers of an onion. Rather than
disappearing from a particular place, it comes off layer by layer from the whole
body.

Moreover, the way fat is shed is different from person to person. It tends to go
from the most recent place it appeared. If your tummy started gaining first – this
will be the very last place for the fat to disappear from.

Targeting Certain Areas
There are variations between men and women, and with the use of exercise.

■Obese men tend to lose more visceral (internal) fat while obese women lose more
subcutaneous fat.
■Exercise seems to result in more subcutaneous fat loss. Diet alone results in more
visceral fat loss (and less surface fat loss) (reference). This explains how you can lose
weight – but not necessarily have any radical change in appearance.
Spot Reduction Is Not Workable
There is very little you can do to influence specific subcutaneous fat distribution.
Exercise should always be a part of any fat loss program – but vigorously exercising a
specific body part will not have any influence on local fat in that area.

This myth has been debunked again and again. Neither will high-repetition (e.g. 20-30
reps) weight training lead to greater fat loss. In fact the loss of intensity may ultimately
result in less fat loss than lower-reps with heavier weights. Higher reps are good for
muscular endurance.

Everybody is Different
It can be very frustrating but everybody is different. Stay committed to your training
and nutrition – and don’t be dissuaded by the commercials and images that show
perfectly proportioned clones.

Understand how your body works, and set achievable goals accordingly.

Types of Fat
We have adipose tissue all over the body. This tissue is made of adipocytes (fat cells)
whose sole job is to store energy in the form of fat. Body fat distribution differs from
person to person. There are generally two types of fat storage:

■visceral (surrounding organs)
■subcutaneous (beneath the skin – about 80% of all body fat)
When it comes to losing fat – it often does not go according to plan. Despite many
claims of spot reduction (i.e. “lose belly fat first”) – it rarely happens this way.

Basic Areas
■Women – generally around the buttocks and thighs (gluteofemoral): “pear-shaped”.
■Men – generally around the abdomen: “apple-shaped”.
Note that these are the predominant patterns – but both ‘apple’ and ‘pear’ shaped
distribution can be found in either gender.
Specific Areas

Knee Fat often builds up on the inside region of the knees in women.
Upper Arm Also common in women, fat build up can occur in the middle to upper area
of the upper arm – typically covering the triceps area.
Abdomen Fat buildup around the navel area is common in both men and women. It is
also one of the few fat deposits that are also found in slim women.
Inner Thigh Fat storage between the thighs is common in women – but also occurs with
men. It is more noticeable in women due to the width of the pelvis that in turn
influences the position of the thigh (femur).
Outer Thigh  Sometimes called “Riding Breeches” – this area is the most likely place for
the pitted or ‘quilted’ appearance of cellulite. This fat concentration also blends with
fat tissue on the inner thigh and the buttocks.  
Buttocks Without fat here – sitting would be quite uncomfortable. Fat is held in place by
the gluteal fold. If significant fat is lost from the buttock, then only appropriate training
can prevent the buttock from sagging down against the thigh.  
Lower Back  This fat concentration often merges with the buttock area.
Chest Breast tissue comprises the mammary gland (one’s ‘endowment’) surrounded by
fat. Men also have atrophied glands and fat in this area. Both sexes gain fat in this
area. In men this can sometimes be mistaken for the condition of gynecomastia – a
condition that includes not only fat build up, but growth in gland tissue.

Gender and Ethnic Variation
There is considerable research showing that fat distribution varies between gender
and ethnic groups. For example men have an overall less body fat percentage than
woman and Asian adults are more prone to visceral and central obesity than
Europeans. Mediterranean women are prone to fat gain in the outer thighs.

Losing It
It is possible to influence fat loss (whether it is visceral or subcutaneous) – however
spot reduction is all but impossible.

How to beat them.

1. “I Hate Exercise”
Health authorities recommend a minimum of 30 minutes exercise per day. Many people
plan exercise but then fail to commit to it.

Try introducing more ‘incidental’ activity into your day. Take the stairs, walk instead of
taking the car. Try wearing a pedometer to see how active you really are.

2. “I Don’t Have Time to Eat Healthy”
Do you have the time to be sick? Taking time out to look after your body is time well
spent. This includes always making adequate time for breakfast.

3. “I Cannot Live Without Chocolate / Ice Cream”
When you think of certain foods as ‘bad’ – whenever you eat those foods you will feel
guilty. If you can eat those foods in a positive environment – then you will have a better
chance at choosing a small portion size.

Also consider swapping the food for something with a similar flavor – but less calorie-
dense

4. “I Don’t / Can’t Cook”
Most supermarkets offer many pre-made foods – frozen meals, prepared salads and
pastas. Learn to understand food labels. You do not have to be a chef to cook healthy
food.

5. “I Don’t Have the Support of Family & Friends”
Sometimes you may need to tell people what you are trying to achieve. This is
important in social situations where food is on the agenda. Communicate with those
around you exactly what you are expecting from them – don’t try and second-guess
their responses.

6. “I Eat Out All The Time”
It is possible to lose weight while eating out a lot – but you must become very adept at
selecting your food.

Quite simply – everyone is different!

NOTE: The Free Dieting Calorie Calculator uses the following formulas to
estimated daily energy requirements:

■Uses Mifflin-St Jeor formula (see below).
■Can also select old formula (Harris-Benedict), and a formula based on Lean
Mass – but you must know your body fat percentage.
■You can also choose BMR in the Exercise level. In this situation all weight
loss calorie levels are blanked out.
The Best Guess
Calorie calculators will first estimate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is
effectively the amount of energy expended per day. BMR is a measure of only
the most basic functions (effectively the same as if you rested in bed the
whole day). Other terms synonymous with BMR are Resting Metabolic Rate
(RMR) and Resting Energy Expenditure (REE).

Once BMR has been estimated, various “activity” factors are applied. Once
again these are best guesses. One individual may burn 100 calories on a 10
minute run – another individual may burn 150 calories.

Mifflin – St Jeor Formula
The Calorie Needs Calculator currently uses the formula proposed by MD
Mifflin and ST St Jeor1.

Why This Formula?
As recent as 2005, the ADA (American Dietetic Association) published a
comparison of various equations2. The Mifflin-St Jeor was found to be the
most accurate.

Men
10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5

Women
10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161.

Katch-McCardle Formula
This can be selected on the calculator. It is a variation1 on the basic Mifflin-St
Jeor equation that will base the equation on Fat Free Mass (FFM) or Lean
Mass. This is more accurate for those who are leaner (and who know their
body fat percentage!).

Men & Women
21.6 * Fat Free Mass + 370

Where Fat Free Mass = Weight – (Body Fat Percentage * Weight).

Harris-Benedict Formula
This formula was created in 1919, and due to changing lifestyles, it tends to
overstate calorie needs by 5%. The results tend to be skewed towards both
obese and young people3.

Men
66.5 + (13.75 X weight in kg) + (5.003 X height in cm) – (6.775 X age in years)

Women
655.1 + (9.563 X weight in kg) + (1.85 X height in cm) – (4.676 X age in years)
free online calorie counter.. http://www.freedieting.
com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
calories burned online calculator http://www.freedieting.
com/tools/calories_burned.htm
muscle gain calculator http://www.freedieting.
com/tools/weight_gain_calculator.htm
bodyfat calculator http://www.freedieting.com/tools/body_fat_calculator.htm
BMI calculator http://www.freedieting.com/tools/bmi_calculator.htm
pregnancy calorie calculator http://www.freedieting.
com/tools/pregnancy_calorie_calculator.htm
breastfeeding calculator http://www.freedieting.
com/tools/breastfeeding_calorie_calculator.htm
Target heart http://www.freedieting.com/tools/target_heart_rate.htm

Estimate how long it will take you to reach your weight loss goal based on the
number of Calories reduced each day. Also determine percentage of body
weight lost. http://www.freedieting.com/tools/weight_loss_calculator.htm