Mesomorph - recommendations for an athletic body type

Anyone with a mesomorphic body type can be called lucky. The somatotype is between the extreme types - ectomorph and endomorph, and is the golden mean of their qualities and characteristics. A mesomorph can easily gain muscle mass, but under certain conditions it is also easy to gain fat mass, but at the same time it is easier to lose it.

Main features of the mesomorphic type

According to the ]classification of somatotypes[/anchor], all the qualities of a mesomorph take on average values ​​- an athletic build, correct proportions, the ratio of limbs to torso, the average rate of metabolic processes, blood sugar levels and blood pressure are normal. His physique does not look dense, but he cannot be called thin either. In this type, muscle tissue predominates over fat. Therefore, a somatotype with an athletic physique is predisposed to gaining high-quality muscle mass.

Since a mesomorph has average qualities of other types, certain environmental conditions - ecology, stress, disease and other factors can influence it, tilting neighboring types to one side. Excess weight due to poor nutrition or slow metabolism can change the constitution into an endomorphic type. And just the opposite. Although the constitution is predetermined by genetics, some factors can still influence its appearance.

Diet for weight loss

The problem with loving sweets is only partly its high calorie content - a spoonful of sugar contains about 15 kcal, which is not that much. However, after digestion of simple carbohydrates, the level of glucose in the blood first rises sharply, then sharply decreases, giving rise to a “false” feeling of hunger.

In turn, to utilize glucose, the body produces the hormone insulin. Regular consumption of fast carbohydrates against the backdrop of a sedentary lifestyle leads to an excess of insulin - and a decrease in sensitivity to it. As a result, type 2 diabetes mellitus develops.

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Trying to lose weight, endomorph women often go on a weight loss diet - abruptly refusing to eat. However, this leads to an increase in the hormone ghrelin - and an uncontrollable feeling of hunger. A separate problem is posed by leptin, a hormone produced in internal fat.

Proper nutrition for endomorphs

A successful nutrition strategy for endomorph women is to constantly maintain a low-carbohydrate diet, which consists of avoiding baked goods, sweets and other fast carbohydrates as much as possible, increasing the amount of vegetables and fiber in the diet, as well as minimizing saturated animal fats.

Also, periodic fasting days and intermittent fasting - for example, the 16/8 diet (if there are no contraindications) - will also benefit your metabolism. This will not only improve glucose metabolism and reduce sugar cravings, but will also teach the body to naturally use reserve reserves and fat deposits.

Recommendations for sports nutrition

It cannot be said that a mesomorph does not have disadvantages and caveats in choosing sports nutrition, since the type is prone to gaining not only muscles, but also fat. Too high-calorie supplements, such as high-carbohydrate gainer bars, will contribute to an excess of carbohydrates, which will cause compaction of adipose tissue. This body type needs to be given as many calories as it can absorb. Therefore, especially fast gainers with a predominance of simple carbohydrates should be left to ectomorphs.

Protein shakes, including casein and whey, gainers with equal proportions of proteins and carbohydrates, and complexes of essential and essential amino acids are suitable for gaining muscle. Also, to gain muscle, mesomorphs can resort to using creatine and pre-workout complexes.

To reduce subcutaneous fat during endurance work (when losing weight and drying muscles), you can use whey protein isolate, amino acids, fat burners, L-carnitine and avoid simple carbohydrates and fats in supplements.

How to keep fit

For a mesomorph, physical activity and proper nutrition are important, otherwise his natural qualities may deteriorate. A training and nutrition plan for a mesomorph is drawn up independently or with a specialist (sports trainer, nutritionist).

Nutrition

If a mesomorph eats healthy foods and maintains the approximate amount of calories, then he will not have problems with weight and health.

There is no need to focus only on proper nutrition. From time to time you can allow yourself something that is not very healthy, but tasty. This way the mesomorph will feel more comfortable psychologically. He will not have the risk of losing his temper or overeating sweets, flour or fried foods.

The diet must contain sources of animal protein to gain muscle mass (chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, milk, fish).

You should not abuse fatty foods, but you can add natural vegetable oils, fatty sea fish, avocados, and nuts to your diet.

The rest of the volume can be supplemented with complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

It is better to eat 5-6 times a day, so a person will not feel hungry, there will be no risk of breaking out and satisfying him with chips or a hamburger.

How much water should you drink?

It is worth drinking enough liquid, at least 30 ml per kg of body weight per day.

Loads

Some people believe that mesomorphs don’t need to train at all. It is enough to eat right, and the muscles themselves will grow in the right places. But this is wrong, muscles do not increase on their own, for this you need to play sports:

1. The training program should be varied and involve all muscle groups. This will help avoid overtraining syndrome, the muscles will acquire the correct shape.
2. It is important to control the result; in mesomorphs, muscles grow faster than in people of other body types.
3. The training program should be made cyclical, alternating intense workouts with light loads.
4. A mesomorph does not need to immediately rush to do high-intensity exercises or train to the point of exhaustion. This will lead to loss of motivation.

Tips for Inner Balance

To maintain the internal balance of a mesomorph it is necessary:

1. Never ignore breakfast. It should be dense, high-calorie, satisfying. Even if you don’t have an appetite in the morning, it’s still worth having breakfast, but eating a smaller amount of food.
2. Establish a proper, varied diet. The body of a mesomorph will be saturated with the necessary nutrients, there will be no problems with health and well-being.
3. Eat more fiber, remember that plant foods are better absorbed.
4. Plan your menu in advance, prepare food to freeze in special bags or containers. They are convenient to take with you, so you don’t have to think for a long time and doubt what to eat today.
5. Monitor the amount of carbohydrates; for energy and brain activity there should be enough of them. But it is better to focus on complex carbohydrates (cereals, durum wheat pasta).

If your goal is not a mountain of muscles, but a healthy psychological state, you should not rush to extremes. A healthy diet and moderate exercise will help maintain your body shape, the main thing is not to overeat and not sit on the couch all day. It all depends on your goal.

Are there any mesomorphs among our readers? How do you maintain your inner balance? Share your secrets and life hacks in the comments.

Training for mesomorph

• Since mesomorphs gain muscle mass easily, workouts can be done in a muscle-building mode of 8 to 12 repetitions.
• If the goal of training is relief, reducing fat mass, then you can work in endurance mode for more than 12 repetitions.

In both cases, a mesomorph will not need much effort and time to achieve a good result.

Mesomorph program for a week

Day 1 (legs, shoulders)

1. Hack squats with a wide stance.
2. Leg press with medium feet.
3. Deadlift with a barbell.
4. Hyperextension with a load.
5. Bench press.
6. Army press.
7. Bent-over dumbbell flyes.
8. Shin sitting.

Day 2 (back, chest)

1. Bench press.
2. Dumbbell press at an angle.
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3. Reduction of arms in the simulator.
4. Lever rod.
5. T-bar.
6. Bent-over dumbbell row.

Day 3 (biceps, triceps)

1. French barbell press.
2. Extension of arms from the lower block from behind the head.
3. Bent-over dumbbell extension.
4. Curling your arms in a biceps machine.
5. Lifting the barbell with a reverse grip.
6. Alternating arm curls with dumbbells.

Ready menu for the week

We selected the following diet for a mesomorphic man with a height of 180 cm, a weight of 75 kg and an age of 20. Using a special formula, we obtain his basic calorie intake required to maintain his current weight - 2750 kcal. To gain weight, you need a calorie surplus, that is, there must be more than normal. We add 15% on top and get the number we need - 3150 (rounded). This is exactly how many kcal you will need to eat every day.

The approximate percentage for BJU looks like this: 20-25-55, that is, 25% of all calories should be proteins, 25% fats and 50% carbohydrates. In numbers, in this case it looks like this: about 155 grams of protein, 89 grams of fat, 430 grams of carbohydrates.

In the table we used only common and easy to prepare dishes. You can replace them with any others if you know their composition and calorie content. The result is the following diet:

*all weights are for dry products