Some people are just lucky when it comes to food. They can eat any food, fill their stomachs with any junk, and face no consequences. If you are one of them, then you are probably one of the luckiest and also an ectomorph.

Ectomorphs are one of the body types out of the three, that is, endomorphs and mesomorphs. Ectomorphs have a higher insulin susceptibility which helps them to process carbohydrates in comparison to the endomorphs and mesomorphs.

When it comes to the endomorphs, they gain weight extremely easy but it is very difficult for them to lose weight. On the other hand, when it comes to mesomorphs, they gain weight easily and have a higher muscle composition than fat.

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Be that as it may, ectomorphs face the dearth of muscle mass and fat in their bodies. Therefore, to build up their body, they need to increase their protein intake and also follow a strength training program, which would help them increase their muscles.

However, there are also some ectomorph hybrid types. One of the common ectomorph hybrid types is ecto-endomorph, which is characterized by longer limbs but with a bigger belly due to the kind of sedentary lifestyle they live.

What Is The Ectomorph Diet?

For an ectomorph, the concern is not losing weight, but gaining it through increased protein intake as mentioned earlier. One of the best that cannot work for an ectomorph based upon the opinions of nutritionists, is high fat and low-carb diet, commonly known as a ketogenic or a keto diet.

Although a keto diet would help you to lose belly fat, it will increase physical stress which can reflect on your body through various side effects.

In addition to this, an ectomorph may respond well to carbohydrates. Therefore, it is better to shift your attention to some of the healthiest barbs such as fruits that have high fiber content, green vegetables, and whole grains.

These carbohydrates can also be accompanied by a plate of protein which can be gained from lean animal sources and also from plants, nuts, and seeds. If you keep the proportion of protein higher than the carbohydrates and healthy fats, it will help you in building your muscles.

The diet for an ectomorph can be divided into five groups, which include:

1. Healthy meat

Healthy meat such as chicken, turkey, white fish, eggs, and lean steak or beef is a great source of protein. In addition to these, seafood including shrimp and scallops also has high protein content.

2. Dairy Products

Dairy products such as yogurt and milk work best for an ectomorph especially if they are served only once. However, make sure they are fat-free or have extremely low-fat content.

3. Fruits And Vegetables

These include berries, mangoes, oranges, apples, pears, bananas, cauliflower, green beans, broccoli, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, and squash.

4. Nuts and Seeds

Nuts are some of the healthiest for the heart, body, and mind. Nuts such as almonds, pistachios, peanuts, and seeds such as sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds prove most essential for an ectomorph.

5. Starchy Vegetables

Starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes prove a great source of carbohydrates. Apart from that, whole wheat bread, steel-cut oats, brown rice, quinoa and other healthy grains help in the muscle-building process of ectomorphs.

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Ectomorph Diet?

As mentioned earlier, ectomorphs have a higher susceptibility to insulin which makes them process carbs easily. Therefore, their diet has a higher proportion of carbohydrates than mesomorphs and endomorphs. This explains that they can eat pasta and a cup full of rice and still not care about their weight. However, they do have to consume everything in proportion.  

Moreover, due to the increased protein intake to up to 100 or 150 grams in their diet accompanied by strength training, they will be able to build muscles easily in their body. An increase in metabolic activities is a bonus to all..

However, there are downsides to this diet as well. If you switch to a diet that is more nutritious and is more protein-rich, from a who-cares-what-i-eat junk diet, you might feel some discomfort in your body.

Moreover, if you are a hybrid ectomorph who has excess fat stored in her belly, a carbohydrate-rich diet might not be the one for you, as that can increase the fat storage instead of decreasing it. However, this body type is lucky in one aspect. If the concerned individual cuts down on carbs quickly and efficiently, there might not be any problem in losing weight.

Therefore, it is best to limit the consumption of food choices such as pasta and consume more sweet potatoes, oats, and even beans. Be that as it may, you need to remember that there is no perfect diet plan for any body type. You need to follow the type of diet which is based upon your goals.

For instance, if you want to lose weight, you need to follow one type of diet, but if you want to gain weight you need to follow another which is not similar to the previous one.

Which Are The Best Exercises For An Ectomorph?

One of the best ways for an ectomorph to gain muscle mass in the body is through weight lifting. Due to their long and lean body and the type of muscle fibers they have, they tend to do more endurance training. Endurance training includes steady-state training or low-intensity exercises such as walking, running, jogging, and cycling.

However, an ectomorph requires shifting his attention from endurance training and indulging more in strength training. Be that as it may, this should also not mean completely obliterating cardiovascular exercises from the workout routine.

The best way for an ectomorph to do is to couple cardio with weight training exercises. These are commonly called circuit workouts or circuit training. 

They include pushups, squats, jumping jacks accompanied by weight training exercises that involve dumbbells and other machines. Cardio exercises can be done twice a week whereas strength training or weight lifting can be done thrice a week by an ectomorph.

Also Read: What Is The Endomorphic Diet All About?