People with an endomorph body type tend to have a slow metabolism, making it easier to gain weight and harder to lose it. An endomorph diet and exercise plan can help with meeting and maintaining health goals.
05/7Ectomorphs
These are the naturally slim body types which have the highest metabolic rates. These individuals are characterised by small bone structure, small shoulders, lean muscle mass, and flat chest. People with this body type find it extremely difficult to gain weight and have a faster metabolism.
Endomorphs body type
Endomorphs typically have higher levels of body fat and have a difficult time losing weight and they also have a wider physique when compared to ectomorphs and mesomorphs. If you have wider hips, shorter limbs, and a thicker ribcage, you most likely are an endomorph.
The three main body types (or somatotypes) are endomorph, ectomorph and mesomorph. You'll probably identify most with one of these, or you may see yourself reflected in a combination of two.
The most significant factor that affects your metabolism rate is muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more efficiently your metabolism works. For example, men may have faster metabolisms because many men tend to have more muscle mass and less body fat than women.
A slow metabolism has many symptoms, and you're likely to have one if you find it difficult to lose weight and easy to gain weight. Other symptoms include fatigue, poor digestion, constipation, low mood, and a colder than average body temperature. All of these are caused by the lower production of energy and heat.
How fast your metabolism works is determined mostly by your genes. "People might have fast, slow, or average metabolism, regardless of their body size and composition," says Dr. Chih-Hao Lee, professor of genetics and complex diseases at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
A metabolic test is performed in order to estimate your BMR or basal metabolic rate. Rather basic and simple, the test commonly involves having the patient breathe into a tube for up to 10 minutes. This is supposed to help calculate the amount of oxygen that was inhaled to the amount of carbon dioxide that was exhaled.
Ectomorphs typically do not put on muscle or body weight easily. It usually takes a lot for the number on the scale to move. Ectomorphs are generally thyroid dominant. This means they have a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR).
With greater muscle mass, mesomorphs enjoy a speedy metabolism and ability to process carbohydrates well, especially if they're also performing cardio or doing weights in the gym. For that reason, experts say mesomorphs thrive on a balanced diet.
Apple Shape
Abdominal obesity is probably the most dangerous of all, and apple body shape is considered at the highest risk for health issues compared to the other body types. Larger waists can mean higher risk of heart disease. It can also mean higher risk of Type 2 diabetes.
The extreme ectomorph physique is a fragile and delicate one. The bones are light, joints are small and muscles are slight. The limbs are relatively long in proportion and the shoulders droop.
Hourglass frames
Hourglass silhouettes are coveted in beauty magazines and pop culture, but it's actually the least common body shape.
People with a mesomorph-type body gain muscle and weight easily. Typically, they are able to lose weight quickly, but they can also find it easy to gain fat.
Don't worry, tall people, you still have a metabolic advantage. Chances are your basal metabolic rate— the minimum amount of calories you need to function–is higher than that of your short friend. Filed to: Nutrition.
Women do tend to have slower metabolisms than men, but the difference is primarily a function of muscle mass and body size, not gender. We might expect someone with more muscle and less fat to be more metabolically healthy. However, blood sugar numbers tell a different story.
Ectomorphs have a fast metabolism, which can be both a boon as well as a bane. A high metabolism makes it easy to get lean, and it can seem as if they can eat whatever they want and not gain weight.
Another study of men and women found that the average distribution of somatotypes is 51.6% endomorphic/mesomorphs, 17.1% mesomorph/endomorphs, 16.7% mesomorphic/endomorphs, 6.1% balanced mesomorphs, and 3.0% ectomorphic/mesomorphs.
The weakness for the ectomorph is a lack of strength. They can have lighter bones that aren't as strong, as well as less muscle that makes them less able to complete tasks that require strength or heavy lifting.
A fast metabolism does not necessarily lead to thinness. In fact, studies show that people with overweight/obesity often have fast metabolisms. Their bodies need more energy to keep basic body functions going.
Signs of a fast metabolism
You have difficulty gaining weight or keeping weight on, even though you eat regularly. You have a high body temperature, even when you are resting. You are often hungry or have an insatiable appetite, even after eating meals or snacks.
Slow metabolic rate contributes to slow pace of aging
According to Herman Pontzer, lead author of the study and anthropologist at Hunter College in New York, the results surprised them: “Humans, chimpanzees, baboons, and other primates expend only half the calories we'd expect for a mammal.
That is, metabolic rate is thought to be inversely proportional to maximum lifespan, which means that species that live fast will die young while those that have a slower metabolic rate live slower and longer.