Should you eat for your body type?

True about THREE BODY TYPES

In the 1940s, psychologist Dr. William Sheldon came up with the idea of somatotypes. (In case you missed it earlier in the article, somatotype is just another word for body type).

Originally, Sheldon thought body size and shape helped to determine personality traits such as assertiveness, aggressiveness, shyness, and sensitivity.

He was wrong.

But his three main body type classifications (endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph) live on, though they’ve evolved—for the better.

According to famous Sheldon’s definitions:

Ectomorphs were thin, narrow, delicate, fragile, linear, and poorly muscled.

Endomorphs were soft, round, pudgy, and overweight.

Mesomorphs were broad-shouldered, narrow in the waist and hips, muscular, compact, and athletic.

So despite what many think, the Heath-Carter method is actually highly individualized. Still, even though nearly everyone is a mix of body types, most folks can find their general tendencies in one of the three groups. 

And no matter which group someone resembles, they’re not stuck. They can change their body type. For instance, bodybuilders mistaken for “natural” mesomorphs may actually be endomorphs who’ve trained and dieted hard. Or they could also be ectomorphs who’ve spent years guzzling protein shakes and lifting weights.

Your body type is not a life sentence.

Should you eat for your body type?

Mostly no.

In those very rare cases, altering macronutrient breakdowns based on body type (or more specifically, fat to muscle ratio) can be an effective strategy, but only after someone has mastered the fundamentals. 

Step 1: Master foundational nutrition habits.

- Consume mostly whole foods. 

- Eat slowly.

- Eat until you’re satisfied—but not stuffed. 

- Emphasize protein and vegetables.

Step 2: Track your food intake.

- Hand Portion Method

Step 3: Modify your macros based on your goals and/or body type.

If you already know your body type, great. If you don’t, no biggie. You read that right. Just don’t worry about it. There’s no need to find a pair of calipers and a tape measure. All you need to know is this: your goal. That’s because the most common goals align with eating strategies created for specific body types. Find your goal below, along with the corresponding body type and eating strategy.

Goal: Lose Fat

To reach this goal, use these approximate macros:

• 35 percent protein
• 25 percent carbohydrates
• 40 percent fat

Using our hand-portion system, a general framework for this looks something like:

• 1-2 palms of protein dense foods at each meal
• 1-2 fists of vegetables at each meal
• 1-2 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at each meal
• 3-4 thumbs of fat dense foods at each meal

Goal: Push Endurance or Gain Muscle

• 25 percent protein
• 55 percent carbohydrates
• 20 percent fat

Using the hand-portion system, a general framework for this looks something like:

• 1-2 palms of protein dense foods at each meal
• 1-2 fists of vegetables at each meal
• 3-4 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at each meal
• 1-2 thumbs of fat dense foods at each meal

Goal: Boost power

Follow a mixed diet, consisting of balanced carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Specifically, we’re talking about:

• 30 percent protein
• 40 percent carbohydrates
• 30 percent fat

Using the hand-portion system, a general framework for this looks something like:

• 1-2 palms of protein dense foods at each meal
• 1-2 fists of vegetables at each meal
• 2-3 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at each meal
• 2-3 thumbs of fat dense foods at each meal

Step 4: Adjust as needed

If you’ve tried everything and none of it is working: Experiment. If you’ve used a strategy in the past and it didn’t work, then don’t do it again. Try new strategies, track your progress, and adjust from there.

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