Introduction to Ectomorph Diet
We are a part of ‘The Era of the Lean and Fit’. A glance at any film poster would show lean actors with perfect distribution of body fat in muscular body frames. Let’s accept – every single person on earth wants to be fit and appear attractive. However, out of the three somatotypes of the human physique, an ectomorph body type is the least favoured of all. Because of less body fat, which in turn is responsible for low body mass index, people with the ectomorph body type often look skinny or even papery. Of all the methods adopted by ectomorphic people to increase body mass, an ectomorph nutritional diet is the best way to increase weight and be fit. If you are an ectomorph, scroll down for weight gain tips through an ectomorph workout and diet plan.
Which Workout Plan Is Best for Ectomorphic People?
To begin with, you should never overexert yourself on the gym floor, as it would often do you more harm than good. Since muscle tissues break during exercise, regularly hitting the floor may break down your tissues at a faster rate than an ectomorph diet may replenish. So, try to limit your gym visits to thrice every week. Let us understand the types of exercises you may engage in to get the best out of an ectomorph workout and diet plan.
Cardio Exercise
Cardio exercise, when complemented with an ectomorph meal plan, can produce amazing results. Cardio is the heart of all physical exercises. It increases the capacity of lungs, stabilizes the heart, and reduces the risk of heart attacks. It also keeps diabetes and high blood pressure at bay and reduces depression and stress. However, as an ectomorphic person, you should try not to spend more than 30 minutes on the floor. This is because cardio can burn calories quite fast, and burning too many calories may defeat the ultimate purpose of gaining weight through an ectomorph diet.
Strength Exercise
The ideal strength exercise for an ectomorph should be limited to primary non-stressful exercises with an inclination towards full-body workout. Chest exercises like incline and decline bench press and incline and decline chest press would optimally complement an ectomorph meal plan. For legs, exercises like back, front, hack, and goblet squat, and stiff leg deadlift would do well. For working on your back, deadlift and barbell deadlift, single-arm row, pull-Ups and pull-downs, and barbell bent-over rows might be the best.
Isolation Exercise
For an ectomorph diet to work properly, cardio and strength exercises should be supported with isolation or auxiliary exercises. Exercises like barbell shoulder press, tricep-rope pull-downs, barbell, prone leg, and preacher curls, barbell or bodyweight lunges, seating/standing calf raises, plank, sit-ups, ab wheel, knee raises (hanging), and dips, are a few exercises that can extract the maximum benefit out of an ectomorph nutrition plan.
Which Diet Plan Is Best for Ectomorphic People?
There are two ways in which an ectomorph may gain weight. The first is by consuming costly food supplements and medicines. The second and easiest way is by changing food habits.
If you are an ectomorph, there’s a good chance that your metabolism is higher than mesomorphs or endomorphs, as a result of which you burn calories at a faster rate. So, however much you eat, it doesn’t seem to have much of an effect on your overall composition. An ectomorph meal plan is the best tip you need to gain weight.
In the ectomorph diet plan, calorie occupies the centre stage. In the ectomorph diet, 50% of the daily calorie requirement comes from carbohydrates, 25% from protein, and the rest from fat. Let us understand each type and the whys and hows of a comprehensive ectomorph nutrition plan.
Carbohydrates
For a start, not all carbohydrates are born equal. Heading out to the nearest fast food joint may be a gastronomic delight, but the carbohydrates you absorb in that form may give you nightmares later in life.
Carbohydrates are broadly divided into two heads – slow-absorbing carbs (complex) and fast-absorbing carbs (simple).
As an ectomorph, you should try to make complex carbohydrates your best friend, and naturally, the most important part of an ectomorph meal plan. These carbs break slowly and keep supplying your body the required amount of vitamins, fibre, and minerals throughout the day. Complex carbs may be found in food like rice, peas, pasta, beans, legumes, and starchy vegetables. Unlike processed sugar, complex carbs contain natural glucose, the excess part of which is stored in our liver to supply the body with calories when we require it the most.
Simple carbohydrates, on the other hand, break easily and supply the body with instant energy. They are found in foods like milk, fruit, cake, soft drinks, candy, and other products containing processed sugar. The worst part of simple carb food is it often finds its place in the liver as fat. As an ectomorph, try to keep simple carb food out from your ectomorph diet, except when you need instant energy, such as after a workout.
Protein
Protein is the driving force behind a full-body workout. Protein-rich food such as almonds, pistachios, peanuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and animal products like chicken, white fish, eggs, and seafood should definitely be included in an ectomorph diet plan. Try to consume at least 1.5 grams of protein per kg of your body weight daily.
Fat
Fats are often held responsible for everything bad; however, nothing can be further from the truth. Fats are essential for controlling testosterone and effective in keeping the skin soft and supple. Fat-rich food, such as avocados, oily fish, flaxseed oil, eggs, and nuts, are rich in Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. Make omega fatty acids a key part of an ectomorph workout and diet plan.
How to Select the Best Ectomorph Workout and Diet Plan
We have come to that part of the article where we have to decide the course and frequency of an ectomorph diet plan. But preparing an ectomorph nutrition chart is easier said than done. The worst mistake a beginner can make is to prepare an ectomorph meal plan without consulting a dietician. Shaw Academy’s online Diploma in Nutrition course is designed to bridge the gap between theory and reality. It helps you understand everything related to your body, and gives you a handy overview of the various micronutrients required by your body to increase body mass and improve metabolism. Trusted by over 9 million students, this four-week-long online course will set you on a life-changing mission. Click here to find out what an industry-recognized ectomorph diet plan looks like.
