Hi, guys!
I'm trainer Amy Jo with ATHLEANXX for Women.
Today we're doing a sit down chat.
This question came about whether women should train and/or eat differently based on their
body type.
So body types are compiled into three different areas.
We have an ectomorph, which is your little bit leaner, have a hard time building muscle
mass, they have long limbs, not as much body fat, and not as much muscle mass.
Then you have the mesomorph, which is a little bit more round, muscle, bellies.
You build muscle mass well, but sometimes you can have a little more body fat too that
you have to fight off.
Then you have the endomorph which builds muscle mass well, but also holds onto body fat quite
a bit as well.
So there's three different body types.
Then you can break it down into "Are you pear shaped?
Are you apple shaped?
What would you classify yourself as?"
How would I answer this question?
Yes.
I do think that there is a different way to train and a different way to eat based on
your body type.
Then again, it's all based off experimenting.
So I think you really have to know "What have you done in the past?"
Some individuals might have trained drastically hard ad they need to have some – it's not
working for them.
Maybe they're over training and they need to take a look at that.
Also, with someone who needs to add muscle mass, of course they're going to have to not
do as much endurance exercise and cardiovascular exercise as you're trying to add muscle mass.
So take a client who is long, and lean, and is maybe 5'10", maybe has long, lean legs,
but want to add some quads, or some arms.
They're going to have to put in a lot more work for weight training and eat according
to that so they're adding enough muscle mass.
If they incorporate too much cardio they could potentially be using a lot of those calories
for the endurance sport to go out and run a marathon, let's say, or to go out and do
a 10K bike ride, or something that's a little more endurance based.
So they're going to be using those calories and the protein grams to recovery for that,
versus a recovery for weight lifting and weight training.
Adding enough muscle mass.
Because it takes calories to add muscle mass.
It takes calories, and it takes a hard weight training, enough pressure, and tension on
the muscle.
So someone who has the longer, leaner look, but has their goal of trying to increase muscle
mass, yes.
They would need to train a little differently than someone who, let's say, puts on muscle
mass pretty easily.
So if you're the type that has a lot of muscle mass, or you feel like you build muscle mass
well, and you've got a lot of body fat at the same time, you're going to want to lift
heavy still.
It's not that you'll want to necessarily lighten your weight, but you're just going to have
to focus on your nutrition a little bit more in making sure that you're getting a deficit,
versus and overconsumption of calories to add more muscle mass.
Cardio is a big piece as well.
Making sure that you're getting enough of your heart rate to burn calories if you're
trying to lose body fat.
So eating and training, it goes hand in hand.
First of all I'd say it depends on your goal.
So whoever you are, what's your goal?
You have to answer that first.
What are you trying to achieve?
What's the purpose?
If it's that you're working out just to stay healthy, to feel good, and feel fit, then
your training program, and your eating program should reflect that.
So that's when we make healthy choices, getting enough protein, eating enough fiber, eating
enough fruits and vegetables, and picking exercises and workouts that you enjoy.
If that's your main focus and goal.
Then we have other women who definitely want to look a certain way, feel a certain way,
look in their clothes a certain way.
So then it becomes a little more particular about how your training program reflects that,
and how your nutrition program reflects that.
So I think it's through trial and error.
You want to follow a program for at least six weeks – six to eight weeks – before
you can say "This is working for me", or not.
The body adapts at that point as well.
I think it's smart to give it some time, and then you can reflect and say "Okay, this is
what this exact program has done for me, for this six to eight weeks."
Then you can manipulate it from there.
It's still individual though and experimentation is critical as you learn about your body.
So my tips are to give it a trial and error.
Six to eight weeks.
Follow a great program.
A lifting program, a nutrition program, and stick to it.
Then at the end of the six to eight weeks reevaluate it.
That's my best advice.
So leave us a comment below.
If you have further questions of how we can help you progress to your goals using your
body type and trying to achieve what you're after, we're all for it.
So we're a community here, a family, and we love to continue to help you.
Get you customized results through training and proper nutrition.
Thanks for joining me.
I’m trainer Amy Jo and we'll see you at our next sit down.
Bye.