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Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Get to know your body: Eat Right For Your Body Type (Part 3)


Welcome to the end my friends of “Train Your Body Type.” We have finally made it to part 3 of 3 where we will strictly discuss how to feed your body type to gain lean muscle mass. 





If you haven't read part 1 or part 2, then take a second to get a refresher first. Then the rest of this article will become logical.

  (Part 1)  What’s your body type 

(Part 2)  Train your body type the right way 


To start off, I am not a certified nutritionist or dietitian, so take my knowledge transfer and experience with a grain of salt. It is up to you to figure out what food and tips work best with your body type. Today’s article is a guide not a universal law.

Finally, this last lovely part of "Train Your Body Type" is meant to nourish your body right in order to build muscle. No matter how much body fat you carry your muscles need nourishment rebuild. 

A total lifestyle change is the #1 way to lose excess body fat so throughout this post I will throw in  tips here and there about shedding some weight in the process. But for the most part, this post will educate you on how to nourish the body when trying to grow strong lean muscles.

And please be cautious of your sugar intake.

One of top 3 most destructive thing that us humans consume today in my opinion is sugar. Worst then red meat, worst than,GMOs. I can literally sit here and talk about how sugar spikes glucose in your blood stream. I can talk about how excess sugar screws up your insulin level and eventually any excess sugar turns into triglycerides and can cause a multitude of problems, but I will save that for another post or you can read My Beef With Juicing And Why It Can Actually Hurt You In The Long Run.

Now off to the good stuff.  The best and most honest tips on eating to gain muscle for your body type is now your own.

THREE BODY TYPES 

ECTOMORPH
Being an ectomorph, naturally you are blessed when it comes to having a faster metabolism than your counterparts. But since you’re human, it is only natural that you came to a point of your life where you are unsatisfied with your body. No worries. It happens.

Ectomorphs have it the hardest when it comes to gaining muscle. Naturally your body’s hormones and insulin levels are very sensitive, which in turn makes you burn through glucose at a higher rate than your counterparts.

"Whether it was external or internal motivators, something motivated you to get up and want a change." 

In addition to weight training, work on your diet by adding the following tips into your eating habits;


1. Understand your macros Since you’re naturally skinny or less physically endowed, your macros can be anywhere from 30-35% of total daily protein intake, 30-35% from carbs, and 25-35% calories from fats. It’s your job to test out which macros levels work for your body. Best way to tweak your macros;
Measure your body fat use a body fat and skin fold caliper if you own one or purchase a fat loss monitor which go for about $34 bucks on amazon. 
Choose a percentage level i.e. 35% protein: 40% carbohydrates: 25% fat. And you can eat whatever the hell you like that fits within your daily intake. Just do your best to stay away from sugar and excess alcohol.
Stay at that macros level for 1-2 months record any gains or losses of weight and muscles. Then if you feel like you didn’t gain enough lean muscle, then tweak your protein levels and lessens your carbs. More on carb restriction below. 
Re-measure after another month or 2 using the fat loss monitor. Measure yourself. Then re-evaluate your results.
2. Eat atleast 1000 calories above your Maintenance levels – For example, if you take in ~2500 calories on a daily basis then you’re going to want to increase your daily intake to 3500.
To roughly estimate your daily caloric maintenance level, follow this formula:
  • Men (inactive) – multiply weight in lbs. by 13
  • Men (moderately active) – multiply weight by 15
  • Women (inactive) – multiply weight x 10 
  • Women (moderately active) – multiply weight x 12 
3. Eat lean meats and fish for your protein sources –Steak every now and then. It’s obviously more expensive then chicken or turkey, but if you can afford it then go right ahead. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, then grow some balls. Just kidding. It might be slightly more challenging for you unless you’re willing to supplement a great deal. Make sure to get a good combination of all the right legumes and vegetables in your diet that will provide essential proteins to build up your muscles.
4. Eat the brunt of your carbs right after a workout –Your body is yearning for energy, so it will break down simple carbs fast and turn them into Glucose in order to re-energize the body and keep vital organs going. Side note, carbs are not evil or bad for you unless you’re a stagnant lazy human being. When you’re least active is when you will want to keep carb intake lower. AND YES I AM CALLING LAZY FUCKING PEOPLE OUT. (I’m not really yelling but caps locks in bold sets the tone).
5. Meal prep, meal prep, meal prep – You’re fooling yourself if you think it is possible get a clean bulk without systematically approaching your diet. When you know what you’re putting into your body, then it’s easier to keep track of your macros. And always try to get 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of your body weight each day. This is mandatory and doesn’t have to be done all in one seating.
6. Wake up to eggs each morning – One hard-boiled egg has approximately 6.29 grams of protein, which gives men 11 percent of their daily intake, while women get 14 percent. In a large egg, about 43 percent of the protein is found in the yolk. I would recommend anywhere from 4-6 eggs each morning or supplement with a protein shake in addition to whatever your breakfast your're having that morning. Caveat; eating 4-6 eggs each morning gets friggin expensive. You have been warned.
7. Have a peanut butter sandwich before bed each night – Peanut butter, preferably crunchy, will slowly digest in your stomach as you sleep providing ample protein as you sleep. When you’re in REM sleep, your body is repairing itself from the stress of that day so having peanut butter before you sleep will be beneficial. Feel free to try almond or cashew butter is you dont mind the upcharage. And you can always supplement with Casein, which also is a slow digesting protein.
8. And if you want a cheat meal, you go damn right ahead and take it! – Just make sure you put in the extra work in to burn off excess calories that are outside of your daily caloric intake boundaries. Excess calories aren’t going to be used by your body in the way you want and chances are they will be saved by the body as fat if not excreted or used up.



To gain muscle: In addition to the tips above, weight lift and increase your daily food intake by 600-1000 calories cleanly. No junk food, no fast food, no soda. If getting that extra 600-1000 calories becomes difficult, then consider supplementing. Eat every 3-4 hours to give your body an ample amount of continuous nutrition. 

To decrease body fat: In addition to strength training, on the opposite days that you don’t work out, you should perform cardio 2- 3 times a week preferably High intensity that will last  no longer than 30 minutes. You can also do cardio 3 times a week of Low intensity such as stairs for 45 minutes.

MESOMORPH

Mesomorphs, when it comes to gaining or losing weight, you all have the advantage. While your counterparts struggle to gain weight or lose weight, you mesomorphs are truly blessed. Let me say that again, B-L-E-S-S-E-D to be able to gain and lose weight with less effort.

In addition to Endomorph tips, do the following:


1. Understand your Macros and maintenance level – As a mesomorph, carbs are your friend. Consider 45 - 50% carbs: 30 - 35 % protein: 20% fat to start off. Knowing you’re maintenance level will make it easier for you plan out your daily meals and properly meal prep. 
2. Eat as clean as possible –  Eating clean does not mean eating plain ass vegetables and unsalted steak. It means leaving out all unnecessary snacks, processed foods, trans fatty induced, and sugar saturated drinks/ foods out of your diet. Getting rid of these will help you see results faster than you expect. Don’t just read this, try to prove me wrong!
3. Eat 600-1000 calories above your maintenance level – This level is just a suggestion if you want to cut up as you bulk up. There is no set rule for how many calories you should take in. It’s your job to find what works for your body.
4. Eat less on days you don’t workout – On days you don’t workout, your body will naturally not get as hungry. Rest days is when your body will take time to recover but the body will still need nourishment. Just don’t over indulge yourself in the kitchen. I would recommend smaller portions then what you’re typically used to on rest days.
5. Continue to raise your daily caloric intake – Each week raise your calorie intake by 200-500 calories until you get to the level or body weight you desire. Then its time to reprogram your body into going back into maintenance mode. More on this in a future article.

To gain muscle:  In addition to the tips above, increase your daily food intake by 600-800 calories cleanly. No junk food, no fast food, no soda. If getting that extra 600-1000 calories becomes difficult, consider supplementing. Eat every 3-4 hours.

To decrease body fat: Same as ectomorph. On the opposite days that you don’t workout, perform cardio 2 times a week of HIIT that last no longer than 30 minutes. You can also do cardio 3 times a week at low intensity such as stairs or swimming for 45 minutes.

ENDOMORPH

Endomorph bodies are the kings of putting on weight, lots of it.  Their downfall is that with trying to put on weight, they also tend to put on fat just as easily.

The key to eating right for this body type is to consistently fuel the body with the right foods at the right time. This will especially help those who want minimize the amount of fat gain or storage that tends to accompany bulking up.

As an endomorph, you might think it will be a great idea to starve yourself at times thinking it will help you shed fat. But going long periods of time without food will cause your body to send signals to the brain telling you to “Eat mothafucka, Eat NOW.”

As an endomorph, the amount of muscular gains you can make is incredible. So as you pump iron, add the following tips into your life to consistently keep your muscles growing until they can grow no more.


1. MEAL PREP, MEAL PREP,  MEAL PREP  I don’t think I need to speak anymore on this.

2.   Eat frequently– Being an endomorph, it is better to eat smaller and more frequent meals throughout the day which will prevent overeating and help kick start your metabolism. Eating smaller meals allows insulin secretion to be better controlled. 

3. Manage your insulin production As an endomorph you want to control your insulin secretion. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that allows your body to use sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates in the food that you eat for energy or to store glucose for future use(exactly what you don’t want to happen!!). Insulin helps keeps your blood sugar level from getting too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia).

To manage your insulin you can do this by limiting carbohydrate consumption, especially high glycemic carbohydrates. Managing your insulin levels will allow to keep your blood sugar down and essentially reduce the amount of unneeded glucose in your blood that will eventually convert into fat(Triglycerides).

4. Reduce your daily caloric intake on the days you don’t work out  Try your best to eat less on the days you don’t workout. Your body will not burn up all the calories you take in naturally. But on days you don’t work out, you risk having those extra calories turning into unwanted fat.

5. If your mornings starts behind a computer screen then avoid carbs for breakfast – If you know that your 8 hour day is going to be sitting at a desk and inactive throughout the day, then don’t set yourself up. Avoid the Bountiful Blueberry muffin from Starbucks. Avoid the syrup laden pancakes. Avoid the setup.

6. Increase your protein intake this is true for all body types, but I thought I’d add it here. Don’t ask me why. Start your mornings off with high protein foods or supplements. According to CaloriesperHour.com"protein requires the greatest expenditure of energy, with estimates ranging as high as 30 percent."  What does that mean? This means you will burn up to 30 percent of the calories in protein you consume merely to digest it.

7. Diet is key To help cut down, eat lean meats such as fish and poultry. Substitute pasta and rice with complex carbohydrates and fiber rich food.

To gain muscle: In addition to the tips above and weight training, increase your daily food intake by 1100-1300 calories cleanly. No junk food, no fast food, no soda. Eat 5- 6 times a day. Not huge meals. Portion out your macros enough to separate your intake throughout the day.

To decrease body fat: To decrease body fat you must keep insulin at bay by cycling your carbs. On opposite days that you don’t strength train, perform cardio 2x times a week of HIIT that last no longer than 45 mins. Low intensity twice a week.

In Conclusion

Lastly and one of the most forgotten tips for all body types. When trying to maintain lean muscles once you get them, many seem to stray off course. They think that the only time they need protein is right after a pump.

But the absolute truth about staying lean and gaining lean muscle is to avoid entering a negative catabolic state at all times. Avoid it like the plague. Avoid it like Ebola. Avoid it like an ex on Valentine’s Day. 

Many people unknowingly enter a catabolic state when doing high intensity training. A catabolic state is when your body uses up all the immediate glucose in the blood stream and from carbohydrates and starts attacking your muscles. In a catabolic state, your body will breakdown tissue in order to burn the protein found in the muscle as a source of energy.

To avoid this, when you start to feel like your body is not performing at its peak during your workout and you’re feeling tired and sluggish then take a protein shake mid workout. You can also drink Branch Chained Amino acids, otherwise known as BCAAs to also avoid catabolism.

If both aforementioned products are not readily available then have a snack mid workout such as an apple, a sandwich, protein bars, nurtrigrain bars, or pop tarts. Any simple carbs will be like an adrenaline shot that will keep you going and keep your muscles from deteriorating.

Also, I always advocate this to all my clients and readers to never completely cut out fat from your diet. Many of us have been programmed through "fat-free" and "low fat" ads and products to believe that fat is worst thing consume. In fact healthy levels of fat is pertinent to survive and keep hormones and chemicals balances.

I hope you all put these tips into use, and for all my friends who read this blog, don’t say I never gave you all anything for free. The information is out there and throughout this blog. 

Take your time folks and re-read this as many times you need to because some of it won’t all make sense until you put it into practice. So have fun getting them gains and once again, Happy lifting.


#theFittest


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