The importance of figuring out your body type and then choosing a diet plan according to that information is quite significant. We often come across examples where someone misread their physique’s traits and ended up following a diet and training program that did more damage than good. In today’s discussion, we are going to talk about mesomorphs i.e. the individuals who have the physique that is dreamed by most of the ectomorphs and endomorphs. However, merely belonging to the mesomorph club will not do the trick. Rather, if you are a mesomorph, you will have to pay great attention to your training and diet programs. It becomes even more so crucial when the concerned person is a professional athlete or a gym junkie. In any case, you don’t need to worry about this issue anymore. For in this article, we are going to talk in great length about the mesomorph diet and the workout guide that will prove beneficial for a majority of mesomorphs out there. So, without further ado, let us begin.
Body types: An overview
But before we jump into all the details about mesomorphs, won’t it be a better idea to have an overview of all the body types? This way someone, who doesn’t have background knowledge of different body fits, can understand the contents of this discussion with ease. Oh, and it is always good to recall stuff, don’t you agree? Well, folks, simply put, there are three main body fits. These include ectomorphs, endomorphs, and mesomorphs. There are several differences between the three types but the most important one is with regards to weight gain. Ectomorphs can eat tons of stuff and still will not put on fat or muscle mass, hence known as hard-gainers as well. On the other hand, endomorphs gain weight by even just looking at stuff, and we are not kidding! Then, there is the third type, the mesomorphs, which are the main topic of this discussion. Well, these are the lucky individuals who enjoy the best of both worlds. They are not too thin or not too fat, they are just perfect!
Features of a mesomorph body type
They are perfect, but what is it that makes everyone so envious of mesomorphs? A closer look at the somatotype of a typical mesomorph answers this question admirably well. To begin with, who isn’t a big fan of wide clavicles? The fandom that falls crazy for broad shoulders even in the 21st century forms the tribe of very people who adore almost everything about the mesomorphs. Wide clavicles but slim waist. A combination made in heavens, wouldn’t you agree? Slimmer waists are dreamed by almost everyone out there and not just the athletes. Joints are also somewhat smaller than the usually observed prototype. In simple terms, this trait reflects the appearance of bigger muscles, more than anything else. It is important to mention here that there is no hard and fast rule about an individual belonging to any of the three morphological types. You can be a bit of this and a bit of that, in which case, you must spend a few more hours figuring out your body type.
Calculating calories
Before we talk about diet and a training program that will suit a mesomorph, let us figure out what are you lacking or what are you needing. Mesomorphs in particular have to be careful about their diet as most of them would surely not like tipping into the ectomorph or endomorph category by mistake. So, to prevent that from happening, let us help you calculate your calorie goal first. The first step you need to take in this regard is to calculate your BMR. BMR stands for your basal metabolic rate. And how are you going to do that? By simply multiplying your body weight by 14. Done with it? Good, now we move on to the next step, which is calculating your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). This is easily figured out by taking into account, your general lifestyle. It can be either a very active one, a moderately active one, or in some cases, an extremely active one. The details can be quite boring, trust us on that!
Now, what does this information tell you? It is all relevant to your goal. If your goal is to increase strength and muscle mass, it follows obviously that you will need to eat more calories than you are burning. A nice, useful approach in this regard is adding 500 to TDEE. On the other hand, subtract 500 from TDEE if your goal is to become leaner while still keeping on the muscle mass you have.
Micronutrient Intake
We aren’t going to get technical in this section, as the minor details are subjective. Every morph has specific requirements, whether he or she is an ectomorph, mesomorph, or endomorph. However, what a mesomorph need is a moderate amount of carbohydrates. The diet must not be loaded with carbohydrates. That is just going to ruin any efforts you might be putting in the training. As far as protein intake is considered, 1.2 grams per pound ought to do the trick for most of the body types. Whatever calories you are left with on your diet sheet can be easily filled with fat.
Set realistic goals!
This is important. Sometimes, athletes and gym freaks try to push beyond the limits and end up doing more damage than good. The basic goals are to lose fat and build muscle, right? It would be more than enough if you can build up 1-2 lbs. of muscle per week. This approach must be reciprocated and reflected in the fat loss schedule. Again, don’t shoot for the stars on the very first day. To the moon takes some time!
Foods that can help a mesomorph!
Isn’t it great solving every problem step by step? Now that we know how much should you eat or burn in terms of calories, the next question is about the food items itself. We must clarify something right here at the beginning. We do not believe in putting blanket bans on stuff. It is totally fine by us if you want to have some fast food items, every once in a while. However, it should be once in a while only! Right, so what are the major food items that are enriched with lean protein? Plain yogurt, cottage cheese, buffalo meat, chicken breast, and lean turkey meat, to name a few. For enriching your diet with complex carbohydrates, you can add oats or potatoes to your diet. Apart from these, lentils and yams also ought to do the trick. Most mesomorphs like to add peanut butter, coconut oil, raw nuts, and seeds in their diet as fat sources. You will notice that we haven’t said anything about fruits or vegetables. That is simply because they are an essential part of any healthy diet plan, and must not be ditched at any cost.
Model meals for mesomorphs
In the following lines, what we are going to share with you is a model meal that any mesomorph can switch to for training purposes. Please understand that these meals are only mentioned here as an example. We are not implying in any way whatsoever that a mesomorph has to eat this lot. Also, we have not mentioned the frequencies of meals. It is purely subjective, how much a person eats or how many times, for that matter. But you must remember that the meal schedule must be by your calorie requirement. Anyhow, here are some of the meals that a mesomorph can switch to, without much fuss:
MEAL A: Omelet+ Oats mixed berries. Make sure that the omelet is made using whole eggs and blueberries should mix with oats.
MEAL B: Baked yam+ roasted turkey. Add a side salad too, if you are in the mood. This is a slightly heavier meal than the rest.
MEAL C: Chicken breast+ jasmine rice. Some almonds will do very nicely as well.
MEAL D: This is a post-workout sort of meal, which can comprise of a whey shake at best.
MEAL E: Steak + beans/rice and some of the sprouts round up the deal very nicely, don’t they?
Is using supplements a good idea?
This is something that we wanted to discuss earlier, but we had to lay all the foundation about mesomorph fitness before we could bring up this point. Thing is, gym routines and even home-based training sessions have turned into more sort of supplemented sessions. There are pre-workouts, post-workouts, and even stuff to gulp during a session. What we want to say is that you shouldn’t indulge in supplements too much. Some of this stuff can do more harm than good. However, appropriate doses will not hurt your cause. Hence, it is alright to use supplements that help you in achieving your desired mass building goals. Conversely, there are other supplements too that can help burn your body fat as well. Again, we must emphasize that caution must be practiced while gulping down either type of formulas. Also, pay attention to what is listed on the label. It is always a good idea to have an idea of what you are guzzling!
Workout plan for mesomorphs: An overview
This is perhaps the most important part of this discussion, as we finally unveil the workout plan that a mesomorph with fat loss and muscle gain objectives can follow. First, we are going to give you an overview of the plan, enlisting what purpose each day should serve in this plan. Got your pen and paper? Alright, here we go:
Monday- Focus on building strength using plan A
Tuesday- Focus on building muscles using plan B
Wednesday- Take a break, hulk!
Thursday- Focus on building strength using plan C
Friday- Hypertrophy using plan D
Weekend- Rest
In the upcoming section, we are going to talk about A, B, C, and D. But rejoice, folks, we have given you three days off in a week!
The weekly training plan for mesomorphs
Now, let us mention briefly, the set of exercises that could be included in the aforementioned plan. We are going to ditch the set numbers but 4-6 ought to do the trick for most of these exercises. The same goes for reps as well. Find the nitty-gritty of these plans discussed below:
Abs exercises+ Calf exercise+ Leg curls+ Barbell+ Squats (front or back) + Deadlifts
Please note that these exercises have been mentioned only for the sake of guidance. If you feel that the workout burden is a little too much or a little too little for you, you can always talk to your trainer. He or she can then come up with a plan that suits your stamina and endurance.
Time for top tips!
We feel obliged to share some tips with you that might come in handy. The first tip is to remember that magic doesn’t happen overnight in dwellings like gyms. You need to put in a solid effort, at least for 10 weeks before you can observe the desired changes happening in your mesomorph physique. Adding muscle is cool, but don’t fall for the fat trap. Also, it will be a total waste of your efforts if you are not too careful about the diet plan. And lastly, we know we haven’t mentioned cardio anywhere in this whole discussion. But that doesn’t mean a little cardio session every week will hurt your chances enormously!
Conclusion
The topic is such a vast one, we wish we could go on forever. We could write volumes, and it still wouldn’t be enough, such is the enormity of the topic. Sadly, the limitations of time and space force us to conclude this discussion here. Still, we bid you farewell with an optimistic hope that this article helped you learn something if not everything about mesomorph diet and workout plans!
