WE are never ever completely happy with our bodies, are we? We either want a more voluptuous upper body or thinner thighs. I have a friend who wants more butt, while I want less! There is always something that we want to change. Unfortunately, there are some things about us that we can never change, like our body types (liposuction is also not going to help)

However though, knowing your body type will help you set realistic goals, thus making you workout better and more effectively.

There are three main body types namely:

Ectomorph:

Tall, boney, with smaller breasts and longer limbs. They usually have trouble gaining weight (the ones we love to hate).

Endomorph:

Rounder or somewhat pear-shaped body and prone to holding more body fat, especially from the hips below.

Mesomorph:

Big boned, muscular and athletic or voluptuous looking with a broad chest, narrow hips and a small bum.

Do you see yourself up there? Okay so, maybe we can’t totally change our body type. We can, however, do a lot to maximize it, and as you may have guessed, working out plays a crucial role in the way we ultimately look and feel.   Ectomorphs: Think Betty Irabor and Fumi Iyanda are predominantly bone and need to build muscle mass, gain definition and shapeliness. Do weight training (enough weight for you to just barely do about 12 repetitions) 3 times a week. Start with one set per exercise and increase the weight when it gets too easy. Since you don’t need to concentrate on calorie and fat burning, 20 minutes of a cardio workout like dance aerobics, a brisk walk, or gentle jogging 3-4 times a week is enough for cardiovascular fitness.

Endomorphs: We tend to be predominantly tissue and so, need to burn calories and excess fat. So, more cardio activity (aerobics, dance, walking, jogging) every day, is for you. Since we tend to carry more weight in our lower body, do sculpting workouts using weights with an emphasis on below the weight and defining your figure. Squats, lunges are must!

Mesomorphs: Think Naomi Campbell, you are predominantly muscle and so, naturally athletic looking. You need to maximize flexibility, maintain shape and tone without getting too bulky. Do a variety of stretch exercises and moderate aerobic activities. You just look at weights and gain muscle so, train with light weights for figure definition.

Love your body and it will love you right back…