The three body types, which one are you, REALLY?
 

I'm rather fascinated by the idea of the fact that there are three different body types. Of course, I also know that some of us are probably overlapping between two different types, but it's still a neat concept.

If you don't know (I'm sure most of you do, but I'm just stating things again in case you don't), these body types are:

-Ectomorph: THE SKINNY PEOPLE! These people really do have problems trying to gain weight and are meant to be lean. There are some rare occasions of ectomorphs bulking up (either to be more muscular or by extreme overeating, which might make anyone fat... but it is generally much more difficult for an ectomorph to get fat than, say, an endomorph.) Ectomorphs usually have runner-like bodies and have trouble gaining muscle mass.

-Mesamorph: THE FIT PEOPLE! They are generally athletic and have medium bone structures. They do not have much trouble losing OR gaining weight, and they have a much easier time building muscle than ectomorphs.

-Endomorph: THE FAT PEOPLE! Though obviously, they don't HAVE to be. ;) They have naturally large bone structures and (by default) a higher fat distribution. They can put on muscle easily and have a large amount of muscle weight, though it is by default accompanied by fat. They usually have a more difficult time losing weight and due to their bone structures, they look better at a higher weight (like... ever seen people with larger bone structures looking ungodly skinny? They don't look right, at all.)

Me, I'm probably a mesamorph/endomorph combo. My bone structure is medium-large by the wrist standard, the elbow standard, and the ribcage standard. I have broad shoulders and not much of a natural waist indentation, even while thin. I DO gain weight easily if I am at all sedentary, but I am also very physically fit and as long as I stay very active, the pounds stay off. I have an athletic build, and my muscle mass is a combo of lean and bulky. I look my best with a chiseled physique, as thin doesn't work for me (you can tell it's not natural) and I have too much visable/defined muscle mass to pull off "voluptious/curvy"

And you? :D

I'm probably a mesomorph/endomorph combo as well, although I know my bone structure isn't especially heavy (my shoulders and hips are both broad, but I have long, thin fingers, and I've noticed that I have thin enough wrists, now that there isn't one ounce of fat left to hide them :D). I also don't have too much problems gaining/losing--if I eat too much and am sedentary, I gain, if I eat normally and am active, I lose/maintain without having to go to painful lengths.

I think I'm probably mesomorph.
I have a small/medium bone structure, I can easily lose and gain weight, build muscle easily.
I just got fat becasue I love food and hate exercise.

I honestly don't know which one I am, I've never been able to decide.

Ecto - I tend to have lean looking forearms and ankle to calf no matter what weight I'm at.

Mesa - Most of my bone structure is medium and if I stay active I will lose weight steadily or maintain.

Endo - I have straight, broad shoulders and my thighs are both muscular and fatty.

I have no idea which I am, lol.

you're just so awesome that you get to be a little bit of everything ;)

Haha, lol, you crack me up, thanks!!

I think there might be way more than three types. I have very small bones, but I put on fat very easily.

There could quite possibly be - those are just the three *known* types... people can also be crossbetweens... maybe you're a strange crossbetween of ectomorph and endomorph - it's possible :)

I'm definitely a mesomorph. I gain muscle easily and even weighing 175 I'm a comfortable size ten and my BF is 26%, which isn't terrible. At 150, I'm a size 6/8.

Yeah, it's funny. I ALWAYS lose inches before I lose any actual weight. :dizzy:

Once, in a nutrition class I took in College talked about using these classifications along with a waist to hip ratio. Apparently, what is considered a classical hollywood ratio is 0.69, someone like Jessica Alba or something. My waist to hip ratio is about 0.76, which with what my professor said, makes me an endomorph...even though I think I'm not quite fat....

Okay, I seriusly never heard of any of these... care to explain to me? I only heard of the wrist standard, but what are the others? And what is considered "broad" for shoulders?

Sure, the elbow standard is extending your arm out at a 90 degree angle and measuring the bone /elbow breadth from end of your elbow to the other... horizontally, of course. Mine is almost 3", which as a woman of 5'6" is considered on the larger end, bone wise. Ribcage... just measure your ribcage (not your breasts - the top of your ribcage which should be all bone). If it's under 33", then you're small. If it's 34-36", you're medium. If you're 37"+ then you're large.

I'm not sure what is considered broad, but I know my shoulders are rather... manly. My dad has always commented on my broad shoulders. :( He didn't mean it in a mean way, but I'm self conscious about my shoulders now! haha

My frame is somewhat large, and it's generally pretty easy for me to gain muscle and gain/lose fat. I'd put myself on a continuum between meso and endo; when I don't exercise or I'm on the medication I was on for several years, I slide more towards endo. Now that I've got my metabolism back thanks to exercise, I'm much closer to meso. Does that make any sense?

EDIT: NightengaleShane>> I thought I had a large frame, but maybe not -- my elbow is 3.25", but my ribcage is considered small :lol: I'm so confused!

Hahaha, it isn't uncommon to be big boned in some places but not others.

My girlfriend has a small frame, but REALLY BIG wrists. She's very thin, but she also looks fit without trying, so I'd put her in the ectomorph-mesamorph category - more ectomorph though since she isn't actually physically fit, she just has a low percentage of body fat.

I am a flat out Endomorph.

I have broad shoulders, no defined waist. Very muscular legs even when at my heaviest. I hate my calves they are so thick and muscular. I gain and lose weight easily. I definitely have a large frame. When I was 15 my dad said I am from good German stock, that I would have been prized back in the old days, a workhorse. Just what a teenage girl wants to hear, huh?

So I am thinking mesamorph/endomorph combination.

I am a fat ectomorph :lol:. When ever this came up when I was in school I was always described as ecto. I have relatively long slender (AA) feet, long fingers, small wrists. My arms and legs are very slow to gain weight. My weight pattern is to be an apple shape (very unhealthy, I know). Even when I weighed 100lbs I had a little pot and no waistline. I really do not fit into any other catagory. I am pretty sure I am just a really bad food abuser.

I'm a Mesamorph, I think. I've got a rather medium frame and I can lose/gain weight easily...and when I'm active, I don't have a hard time toning up.

Ahhh, thanks for explaining that ;) So I guess I can say that I'm an ectomorph by the classification :D That makes me feel better...

hehehe... yeah, the -morphs are defined by both bones and fat distribution - my waist to hips ratio has always been crap, too, by the way - some people are apple shaped, but that alone not make them an endomorph. ;) yay? :D

I'd be a mesamorph...

I've always been able to gain muscle tone easily and retain it for longer. At the moment I'm 5'6 and 143 pounds with a body fat hovering between 22-23%.

I was told the other day I looked like I weighed 60kgs (132 pounds) and the person was shocked when I told them was I really DO weigh lol. It was a nice feeling :)

As for my wrists and ribcage and things...I have fine wrists and a large ribcage...ah well! I like having a large ribcage though since it means my lungs have even more room to suck that air in while i'm running!

I have also noticed that people who were very active as younger children tend to have bigger ribcages than people who were rather more...inactive as children. I was involved in a lot of sport and athletics until about mid highschool when I hurt my foot and gained weight.

My ex and his brother are a case in point...

His brother was extremely active with sport/athletics and has a massive rib and lung capacity now...his brother (my ex) discovered computers instead and has a tiny little rib cage...MINE was way larger than his and he is 6'3!

My rib cage was spread out by a couple of large pregnancies and never went back. I was very thin at the beginning of the pregnancy and lost weight after, so I know it wasn't fat. Even now, when I am not fat I wear a 34 bra so I guess that still qualifies as small.

WOW, that is a very interesting point... no WONDER I have a large ribcage! I was an extremely active kid... I played every sport imaginable and was always outside doing something. I was also a skinny kid. :( Times change! Puberty hit me with a bang, and that's when my weight problems started.

My sister, on the other hand, was not nearly as active, and her ribcage is smaller than mine, but all her bones seem to be.

I also have very, very strong lungs and always have. Now that I'm exercising extensively, I can run for about an hour without stopping. Hmmm. Must be the large ribcage!! :D

Also, have you ever noticed that people with mostly sedentary lifestyles either carry lots of excess weight or are unnaturally skinny?

Ectomorph and Mesamorph.

I think I am a combo of the above two. Before I had kids I had a hard time putting on weight. I also didn't have much muscle. Before the kids I was in a size 1. Plus I have a smallish to medium frame. If a wrap my hand around my wrist my middle finger and thumb overlap.

After I had kids (4 of them) I started putting on weight. i put on weight because I was inactive and did not eat much. Opposed to before I had kids I was always on the go. But once I became serious about losing weight I have done so with ease (not bragging here). I started eating more and getting up and doing more stuff and the weight has just melted off.

So yeah I think I am a combo of the above two.

I was skinny as a kid, as a teen and through my 20s, smaller legs and arms, gaining in my tummy when I've gained. So does that make me a fat ectomorph? I can remember in high school in a health class the teacher made me stand up as the perfect tall, thin example, how embarrassing. Now if he saw me overweight what would he call me, what would the text book say?

I'm an exception to that rule; my bras are only a 34 band, but I was incredibly active throughout my childhood and adolescence!

100% brutally Endomorph. I personally think making females endomorphs is really, really twisted. And yes, I also got the "good German stock" line. Instantly had visions of the late '60's, early '70's East German female swimmers and weight lifters. Yegads.

I can go one better . . . "you'd be a fantastic farm worker, you could so much without help!" Yeah, thanks. That helped so much!

I'm completely an endomorph. I've been struggling to lose weight all my life and even with diet and exercise it seems almost impossible to lose more than 10 pounds and keep it off. When I lift weights my muscles build up really fast but there's so much fat on top of them! What's a girl to do? It seems the only option is loads and loads of cardio...but who has time for all that?!

Maybe this will help:

Endomorph - overweight & normal weight

http://lycos.ca/images/women-article-endomorph.jpg


Ectomorph - overweight & normal weight


http://lycos.ca/images/women-article-ectomorph.jpg


Mesomorph - overweight & normal weight

http://lycos.ca/images/women-article-mesomorph.jpg

I am a mesomorph. The difference between my normal weight & my over-weight is very much like the picture dipicted.

This might also help:

http://rfgfitness.com/body.html

Whoa, Beach Patrol, I am exactly like the mesamorph, too. EXACTLY. Weird how mesamorphs somehow gain so much in the middle, huh? But when when we are at normal weight, we look like hourglasses :D

I am an edomorph, no doubt about it.

My bone structure is very large, and I've always been fleshy. I look best with a little meat on my bones, weighing in the low end of the overweight category.

http://rfgfitness.com/body.html
According to that link, I have the ANDROID body type :lol: ...yeah, that makes me feel REALLY good about myself :dizzy: the description fits me very closely, though - I build muscle easily, I'm very athletic, I crave salty and fatty foods, and I unfortunately still have a tiny bit of cellulite on my lower stomach even though my upper abs are in good shape.

Ok, so this is kinda funny NightengaleShane- not funny ha-ha, but funny-strange.... According to the link... I am a Gynaeoid. You and I are both "mesomorphs" but you're android & I'm gynaeoid. Most of my weight is on my hips & thighs, altho I do have some stomach fat (bra fat & bat-wing fat... :dizzy: ) But I do have a "a very feminine and curvy shape". Even when I'm overweight, I'm curvy.

Many gynaeoid types will have a big problem with cellulite accumulating around the upper thighs and buttocks. If they try to lose weight with just any old low-fat low-calorie diet, it can be quite frustrating because weight will tend to come off easily from areas where there is not a problem, while the thighs and buttocks retain their fatty deposits and cellulite. They often have a hormonal imbalance called “oestrogen dominance” which means that there is too much oestrogen compared to progesterone. They often crave foods combining high amounts of fat and sugar, which will increase their sensitivity to oestrogen, leading to more cellulite in the buttocks and thighs. They do well with plant hormones (phytoestrogens), which have a balancing effect and help them to reduce their oestrogen dependent weight gain.

Oh yeah, that's me alright!

I don't know what I am. I have really broad shoulders, thick waist, flat butt and skinny legs. So what does that make me? LOL. I can both gain and lose weight fairly easily.

I'm a "Big Fatty" :lol:

Weelll ... I think I'm thyroid shaped. I must have something else mixed in cuz I never think of myself as long-limbed ;)

I'm an ectomorph gone fat by learned habits of boredom eating. Its really easy for me to lose weight. But muscle? god, its hard!!

I'm an android too, so you're not alone! even at 193lbs my upper abs are defined...well not defined... but you can see that there's muscle there, while my lower abdominal area is definitely.. uhm.. there's a deposit there, that's for sure. I put on muscle and tone up like nobody's buisness.. i've only been getting serious about getting in shape for 2 1/2 weeks and while i've only lost 5lbs but i've lost an inch and a half in my waist, and just over an inch in my hips. if it wasn't for the tape measure i would have given up already. i'm also alll about salty fatty foods. i go for them before sweets any day. but at the same time i have a medium-going-on large frame - my ribcage is broad, as are my shoulders, and i have huuuge wrists. and big feet. really big feet for someone who is 5'4"

Total endomorph