It's easy to label yourself or someone else just by looking at their body. Big, small, short, tall, fat, skinny, built.  Did you know that understanding your body type is the first step into developing the proper exercise and nutrition program to allow you to reach your goals?

You are probably aware of the role of genetics in determining your health and what type of body you have. I'm sure you've also heard the terms apple, pear, hourglass, stick, or thick when referring to body types. But do you know the specific term for your body type in regards to your natural bone structure and tendency towards body composition? The three 'somatypes' are Ectomorphs, Endomorphs, and Mesomorphs.

Ectomorph: An ectomorphic body is thin and lean (commonly referred to among weight-training and bodybuilding circles as Hard-gainers), and have a difficult time increasing body weight through both muscle and fat gain. Ectomorphs usually have high metabolisms and thin skeletal systems. Most men in the gym are working toward changing their ectomorphic frames and many female exercisers wish they were born with ectomorphic bodies.

Endomorph: The endomorphic body is categorized as heavier, thick skinned, and thick boned, carrying higher levels of body fat. Endomorphs usually have a harder time burning fat than they do storing or gaining fat. Remember this is the natural tendency of someone's physique regardless of activity level and diet. Don't confuse it with the changes that could occur to the other two somatypes through inactivity and overeating.

Mesomorph: Mesomorphs have a naturally muscular build with medium bone structures- not as thin as ectomorphs but not as thick as endomorphs. They usually have broad shoulders and narrower waists. Most successful physique and strength athletes are naturally mesomorphic. This is the body type most male gym rats wish they were born with.

For most people it is simply obvious whether they are an endomorph, ectomorph, or mesomorph. If you are unsure a good way to tell is by thinking back to your youth. Were you naturally skinny(ectomorph), or did you keep your 'baby fat' up through the age that you were mature enough to have and care for your own babies? The other way to tell, for those of you that are dedicated to exercise, is to look at what would happen if you took an extended break from exercising. Would the rate of fat gain be greater than the rate of muscle and strength loss? That's a good indicator you're an endomorph. If after taking time off all your clothes get loose, including your wrist watch, you're probably an ectomorph. But you probably knew that already.
A mesomorph will, depending on their workout intensity, lose some muscle mass and possibly gain some fat.
One other thing to note, there are individuals that do not easily fall into either of the three categories. They may possess some characteristics of more that one somatype. These people would be part of a mixed category, such as Ecto-Mesomorph, Meso-Ectomorph, Endo-Mesomorph, or Meso-Endomorph.

Now that you know your body type you can use this information to design the correct exercise and nutrition program for your exercise and fitness goals.