Phenotypes Part 2 Mesomorphs

Mesomorphs
Mesomorphs tend to be in the middle when it comes to metabolic rate. While ectomorphs struggle to gain weight and endomorphs have trouble gaining too much weight (specifically fat:muscle ratio), mesomorphs seem to have the best of both worlds; they can gain muscle with limited fat gains.

Mesomorphs naturally have more muscle than ectomorphs and have better insulin sensitivity than endomorphs, which makes it easier for them to gain more muscle and less fat when eating a hypercaloric diet.

The primary factor that determines whether you gain or lose weight is your caloric intake (how many calories you eat). If you eat more calories than you burn (hypercaloric diet) you will gain weight and if you burn more calories than you eat (hypocaloric diet) you will lose weight.

When you eat exactly the same amount of calories as you burn it is called a maintenance caloric diet. Mesomorphs trying to gain muscle need to eat a hypercaloric diet like anyone else who wants to gain weight, but they do not want to eat too many calories above maintenance.

A simple calculation to determine your maintenance caloric intake is to take your body weight and multiply it by 15; this gives you your total calories to be consumed eat day. For example, a 200 pound person would consume 3,000 calories a day. Now this is a very basic way to determine your maintenance caloric intake and should be used as a starting point. For mesomorphs I recommend starting at 250-500 calories above maintenance calories with their calories come from:

Carbohydrates = 40%
Protein = 30%
Fat = 30%
Using the 3,000 calorie as an example this would be:

Carbohydrates = 300 grams
Protein = 225 grams
Fat = 100 grams
A 200 pound mesomorph would want to start 250-500 calories above their maintenance caloric intake, so adding 500 calories to the above example we get:

Carbohydrates = 350 grams
Protein = 263 grams
Fat = 117 grams
In addition to controlling your caloric intake, as a mesomorph you want to control insulin secretion. This can be done by limiting carbohydrate consumption, specifically high glycemic carbohydrates. Managing your insulin levels will allow you to keep your gains leaner.

Control Your Caloric Intake And Meal Size With Frequent Meals
One way to control your caloric intake is to eat frequent meals. Going long periods of time with no food causes your body to send signals to the brain telling it the body needs food.

If you eat sporadic meals you will most likely overeat on those meals. It is better to eat smaller, more frequent meals to prevent overeating. Eating smaller meals allows insulin secretion to be more controlled. Eating a 600 calorie meal will result in less insulin secretion than eating a 1,200 calorie meal (macronutrient content aside).

Limit The Bulk Of Your Carbohydrates To Specific Meals
Limiting the bulk of your carbohydrates to times when your body needs them most will aid in muscle growth and limit fat gains. I recommend mesomorphs to limit the majority of their carbohydrates to breakfast and pre/post workout. For example, if someone workouts at 6 PM I would recommend they consume the majority carbohydrates at:

Breakfast: i.e. 2 slices whole-wheat bread (~30-50 carbs depending on bread)
Pre-workout: i.e. 1 cup oatmeal (~60 carbs)
Post-workout: i.e. 8 oz. sweet potato + 1 tbsp honey (~90 carbs)
For all other meals mesomorphs should consume less carbs (i.e. 1/4-1/2 cup rice), green vegetables, and small amounts of fruit. If you workout first thing in the morning, I would recommend following a similar setup, keeping your carbs in your first three meals (pre-workout meal, post-workout meal, and third meal of the day).

No matter what your schedule is I do not recommend consuming dextrose, maltodextrin, or other high glycemic carbs post workout for mesomorphs. Some mesomorphs may do very well using high glycemic carbs, but our general rule is for mesomorphs to stick to low glycemic carbs.

Skeletal muscle has the ability to uptake glucose post workout without “spiking” your insulin.

Studies do show that increasing insulin levels post workout does enhance protein synthesis, but I do not feel one needs to jack insulin levels through the roof with dextrose. I do feel that it can be beneficial for mesomorphs to take some high-glycemic carbs pre workout. Studies have shown that protein synthesis is elevated the greater when high glycemic carbs combined with free-form essential amino acids (EAA) are consumed pre workout.

Eat Quality Foods: Don’t Skimp On Your Fruits And Veggies!
By consuming low glycemic index carbs, such as oatmeal and sweet potatoes as suggested above, one can limit the insulin output from their carb meals. For low carb meals I recommend consuming green vegetables and fruit.

Green vegetables and fruit are both low GI carbs and contain fiber and numerous nutrients. On top of that, they are very filling. An example of a low-carb meal would be 4-6 oz. of chicken with 1 cup green beans and 1/2 an apple.

In addition to carbs and protein, one should add fat to their meals to decrease insulin output, prolong digestion time, and to provide essential fatty acids (EFA). Examples of good fats include almonds and almond butter, peanuts and peanut butter, avocados, and flax and olive oil. One could simply add 20 almonds to the above meal to obtain their EFAs.

Don’t Slack On Non-Workout Day Nutrition
You grow outside of the gym. Weight training provides the stimulus for growth, but your diet governs your growth. Your diet should be just as strict on non-workout days as on workout days. More than anything your total caloric intake will govern how much weight, muscle, and fat you gain

While the above guidelines will help limit your fat gains, your overall caloric intake is the number one factor that will decide if you gain fat. If you overeat you will probably gain some fat. So start by eating 250-500 calories over your maintenance caloric intake and increase calories when weight/muscle gains stall.