Phenotypes Part 2 Ectomorphs

Ectomorphs
An ectomorph, often referred to as a “hard gainer”, has a fast metabolism and needs more calories to maintain a given weight than a mesomorph or an endomorph. This elevated metabolism/increased need for calories could be due to a number of factors including resting metabolic rate (RMR), hormone levels (i.e. thyroid), insulin sensitivity, fat oxidation capacity, and the rate at which glycogen is oxidized.

Ectomorphs tend to burn through glucose (carbohydrates) very quickly. Because of this, ectomorphs will need to follow a high carbohydrate diet when trying to gain muscle.

The number one reason causing “hard gainers” not to gain weight is under eating. In most cases increasing your caloric intake will lead to weight gain. No one should ever say “I’m a hard gainer and that’s that!” because in reality you just need to eat more.

It is possible for everyone to gain muscle no matter what their genetic predisposition may be, it just might be harder for some than others. Let’s get into the diet strategies for ectomorphs to gain weight.

Simply put, you are going to have to eat a lot to grow! There is no way around that. 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. Ectomorphs trying to gain muscle need to eat a hypercaloric diet like anyone else who wants to gain weight.

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 each 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.

A good starting point for ectomorphs is to set your calories to 500 calories over maintenance. Remember that you want to gain lean mass, not fat. It would be easy to gain weight by just eating junk food all day, but you would most likely gain a chunk of fat with the muscle you do gain. Instead I recommend eating good, nutrient dense foods. If you do not gain weight at 500 calories over maintenance then increase your calories more.

Tips For Daily Eating
1. Eat lean protein with every meal: Good proteins include chicken, lean beef and turkey, tuna and other fish, eggs (also has fat) and egg whites, and protein supplements.

2. Eat unprocessed carbs: The bulk of your carb consumption should be in the form of quality, unprocessed, low glycemic carbs such as oatmeal, sweet potatoes, rice, whole-gain pastas, breads, and cereals.

3. Eat fruits and vegetables everyday: Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and many nutrients vital for good overall health, wellness, and growth.

4. Eat good fats with every meal (except post-workout): Dietary fat is very important for proper body functioning and hormone production. Most people have an unbalanced view of dietary fat and therefore limit it. Good sources of fat include almonds and almond butter, peanuts and peanut butter, avocado, flax seed and olive oil, and eggs.

5. Don’t eat until you feel like you are going to vomit: When trying to gain weight, some hard gainers eat to the point of vomiting. This is not healthy or necessary. Instead of eating huge meals, I recommend eating 6-7 decently-sized meals that make you feel full but not stuffed and bloated.

6. Cook meals in advance: Have food already cooked and ready to go when it is time to eat makes getting enough calories much easier and less of a burden.

7. A macronutrient ratio for bulking is 50:30:20/carbs:protein:fats: One should always get 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, this is your primary objective. Above that, carbs and good fats will make up the bulk of your calories.

If you are consuming 3,000 calories, this would equate to:

Carbs = 375 grams
Protein = 225 grams
Fat = 67 grams
8. Eat the bulk of your carbs around your workout: Weight lifting increases the body’s need for glucose, therefore it makes sense to eat carbs around your workout.

For ectomorphs who struggle to gain weight we recommend consuming a fast digesting shake post workout consisting of essential amino acids/whey protein and a high glycemic carbohydrate, such as Scivation Whey and/or PrimaForce Primal EAA + PrimaForce Carb Slam, with no fat. This same shake can also be taken pre-workout. After this post-workout shake resume your normal protein+carbs+fat meals.

9. If you aren’t gaining weight you need to increase your calories: While some people might be able to gain muscle on 3,000 calories you may need to eat 4,000 or even 5,000 calories a day in order to grow. It is important to monitor your weight and body fat% so you can tell whether or not you need to increase your caloric intake.

10. A cheat meal here and there won’t kill you: If you eat 6 meals a day that means you are eating 42 meals a week. Having one or two “off” meals will not kill you and can be psychologically refreshing. If you want to enjoy a meal out with your friends and family that is fine and encouraged.