Ah, the endomorph.
Just saying the word makes me think of a jelly filled Krispy Kreme donut. It brings to mind that fat kid in grade school who was always picked last for everything and whose mother had to buy husky Levi’s jeans because the straight legged ones just didn’t fit.
If you’re grumbling right now thinking that I’m speaking directly to you, I am.
I decided to write this guide not because I’m overweight or an endomorph even, but rather because many of you are. And as a coach of 23 years, I’ve seen my share of men and women struggling. For an endomorph, diet and exercise are extremely important and must be approached from a different perspective than for other body types.
One thing to note is that this article is not for all overweight people or those who got that way by a living a sedentary lifestyle. This is for people who are genetically predisposed to many of the traits of an endomorph and are trying to improve themselves.
If you’re not entirely sure of what body type you are classified as, take this free quiz.
As a side note, there are many similarities between the way an endomorph man and woman should eat and train, but there are also some significant differences. Please note that this guide has been written for men specifically.
The Endomorph
As an endomorph, you know all too well the struggles you face each day.
- Clothes that seem to always be a half size too small
- Feeling like the “fat guy or girl” all the time
- Gaining weight just thinking of pizza or most carbs
So what exactly is an endomorph?
First off, an endomorph is nothing more than a certain body type, of which there are three:
- Ectomorph: Naturally thin, small bone structure. Hard to gain weight
- Mesomorph: Naturally muscular and strong.
- Endomorph: Naturally built like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
Most people have traits of two body types and rarely is someone a “pure” body type. Usually there is a dominant one and in your case, it’s endo.
In this post, I am going to talk about nutritional and exercise strategies specifically for endomorphs so if you want to learn more about the other body types, you can read my article, How To Eat and Train For Your Body Type.
From a big picture perspective, the endomorph struggles with the following issues:
- Easily stores excess fat (often in the belly and waist area).
- Gains weight easily and loses it slowly.
- Slower metabolism.
- Slow sympathetic nervous system, which is your body’s “fight or flight” response.
- Shorter limbs and often seen as “short and squat”.
The bad news is that your body type is largely determined by your genetic composition. The good news is that you can change how your body responds and adapts to your training and nutrition. This means you are not doomed to be overweight, soft, or squishy for the rest of your life.
Far from it.
I’ve seen dozens if not hundreds of transformations from people who had all but given up on being fit and gone on to build lean, athletic, and toned bodies. It can happen as long as you stay positive and put the right type of work into creating it.
The Endomorph Diet Plan
As with any body type, I will tell you that roughly 80% of your results (purely from a body composition standpoint) come from what you’re eating on a day to day basis.
In other words, you cannot out train a shitty diet and believe me, I’ve tried!!
For the endomorph, diet is even more critical because you can’t eat like the other body types and see positive results. The problem is that your body has a tendency to store fat at a much higher rate than the ecto or meso.
The typical American diet is absolutely atrocious for the endomorph. Filled with processed foods, sugars, enriched products, chemicals, and hormone and anti-biotic laced products, it’s a struggle to avoid these foods because they are so readily available and we’re so accustomed to eating them.
Plus they taste amazing, which is no accident and I believe that the food industry wants us to fail.
Know Your Macros
One key to success is going to be understanding your macronutrients (macros) and knowing how to balance them. This is extremely important for the endomorph.
Again, the normal diet we are eating is terrible for the endo and we can see by the macro breakdown that most of our calories are coming from carbohydrates. This spells disaster for the endomorph.
Now carbs aren’t inherently “bad” but most of the packaged, processed, and sugary foods we’re eating, are.
There is no need to remove all carbs from your diet or even restrict them significantly. If you’re eating the right types. Those include things like potatoes, quinoa, fruits, and veggies. It does not include Pop-Tarts, Ritz crackers, Lucky Charms, or Coke.
If you’re struggling with what to eat or have no idea how many calories you need to lose weight effectively, one of the best things you can do is to start tracking all your food. Do it for a week to start and I guarantee you’ll be amazed at what you see. It’s kinda tedious to do, but can help you a ton in helping you understand exactly what’s going into your pie hole.
In my experience, most people greatly over or underestimate their caloric intake and therefore, have no idea what their BMR is. How can you expect to drop body fat when you don’t have any idea how many calories you need? You can’t. It ends up being a guessing game and most of you are guessing wrong.
But don’t beat yourself up, this is an easy fix. Start by downloading an app called MyFitnessPal (or another similar app) and start tracking today. I’m serious, it’s that important.
To figure out how many calories you should be eating based on your specific goals, I use a free online tool called the Harris-Benedict Calculator. Input your age, weight, and height and you will get a number.
You will then multiply this number (your BMR) by your activity level to determine how many calories your body requires to maintain your current weight. You can then reduce that number by 15-20% for fat loss. If you have a lot of weight to lose, a deficit of 25% is a good place to start.
Going much lower than that isn’t a good idea and can lead to a lack of nutrients, poor energy, and cause cravings and ultimately, bingeing.
As far as your specific macros, there is no one answer as everyone has different levels of sensitivities, but a good starting point would be something like:
- 20-25% carbs
- 30-35% protein
- 35-40% fat
This low(ish) carb intake will be a challenge for many endomorphs since they are typically used to eating a very high carb diet, often upwards of 60% or more. You can expect to have an energy crash for a week or two and possibly feel something called the carb flu, but after that, you’ll feel 10X better.
Your main focus is to keep protein levels high. If nothing else, get your protein in every day. A good goal regardless of your body type is 0.7 grams per pound of body weight. For example, a 200 lb. person would need about 140 grams.
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Nutritional Keys
Here are a few nutritional rules to live by:
- Limit sugars, breads, pastas, cereals, crackers, and other heavy starches. Also remove white flour and byproducts.
- Eat a shitload of fibrous vegetables.
- Limit alcohol. They are empty calories and your body doesn’t need them.
- Aim to eat a lean protein at every meal, preferably 25-35 grams. Not only is protein the most satiating macronutrient, it is critical for building the muscle you desperately need.
- Eat fat. Many endomorphs make the mistake of severely limiting or trying to eliminate fat because they think it will make them fatter. Not the case at all. In fact, healthy fats like nuts and nut butter, oils, fish oils, avocados, are crucial to the fat burning process.
- Take fish oil supplements if you don’t eat enough fish. Fish oil has been shown to have a positive effect of many deadly diseases like coronary disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and high blood pressure, that are common among overweight and obese people, and as you know, many endomorphs fall into this category.
Insulin Issues
Insulin, which is a hormone that controls how your body absorbs sugar (and ultimately uses it for energy production), becomes an issue when you have an intolerance or sensitivity to carbohydrates.
As an endo, your body just isn’t as good at using insulin to reduce the sugar in your bloodstream, which is one reason why eating sugary foods and high glycemic Index (GI) starchy carbs is a bad idea.
Eating high fiber, low GI foods may be a good idea and can help to keep blood sugars stable. These include:
- Whole grains like brown rice or quinoa.
- Starches like oatmeal or sweet potatoes.
- Fruits. Raspberries, strawberries, mangoes, apples, and bananas are best.
- Vegetables, especially green vegetables. Spinach, artichokes, kale, broccoli, and beets are excellent choices.
Many endomorphs also tend to have a slight to moderate carbohydrate intolerance. What this means is that your body will react poorly to excess carb intake and likely store it as fat versus burning it for energy.
This means that keeping your cab intake low (30-35% of total calories) is probably a good approach.
One caveat to the carb rule is that the endomorph should always eat carbs after a workout.
The Paleo Diet
As I’ve mentioned before, I am not a big believer in severely reducing or eliminating entire food groups, but there is something to be said for the success of the Paleo Diet.
First off, I’ve tried dozens of diets personally over the years and have had the most success with an ancestral approach to eating, like a Primal or Paleo Diet. I have had clients eat this way with great results as well and teach it in many of my online programs.
I’m not going to get into all the specifics but here are 3 great reasons to at least consider a Paleo/Primal approach to eating.
To sum it up:
Basically, your diet revolves around the following:
- Lean meats
- Fish and other seafood
- Eggs
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Healthy fats like nuts, seeds, and oils
These are all healthy things and while I’m not recommending you do or do not go on the Paleo, it’s definitely with looking into it further, especially if you are struggling with carb intake.
Other Diets
I hate traditional diets. I hate that they represent a short-term solution to a long-term need. Diets are temporary and more often than not, cause more harm than good when it comes to healthy fat loss. The bookstore shelves are lined with new “best-sellers” every week and there seems to be some new “hot” fad, herb, of food that is the answer to your weight loss problems.
here is no fix and there are no shortcuts. Losing fat, gaining muscle, and being healthy takes work and time. Nothing you buy on QVC at 2am is going to speed the process up for you. My mother tried for years and it was one scam after another.
Let’s take this example:
Bob is a 40 year old guy and an endomorph. He knows he needs to lose 30 pounds and is desperate to try something that works. He hears from his friend that a diet he recently tried helped him lose 35 pounds so Bob decides to give it a shot.
Here’s what happens:
- Bob starts his diet at 200 pounds and has 18% body fat (this translates to 164 pounds of lean body mass (LBM) and 36 pounds of fat).
- He starts eating 1,500 calories per day based on the diet guidelines, although he is used to eating much more than that.
- In 8 weeks, he loses 21 pounds and is ecstatic! His body fat has also dropped to 15%.
- He feels like he’s succeeded at his goal, but when we look at the numbers, we see something entirely different.
- Bob now weighs 179 pounds and has 15% body fat. This translates to 152 pounds of LBM and 27 pounds of fat. He has lost 9 pounds of fat, which is great, but he has also lost 12 pounds of muscle, which is terrible.
- Now Bob starts eating his normal 2,000 calories per day and within 12 weeks, has gained all his weight back.
- He is now 200 pounds at 20% body fat and has 159 pounds of LBM and 41 pounds of fat.
- He is now worse off than when he started, has a slower metabolism, and will find it harder to lose weight in the future
As you can see, this can wreak havoc on your body and when you “diet” frequently (AKA yo-yo dieting), it can be catastrophic for your body.
This scenario is extremely common and is caused by the diet industry’s desire to make money. They don’t give a shit about our health; they want to sell books, programs, and products.
The reason this model sells is because it produces results. Anyone can and will lose weight when given a low calorie diet, which most diets are in some capacity.
Quick results sell. Long and challenging doesn’t.
But you shouldn’t care about quick results. You should focus on making a permanent change to how you eat, move, and live.
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The Endomorph Training Plan
Now that you know how important diet is for you, it’s time to discuss the second piece of the puzzle; training.
As an endo, your body does not want to be lean and muscular. It wants to stay comfortable and be round and soft. Getting it to do what you want will require dedication, consistency, and a shit ton of hard work.
But if you do it, you can virtually “reset” your body type to be geared more towards a different one.
Rule #1 for any endomorph is to move more. Inactivity is your nemesis and living a sedentary life is the devil. Strength training is your savior and without it, you may live the rest of your life looking like one of the Teletubbies.
Your goal should be to reduce body fat, not weight. And the absolute best way to shed fat is to build lean muscle. This is done through progressive strength training.
Our 90-Day Transformation Program, The Fit Dad Blueprint, includes 4 separate strength training programs so you can get started immediately if you’re a newbie to fitness or if you’ve been training for years.
Strength Training
This is going to be the main staple for your exercise program. Everything starts here.
Since your primary goal is to build lean muscle tissue in order to drop body fat, increase your metabolism, and improve your overall health, you MUST strength train. This means pushing your muscles way out of their comfort zones and overloading them to force growth. This is done with resistance training.
It’s important to understand that all exercises are not created equal and using compound movements versus isolation ones can have a significant impact on your results and gains.
For the endomorph, the best use of your time and energy is using heavy, multi-joint compound exercise as the base for your strength workouts. Exercises like:
- Squats (front and back)
- Deadlifts
- Step ups
- Lunges
- Chest presses
- Overhead presses
- Pull ups and chin ups
- Rows
- Dips
Sample Workout
Here is an example of a proper strength training workout for an beginner to intermediate endomorph man:
- 3-4 days per week
- 2 upper body and 2 lower body workouts
- Reps are in the 8-12 range, meaning you cannot do 13. If you can, add weight
- Sets are 8-12 per body part
- Rest periods are 60 seconds
Upper body workout:
- Dumbbell chest press: 3 X 10
- Dips: 3 X 8-10
- (Incline) Pushups: 3 X 12-15
- Assisted pullups: 4 X 8
- One arm dumbbell row: 4 X 8-10
- Barbell overhead shoulder press: 3 X 10-12
- Dumbbell shrugs: 3 X 10
- Kettlebell farmers carry: 2 X distance
Lower body workout
- Kettlebell front squats: 4 X 8-10
- Leg press: 3 X 10-12
- Dumbbell step ups: 3 X 10-12
- Dumbbell stiff leg deadlift: 3 X 10-12
- Weighted glute/hamstring bridge: 3 X 10-12
As you can see, these are all compound exercises, using multiple joints and muscles at once. Also note that I didn’t include specific ab work because many of these exercises force the core to stabilize and work to maintain posture and stability.
This is also not a plan designed for anyone specific. I believe in individualization of all exercise programs and recommend you find a good coach to help set one up for your specific goals, abilities, and limitations.
HIIT
I love high intensity interval training. Call it circuit training, interval training, or metabolic conditioning, it’s all pretty much lumped together. The goal being to use short, very intense bursts of energy followed by short rest periods. The goal is to use this type of training to elicit a higher calorie burn, increase heart capacity, improve muscular endurance and strength, and reap the rewards of EPOC.
But this is hardcore shit and if you are deconditioned, this type of training is going to be extremely taxing. They key is to push yourself to your limits, not those of someone else. Your perceived rate of exertion will differ greatly from mine for example and you should always train for your goals.
Sample HIIT Workout
I’m a big fan of timed circuit training and use it often with my clients and for myself. Below is a sample workout that would be ideal for an endomorph who is at the beginner to intermediate stages of fitness proficiency.
- 25 minutes or less total. 15 minutes is plenty for a newbie.
- The goal is to get your heart rate up to 85% of your max for short periods. You max HR can be found by the following equation: 220-your age=max heart rate.
- 2-3 timed rounds
- 20 to 30 seconds of work followed by 30-40 seconds of rest
- 60-90 second rest periods between rounds
Sample workout:
- Pushups
- Air squats (or jump squats)
- Burpees
- Medicine ball toss
- Dumbbell curl to shoulder press
- Alternating lunge with rotations
- Plank jacks
The key is intensity here. Push yourself as hard as you are capable of but make sure to read your body. This type of training can place a lot of stress on your central nervous system and can even make you feel nauseous or sick.
Remember to push yourself to your limits and your limits only. Don’t worry about how fast or how many reps someone else is doing or what you think you should be doing.
Cardio
Normally I am not a fan of steady state cardio like running, jogging, cycling and prefer high intensity work. However, since your goal is to move as much as possible, I do recommend doing traditional cardio several times per week. Walking, in particular, is a fantastic activity for the endomorph.
Just keep in mind that just because you get to walk on a treadmill for an hour, doesn’t mean you get to take it easy. Push yourself on that thing too! Use inclines, speed variations, and hell..even walking backwards works!
That’s all I have to say about that…
Now let’s talk about the golden rules of fitness for an endomorph.
10 Things You MUST Do:
- Move more, sit less. That means a walk instead of watching Game of Thrones,
- Strength train 2-4 times per week depending on your fitness level. You NEED to build muscle in order to lose body
- Use interval/HIIT type training to supplement your strength training. The benefits are numerous and include a faster metabolism and a longer window of burning more calories.
- Track your calories (at least for a while).
- Give yourself a cheat meal every 3-4 days. This will help you from feeling trapped in a diet and give you a mental
- Reduce stress. Cortisol can fuck with your hormones and slow
- Drink a shitload of water every day. Half your weight in ounces is a good place to start.
- Be consistent and track your progress. Know your body fat and retake your measurements every 6-8 weeks to ensure it’s moving in the right direction…down.
- Eat high quality foods 80-90% of the time.
- Get support. Use a friend, gym buddy, or trainer to help with motivation and to keep you on point.
Follow these 10 things and you will make progress, this I know. You don’t have to do all of them right now, but you do need to do some of them.
Now get to work!
You Can Do This!
Over the last 23 years as a fitness coach, I have seen many endomorphs struggle to lose weight/fat and have helped many of them change their lifestyles and physiques.
Focusing on just diet or just exercise is always a bad idea, but even more so for the endomorph. He must use both for things together for change to happen. If you follow this guide, you will see results but be patient because it may take time. You didn’t get soft and doughy overnight so you can’t reasonably expect to reverse it overnight.
Remember, it’s not about losing a bunch of weight, it’s about adopting a healthy lifestyle that you can sustain. This is the exact method I teach in our 90-Day Transformation Program, The Fit Dad Blueprint, and you’ll get a step-by-step exercise and nutrition plan to help you shed some of that body and belly fat.
There is no reason to spend the rest of your life feeling fat, cursed by the metabolism Gods, or resigned to being called “big boned”. You can make huge changes starting right now and some day you may look in the mirror and see a lean, muscular mesomorph staring back at you..
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This is me, I can definitely see that I am an endomorph. I do know that I need to control carbs and have been getting better at that. I have been getting more and more active and that does help. The problem that I see with this is that it requires a gym membership – and I can’t afford the membership or the time commitment. I will stick to getting out of bed at 5:00 AM and running five miles or so. It may not be the best for my body style – but people who publish this sort of stuff are talking to, about and for gym rats, I didn’t understand a lot of your language, and I will never feel comfortable or welcome in a gym. I don’t know what to do, and where to start. Gyms make me feel worse about myself, and people there hate rookies.
Hey Tom,
First off, you absolutely do not need a gym membership to get fit, regardless of your body type. Second, if you have the time to run 5 miles, you clearly have the time to train. Also, using a gym as an expense you cannot afford is weak. I understand the financial challenges many of us single dads face, but everyone can find an extra $30-$40 per month by cutting out a few small discretionary items.
As far as you not feeling comfortable in a gym setting, that’s certainly understandable. I have had clients who were petrified of gyms for fear of criticism. I get it. But like I said, there is no need to go to a gym and with a few inexpensive pieces of equipment, you can train at home and get great results. If you’d like help with this, let me know.
You don’t even need equipment! Go to a local park, do push ups, pushups off the benches, crunches and v ups on the grass, pull ups on the monkey bars, tricep dips on the benches again, sprint in between sets, jump squats, hold a bag of sand and squat, etc.
@Tom
I understand your hesitancy about the gym but if you are serious about getting in shape it’s a necessity. People will disagree with me but here is the thing…if you are already unmotivated looking for ways to workout outside or in your house is going to make it worse. There are too many distractions. Make a plan and get to the gym. Feeling self-conscious? Go when it’s slow….first thing in the morning (everyone there are so bleary-eyed they won’t even see you) or go before they close at night. Just getting in the door will be the greatest accomplishment. Don’t worry about anyone looking at you…99% of people are so focused on their workout they don’t notice other people. Good luck!!
@Tom
This is not a product endorsement. I used to belong to a county recreation center with a gym, pool, etc. The open hours were not convenient. Someone suggested Planet Fitness, and I found their cheap membership is $10/mth and the VIP is $20/mth. Many/most(?) are open 24/7 so you can go anytime. Free weights are limited so that the big intimidating folks won’t come. Im 58, 280, and now can do chin-ups with their off-set machine. Every day schlubbs, like me, go there!
Kat’s idea is great, or you might look into a TRX or other home equipment. Good luck!
Nothing wrong with going to Planet Fitness. I’m not a fan of their philosophy, but it works for a lot of people, especially those new to fitness..As far as the TRX, I use a WOSS suspension trainer and it works great. It’s also a lot cheaper than a TRX!
@Tom
Trust me, for decades I had fear of the gym. Fear that all eyes were on me back when I was a short, skinny twink and 25 years later as a short, dumpy 45 year old. After I had a mild MI in my mid 40s I no longer cared if people were staring at me at the gym…my two eyes were on me…my goal, my fitness, my health. The irony of it is that during my first week of working out some big bodybuilder guy came up behind me after I used a machine, patted me on the back and said “great job.”
My suggestion is forego the trepidation and just do it. You’re there for you, not anyone else. I just turned 50 and cannot imagine not going to the gym. Now my eyes are on others as I watch their progress over time, see what they’re doing right (and wrong) and offering support whenever I can. It’s more of a community than a competition.
Best to you,
Mark
Little late to the party but I found this during one of my training articles. @tom is right. You absolutely need a gym membership. I tried doing it at home. A good show comes on and done. I was on the couch bowl of chips and all progress lost. I joined a 24/7 gym in Knoxville and never looked back. I told myself I had to go no matter wHat. (Also a father) I was 32 and weighed 415+lbs.( my highest weight when I could actually weigh) I was 6’5 54% body fat and could barely pull my own weight off the couch. Now I weigh between 250-260 depending on. The scale. <20% bf and strong as an ox. I deadlift 505 for reps, bench 300, and if I could use my left arm fully could squat around 500 ( was more before I hurt my shoulder) I do cardio 5 days a week for 25 minutes and I lift for 60 min. I was that scared fat guy at the gym. Now I'm close to the scary guy at the gym. If I can get it done, so can you.
That’s a hell of a story, Adam. I’m sure your life has changed dramatically and probably has been extended considerably as well.
Right I have major health problem broken spine and damaged with been fixed up with replacement bits lower mid and neck part time wheelchair user and mostly crutches for getting about also left with lots of internal muscle wastage in constant movement pain,
Damage hormone system no longer make testosterone went untreated for many years left with muscle wasting.
But I want to get my body back I was. Lean fit and toned before accident I am fed up of fat dad look so come stop having a go and help me get in shape get muscles
Well good luck Keith. You appear to have a few issues that are far more important than worrying about pre-workouts. I hope you are able to begin the journey back to health, man..
I’m a little frustrated… because when it comes to the meal plan… NO ONE is making it simple; it’s like a novel on almost every single site, and I sincerely appreciate the time [you] have taken to write your article.
I just don’t get why it wouldn’t be more efficient to just say EXAMPLE: Meal 1 (ABCD), Meal 2 (XYZ), Meal 3 (ABCD), Meal 4 ABCD)… it’s the most frustrating thing. It’s as if writing down a sample meal plan is top secret and I notice most sites are very clear about a sample exercise plan, but the meal plans [none]. (sigh)
Can anyone share their meal plan, please
There are a TON of resources, plenty of them free, that will give you a step by step meal plan. People do love to complicate things for a number of reasons but it really is simple. And if I were to share my meal plan here, it wouldn’t help you because we have different goals, different caloric needs, and different lifestyles. I eat a Primal diet so if I gave you my plan which includes 5 servings of veggies every day and you hate veggies, it’s not going to last too long, right? Find an approach that works for you and stuck with it.
At one time I was frustrated by trying to come up with meal plans. I finally found a great resource with tools to adjust for budget, desired calorie intake, macro breakdown and more. Give it a look https://www.eatthismuch.com/
Can females follow this plan as well or is this only targeted at males?
Hi, first of all: great blog post, so much information!
I wonder how endomorphs can manage a vegan diet. I went vegan one year ago and have to say that I felt great until noticed that I actually gained fat. I am 1.75m with a current weight of 77kg. I focused my diet on fresh foods and nothing like meat replacement and I am doing CrossFit. So I was really shocked to see that I am actually gaining weight even though I feel better than before. I find it really confusing what to eat as a vegan in terms of too much fruits, not enough fruits, too much carbs, not enough carbs etc. since there are so many opinions out there. I wonder if you have any experiences with that.
Regards
Hi Suzan,
One thing about being a began is that it can be very hard to eat enough protein to keep/add lean muscle. This is the #1 most important thing you need to focus on and as a woman, it’s vital. There is no need to eat a ton of protein but rather aiming for 0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight is probably enough. If you aren’t getting enough, and I suspect you aren’t, then you will have a VERY hard time adding lean muscle. Start tracking your calories to see where they’re coming from. And start eating plenty of eggs, beans, quinoa, lentils, soy, and tofu.
I was always slim even after child birth 8 years ago, a car and second job in the Chinese takeaway for extra income has made me balloon to 4 stone heavier than I should be. My issue is I have big appetite even as a size 8 and 9 stone I ate what I wanted no problem, so now its hard to diet. Also I cant run but I enjoy walking. I have joined gym discounted by my employer and can go Monday to Friday at lunch for 40 mins. My issue is my pelvic floor and core is now somehow very weakened does anyone have any tips or advice how to strengthen this area? This is more important to me than even weight. Any advice is welcomed 🙂
Hi, so I know it states Fit Dad.. but does this also go for women too?
FACT: YOU DONT NEED TO WORKOUT FLOGGING YOURSELF TO DEATH IN A GYM TO LOSE WEIGHT
I’m a endomorph and I lost over 20kg with diet control! Not by dieting. I stopped eating processed crap and ate real foods and limited carbs/sugar intake. Do this and within 3months you’ll be a different person. Weight loss is 80% Diet to 20% Working out, so spend the first few months just focusing on healthy eating. Do things like replace rice with grated cauliflower and zucchini spirals instead of pasta with your bolgnese dinner. Also don’t be too afraid of fats (natural ones) ie avocado, grass fed butter/cheese, almonds, salmon. Sugar and carbs are what you want to avoid.
Download the MyFitnessPal app
I am fat dad of 3 kids and 2 foster kids. It has been a life long process of denial, lack of self control, excuse making interspersed with periodic trips to the gym. Now in my mid 40’s and weighing 230 kgs (nearly 500 lbs) I got to get control. I know have knee problems and struggle some days to even walk to breakfast. I’m tired, beat up, and losing my will to fight. What is one thing I can do to get going in the right direction?
@Lost I’m no expert, but I’ve started to lose weight on my own. Here’s how:
1: Do a detox. I got some detox greens and put them in a smoothie. AMAZING how much it killed the cravings! Sugar cravings were so real for me. If not detox greens, start with apple cider. About 2 TBSP diluted in water daily. It also helps kill cravings.
2: Be brutally mindful and honest. Only eat when you’re hungry. Do NOT eat a sweet because “you deserve it”, or you know it tastes good. Wait 20 minutes, or better yet, half a day..if you’re still thinking about a cookie, maybe allow yourself. But ONLY after waiting. (For me if I tell myself I can never have something, it makes it hard.)
3: Remember that you can have your cravings at some point, but it has to be reigned in right now. You’ve allowed yourself to give in too many times before. Now is the time to issue self control.
4: Start with one green smoothie/protein smoothie a day. Then increase to 2. They really aren’t bad. Ice, protein powder, almond milk, flax seed. (Flax seed is a healthy fat that will help you feel fuller.) Add 1-2 handfuls of kale or spinach. If its too green for you, add honey. It really is satisfying and you will find yourself amazed at how much you want more of it.
5: MOVE every single day. Start easy, walking. Time yourself for 1/4, 1/2 or 1 mile, whatever you can do. The next day, shave off 10 seconds. By the end of the week, shave off 30 seconds. It becomes a game.
Find out what rewards work in your mind. For me, seeing the seconds shave off my time was REALLY fun. I got a Garmin watch and LOVED tracking it. It syncs with my phone and I LOVED seeing the graphs afterwards and comparing my days. Even maps out your route, down to elevation, calories, etc. I had no idea how much I’d love that geeky aspect of it.
Also realized I enjoyed “allowing” myself certain things. Although I GREATLY limited myself on sweets, I got great satisfaction from NOT doing it even though I was “allowed” to.
I got a new pair of tennis shoes. And some new workout clothes. Very motivating.
You’ll find your stuff. Don’t be discouraged. Take note of the good things. You must notice the non scale victories. I started feeling really great about using self control, and my insides feeling cleaner from the good choices. Loved trying new healthy foods.
You can do this!
Can endos have ripped six packs? I think I’m mostly endo with like 30% meso. I don’t look fat I look very stocky.
Hey Kyle,
Yes, it’s possible for most anyone (medical condition aside) to have a 6 pack but it’s typically much more challenging for a natural endo to get there. You’ll have to pay super close attention to calories and quality of foods and should be training with weights 2-4 days per week along with cardio. It will help to know your bodyfat % and most gyms have qualified trainer who will do it for free. Most people start showing abs when they get below 10% BF. To see a real 6 pack, usually you’re going to need to be under 7-8%. It all comes down to getting rid of enough fat to see them but the issue then becomes, do you really want to do what it takes every day to maintain them?
This article is insensitive as fuck. TELETUBBIES? Dude you need to calm the fuck down.
LoL It was funny for me hehehehe
Then this article is not for you.
I’m am endo and I laughed, I think he’s just trying to be honest but gently and with some gentle humor
Hi
What if your Target Daily Caloric Intake is 1650 calories for fatloss, and you workout 1000cals a day.
Fat Loss macro
Carbs: 163 G per day.
Protein: 163 G per day.
Fats: 36 G per day.
Will you burn muscle cause of the high cal burn? Or are you safe because you meet the macro rules?
Hi, for all the guys who so kindly, honestly, and radly shared their personal gym experiences – how did you learn to use the machines and free weights? Did you learn in weight room in high school? Did you just ask the salesperson (or watch YouTube videos) to learn the machines one at a time? Or did you go with a couple of personal or group training sessions to start? It is somewhat intimidating walking into a gym and asking the guy next to you how to use a cardio machine (I’ve sucked it up and done it, at least a couple times). But I think there are more safety concerns and education needed for weight machines and free weights than a treadmill or elliptical.
You might be best served if you hired a trainer, at least for a few sessions, to familiarize you with the equipment. I know a lot of people who don’t go into gyms because they are intimidated and it’s a shame.
Do you men think you can answer the females questions so we know if we can use this as well or is it just simply made for men?
Great article now on my journey of understanding what I am. I especially like the profanity ?
I can appreciate someone who appreciates a good F bomb!
To the females, I have read a lot of articles. They are out there and basically the same. Watch your macros. Need weight training along with some cardio. Cardio alone won’t do it. Cut back carbs. Eat protein and greens with healthy fats. The things I read here for the “men” are basically the same I read for women on other sites. My fitness pal is a great tool for logging information. You can use the free version if you don’t want to pay for the upgrade. I just started this so hopefully all my research will pay off!
Thank you for telling us that my post is the same as everything else. I appreciate your support.
I’m weary of reading this article just because of your tone.
And what tone is that?
What is the recommended calorie goal for a female in her 40s 5’2”. who lifts weights 5 days a week? I am def an endo, I have a hard time losing weight, calorie goal is always something I’m not sure of. I’ve read anywhere from very low cal like 1300 to 1800.. I just don’t know what to shoot for.
It’s not an exact science, Kim. I can calculate your approximate calories, I just need your weight and how active you are at your job.
Ok so I am an endomorph. However I am also a reactive hypoglycemic which is causing no small amount of problems in my workouts. Any advice? Medical professionals are about useless in this area and personal trainers fail to understand that reactive hypoglycemia is not hypoglycemia per se.
Hi, so I think that I am an endomorph Im 26 I weigh 148 and my problem is that its hard for me to gain muscle. Ive been consistent in the gym lifting heavy for about 5 months without tracking my macros. Recently I started a “cut” with carb cycling to see a difference its been a week and a half and I haven’t seen any weight loss I was just wondering if you have any tips or recommendation to building muscle but also losing fat?
It’s so great for me 🙂 I’m just after changing my diet based on Simple Weight Loss System and it’s not like every wonderful diet – suddenly you have to eat just 1500 calories – but you starting by slowly limiting amount of food and bringing healthier products to your menu. Now I’m ready for more maybe even some lazy exrecises 🙂
This almost sounds like a legit comment but I can’t tell because it makes no sense…
Good Information. Thankyou. Looking forward to sorting my life out lol !
Thank you for this. By far the best and most realistic explanation I have ever read. Time to get fuckin started!
Get it, Ronak!
I am an Endo and have known it for a long time, I am not fluffy since most of my life I worked as an Iron Worker in South Florida carrying 6 to 8 tons of rebar a day 5 to 6 days a week in the heat and humidity and also weight trained, but now I am 50 (soon to be 51) and the owner of a company and my mid section is starting to swell and my energy level is severely dropping off , was just checking to see what more we have learned in the last years and how to target better. Thank you for the article it has given me some idea’s on how to better focus training and what my body should require of me, much appreciated.
Glad it helped, brother.
This whole article was the number one most information, and knowledge packed one I’ve read yet. Thanks for all the great info you shared. My number one favorite line in this is you can’t out train a shitty diet! Very brutal, and honest statement. Love it!
Thanks Scott, glad it helped!
This is a great article and tools to use. Going to start today.
The Endomorph is so misunderstood. The three types are different survival strategies. Work with the strategy and we thrive. Work against them and we become ill. The Ectomorph is the master at running. The Mesomorph is the master at the gym. The Endomorph is the master at Stillness. It’s not moving more, it’s standing more. In Tai Chi Chuan, and Endomorphic martial art, one of the first things a good school will teach you is the standing 3 circle stance and as a way to master song (pronounced ike suung, with a hard n). Song is about being balanced, being supported by the bone structure and the smaller supportive muscles. To get a taste of song lean forward a bit. Feel what muscles are tight and what muscles are loose. Lean backward a bit. Notice that they switched, the loose are tight and the tight are loose. Sway slowly back and forth. There will be a sweet spot where all loosen up. That is song.
Can this program be followed if you are female? If not do you have a training program suitable for women and one that can be done at home? We still can’t go to the gym!
Thanks
im a 59 year old I weigh250 if I do 3day weight training and a prison work out 3days would this be doable for a beginner like my self
That’s a big question, Bryan. It all depends on what the workouts consist of, what issues/injuries/limitations you may have, and the overall volume. As a beginner, 2-3 days of full body strength training and 1-2 days of moderate circuit training are plenty.
Okay so I am a 34 yo woman, I know I am an endomorph and in all honesty I eat great, beauty whole foods, exercise 5 days a week at home, strength and cardio, atleast 30min at a time also with a saunasuit on. Still no results. I’ve gained 10lbs!!! What in the effers is going on? This is depressing already, but I keep going..I would love to go for more walks outside as I live them but our neighborhood isn’t the safest and now it’s -30 out …hmm… if I had the money, which I don’t, I would hire a personal trainer and dietician .. I’m also in online school so like everyday and babe a4 year old so not much time out. I’m 40lbs overweight and frigin tired of it
Good Blog Post
Too bad he can convey this information without all the vulgarity.