Body Type Diet: How to Eat for Your Ectomorph, Mesomorph or Endomorph Build

Diets based on body type are based on the three main somatotypes (body types): ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. While most people are a mix of these types (body type hybrids), understanding your dominant traits can help guide your nutrition, training, and supplement choices to achieve the body you desire.

1. Ectomorphs are naturally slender, with fast metabolisms and often struggle to gain muscle or weight. They require higher-calorie, nutrient-dense meals with a macronutrient breakdown of approximately 45% carbohydrates, 35% protein, and 20% fat. Eating 5-6 smaller meals daily supports energy and prevents muscle breakdown. The best foods include lean meats, rice, oats, nuts, and avocados. Supplements like whey protein isolate, muscle gainers, and creatine monohydrate can help boost strength, size, and recovery.

2. Mesomorphs have naturally athletic builds, gain muscle easily, and respond well to training. They thrive on a balanced diet: roughly 40-50% carbohydrates, 30-35% protein, and the rest from healthy fats. Carbohydrates should be adjusted depending on training intensity - more on workout days and less on rest days. Whole foods, such as chicken, fish, lentils, sweet potatoes, and avocados, are best. Supplements like whey protein, creatine, and pre-workout support optimal performance. 

3. Endomorphs tend to store fat more easily due to their slower metabolism, but they build strong muscle quickly. Their diet should focus on lower carbohydrates and higher protein and fat, with approximately 30% carbohydrates, 35% protein, and 35% fat. Carbs should mainly come from whole-food sources, such as beans, quinoa, and leafy greens, and be timed around workouts. Supplements like meal replacement shakes, micellar casein, and creatine help maintain muscle mass and promote quick recovery, while also managing body fat.

Training tips:

• Ectomorphs: heavy lifts, minimal cardio, lots of recovery.

• Mesomorphs: mix strength, hypertrophy, and cardio.

• Endomorphs: resistance training plus higher-volume cardio (HIIT).

Bottom line: Your body type diet is a starting point, not a rulebook. Focus on achieving a calorie balance, maintaining a high protein intake, consuming quality nutrition, and maintaining consistency in your workouts. Here, supplements can bridge the gaps and accelerate progress.

Estimated reading time: 7-8 minutes

The Ectomorph Diet

Typical Traits

Ectomorphs are often referred to as people who are “skinny.” They usually have long limbs, smaller joints, and difficulty adding size. Their high metabolic rate means calories burn quickly, leaving them with limited energy reserves for training and recovery, unless replenished the right way.

Nutritional Focus

Ectomorphs should prioritise high-calorie, nutrient-dense meals. Since ectomorphs lack muscle mass, they need to boost their protein intake.

A good macronutrient breakdown is approximately 45% carbohydrates, 35% protein, and 20% fat. Carbohydrates are vital for fuelling their rapid metabolism, while protein supports lean muscle growth. Eating five to six smaller meals daily helps sustain energy and prevent muscle breakdown, also known as catabolism.

Sample food approach: 2

• Breakfast: oats with banana, peanut butter, and whey protein, eggs

• Lunch: rice, chicken, vegetables, olive oil, lean steak, beef

• Snack: smoothie with milk, fruit, mass gainer, and seeds (almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds)

• Dinner: salmon, quinoa, broccoli, avocado, whole wheat bread

• Evening: cottage cheese or micellar casein protein powder for overnight recovery

Mesomorphs are the traditionally “fit” body type, with naturally athletic physiques. They often have broad shoulders, defined muscles, and lower body fat. They respond quickly to both resistance training and cardiovascular activities, but may gain fat if their diet is not well-monitored.

Mesomorphs thrive on balanced nutrition (basically 5-6 small meals a day for consistent energy), managing calories in a way that helps them build muscle and maintain fat percentage. Mesomorphs are most adaptable to varied training. A macronutrient ratio of 40-50% 3 carbohydrates, 30-35% protein, and the remaining calories from healthy fats generally works well. They can manipulate carbs depending on training intensity, that is, increase intake on training days, and practice moderation on rest days.

Sample food approach:

• Breakfast: scrambled eggs, spinach, sourdough bread, half avocado

• Lunch: grilled chicken, sweet potato, salad

• Snack: Greek yoghurt with fruit and nuts

• Dinner: lean beef, brown rice, vegetables, boiled sweet potato

• Evening: shake with VPA’s Whey Protein range

• Proteins: chicken, turkey, fish, eggs
• Carbs: quinoa, lentils, beans, leafy vegetables

• Fats: olive oil, seeds, nuts

• VPA Lean Shake Plus: Meal Replacement Powder for controlled calories
• Micellar casein protein powder for overnight recovery
• Creatine monohydrate to support lean mass while dieting