Meal plan mesomorph: What Is the Mesomorph Diet? Food List, Sample Menu, Benefits, More
What Is the Mesomorph Diet? Food List, Sample Menu, Benefits, More
By Jessica MigalaMedically Reviewed by Roxana Ehsani, RD, LDN
Reviewed:
Medically Reviewed
Mesomorphs tend to do best on a well-balanced diet of 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat from calories.iStock (2)
If you could pass for Serena Williams or a professional football player, you may be a mesomorph. A mesomorph is one of the three main body types, according to proponents of the body type diet. (Ectomorph and endomorph are the other two.) Some experts say that by pinpointing your body type and understanding its unique strengths and challenges, you can design a diet and exercise plan that gets you faster to your goals for your health and physique.
What Is a Mesomorph?
A person who is a mesomorph is said to have more of an athletic body. “Their body structure is more rectangular or boxy.
They’re also thin, but not wiry, and if they work out, they find they build muscle easily,” says Phil Catudal, a personal trainer in Atlanta. You know you might be a mesomorph, he says, if your waist and hips are the same width.
The Other Body Types
Along with a mesomorph, the other two body types (also referred to as somatotypes) include ectomorph (someone who typically is long, lean, and lanky) and endomorph (a larger-boned person who is curvier or has more fat on their body). (1)
How the Body Type Diet Works, and How to Know if You’re a Mesomorph
According to the tenets of the body type diet, people with mesomorph bodies may find that they build muscle relatively easily, and they should follow a diet divided fairly evenly between the macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat). Mesomorphs also tend to have good insulin sensitivity, says Catudal, so, as the body-type thinking goes, they can eat a moderate amount of carbohydrates without wreaking havoc on their blood sugar levels.
There’s no rigorous research on the macronutrient recommendations or their effectiveness for mesomorphs or any of the other body types. But if you’re interested in this eating approach, Catudal recommends getting 40 percent of your calories from carbs, 30 percent from protein, and 30 percent from fat, and to eat at least 1,500 calories daily overall. The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA), meanwhile, jointly recommend between 1,800 and 3,200 calories per day (based on age, gender, and activity level), with protein making up 10 to 35 percent, carbohydrates 45 to 65 percent, and fat 20 to 35 percent of those daily calories. Catudal argues the mesomorph will fuel your performance in the gym, and that you will have ample carbs to fill up your body’s glycogen stores for energy and protein for muscle repair postworkout.
Mesomorph Hybrid Types
Of course, many people’s bodies do not land in these confines. People can also have a hybrid body type because of their daily habits, diet, and exercise.
One common hybrid type for a mesomorph is a meso-endomorph, says Catudal, which is a thicker person with a boxy midsection. They’re strong but you can’t see a lot of visible muscle. Catudal recommends that meso-endomorphs focus on strength and cardio workouts and cinch in their diet to promote fat loss.
There is also an ecto-mesomorph, and that’s someone who is naturally skinny but through an emphasis on strength training has become visibly muscular. (They also build muscle by adjusting their macros to eat fewer carbs and more protein.) For mesomorphs who may carry extra weight (a possibility for all body types), Catudal recommends reducing carbohydrate intake to 30 percent of your calories and then eating 35 percent each of protein and fat.
Which Popular Diets May Work Best for Mesomorphs
You’re going to want a diet that’s balanced, well-rounded, and doesn’t cut out food groups unnecessarily. Rather than a fad diet approach, you might want to adopt the popular eating pattern of smaller, more frequent meals.
With larger muscle mass, your body burns through calories quickly, and you can stoke that fire — and keep your energy up — with balanced meals every few hours, recommends Catudal.
Food List for a Mesomorph
The body type diet states that a mesomorph will do best with a well-balanced meal plan (40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat), focusing on whole grains and starchy carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein-rich foods. Catudal says this will provide the needed energy for workouts as well as nutrients for muscle repair. They can also usually eat more calories compared with the other body types, as their higher percentage of muscle means a speedier metabolism. Here are the recommended foods on a mesomorph diet:
Meat and Fish
- Fish (salmon, tuna)
- Chicken
- Lean steak
- Turkey
- Eggs
- Protein shake
Dairy
- Yogurt
- Cottage cheese
Fruits and Vegetables
- Berries
- Apples
- Pears
- Oranges
- Avocado
- Cauliflower
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Brussels sprouts
Nuts and Seeds
- Nut or seed butter
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Pistachios
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
Grains and Starchy Vegetables
- Sweet potato
- Lentils
- Beans
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
A 7-Day Sample Menu for the Mesomorph Body Type
Day 1
Breakfast Greek yogurt parfait made with pumpkin, cinnamon, pecans, and raisins
Snack Two hard-boiled eggs and strawberries
Lunch Large salad with chopped veggies, sweet potato chunks, avocado, and vinaigrette.
Snack Hummus and bell pepper sticks
Dinner Chicken and vegetable stir-fry over brown rice with crushed peanuts
Day 2
Breakfast Smoothie made with soy milk, peanut butter, banana, and spinach
Snack Cheese stick with an orange
Lunch Three-bean chili, side salad drizzled with vinaigrette, and a small whole-grain roll
Snack Veggies with a yogurt-based dip
Dinner Spaghetti squash noodles with tomato and ground turkey sauce
Day 3
Breakfast Whole-grain toast with almond butter, hard-boiled egg
Snack Trail mix
Lunch Pizza made on a whole-grain tortilla, topped with veggies and chicken sausage
Snack Protein bar
Dinner Baked salmon, roasted broccoli, sweet potato with a tab of butter
Day 4
Breakfast Cottage cheese with pineapple and crushed macadamia nuts
Snack Roasted chickpeas and an orange
Lunch Turkey chili spooned into a sweet potato
Snack Packet of flavored tuna and celery sticks
Dinner Fajita lettuce wraps made with sliced steak, bell peppers, and onions, topped with avocado slices
More on Healthy Eating
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Day 5
Breakfast Greek yogurt with blueberries, toasted quinoa, and sunflower seeds
Snack Veggies and hummus
Lunch Whole grain wrap with chicken, sliced veggies (bell peppers, carrots) on the side
Snack Turkey rolled around sliced bell peppers and mustard
Dinner Tuna niçoise salad
Day 6
Breakfast Avocado toast with peaches and a hard-boiled egg
Snack Chocolate protein shake
Lunch Chicken salad (made with a base of Greek yogurt) over greens
Snack Roasted lentils and an orange
Dinner Roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, and sautéed kale
Day 7
Breakfast Slice of veggie frittata and a banana
Snack Celery with peanut butter
Lunch Grilled salmon salad
Snack Protein bar
Dinner Quinoa bowl with chopped chicken, veggies, and a dollop of guacamole
Advantages of the Mesomorph Diet
Lucky for mesomorphs, “this body type is the most malleable through diet and exercise,” says Catudal.
Meaning: While you can’t change your bone structure or frame, it may be easier for you to lose fat and build muscle. Another benefit is that someone who is more muscular and athletic may be able to generally tolerate more carbs, says Melina Jampolis, MD, an internist and board-certified physician nutrition specialist in Valley Village, California. And you will probably enjoy the satisfaction of being able to split your calories pretty evenly between carbohydrates, fat, and protein, rather than putting limitations on your diet and feeling deprived.
Again, though, understand there’s no scientific proof that one body type tolerates carbs better than another; this is simply what Dr. Jampolis has seen in her practice.
Disadvantages of the Mesomorph Diet
There are few disadvantages to eating a balanced diet that includes a pretty even split between carbohydrates, fat, and protein, especially when you’re physically active and have sport-related goals. That said, experts aren’t all onboard with this idea.
Jampolis generally doesn’t support eating for your somatotype and instead focuses on where patients are storing body fat. Storing fat around your middle is a risk factor for developing metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that makes it more likely you’ll develop type 2 diabetes and heart disease. (2) Getting your waist circumference to where it needs to be (under 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men, notes the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) should be your primary goal, and you can achieve that with other more studied diets, like the Mediterranean diet. (3,4)
Mesomorph Workout: Which Exercises Are Best for This Body Type?
Your ideal workout will depend most on your goals. “Weights will help you build muscle quicker, but cardio will help you drop weight quicker. Athletically, mesomorphs have it the best because they’re more responsive to exercise,” says Catudal. The one catch is that you’re at risk of hitting a plateau. “Mesomorphs maintain their bodies fairly easily, so there can be a tendency to not push yourself as hard,” he says.
Switching up your workouts and giving your body something new can help prevent that stall.
A study from 2018 rated somatotypes of 36 active men and had them do weight-bearing exercises. (6) The authors concluded that about one-third of strength performance was driven by somatotypes. That means you don’t have to be limited by your body type. What’s more, not all experts agree about the merits of training for your body type. Nanci Guest, PhD, RD, a nutritional scientist and personal trainer in Toronto, points out there isn’t research that supports this idea of training for your genetics.
Resources for Following a Mesomorph Diet
- Just Your Type: The Ultimate Guide to Eating and Training Right for Your Body Type, by Phil Catudal with Stacey Colino.
- The Truth About ‘Body Type Dieting’ for Ectomorphs, Endomorphs, and Mesomorphs, by Helen Kollias, PhD, and Ryan Andrews, RD, Precision Nutrition.
- “How to Eat for Your Body Type,” Open Sky Fitness podcast.
- “How to Lose Weight Based on Your Body Type,” Jacked on the Beanstalk podcast.
A Final Word on Following a Mesomorph Diet
With greater muscle mass, mesomorphs enjoy a speedy metabolism and ability to process carbohydrates well, especially if they’re also performing cardio or doing weights in the gym. For that reason, experts say mesomorphs thrive on a balanced diet.
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Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- Somatotypes. Harvard Catalyst.
- Mentoor I, Kruger M, Nell T. Metabolic Syndrome and Body Shape Predict Differences in Health Parameters in Farm Working Women. BMC Public Health. April 4, 2018.
- Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
- Agnoli C, Sieri S, Ricceri F, et al. Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and Long-Term Changes in Weight and Waist Circumference in the EPIC-Italy Cohort. Nutrition & Diabetes. April 25, 2018.
- Fast-Twitch vs. Slow-Twitch Muscle Fiber Types and Training Tips. National Academy of Sports Medicine. July 2018.
- Ryan-Stewart H, Faulkner J, Jobson S. The Influence of Somatotype on Anaerobic Performance. PLoS One. May 22, 2018.
Nutrition & Diabetes. April 25, 2018.Additional Sources
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 [PDF]. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. December 2020.
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Ultimate Mesomorph Diet, Menu, & Workout Guide
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Ultimate Mesomorph Diet, Menu, & Workout Guide
Mesomorph Diet & Workout Guide
You’ve probably noticed that people come in all different shapes and sizes.
But, generally speaking, we can categorize people into a few different body types.
One of these body types is the mesomorph. These people tend to be stronger and more muscular than average.
However, being a mesomorph isn’t a free ticket to a spectacular beach body. Good genetics are only part of the equation, so mesomorphs must eat and train right to achieve their full potential.
That’s why I put together this ultimate mesomorph diet and workout guide. So you can dial in your nutrition and exercise to reach your fitness goals.
Body Types 101
Body types or somatotypes are a method for defining human bodies based on shape and composition. In other words, how naturally lean, fat, or muscular an individual is.
In the health and fitness community, we use ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph to describe the three major body types.
What Is a Mesomorph?
The mesomorph body type refers to naturally muscular people with more angular features.
Generally, you have a powerfully muscular build and medium bone structure.
Picture the athletes at a track and field meet as a frame of reference. In this analogy, the 100 and 200-meter sprinters tend to have the most mesomorphic body shape and composition.
Mesomorphs have a metabolic rate somewhere between an ectomorph and an endomorph. Being in that middle ground enables you to gain muscle and lose fat with less difficulty.
However, it’s rare to be a pure mesomorph. Instead, you likely share some traits with either ectomorphs or mesomorphs.
Ecto-Mesomorph
An ecto-meso body type is a mix of ectomorph and mesomorph. Therefore, these individuals tend to be naturally lean but can also gain a respectable amount of muscle.
The jumpers and pole-vaulters at a track meet are typically ecto-mesos. They have long, lean, and muscular frames.
Often it can be hard to tell an ecto-meso from a true mesomorph because they overlap in body shape and composition.
However, an ecto-meso has a faster metabolism and a more challenging time gaining weight than a mesomorph.
Endo-Mesomorph
By comparison, an endo-meso is a mix of endomorph and mesomorph. So they tend to be naturally muscular and gain body fat more quickly.
Endo-mesos would be the shot-putters and discus throwers in track and field because they have more mass and muscularity.
Again there is an overlap between this body type and a mesomorph. But an endo-meso has a slightly slower metabolism than a mesomorph, making it a little easier to gain weight and muscle.
Click here to take a simple body type quiz to see if you’re a mesomorph, ecto-meso, or endo-meso.
Mesomorph Body Type Pros & Cons
Being even part mesomorph means you have pretty good genetics for athleticism. However, that doesn’t mean you’ve won the genetic lottery.
In fact, there are downsides to being a mesomorph. Like the fact that it’s easy to be complacent with your physique and not be diligent with your diet and exercise.
Pros
Medium metabolic rate means your body responds well to dietary changes
Naturally muscular and respond well to resistance training
Above-average strength and athleticism
Cons
Ecto-mesos have a harder time gaining weight
Endo-mesos have a harder time losing weight
Good genetics can cause you to slack off with diet and exercise
Mesomorph Diet Guide
Even for mesomorphs, nutrition is the most significant factor in reaching your fitness goals. As an ecto-meso, I can tell you that it’s still easy to get out of shape if I screw up my diet!
Fortunately, nutrition doesn’t have to be super complicated.
With my simple 4 part framework, you can optimize your diet to achieve your full genetic potential.
Mesomorph Diet Energy Balance
First and foremost, you must nail down your ideal calorie intake based on your fitness goals. That means creating a proper calorie surplus for muscle gain or a strategic calorie deficit for fat loss.
While the concept of calories in vs calories out seems simple, you’d be surprised how many people fail on this step! So here’s a crash course on calorie balance.
First, you need to know how many calories you burn per day. Another name for this is your total daily energy expenditure or TDEE.
TDEE consists of calories burned through your resting metabolic rate, normal daily activities, and any additional exercise. Combined, that energy expenditure equals your calories out.
Next, the key to building muscle and burning fat is eating slightly more or slightly less than your TDEE. The energy you consume is your calories in.
For muscle gain, I recommend a calorie surplus of 5-25% more than you burn, depending on how much fat you can afford to gain. And for weight loss, a calorie deficit of 5-20% is best for burning fat without losing muscle.
Mesomorph Diet Macros
A high protein diet is paramount for any mesomorph looking to add muscle or reduce body fat. But “high” is a relative term and doesn’t quantify your target.
The golden rule in fitness is to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. In other words, a 180-pound person would eat 180 grams of protein per day.
The idea is that abundant protein in the diet provides the building blocks for lean muscle tissue. However, this formula is a vast oversimplification.
To illustrate, consider a 300-pound obese woman trying to lose as much fat as possible. If she follows the rule and eats 300 grams of protein per day, she will likely overshoot her calorie target and gain weight.
Conversely, take a 145-pound skinny guy trying to gain muscle. If he eats only 145 grams of protein, he probably won’t gain much, if any, muscle. Now you can see how this gram per pound approach quickly falls apart.
A better approach is to calculate your protein intake based on a percentage of your calorie target. In my experience, aiming for about 30% of your calories from protein is an ideal target.
Now carbohydrates are a little harder to nail down because the ideal carb intake depends on your activity level and fitness goals. Fortunately, I have a system that adjusts your carb intake accordingly.
Carb cycling is simply alternating your daily carbohydrate intake based on your activity level. Usually, a “cycle” includes low, medium, and high carb days.
The general idea behind carb cycling is to give yourself more “fuel” when you need it and less when you don’t.
To find your daily carb intake, I use the same percentage-based approach for protein.
However, your target changes depending on your workout schedule.
Finally, your dietary fat intake should make up the balance of your calories. So you will have lower fat on high carb days and higher fat on low carb days.
Mesomorph Diet Menu
So far, we’ve touched on calories and macros. Next up, let’s tackle healthy food choices with a mesomorph diet grocery list.
Really, everybody type benefits from eating healthy whole foods. That means eliminating the highly processed foods as much as possible.
Once you get rid of the junk, focus on lean protein, natural starches, and healthy fats. Then combine that with plenty of leafy greens and fibrous veggies.
Click here to see 16 foods I recommend adding to your Healthy Grocery List.
Mesomorph Diet Meal Planner
The last part of the mesomorph diet is your meal schedule. Each meal you eat consists of a certain number of calories and macronutrients.
And a meal’s composition has a direct effect on your physiological state.
Therefore, eating specific amounts of protein, carbs, and fat at strategic times in your wake/sleep and workout schedule can produce the desired result in terms of muscle gain or fat loss.
While this nutrient timing won’t make or break your results, it can give you an added edge to reach your fitness goals faster.
Mesomorph Diet Plan
Get a custom meal plan designed for your specific body type and fitness goals. Including a daily meal planner with 50+ recipes for just $13.99 per month.
Customize Your Plan
3 Keys to the Mesomorph Workout
Mesomorphs are fast responders to resistance training. So you might see better results than someone else on the same workout routine.
However, results can create the illusion that a particular training program is working – even if it’s not ideal. And eventually, your progress stalls.
For mesomorphs, the key is continually challenging your muscles.
And the solution is a 3 part mesomorph workout routine that keeps your muscles responding.
1. Stimulate Your Muscles
A stimulus is something that elicits a response from your body. Generally, the larger the stimulus, the larger the response.
In the case of resistance training, the stimulus is the stress placed on your muscles by moving weights. And your body responds by building bigger and stronger muscles.
At first, your muscles grow in response to light weights and easy workouts. But over time, you have to increase the stimulus to continue getting results.
2. Incrementally Increase the Stimulus
There are two ways to increase the stimulus in a resistance training workout; load and intensity. And a gradual increase in the loading stimulus is called progressive overload.
The first and most common is increasing the weight on a particular exercise weekly. For a while, it results in continued strength and size gains.
Eventually, however, your progress slows down. And that’s when you need to change tactics.
Another way to overload muscles is by increasing intensity. You make your muscles work harder through exercise technique, rep range, number of sets, and rest periods, among other things.
And exercise intensity results in a concentrated stimulus of the target muscle, which leads to more growth.
Alternate Between Different Phases
Generally, increasing the load is best for strength gains while increasing intensity is best for muscle growth. But neither approach is best all the time because your body gets used to the stimulus.
Therefore, it’s ideal to periodically change between phases of strength and phases of growth. This way, you tap into your natural ability to respond to training.
Hypertrophy Training Program For Maximum Muscle Growth
While these mesomorph diet and workout tips aren’t groundbreaking new discoveries, that’s kind of the point.
The key is practicing the small, easy steps consistently.
With consistency and a little hard work, you can reach your full genetic potential as a mesomorph.
Mesomorph Diet Results
At this point, you may be wondering if the mesomorph diet and workout tips in this guide actually work. And I don’t blame you for being a little skeptical with all the fad diets and fake gurus out there.
So I’m going to show you some real-world results from an actual client of mine. I’ve been working with Dylan for several years now and he’s the closest to a pure mesomorph that I’ve coached. Although I’d say he leans slightly ecto in some traits.
Here is Dylan’s fat loss transformation just a matter of weeks after some minor adjustments to his diet. Most impressive is that he’s 100% natural and has achieved this level of muscularity and low body fat without the aid of performance enhancing drugs.
Plus, this is only a couple of months into Dylan’s contest prep.
We still have 13 weeks of dieting to get him in world-class shape. So I’ll post an updated transformation photo in a few months.
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A post shared by Fitness Coach Jeremy Fox (@jeremyfoxfitness)
Customize Your Mesomorph Diet Plan
With the information in this guide, you’re well on your way to reaching your fitness goals and your full genetic potential. But I understand it can feel like information overload and get a bit confusing.
Fortunately, I specialize in taking advanced nutrition concepts and making them easy to understand and follow. And I’ve created a meal plan system that gives you a structured plan. Like a blueprint for building your best body!
So click here to learn more about the benefits of a Custom Meal Plan.
Including a more detailed look at how it works and screenshots of the actual plans. Or click below to start customizing your plan right now!
If you’re not interested in a meal plan right now, that’s cool too. For more helpful diet and workout tips, check out my other great free content below!
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Jeremy Fox – Founder of Nutritioneering, Engineer, CPT, Bodybuilder, Coach
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Mesomorph nutrition for weight gain and weight loss: diet and program
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A mesomorph is a person genetically gifted with an almost ideal physique for strength sports. His constitution is designed so that he has broad shoulders and chest, a narrow waist, a low percentage of subcutaneous fat and a predisposition to gain muscle mass. However, without careful work on oneself, all these prerequisites mean absolutely nothing. Training and nutrition for the mesomorph is the basis of the entire process of gaining muscle mass. This will be discussed in our article.
Nutrition
Mesomorph is an athlete with “strong” genetics. And, in most cases, genetics (especially when multiplied by regular workouts in the gym, adherence to the general principles of a healthy diet and a fast metabolism) covers minor nutritional errors.
We are talking about 10-20% of the total calories consumed per day. If the rest of your diet is occupied by healthy foods, you will not have problems with excess weight, cardiovascular system, skin condition and performance in training and in everyday life.
Choosing a Diet
Having a small amount of harmful but very tasty food in your diet makes it psychologically easier for you to adhere to the principles of proper nutrition. You will not have breakdowns and constant irritability, you will steadily gain lean muscle mass. This approach to nutrition during mass gain is becoming very popular across the ocean. It is based on the popular IIFYM (“if it fits your macros”) diet. It will be better if you do not go to extremes and eat fast food every day as part of this diet. It is best to get your 10-20% of “bad” calories from fresh fruit or homemade desserts. However, if this approach to nutrition does not appeal to you, you can make your diet entirely from healthy foods.
IIFYM (“if it fits your macros”) is the key difference between mesomorph and endomorph nutrition. Endomorphs have a too slow metabolism to afford such a luxury.
Carbohydrate intake
The amount of carbohydrates consumed per day also differs. A mesomorph can eat about 6 grams of carbohydrates per 1 kg of body weight without fear of gaining excess fat, for endomorphs this figure will be lower.
However, mesomorphs eat fewer carbohydrates than ectomorphs. The faster the metabolism, the more carbohydrates (including simple ones) you need to gain muscle mass. For an ectomorph weighing 60 kg, 600 grams of carbohydrates per day is the norm.
There is also a difference in the amount of protein. Mesomorphs are recommended to consume about 3 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight for faster recovery. Then the mesomorph will be able to train more often and more productively, and the muscles will always be full and hard.
We keep the standard amount of fat – 1 gram per 1 kg of body weight.
This is enough for the normal functioning of all vital systems of the body, but will not create an energy surplus.
© adekvat — depositphotos.com
The optimal diet for mesomorphs
The most important macronutrient for mesomorphs is protein. Your recovery and the density of your muscles depend on it. The more sources of protein in your diet, the better, as you will be getting enough of all the essential amino acids.
- Protein sources: chicken, turkey, lean beef, pork tenderloin, egg whites, dairy products, white and red fish, seafood, sports nutrition.
Carbohydrates are equally important. Their well-being and performance depend on them. The main part of the diet should be carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, which will saturate you with energy for a long time. let’s accept the intake of simple carbohydrates, but they need to know the measure. It is most optimal to use them during periods when the body needs a little “fuel” to stop catabolic processes – immediately after waking up or after strength training.
- Sources of carbohydrates: buckwheat, brown rice, basmati rice, oatmeal, pearl barley, durum wheat pasta, potatoes, bread, vegetables, fruits.
Fats are also necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Emphasis should be placed on the so-called unsaturated fatty acids or healthy fats. Their intake will help lower blood cholesterol levels, prevent the development of atherosclerosis and other diseases of the cardiovascular system, and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, fats are of great importance for the entire endocrine system, as they are the “building material” for the production of sex hormones.
- Fat sources: nuts, natural peanut butter, avocado, fish oil, vegetable oils, egg yolks, seeds.
Mesomorph Sports Nutrition
Sports nutrition is an excellent source of high quality micro and macro nutrients. It is designed to speed up your recovery and growth by increasing protein synthesis in the body.
However, remember that these are only supplements and not a replacement for part of your diet. No supplement can replace quality natural food.
Let’s see what sports nutrition products mesomorphs should consume and why they need it.
Protein
Protein is protein. Without protein, restoration and growth of muscle tissue is impossible. Mesomorphs need a fairly large amount of protein daily, it is extremely difficult to get so much from natural food alone. 2-3 protein shakes per day will solve this problem. While gaining muscle mass, it is best for mesomorphs to opt for whey protein. It has a good amino acid composition and is more or less affordable. It is also a good idea to buy a multicomponent protein (a mixture of proteins with different absorption rates) and take it between meals.
Casein is best for taking before bedtime, it will provide the body with amino acids slowly entering the bloodstream for 6-8 hours.
Creatine
Hundreds of studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of creatine. This confirmed its effectiveness in gaining muscle mass and strength. Its mechanism of action is as follows: it stores energy in the form of ATP molecules, which allows you to work with more weight and perform more repetitions. Its other useful property is that it accumulates water in the muscles, due to which you look more massive and fuller. You can choose any form of creatine: monohydrate, nitrate, krealkalin, phosphate, etc. Pick one that won’t hit your budget hard, the effect of all of them is about the same.
BCAA
Three essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) are the basis of muscle tissue repair and growth. They are also found in natural foods, but if you really want to progress in the gym, it is wise to take them as a supplement.
The working dosage, which you can really feel on yourself, starts at 30 grams. Best Time to Take: Right after waking up and after a workout. At this time, catabolic processes predominate in the body. By taking BCAA, you will stop them. This will increase protein synthesis and growth hormone secretion, since BCAAs do not trigger insulin release.
Vitamin-mineral complex
This is an indispensable product for any athlete. It is important to buy such a complex, the percentage of these micronutrients in which would not be too high. The body does not need vitamin C at a dosage of 2500% of the norm, such a huge amount simply cannot be absorbed. Of course, athletes require an increased intake of vitamins and minerals, but not that much. Of particular importance for athletes are vitamins B and D, they are responsible for the restoration of damaged muscle tissue and the normalization of the hormonal system.
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Pre Workout
This product contains all the ingredients you need to get the most out of your workout.
Conventionally, all the active substances in them can be divided into two active groups: stimulants and components for performance and pumping. The group of stimulants includes caffeine, green tea extract, taurine, geranium extract and substances similar to it and other substances that affect the central nervous system. the second group includes: creatine, beta-alanine, agmatine, arginine, yohimbine, L-carnitine and much more. Together, all this will give you a boost of energy for a long intense workout.
Chondoprotectors
Any chondoprotector (prevention and treatment of joints and ligaments) is based on two components: glucosamine and chondroitin. Given the intensity of training and the working weight in basic exercises for mesomorphs, taking this supplement on an ongoing basis is almost an urgent need, so you will save yourself from unwanted injuries.
Diet Recommendations
- Never skip breakfast. Breakfast should be dense and high-calorie, its task is to energize you for the next 4-5 hours. If you have no appetite in the morning to eat a large amount of food, drink half a liter of water early in the morning on an empty stomach about half an hour before breakfast.
- Drink more water. Nutritionists advise drinking one liter of water for every 30 kg of body weight. But for people who are actively involved in sports, this may not be enough. So feel free to multiply the received amount of water by 1.5, or even by 2.
- The more varied your diet, the better. There are many advantages: a different amino acid composition (muscles receive more nutrients needed for recovery and growth), psychological relief (it is much easier to go on a diet when each meal is different), no problems with the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Eat more fibre. Now, in the season of fresh fruits and vegetables, it is a sin not to take advantage of this. In addition, fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, and vitamins from natural sources are much better absorbed by the body.
- Plan your menu in advance. In the evening, prepare food and pack it in containers so that you can take it to work or school tomorrow. There is nothing better than homemade food. When eating in a restaurant, you can never be sure of the quality and freshness of the food.
- The bulk of complex carbohydrates should come from cereals. Don’t skimp on them. It is best to choose risk, buckwheat or oatmeal that has undergone minimal processing. Polished cereals and “quick breakfast” options are not suitable for athletes, there is practically no benefit in them, and the glycemic index is several times higher than that of unprocessed cereals.
- Don’t be afraid to have cheat-miles. This will spin up the metabolism even more, you will not gain excess fat from this, but the glycogen necessary for productive training is easy. The best time for a cheat meal (or several cheat meals) is after a leg workout. So you will more than cover all energy costs, get rid of the feeling of weakness and recover faster.
If you have no appetite in the morning to eat a large amount of food, drink half a liter of water early in the morning on an empty stomach about half an hour before breakfast.
Nutrition program for mass gain
We have roughly figured out how a mesomorph should be fed for mass gain. To make it clearer, let’s take a look at an approximate diet:
| Food intake | Food | Nutritional value |
| Right after waking up |
|
|
| Breakfast dry) |
9012 5 | |
| Lunch |
9004 4 |
|
| Snack |
| |
| 2 hours before training |
|
|
| Pre-workout |
|
|
| Post workout |
|
|
| Dinner |
|
|
| Before bed |
|
|
If we take such a mesomorph diet as a basis, then in total we get about 270 grams of protein, 90 grams of fat and 450 grams of carbohydrates.
Approximately the same proportion of macronutrients should be observed for a mesomorph weighing 90 kg for a set of muscle mass.
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Weight loss nutrition program
| Meals | Food | |
| Right after waking up |
|
|
| Breakfast |
9004 0 portion fish oil and vitamin-mineral complex |
|
| Lunch |
|
| Snack |
|
|
| 2 hours before training |
|
| Pre-workout |
|
|
| Post Workout |
|
|
| Dinner durum wheat ron (dry) |
| |
| Before bed casein or 200 grams of fat-free cottage cheese |
|
This is about 270 grams of protein, 60 grams of fat and 300 grams of carbohydrates.
By reducing the amount of fats and carbohydrates in the diet, we have significantly reduced the caloric content of the diet. Eating in this way, you will gradually get rid of excess weight, while maintaining energy and good performance.
Features of the nutrition of a mesomorph woman
Nutrition for a mesomorph woman for weight loss should be built around the following simple principles:
- Don’t completely eliminate fat from your diet. Red meat and vegetable oils must be present on your menu, otherwise you risk undermining women’s health.
- Don’t be afraid to take sports nutrition. There is nothing harmful in it, and you will not look like a man. Protein, amino acids, a fat burner and a pre-workout complex will be indispensable helpers in losing weight.
- Do not fast. Long-term catabolic processes will burn your muscle tissue, leaving fat in place. Nutrition should be balanced and regular.
- Don’t forget vitamins and minerals. They are important for immunity and health in general.
- The more often you eat, the better. If your daily routine allows you to eat 6-8 times a day, do so. This will spin up the metabolism much more than three meals a day. Of course, portions should be small.
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Project expert. Training experience – 12 years. A good theoretical base on the process of training and proper nutrition, which I use with pleasure in practice. Need a recommendation? This is for me 🙂
Revision cross.expert
Nutrition plan for a mesomorph male to gain muscle mass
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you can change it for yourself.
“Pure” mesomorphs are quite rare. As a rule, they gain muscle mass quite easily, and without a lot of additional fat, and, if necessary, easily lose weight.
Nutrition rules for mass gain
- The ideal number of meals is 5-6 per day. You can eat 3-4 times, but it will be more difficult to consume the right amount of calories.
- If you don’t have the opportunity to snack on whole foods, replace these techniques with sports nutrition – protein (protein) and gainer (carbohydrates and proteins).
- Do not be afraid to eat after 18:00 and an hour or two before bedtime, this is normal and absolutely safe from a health point of view. What matters is how comfortable you feel if you eat too late.
- Remember to drink plenty of pure water – at least 35 ml per kg of your body weight.
- The main sources of carbohydrates are cereals (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, pearl barley), durum wheat pasta, potatoes, whole grain bread.
- Mesomorphs easily gain muscle mass, but at the same time they can put on excess fat. That is why it is necessary to approach nutrition more responsibly (than ectomorphs). Try to completely eliminate fatty foods with a lot of sugar and trans fats from your diet. The proportion of simple carbohydrates should be no more than 15-20% of the total daily amount of carbohydrates.
- The main sources of protein are chicken, turkey, lean meat, fish (white and red), eggs, cottage cheese and other dairy products. Protein from cereals and legumes is incomplete in amino acid composition.
- Sources of fats – vegetable oils, nuts, oily fish (red).
- If you are not gaining weight, add 100 kcal per week to your norm (about its calculation below) until you notice a change on the scale. The ideal growth rate is about 0.5 kg per week. If you see that a lot of excess fat is gaining, reduce the amount of carbohydrates (primarily simple ones). You can add 2-3 cardio workouts per week for 20-30 minutes after strength training.
Ready-made menu for the week
We selected the diet below for a mesomorph male 180 cm tall, weighing 75 kg and aged 20. Using a special formula, we get his basic calorie intake necessary to maintain his current weight – 2750 kcal. To gain mass, you need a surplus of calories, that is, they must be more than normal.
We add 15% from above and we get the number we need – 3150 (rounded). That’s how many calories you need to eat every day.
An approximate BJU percentage looks like this: 20-25-55, that is, 25% of all calories should be proteins, 25% fats and 50% carbohydrates. In numbers, in this case it looks like this: about 155 grams of protein, 89grams of fat, 430 grams of carbohydrates.
In the table, we used only common and easy-to-cook dishes. You can replace them with any other if you know their composition and calorie content. The result is the following diet:
| Monday | ||||||||
| Meals | Protein, g | Fat, g | Carbohydrates, g 901 25 | Calories | ||||
| Breakfast | Steamed buckwheat 150 g*, scrambled eggs from 2 eggs, 100 ml milk and greens | 41 | 16.8 | 108.7 | 750 | |||
| First snack | Kefir 250 g, mixed nuts and dried fruits 100 g | 13. 8 | 32.7 | 63.1 | 601.9 | |||
| Lunch | Baked chicken (fillet) 150 g, boiled rice 120 g, fresh cucumber | 42.6 | 11.2 | 666.4 | ||||
| Second snack | 2 bananas and an orange | 3.9 | 1.2 | 50.1 | 226.8 | |||
| Dinner | Grilled beef 150 g, boiled 150 g pasta, 100 g cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil | 54.3 | 26.9 | 110.2 | 900.1 | |||
| Total: | 155.6 | 88.8 | 430.9 | 3145.2 | ||||
| Tuesday | ||||||||
| Meals | Protein, g | Fat, g | Carbohydrates, g | Calories | ||||
| Breakfast | Boiled barley 100 g, whole grain bread 10 0 g cheese 150 g | 36.9 | 37.3 | 119. 9 | 962.9 | |||
| First snack | Kefir 250 g, whole grain bread 150 g | 25.2 | 11.3 901 25 | 102 | 610.5 | |||
| Lunch | Stew turkey fillet 150 g, boiled pasta 150 g, fresh tomato | 43.8 | 12.6 | 118.1 | 761 | |||
| Second snack | 2.2 | 15.8 | 37.2 | 299.8 | ||||
| Dinner | Beef tenderloin steak 150 g, boiled potatoes 300 g, pickles | 47.8 | 11.9 9 0125 | 52.9 | 509.9 | |||
| Total: | 155.9 | 88.9 | 430.1 | 3144.1 | ||||
| Wednesday | ||||||||
| Meals | Proteins, g | Fats, g | Carbohydrates, g | Calories | ||||
| Breakfast | Boiled buckwheat 150 g, 2 whole eggs | 26.6 | 15. 5 | 107.7 | 676.7 | |||
| First snack | 36.5 | 10 | 42.2 | 404.8 | ||||
| Lunch | Grilled Beef 200g, Baked Potato 600g, Canned Peas 100g | 43.5 | 32.8 | 108.5 | 903.2 | |||
| Second snack | 2 bananas and an orange | 3.9 | 1.2 | 50.1 | 226 ,8 | |||
| Dinner | Stewed chicken fillet with vegetables 200 g , boiled rice 150 g | 45.3 | 29.8 | 121.5 | 935.4 | |||
| Total: | 155.8 | 8 9.3 | 430 | 3146.9 | ||||
| Thursday | ||||||||
| Meals | Protein g | Fat g | Carbohydrate g | Calories | ||||
| Breakfast | 2 whole boiled eggs, whole grain bread 200 g, cheese 100 g | 42. 9 | 36.8 | 81.8 | 830 | |||
| First snack | Cottage cheese with sour cream and dried fruits, 250 g | 36.5 | 42.2 | 404.8 | ||||
| Lunch | Baked turkey fillet 200 g, boiled rice 150 g, cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil, 100 g 134 | |||||||
| Second snack | 2 bananas and 2 unsweetened apples | 4.2 | 2.2 | 71.1 | 321 | |||
| Dinner | Braised red fish 200 g, baked potato 600 g, fresh cucumber | 40.6 | 21.3 | 164.1 | 89.2 | 424.4 | 3156 8 | |
| Friday | ||||||||
| Meals | Proteins, g | Fats, g | Carbohydrates, g | Calories | ||||
| Breakfast | Cottage cheese with sour cream and dried fruits 200 g, whole grain bread 200 g, cheese 100 g | 56. 5 | 28.5 | 108.1 | 914, 9 | |||
| First snack | Kefir 250 g, mixed nuts and dried fruits 100 g | 13.8 | 28.7 | 63.1 | ||||
| Lunch | Baked white fish 200 g, boiled potatoes 500 g, cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil 100 g | 47.4 | 12.8 | 81.5 | 630.8 | |||
| Second snack | 2 bananas and 2 unsweetened apples 9 0125 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 71.1 | 321 | |||
| Dinner | Stewed chicken fillet with vegetables 150 g, boiled pasta 150 g | 32.8 | 16.8 | 713.6 | ||||
| Total: | 154 .7 | 89 | 431.6 | 3146.2 | ||||
| Saturday | ||||||||
| Meals | Protein, g | Fat, g 9012 5 | Carbohydrates, g | Calories | ||||
| Breakfast | Muesli (without sugar) with milk , 200 g | 24. 4 | 20.2 | 110.3 | 720.6 | |||
| First snack | Kefir 25 0 g wholemeal bread 150 g | 25.2 | 11.3 | 102 | 610.5 | |||
| Lunch | Baked salmon in foil 200 g, boiled potatoes 500 g, cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil, 100 g | 51.1 901 25 | 22.9 | 91, 7 | 777.3 | |||
| Second snack | Fruit salad with sour cream sauce, 200 g | 2.2 | 15.8 | 3 7.2 | 299.8 | |||
| Dinner | Beef tenderloin steak 200 g, boiled rice 120 g, fresh cucumber | 52.1 | 18.7 | 89.8 | 735.9 | |||
| Total: | 155 | |||||||
| Meals | Protein, g | Fat, g | Carbohydrates, g | Calories | ||||
| Breakfast 901 25 | Steamed oatmeal 120 g, cottage cheese 2% fat 200 g with sour cream | 51. 9 | 15.4 | 84.1 | 682.6 | |||
| First snack | 11.3 | 102 | 610.5 | |||||
| Lunch | Stewed white fish 200 g, baked potatoes 500 g, cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil, 100 g | 41.8 | 27.7 | 88.5 90 125 | 770.5 | |||
| Second snack | 2 bananas and 2 apples, unsweetened grilled beef cut 150 g, boiled rice 100 g, linseed oil spoon | 32 ,1 | 32.8 | 85.2 | 764.4 | |||
| Total: | 155.2 | 89.4 9012 5 | 430.9 | 3149 | ||||
*all weights shown for dry products
How can I customize the menu for myself?
The first thing you need to do is calculate your calorie intake for weight maintenance. Use, for example, the Harris-Benedict equation. Then add another 15% to the resulting number to get the number of calories for mass gain.