I have been a fan of yours for years and I live for Mondays to get my newsletter.  I feel like you are my personal Cyber Trainer.  My question is this; my girlfriend and I went on a weight loss program together and she is losing so much faster than I am. I have a shorter and thicker frame (5’2” 150 lbs)  than her (5’7” 173lbs) does that make a difference? I want to train right for my body size?  What type of training should I be doing? Thank you for your help.
- Summer


 
Hi Summer,
Welcome to my world!  I struggled just like you did before I learned about my body type and what I needed to do to lose body fat and shrink my thighs and bubbly round midsection.  I was like you and the millions of other women who struggle with slimming down.  There are three basic body types and if you just do any old diet and exercise program, you won’t have the sexy body you want.

When I first had a personal trainer, I worked out with another friend too. She lost weight faster than I did and was not working half as hard.  Our trainer was great, but he had us both doing the exact same workout.  It wasn’t his fault, he did not know about body type specificity training.  I lost weight, but I ended up with a more masculine physique than I wanted.

After becoming certified myself and taking extensive training courses, I found out I was an endomorph and my personal trainer had me lifting weights that an ectomorph should have been lifting.  I ended up with thicker legs, a wider back and stumpy muscles.   

Now I train for my body type and my legs have thinned out, my upper body is thinner and tighter without the bulk.  Don’t be overwhelmed by the body types I listed here are the descriptions and training suggestions for each one 

You may also want to get your body fat tested. The ideal body fat percentage for females is 18-22%.  If your body fat is below 20% and you still want to lose weight, you need to look at professional bodybuilder’s super clean diets.  If it’s below 20% and you are tired of dieting.  You need to learn to love your body because you have more muscle than the average woman. 

Here are the descriptions of the three muscle types: endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph.  They each have specific characteristics that require different exercise workout regimes and nutrition plans.  Identifying your body type based on your muscle structure will help you lose more weight faster. 

Body Types and Training Guidelines

Ectomorph - Super Models and Female Basketball Players

This group of women is characterized by having low body-fat levels and a thin structure.  They are able to get thin pretty easily. Their shoulders and hips are about the same width.

Ectomorph’s muscles are long, wiry and slender. They generally have delicate bone structures and shoulders and hips that are approximately the same width.

Weight Training: Build up muscle with 3 sets of 8 moderate to heavy weight training exercises per body part. Use a moderate-to-heavy weight that you can lift with good form for 8 repetitions. Consider doing a split routine where you work some parts of the body one day and then others the next.

Cardio: 30-40 minutes of cardio three to four times per week for heart health and fitness.

Endomorph - Jennifer Lopez- Victoria (ME)! Janet Jackson and Brittney Spears

Generally of larger skeletal structure, this group gains weight most easily, with most of it coming in the form of body fat

Endomorphs are people who are less than 5’6”, have curvaceous body shapes. It is easy for body types like this to gain muscle.  Losing weight can be very difficult if they are not very strict and they have to eat the perfect diet for them.

Endomorphs have naturally softer muscles. They have curvy often and often "pear-shaped" bodies. Our hips are often wider than their shoulders. Although this body type holds onto fat a little more tenaciously than the other body types,

Weight Training:  Emphasize those glorious curves by adding muscle tone. Perform a total-body weight training routine three times a week that consists of two sets of weight training exercises per body part. Do 10-15 repetitions per set using a moderate to light weight. To improve body symmetry, you may want to double up on upper-body exercises.

Cardio: Do 30-60 minutes of cardio work 3 to 6 times a week at a moderate level or pace for maximum fat burning. Your cardio workouts should generally be done at the same time each day to get your metabolism revved up.

Mesomorph - Fast Twitch Athletes like Venus and Serena Williams, Tina Turner and Madonna

Mesomorphs have the ability to add on lean body mass quickly and also build strength easily. They are naturally muscular and have a middle to large frame and relatively lean. They shoulders a little wider than their hips. It is easier for them to lose weight than an endomorph.

Mesomorphs also have bigger bones and tend to muscle up easily. Their shoulders are often wider than their hips, and they are often described as having "medium" builds. Think sprinters, soccer players and tennis players.

Weight Training: Circuit Training is great for Mesomorphs. Light-to-moderate weight training done 3 times a week for muscle shaping and sculpting verses increasing size.  Do 4 sets of 12 repetitions using light to moderate weights for each major muscle group.

Cardio: 4 times a week for 40-60 minutes done at a moderate to fast pace to achieve and maintain a lean physique. 30 to 45 minutes per session. This will promote a healthy well-balanced physique.

Summer, I work with clients like you all the time, the majority are training for sport teams and entertainment companies, but one thing that works for all body types is just eating a well balanced healthy diet consisting of 3-5 small meals a day, and lots of fruits and vegetables.  My Quick Start Energy Program is perfect for you since we have the same body type and that is what I used to drop my first sixty pounds of lard!

I love my workout DVD’s too.  They are great for all body types.  I even used all body types in the workout to demonstrate the moves and the effectiveness of the programs I created.   I use a technique called vertical training in all my videos and this techniques works wonders for shaping and sculpting.  That’s what is so cool that you are letting me be your mentor and “cyber personal trainer”, you have been getting the best, first hand information and expert techniques every week.

Once you get my diet and exercise videos, here are a few things you can do to get back on the track of losing weight.

Eat more of the perfect foods!  -  Yes! 

Believe it or not, sometimes you are teaching your body to survive on less and your metabolism drops.  Most people think losing weight is about eating teeny-weenie portions and skipping meals.  This is the worst thing for your body and will send it in starvation mood and you will never lose weight!  Eat breakfast everyday and make sure that each meal is small but have three things: a protein like meat, eggs, or nuts.  A fruit, a low fat dairy item, or a vegetable.

Drink lots of filtered water – Water is what everyone seems to leave out when trying to diet and lose weight.  Drinking lots of water flushes the body of toxins and helps the body to lose fat.

Exercise everyday – Work out to my workout videos, walk, bike, play a sport, or workout to my video. My favorite one is Cardio Dance Jam.  You will learn how to dance well and lose weight at the same time.

Try it! You have nothing to lose but the weight! 

Summer, one thing to remember also is never compare yourself with others.  You are unique and special and have your own body formula.  Learning this formula is what growing up is all about.  You are on the right tract with taking the steps to get thin and fit.  Stay positive and never give up!

Live Your Best Life This Week! God Bless and make it the Best Week Ever!


Your Celebrity Personal Trainer!