NEWSLETTERS

FITNESS

Do You Know Your

Body Type?
Knowing your somatotype — whether you’re
an ectomorph, mesomorph, or endomorph
— may be key to getting the results you
want from your eating and exercise
regimens.

By Phil Catudal and Stacey Colino

Medically Reviewed by Justin Laube,

MD on November 15, 2023

Take this 10-question quiz to find out what your body

type is.
Marina Skobliakova/iStock

Excerpted from Just Your Type: The

Ultimate Guide to Eating and Training
Right for Your Body Type by Phil Catudal,
with Stacey Colino. Copyright © 2019.
Available from Hachette Books, an
imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

If you’re like many people, you might

answer the question “what’s your body
type?” with a response like “hot,” “weak,”
“strong,” “flabby,” “curvy,” or another
adjective based on your subjective
judgments of yourself. But there are ways
to figure out what your natural-born
body type is, objectively speaking.

These objective body types are based on

the concept of somatotypes, which were
developed in the 1940s to correlate body
types with physical strengths and
weaknesses, personality characteristics,
and behavior. Subsequent evidence
suggests personality has little to do with
it. But there is research suggesting
di!erences in physiques, hormonal
responses, and physical performances in
the original somatotype profiles hold
true. And there is solid science behind
using somatotyping for fitness and
athletic training to enhance performance.

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Body Type

To get a precise assessment of whether

you’re an ectomorph, mesomorph,
endomorph, or a combination type, you
could go to a lab and have your body fat,
bone, and muscle mass measured. You
can also gauge your body type right
now by taking this quiz.

Read each of the following questions or

statements thoroughly and (honestly!)
choose the option that best describes
you. If you’re not sure which of two
responses applies to you, trust your
instincts or choose both — you’ll see why
later.

The Questions

1. From an objective point of view,

which of the following factors seems
most prominent (or dominant) on your
body when you look in the mirror?

A. Bone

B. Muscle

C. Body fat

2. How do your shoulders compare to

your hips?

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A. My shoulders are narrower than my

hips.

B. They’re approximately the same width

as my hips.

C. My shoulders are wider than my hips.

3. Which of the following objects best

describes your body shape?

A. A pencil

B. An hourglass

C. A pear

4. If you encircle one wrist with your

other hand’s middle finger and thumb,
what happens?

A. My middle finger and thumb overlap a

bit.

B. My middle finger and thumb touch,

but just barely.

C. There’s a gap between my middle

finger and thumb.

5. When it comes to your weight,

which of the following patterns best
describes your history?

A. I have trouble gaining muscle or body

fat.

B. I can gain and lose weight without too

much di#culty.

C. I gain weight easily but have a hard

time losing it.

6. Think about what your body looked

like, before you corrupted it with poor
dietary and exercise habits, once you
reached your full height as a teenager
or young adult. How did you look?

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A. I looked long and lanky.

B. I looked strong and compact.

C. I looked soft and full bodied.

7. If you’d been exercising regularly

and you were to take a break for a few
months, what would happen to your
body?

A. I would lose muscle and strength

quickly.

B. My body wouldn’t change that much.

C. My body would soften up significantly

and I might even gain weight.

8. Put on a pair of form-fitting jeans —

where on your body do they get extra
clingy or even stuck?

A. They don’t. In fact, I can’t keep them up

without a belt.

B. With a bit of work, I can wriggle my

way into them over my muscular thighs.

C. They get caught on my butt or belly.

9. When you have a serious carb-fest

(think: heaping plate of pasta or
multiple slices of pizza), how do you
feel afterward?

A. The same as I usually do — normal,

really.

B. I generally feel good, though I notice

my ab muscles are extra hard or my belly
feels full.

C. More often than not, I feel tired or

bloated for a few hours after the meal.

10. How would you describe your

body’s bone structure?

A. I have a small frame.

B. I have a medium frame.

C. I have a relatively large frame.

How to Figure Out Your Body

Type

Add up the number of times you

answered A, B, or C. If you chose mostly
A's, you’re an ectomorph; mostly B's,
you’re a mesomorph; mostly C's, you’re
an endomorph.

If your responses were divided fairly

equally — as in 5 and 5 or even 6 and 4
— between two di!erent letters, you
likely have a hybrid body type. To be
specific, if your responses were split
between A's and B's, you’re an ecto-
mesomorph; if they’re spread between
B's and C's, you’re a meso-endomorph;
and if you found your responses in a 50-
50 or 60-40 split between A's and C's,
you’re an ecto-endomorph.

If you end up with a 7-3 division between

two di!erent types, it may mean that
you’ve strayed o! course from your true
type with poor dietary choices, in which
case the hybrid approach to diet and
exercise will steer you back on the right
track.

Here's What Your Body Type

Says About You

Ectomorphs

Generally thin and lean, ectomorphs tend

to have slender waists, narrow hips and
shoulders, small joints, and long legs and
arms. They tend to be slim, without much
body fat or noticeable muscle mass.
Because they have fast metabolisms,
they burn calories quickly, so ectomorphs
may find themselves hungry frequently
throughout the day; yet, regardless of
what, how often, or how much they eat,
they don’t gain weight or muscle easily.

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Mesomorphs

Naturally muscular, mesomorphs

typically have moderate-size frames, with
wider shoulders and a narrow waist,
strong arms and legs, and modest
amounts of body fat. They are genetically
predisposed to build muscle, so
mesomorphs often require a slightly
higher calorie intake (since muscle
requires more calories to maintain it) and
more protein than the other types do
(again, for muscle maintenance).
Generally, mesomorphs are able to lose
or gain weight easily.

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Endomorphs

Because they have a medium-to-large

bone structure and more body fat than
the other types, women who are
endomorphs are often described as
curvaceous or full-figured, while
endomorphic men might be considered
stocky, doughy, or round. Endomorphs
usually have narrow shoulders and wider
hips, and carry any excess weight in the
lower abdomen, hips, and thighs. It’s
often challenging for them to lose weight
but with the right diet and training
approach, it can be done.

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Ecto-mesomorphs

These hybrids are increasingly common,

especially in the athletic world, where this
physique is prized for being aesthetically
appealing. In fact, for men and women
alike, ecto-mesomorphs tend to have the
“fitness model” look. Often muscular with
V-shaped torsos (think: wide upper back,
developed chest and shoulders, narrow
waist), ecto-mesomorphs are lean and
agile, with strong-looking (but not bulky)
arms and legs.

Meso-endomorphs

Including variations where people have

more predominantly mesomorphic or
endomorphic qualities (rather than a
truly even split), this is the most common
hybrid, according to research. Many
bodybuilders and contact sports athletes
(like football players) have this body type.
Characterized by thick arms and legs and
a boxy chest and mid-section, this type
looks powerful but it isn’t chiseled. (This
may be partly because people with this
body type tend to retain water and a
layer of fat on top of their muscles.)

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People with this kind of build who want

to get a leaner physique should be
prepared to take a more refined
approach to resistance training, cardio
workouts, and diet, so they can prioritize
fat loss.

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a Mesomorph Body Type

Ecto-Endomorphs

Usually, this is a behaviorally acquired

body type — basically, someone who is
really an ectomorph has added
significant body fat, whether it’s from
poor eating habits, sedentary ways, or a
combo of these less-than-stellar habits.

With long limbs and a smaller bone

structure, ecto-endomorphs often have
soft midsections, droopy chests, and
flabby upper arms and legs from sheer
neglect. To improve fitness, body
composition, and health, the most
e#cient plan for this type involves
resistance training and high-intensity
cardio, both of which promote muscle
growth and stimulate metabolism.

Since ecto-endomorphs may have

developed some insulin resistance, their
bodies may not be as e#cient at burning
carbohydrates, so they should follow a
dietary plan that’s suited to endomorphs
— with a slightly higher protein intake, a
medium fat intake, and lower carb levels
— until the excess body fat comes o!
and metabolic function is optimized;
then, these hybrid types can switch to
more of an ectomorph approach (adding
in more carbs).

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