Endomorphs are classified as one of the three primary body types, characterized by a propensity for increased fat storage, wider waistlines, and larger bone structures.
Maintaining a record of calorie consumption and making appropriate dietary choices is crucial for achieving sustainable weight loss and long-term weight management.
Nevertheless, it can be challenging to find a practical and easily adhered-to plan.
This article will cover everything you need to know about following a healthy diet plan that can help you sustainably lose weight and offer a sample 7 day plan to follow.
What is an Endomorph?
A new method of classifying body types (somatotypes) was created in the 1940s. It split body types into 3 groups.
- Endomorphs usually had high body fat, leading to curvy and soft body shapes.
- Mesomorphs usually had a muscular, athletic, or square body shape.
- Ectomorphs usually have low amounts of body fat and muscle, leading to thin body shapes.
Although the theory states that people can be placed into these generalized categories. In reality, many people can exhibit traits in other categories to varying degrees.
There are many factors that can affect your somatotype. These include:
- Genetics
- Diet
- Physical activity
- Stress
- Sleep
Therefore, lifestyle choices can play a huge role, in particular, the diet you choose.
If you’re unsure about your body type, you can take this quiz for classifying body types.
Fruits
Fruits are a valuable addition to the endomorph’s diet.
They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber while being relatively low in calories
Opt for a variety of colorful fruits like berries, citrus fruits, apples, and melons.
These provide essential nutrients, antioxidants, and natural sugars that can satisfy your sweet tooth.
Vegetables
Vegetables are a cornerstone of a balanced diet for endomorphs.
Rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, they provide essential nutrients while being low in calories. Include a diverse range of vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, spinach, and carrots.
These help with satiety, promote digestive health and provide essential antioxidants.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and essential nutrients.
Despite their reputation, studies find that eating whole grains has been shown to reduce body fat and BMI index (1). They provide sustained energy release, prevent blood sugar spikes, and support digestive health.
Opt for options like quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats, and whole grain pasta. These are nutrient-dense choices that help you feel fuller for longer.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are nutrient powerhouses for endomorphs. They provide healthy fats, protein, fiber, and a range of vitamins and minerals.
One study found that people who followed the Mediterranean diet and who also ate nuts lost on average 2 inches from their waists, which was significantly more weight loss when compared to people who only included olive oil (2).
In another study, overweight women lost 3x more weight eating almonds compared to the group who didn’t (3).
Include options like almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and pumpkin seeds. These can be enjoyed as snacks, added to salads or smoothies, and provide satiety while offering numerous health benefits.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish, such as salmon, trout, and mackerel, are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality protein, and essential nutrients.
These healthy fats support heart health, brain function, and overall well-being. Aim to include fatty fish in your diet at least twice a week to reap their benefits.
Beans and Legumes
Beans and legumes are nutrient-dense plant-based proteins that are ideal for endomorphs.
They are rich in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, and low in fat. Because of this, studies have found that legumes can lead to reduced food intake and long-term weight loss (4, 5).
They include options like lentils, chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans and are often incorporated into soups, stews, salads, or used as a meat substitute in various dishes.
Lean Proteins
Lean proteins are crucial for endomorphs as they aid in muscle maintenance and promote a higher metabolic rate. These options provide high-quality protein while being lower in fat.
Because they contain more protein, they help fill you help and boost your metabolism (6).
Choose lean protein sources such as skinless poultry, lean cuts of meat like turkey or chicken breast, eggs, and tofu.
Low-Fat Dairy
Including low-fat dairy products in your diet can be beneficial for endomorphs.
Low-fat dairy options provide a good source of protein, calcium, and other essential nutrients while being lower in fat compared to full-fat alternatives.
Foods to Limit
These are foods you should generally avoid. By all means, treat yourself occasionally – but don’t make a habit of eating these foods regularly:
- Junk foods: fast food and potato chips
- Refined carbohydrates: white bread, pasta, crackers, flour tortillas, biscuits
- Fried foods: french fries, donuts, fried meats
- Sugar-sweetened beverages: soda, tea with added sugar, sports drinks
- Processed meats: bacon, canned meat, salami, sausages
- Trans fats: vegetable oil and margarine
General Guidelines for Endomorphs
Eat More Protein
Various studies show that eating enough protein may help reduce body weight and appetite (7, 8, 9).
This is because protein can help boost metabolism, meaning reduced sugar cravings and calorie intake (10, 11).
Many studies also show that eating good amounts of protein can help increase muscle mass and strength, which is essential for moving toward a mesomorph somatotype (12, 13).
High-protein foods include:
- Lean meats
- Fish
- Legumes and beans
- Nuts and seeds
- Dairy
Eat Less Sugar
High-sugar diets can cause obesity, inflammation, high triglycerides, and blood sugar levels, amongst other risk factors (14).
Some easy ways to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet include:
- Drink less sugary beverages like soda and juice. Drink more water instead
- Snack on fruit, nuts and seeds. Keep the sugary treats for special occasions, or eat them in smaller sizes
- Check food labels for hidden sugar. Although low-fat products are good for reducing saturated fat intake, they may replace the fat with sugar
Eat More Fiber
Fiber-rich foods can help increase feelings of fullness, helping you control your portion sizes. Fiber may also promote the release of satiety hormones (15, 16).
Both of these factors ultimately mean that you eat less naturally, without having to think about it.
Foods high in fiber include:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Legumes
- Oats
- Nuts
- Whole grains
Drink Water
Many sodas and fruit juices contain lots of empty calories and sugar that add a lot of calories to your diet without filling you up.
On the other hand, drinking water can help speed up your metabolism by up to 30% within 60-90 minutes, thus helping you burn more calories (17, 18).
What’s the Best Endomorph Diet?
When choosing a diet plan, you’ll want something that can help you stay healthy as well as lose weight for an endomorph.
The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the best diets to follow for both heart health and sustainable weight loss. It has been ranked the number 1 diet according to the U.S. News & World Report since 2018.
In particular, it is rated amongst the best because of how healthy it is as well as how easy it is to follow. This makes it a perfect diet to follow if you want to find a sustainable way of losing weight without rebounding afterward.
Many credible organizations suggest following a Mediterranean diet. These include:
Endomorph Diet Meal Plan
Sample Menu
In the meal plan are recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Blueberry Blues Porridge | Greek Salad | Haddock Risotto |
| Tues | Basil & Spinach Scramble | Falafel Wraps | Eggplant & Lentil Bake |
| Wed | Tomato & Watermelon Salad | Carrot, Orange & Avocado Salad | Mediterranean Chicken, Quinoa & Greek Salad |
| Thurs | Blueberry Blues Porridge | Mixed Bean Salad | Grilled Vegetables with Bean Mash |
| Fri | Basil & Spinach Scramble | Panzanella Salad | Salmon & Chickpea Salad |
| Sat | Tomato & Watermelon Salad | Spiced Carrot & Lentil Soup | Chicken Gyros |
| Sun | Blueberry Blues Porridge | Moroccan Chickpea Soup | Spicy Mediterranean Beet Salad |
Snacks are recommended between meal times. Some good snacks include:
- A handful of nuts or seeds
- A piece of fruit
- Carrots or baby carrots
- Berries or grapes