Ectomorph Meal Plan for Gaining Muscle: From Lean to Muscular. Nutrition and weight training program for ectomorphs

Kit muscle mass and strength for people with the ectomorph somatotype is very difficult. Ectomorphs are naturally thin. Obesity does not threaten such people, because everything they consume immediately turns into energy.

Ectomorphs, more than other somatotypes, need to follow key principles and tips for gaining weight and increasing strength.

First, let's figure out what kind of terrible beast this is, an ectomorph? And this is not a beast at all, but just one of the somatotypes human body. As everyone knows, people have different body structures. Someone has a large amount of fat and large bone, some people naturally have a muscular body, while others are always thin, slender and beautiful.

The essence of the diet for an ectomorph is quite simple. You need to eat a lot, 6-7 times a day. Beginners who want to eat faster are advised to eat everything. Explaining this to the need for calories and fast metabolism. But don’t confuse the concepts: eating a lot and eating unhealthy. No metabolism will help you if you methodically turn your body into a garbage dump. Only a strict regime and constant training will give you results. There is no other formula for success and there never will be.

The diet is divided into three important stages:

• Increase in strength indicators;

The percentage of fat in ectomorphs is quite low, it is necessary to monitor it, because with an incorrectly selected diet, it can be disrupted. hormonal background, which will lead to changes in metabolism.

But it is not necessary for ectomorphs to “dry”, because the metabolism given to you by nature will instantly burn it and turn it into energy. And the main problem is not to lose weight, but to gain muscle mass. This will be the basis for further recommendations on gaining muscle mass and increasing muscle strength.

1. Eat often. As an example - 6-7 times a day. Then the body will be in a constant energy surplus, and this is the main thing in our case.
2. The main type of training for you is strength training. Start with standard basic exercises. There is nothing better in the world than a base to gain precious mass.
3. No isolation exercises. Standing biceps, sitting biceps, jumping biceps are left to those who don’t want to bother and don’t want to achieve anything.
4. No aerobic exercise. Your metabolism is great at burning subcutaneous fat, and additional endurance training will burn your muscles.
5. Maximum protein and complex carbohydrates. Energy and construction material, that's what your body needs.

Sample menu for the day

Here is an example of a meal plan for gaining weight for one day:

Breakfast example:

• 3 whole eggs (optional without yolk);
• 500g with milk (use any porridge);
• 1-2 ;
• Protein serving.

Snack:

• Fresh fruits or berries (the main source of fiber);
• 400 grams of cottage cheese (can be low-fat, to your taste).

Dinner:

• 500g buckwheat porridge;
• 400g boiled chicken (you can have beef, lean pork);
• 200 grams of fresh vegetables.

Snack:

• 1 serving of whey protein (can be replaced with 4 eggs without yolk and bananas).

Dinner:

• 200 grams of boiled pollock (it is best to eat seafood or fish for dinner);
• 400 grams rice porridge(brown rice will do);
• Fresh herbs and vegetables.

Before bedtime:

• 400 grams of cottage cheese with honey and nuts;
• or protein isolate.

This is what a sample meal plan looks like. Most products and dishes can be varied, the main thing is to follow the unshakable rule: eat as often and as much as possible. Fun fact, but there is a theory that people with an ectomorphic body type should eat not 6-7 times a day, but three times, but include a maximum of calories in meals. Thus, your metabolism will slow down. As they say - go for it, but it may happen that it will happen hormonal disbalance and instead of lean muscle mass, a person will gain a lot.

Ectomorph training rule

What do you need to gain quality muscle mass? Nutrition? Yes, but in addition to this, a well-designed training program is necessary.

Initially you need to work on basic exercises with free weights. Such training should last from 9 to 11 weeks. Be sure to keep a diary in which you record your progress for the week.

The working weights in this example will gradually increase until they reach their peak. The main thing is to correctly draw up a training plan for each muscle group. After this cycle, you should begin the main mass-gaining cycle, in which basic and isolating exercises will alternate. But under no circumstances start your training with isolated exercises. In this case, do not expect any muscle progress, since training individual muscle groups five times a week is at least unreasonable. And you shouldn’t expect high-quality weight gain from such a workout.

A classic example of a three-day split for bulking:

Day 1 – triceps and chest:

1. Bench press - one set for warm-up - 12-13 repetitions plus another for seven repetitions;
2. Bench press – four heavy sets – 10-9-9-8(7);
3. Dips 12-10-8;
4. Dumbbell bench press - 11-9-9-8(7).

Day two – back and biceps:

1. Deadlift (classic, although sumo is also possible) - 10-10-9-8;
2. Bent-over barbell row – 13-11-9-9(7);
3. Wide grip block pull down – 11-9-7;
4. Standing biceps barbell extension – 11-9-9-8(7).

Third day – legs and deltoids:

1. Barbell squat - 2 supersets for warm-up + four 10-10-8-6;
2. Leg press – 15-12-10;
3. Barbell row to the chin - 13-11-11;
4. Seated dumbbell press - 13-11-9.

Your goal is to gain lean muscle mass. For ectomorphs, unlike mesomorphs and endomorphs, it is not enough to just eat a lot.

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Necessary and mandatory. But which one exactly? Of course, you don’t need any fat burners, and they work, to put it mildly, so-so. If you are committed to serious body transformations, then you will need:

• Protein. Whey, casein, protein isolate. Everything, and more, a lot of protein will not harm you. The only thing is that excess protein can lead to serious kidney and liver damage. As they say, use moderation;
• Amino acid complexes. The workouts ahead of you will be difficult, and amino acids will help you recover faster and provide “dry” weight gain. BCAA complexes are definitely needed. However, there is no need to rely on supplements such as glutamine and. You will get most of the amino acids from food with a proper and balanced diet;
• Creatine. It will fill you with water and give you even more energy during your workout. Strength indicators will increase and there is nothing better for proper and high-quality muscle development and weight gain;
• Vitamin complexes. Yes, sore ligaments and joints have not yet been canceled. And if you take into account the fact that ectomorphs have naturally thin and fragile bones, then excess vitamins will definitely not harm you.

That's all that can be said about sports nutrition. Exercise more often, eat even more often and success is just around the corner! Everything you need to gain muscle mass is outlined above. Your goal is to understand for yourself the essence of diet and training. The main thing is not to stop there, and neither gaining mass nor increasing strength indicators will become an obstacle for you. Somatotype is not a death sentence; it all depends on you. Do not be afraid of a strict regime, otherwise it will not be possible to harden your soul and body. Good luck and sporting victories!

There are athletes whose genetics are not designed to increase muscle mass and strength. They are called ectomorphs. Nature has decreed that their metabolic processes take place very quickly. fast speed, because of this, achieving muscle hypertrophy is extremely difficult.

By the way, the subcutaneous fat layer in ectomorphs also grows reluctantly. We will try to help athletes with this body type and tell you what nutrition should be like for an ectomorph, so that by training you can build beautiful muscle definition.

So, what regime and diet for an ectomorph will be most effective in the fight for a beautiful, muscular body?

Diet

Growth requires calories. For an endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph, their daily norm will be different. It often happens that a skinny beginner ectomorph needs more calories and macronutrients to gain weight than an experienced mesomorph. This is explained by the fact that due to rapid metabolism, the body immediately processes all consumed food into energy. It is thanks to this that ectomorphs find it easier to do aerobic exercise, for example, running races. long distances. Food is converted into fuel, carbohydrates (in the form of glucose) do not have time to accumulate in subcutaneous fat or glycogen.

Calculation of calorie needs

To reshape it a little metabolic processes To suit your needs, you need to correctly create a diet. Proper nutrition for an ectomorph to gain weight involves a high-calorie diet with big amount carbohydrates. Moreover, we are not talking about simple carbohydrates obtained from sweets or starchy foods. The basis should be natural, healthy products. At least 90% of the diet should consist of them; the rest, if desired, can be “finished off” with your favorite junk food.

Calculating your daily norm calories, follow the following formula:

60 calories x body weight x daily activity level = number of calories

This formula contains 60 calories - the optimal indicator for ectomorphs and hardgainers. For mesomorphs this figure will be around 45, for endomorphs – 40.

Activity Level Calculation

It is important to correctly calculate your activity level. Take this value as 1 if you are an office worker and primarily conduct sedentary image life, or for 1.5 - if your work involves heavy physical labor. The higher your daily occupancy level, the more nutrients You need it for recovery and growth.

The bulk of your diet should consist of carbohydrates. Remember that 1 gram of carbohydrates equals 4.1 calories. To gain muscle mass, ectomorphs may need 6 to 9 grams of carbohydrates per 1 kilogram of body weight.
The second most important thing for ectomorph athletes is protein. One gram of protein is equivalent to 4.1 calories. Without it, muscle growth is impossible; the body simply will not have time to recover. Protein should be consumed at about 2 grams per 1 kilogram of body weight. Try to eat so that protein enters the body in equal portions every 2.5-3 hours, then you will constantly support protein synthesis and prevent yourself from catabolism.

There should be less fat, about 1 gram per 1 kilogram of body weight. One gram of fat contains 9 calories. This amount is enough to maintain health, because in moderate amounts fats are useful for hormonal, digestive and of cardio-vascular system.



As already mentioned, about 90% of the diet for an ectomorph should consist of healthy products of natural origin. You should give preference to the products that we will tell you about in more detail.

Squirrels

Proteins are found in large quantities in chicken, fish, egg whites, dairy products and seafood.

Take note of a few useful tips by choosing foods rich in protein:

1. When buying beef, try to choose the least fatty cuts, such as rump or tenderloin. If desired, beef can sometimes be replaced with lean pork (loin). Red meat must be present in the diet.
2. Fish can be consumed both red and white. They are both rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus and unsaturated fatty acids omega-3. The same applies to seafood.
3. Dairy products should also be included in your diet. They have a fairly good amino acid composition. It is better to buy milk, kefir, cottage cheese and cheese with a small percentage of fat content.

Carbohydrates

Optimal and inexpensive sources of carbohydrates are rice, durum wheat pasta, oatmeal, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits.

Preference should be given to products with low glycemic index so as not to provoke strong insulin releases. Otherwise, you not only risk gaining excess fat, but also harm your pancreas.

Cereals should be selected with minimal processing. For example, short-grain polished rice is not the most the best choice. It is better to buy unprocessed basmati rice or another variety. It's a little more expensive, but much more useful. Also pay attention to the cooking time of the cereals. If it is less than 10 minutes, then there is no benefit in this product.

Vegetables can be eaten without special restrictions. They are rich in vitamins and fiber, which will improve digestion. But you need to be careful with fruits. Many of them, such as bananas, are very rich in sugar. One banana contains up to 30 grams of sugar. It's easy to get carried away. It is better to leave simple carbohydrates for those periods when the body needs a source of quickly absorbed energy: after waking up, before, during and after training.

Fats

Contains large amounts of fat egg yolks, vegetable oil, nuts, peanut butter.

The difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids should be clearly understood. Saturated fats harm health by causing obesity and increasing levels of “bad” cholesterol. This leads to diseases of the cardiovascular system and atherosclerosis. Unsaturated fats in turn, in moderation they are good for health. They reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol, normalize cellular metabolism, and minimize the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Saturated fats are fats plant origin. Their consumption should be kept to a minimum. Trans fats are also dangerous to health; it is better to avoid them altogether.

Sports nutrition for ectomorph

Often only one natural food It is difficult to reach the daily intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Then sports nutrition for an ectomorph comes to the rescue. Let's look at the main products.

Protein

High-quality protein is the basis of any diet. With the help of protein, it is much easier to reach your daily protein requirement. It is especially important to take it after training, between meals and before bed ( we're talking about about casein). During the period of gaining muscle mass, there is no point in spending money on an expensive isolate or hydrolyzate; whey protein is quite enough. Choose products from any Western brand whose price policy Does it suit you.

Gainer

They are also protein-carbohydrate mixtures and are the most controversial sports nutrition product. Some consider them a pointless product, and some do not see their progress without it. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in the middle.

Most gainers on the market consist of two main components: whey protein and simple carbohydrates (sugar, maltodextrin, dextrose, etc.). It’s really not entirely reasonable to buy this; the same mixture can be made at home without spending extra money.

But there are other gainers that contain complex carbohydrates, and cheap and useless components, such as sugar, are replaced with expensive amylopectin. Amylopectin is a fast carbohydrate that does not cause a spike in insulin, which does not lead to fat accumulation, only fast energy. This product is ideal for ectomorphs to use before or after training. Amylopectin is also great for use during training - it constantly provides energy and enhances pumping.

BCAA and amino acids

Any athletes (isoleucine, valine) will only benefit. These are the three amino acids whose concentration in muscle cells highest. Here is a short list of their beneficial properties:

1. increased protein synthesis;
2. reduction of catabolic processes in the body;
3. improving the breakdown of adipose tissue;
4. acceleration of recovery after training;
5. stimulation of insulin production.

Optimal time to take BCAA or complex amino acids: immediately after waking up, before, during, after training and before bed. However daily dosage amino acids must be large enough, at least 30 grams. The ectomorph will not feel anything from the dosage of 5-10 grams stated on the packaging by the manufacturer. It is advisable to use BCAA together with another amino acid -. Glutamine is necessary for the body to maintain immunity.

This sports nutrition for gaining muscle mass will be extremely useful for an ectomorph. Thanks to taking this supplement, the mental attitude towards training improves, blood flow to working muscles increases, and more energy is consumed.

Many pre-workout complexes contain various stimulants (DMAA, DMHA, ephedrine, etc.). For ectomorphs, their use is undesirable, as they will “force” you to work up a sweat in the gym and spend too many calories. This will make it difficult to gain muscle mass. In addition, to get the full effect, you should consume them on an empty stomach. There is too long a break between meals (about 4 hours). This is undesirable for an ectomorph. Therefore, it is better to opt for complexes with a small amount of stimulants (100 mg of caffeine will be more than enough) and working components for pumping such as arginine, agmatine or yohimbine.

Vitamin-mineral complex

Classes in gym lead to large waste of vitamins and minerals. This leads to weakening immune system body. For this reason, every athlete quite often experiences colds. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to use a vitamin-mineral complex year-round, so you will be confident in your health.

Creatine

Creatine is rightfully considered one of the most effective supplements. It promotes the accumulation of ATP molecules in the muscles, which allows you to perform more repetitions and lift more weight. The most common form is creatine monohydrate, which can be purchased at any sports nutrition store. affordable price. Numerous studies show that creatine actually helps increase muscle mass and strength. When starting to take creatine, many people advise doing a “loading” phase, but latest research refute this myth. It is enough to consume about 5 grams per day, and it is better to break this amount into several small doses.

1. Focus on total calories. It's okay if sometimes there is a slight imbalance in nutrients, but the total calorie content should always be approximately the same.
2. Keep your fast food consumption to a minimum. Quite acceptable for ectomorphs regular intake your favorite “junk” food in small quantities. However, it is better to find a healthier alternative to this. Burgers, pizza and baked goods can be made at home using healthy ingredients.
3. Drink more water. This is necessary for normal hydration and maintenance water-salt balance. A person needs to consume at least 1 liter of water per 30 kg of body weight.
4. Don't overeat. You should feel slightly hungry every 2-3 hours, then you can easily eat the required amount of food. If you eat your fill every time, you won’t be able to fit in 6-8 meals.
5. Do fasting days. This will make everything work better gastrointestinal tract. Try fasting once every two weeks, consuming only water or kefir, and see the results.

Nutrition program for gaining muscle mass

Based on the above, the nutrition program for an ectomorph to gain muscle mass per day should look something like this:

It is not necessary to thoroughly follow this ectomorph nutrition plan; you can always add, subtract or replace something. The main thing is to eat healthy, stick to your daily caloric intake, train hard in the gym and don’t forget to recover.

One of the most popular questions in BB and fitness is nutrition for gaining muscle mass for an ectomorph, since it is very difficult for people with this body type to move weight off the ground. So, this is not just a diet, but a whole science, with its own techniques and tricks) So today we decided to help the eternally called “trash” gain quality mass!

Diet for an ectomorph to gain muscle mass

The basic rule of ectomorph nutrition to increase volume is to consume a number of calories that significantly exceeds the amount of energy expended per day. “This is a generally accepted rule for everyone,” you say, but noooo) You can exceed the daily caloric intake in different ways: if for someone to grow it is enough to eat 100 kcal more, then for some 500 will not be enough. So, the diet should be composed in such a way that due to the consumption of high-calorie foods, 300 - 400 grams are added to body weight weekly. It’s clear that there’s no way to immediately know how many calories you need to increase your diet, so do it intuitively: increase it by 100 kcal to start, and if your weight starts to increase, you can continue at the same pace; if it stands still, then raise it; if too much fat is added, then reduce it slightly.

It is worth understanding that gaining muscle mass for an ectomorph is enough difficult task, therefore, when compiling a daily diet, you must try to maintain the proportions of nutrients, ideally making up the following ratio:

• Proteins – 25-35% (meat products, cottage cheese, eggs, fish and seafood);
• Fats – 10-15% ( fatty varieties fish, nuts, unsaturated fatty acids);
• Carbohydrates – 45-65% (complex: cereals, pasta from durum wheat). It would not be a sin to consume simple carbohydrates in the morning, before and after training.

The main key to successfully increasing muscle size is strict adherence to nutritional laws. An ectomorph needs to eat small portions on average 6 – 8 times a day. Due to this fractional diet scheme, nutrients uninterruptedly penetrate into the body throughout the day.

Also, such a nutritional system in combination with consumed water helps to increase the speed of metabolic processes. This provides fast burning subcutaneous fat, which helps accelerate synthesis muscle tissue. This diet for an ectomorph to gain muscle mass ensures better protein absorption due to frequent and systematic meals.

An interesting fact: most people with an ectomorphic (asthenic) physique have a fast metabolism, and this is one of the reasons why such people have difficulty gaining weight, in other words, “they eat and don’t get fat.” Typically, as stated above, a diet for weight gain involves small, frequent meals 6-8 times a day to speed up metabolism. So, some nutritionists believe that this is not entirely true for ectomorphs. effective strategy, and it would be much better to reduce meals to 3 high-calorie portions a day - metabolism slows down and the body gains weight better and faster. This is an interesting and strange theory that is likely to bring you a lot excess fat, but you can try)

And so on, during the growth of muscle mass, your daily diet should be distributed in this way. In the morning you need to eat foods with high content carbohydrates, and in the evening, you should give preference to protein-containing dishes. This is due to the fact that the ectomorph’s body constantly requires energy.

The drinking regime should consist of 3 liters clean water in a day. The portion distribution should be consuming 75% of foods before 18:00. You can also include a gainer or protein intake in your diet.

Approximate daily diet for an ectomorph

Breakfast:

• 300 ml oatmeal on milk;
• 4 things. boiled eggs;
• Banana;
• 250 ml whey protein;

Snack:

• 250 grams of cottage cheese with berries.
• Sweet green tea.

Lunch:

• 120 grams of boiled fish;
• 150 grams of vegetable salad:
• 50 grams of black bread;
• 1 tbsp. low-fat yogurt.

Dinner:

• 1 serving of soup with meat broth;
• 100 grams of bread;
• 300 grams of pasta with cheese;
• 80 grams of tuna.
• 200 grams of Chinese cabbage salad;
• 250 ml milk.

Snack:

• 150 grams of walnuts;
• 1 serving of protein shake.

Afternoon snack:

• 1 sandwich with boiled chicken, hard cheese and lettuce;
• 300 ml gainer.

Dinner:

• 300 grams of muesli with milk;
• black, sweet tea.

When eating to increase muscle volume, it is important for an ectomorph to correctly calculate the number of calories consumed. To do this, you should multiply your body weight by 30, the result will be daily dose calories (approximately, of course, how to adjust this figure was already discussed above). An important point is the use of vitamin-mineral complexes, Omega-3 and other sports nutrition. In general, the golden three for quality results is training, nutrition, sports nutrition! It is this approach that will help you always achieve your sporting goals. Good luck and great mass gain!

In the last issue we touched on the topic of gaining weight for ectomorphs. Namely, we sorted out what should be proper training. But as you know, these trainings are only a small part of success, so now let’s look at what it should be like proper nutrition for ectomorphs to gain muscle mass.

In fact, nutrition plays a very important role important role, I would say - the main one. Precisely because proper nutrition no progress in muscle growth. So how are u of this type metabolism is accelerated, then the calorie content should be especially high.

Basic nutrition rules:

• take in more calories than you expend (most important rule)
• large meals every 2 – 3 hours (you can also put small snacks between them)
• consume 2g protein per 1kg body weight
• focus on carbohydrates and fats
• drink 3 - 4 liters of clean water per day
• mandatory meal before bed

Best food:

• protein (meat, chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, fish)
• carbohydrates (cereals, fruits, pasta, bread)
• fats (fatty fish, oils, nuts)

For ordinary person who wants to gain muscle mass, needs to multiply his weight by 40, and he will get his daily calorie intake for growth (for example: weight 60kg*40 = 2400). As for ectomorphs, this will most likely not be enough for them. Nutrition for ectomorphs to gain muscle mass calculated by the formula: body weight (in kilograms) multiplied by 50, and in some cases even by 55 - 60 (for example: weight 60kg*50 = 3000).

Of these 3,000 calories, the main emphasis should be on carbohydrates and fats (moreover, only experimentally will you understand what makes you grow faster: from increased amount fats or from an increased amount of carbohydrates). Carbohydrates should be at least 4g*1kg of body weight, and fats should be at least 1g*1kg of body weight. As for proteins, 2g*1kg will be enough. (at most 2.5g*1kg).

And even if, with such a caloric content, you still do not gain weight, then add another 300 - 500 calories to your daily diet (and so on until the mass moves).

Sample menu:

1st reception: oatmeal + fruit

Meal 2: rice + meat + vegetables

Meal 3: buckwheat + fish + vegetables

4th reception (before training): rice + eggs + vegetables

Training (drink water with added sweet juice, honey or sugar during training)

5 reception (30 minutes after training): buckwheat + meat + vegetables

Meal 6: chicken + vegetables

7th dose (before bed): cottage cheese or casein protein

If you are unable to independently choose a menu with the correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates for your own body weight, then I can help you with this. If you want me to select an individual menu for you (calculate everything by grams and time), then contact me through this page ->

You can also have a mini snack between meals. (this will speed up the process of gaining weight). You can have a snack: nuts, fruits, milk, cheese, etc.

Except nutrition for ectomorphs to gain muscle mass You also need to pay attention to rest, since muscles grow during rest, and not during training.

• sleep 9 – 10 hours at night
• sleep 1 – 2 hours during the day (if possible)
• minimize any additional physical activity (running, swimming, boxing, football, hanging out in clubs until the morning, etc.)

P.S. I also recommend that you allocate some of your precious time to watch this video.

Sincerely,

Diet for an ectomorph

It is easy to identify an ectomorph in society, that is, a person with a thin physique.

Characteristic features are:

1. Long thin neck
2. Narrow shoulders
3. Thin long arms and legs

The explanation for this nature is rapid metabolism. The body has no fat deposits.

For a person weighing 60 kilograms, this special nutrition program is suitable.

Important points of the diet are:

• Six meals a day
• Eating 2600 calories per day

This combination of the nutrition process ensures results. If nothing happens, then just increase the number of daily calories by 20% of original plan. This need is usually caused by the fact that each person’s body has its own characteristics and required amount calories per day may vary.

The ectomorph's nutrition program should be selected taking into account individual characteristics body. The proposed program will suit some people right away, some will suffer from a lack of calories (carbohydrates), and others will gain fat due to already large quantity carbohydrates.

For quick and good digestion of food, do not forget about eating vegetables and fruits. This will also allow your muscles to grow faster.

Another problem could be a lack of protein. To do this, the diet is supplemented by eating protein twice a day during breaks from the main meal.

The main thing is that you do not need to thoroughly follow this nutrition program. Your right is to replace some products with others according to your taste. The main thing is that the replacement is as equivalent as possible. Boiled fish replaces chicken breast, buckwheat - pearl barley, oatmeal - millet. No need to get hung up. The diet should be more varied.