What is the goal of the Ectomorph Diet?
You can eat whatever you want and not care! But unfortunately, that’s not always a good thing; it can affect your health and physical fitness over time!

If you’re someone who remains long and thin despite consuming a lot of carbohydrates, and you don’t see any significant weight gain, then this means that your body characteristics are ectomorphic.
Ectomorphic bodies have a high sensitivity to insulin and burn calories faster. While someone with an ectomorphic body can indulge in unhealthy foods, the metabolic results may accumulate belly fat without any noticeable increase in other parts of the body.
The goal of the Ectomorph Diet is to increase weight by increasing muscle mass and reducing fat, essentially a bulking diet.
What does the Ectomorph Diet entail?
The Ectomorph Diet for weight gain involves following a diet that contains plenty of protein to increase muscle mass, a moderate amount of carbohydrates, and a low amount of fat, with the following proportions:
- 55% carbohydrates.
- 25% protein.
- 20% fat.
Following a weight-gain diet like the Ectomorph Diet should be accompanied by appropriate exercise to strengthen the body structure three times a week, such as:
- Squats.
- Shoulder and Bench Press.
- Biceps and Triceps exercises.
- Leg strengthening exercises.
Who should follow the Ectomorph Diet?
The following groups are advised to follow the Ectomorph Diet:
- Those with high insulin sensitivity.
- Tall and slender individuals who usually have a small frame size.
- Those with low muscle mass.
- Those who struggle to gain weight easily.
Recommended foods for the Ectomorph Diet for weight gain include:
- Proteins such as chicken, eggs, fish, shrimp, and beef.
- Dairy products such as low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
- Vegetables and fruits such as apples, mangoes, oranges, pears, bananas, broccoli, and berries.
- Carbohydrates such as oats, brown rice, and sweet potatoes.
A one-week meal plan for the Ectomorph Diet:
[Meal plans were provided for seven days, including breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, and dinner.]
Special note: When following the Ectomorph Diet for weight gain, protein powder and protein cubes are dietary supplements containing protein in case the person cannot consume the required amount of protein in food.
Foods to avoid on the Ectomorph Diet:
- Foods high in fat.
- Junk food and unhealthy snacks.
Expected results of the Ectomorph Diet:
With moderate carbohydrate intake and increased protein intake, the body can:
- Build muscle mass better.
- Improve metabolism.
- Reduce the likelihood of osteoporosis.
Negatives of the Ectomorph Diet:
The Ectomorph Diet for weight gain requires moderate effort to maintain a healthy diet pattern along with exercise to strengthen and stabilize muscle strength.
- Jessica Migala. Ectomorph Diet: Food List, Sample Menu, Benefits, More. Retrieved on 11th of July, 2021, from:
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/ectomorph-diet/
- Ashley Marcin. Mesomorph Body Type: What It Is, Diet, and More. Retrieved on 11th of July, 2021, from:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/mesomorph-body-type-diet
- U Rock Girl. How to Eat & Workout for an Ectomorph Body Type. Retrieved on 11th of July, 2021, from:
- https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blo