Meghan Rovelli, 28, always had an athletic build, but to prepare for her sleeveless wedding gown, she wanted more definition in her arms and upper body. After seeing Hillary Swank's lean pecs and sculpted triceps in the film Million Dollar Baby, the New York City-based publicist decided to try boxing. Enjoying the workout, Rovelli devoted herself to training well past her 2007 honeymoon.
After about six months, however, it occurred to her that she was putting on too much muscle. She says she walked by a mirror and was startled by just how bulky she had become. Blazers that once suited her 5'3" frame were becoming uncomfortably tight. Friends were also telling her she looked big. She wanted to look lean, she says, and not like a "weight lifter."
For Rovelli, that meant quitting boxing and starting a program that was right for her own body type: yoga and Pilates. Though boxing was right for Swank's lean body type, it was bulking up Rovelli's already athletic frame. "I always thought these exercises were poor man's workouts because you weren't sweating," says Rovelli about the two holistic fitness techniques. "But it started working. I lost bulk and became more streamlined."
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Like Rovelli, many women who try popular workouts find they are not one size fits all. Certain types of exercises will be more effective--and safe--depending on your body type.
Generally, people fall into three body types. Endomorphs tend to store more fat than the other body types and are sometimes called pear- or apple-shaped. Ectomorphs, the so-called "string beans," tend to be thin, long-limbed and have difficulty putting on fat and muscle. Mesomorphs have athletic builds, characterized by high muscle mass and little fat.
"The ratio of fat to lean muscle has a significant impact on how many calories you burn," says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., a physiologist and chief science officer at the American Council on Exercise, the organization that certifies professional trainers. All other things being equal, the higher your ratio of lean muscle to fat, the higher your metabolism will be. Though body types are genetically predetermined--and most of us will fall into one of the three categories--this ratio can be altered with the right exercise and a healthy diet.
Endomorphs
While endomorphs have a harder time than other body types in losing fat, even in the most extreme cases they can be just as fit as other body types. As evidenced by the NBC show The Biggest Loser, "when they lose the weight, they are skinny people like anyone else," says Cindy Bailey, Ph.D., director of physical therapy at Orthopaedic Hospital in Los Angeles.
For endos, who usually carry extra fat around the lower abdomen, hips and thighs, the key is to start with a program that burns calories instead of a lot of strength training. The extra weight they carry can cause increased pressure on joints and bones, so it is important for endos, at first, to avoid engaging in exercises that can add stress to these areas, says Dr. Mark Klion, an orthopedic surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. That means trading high-impact exercises like tennis, jumping rope or other activities that involve intense and repetitive movements for low-impact cardio workouts like walking or biking.
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