How Your Body Type Can Affect Your Workouts

One of the most frustrating things you may have experienced is huffing and puffing through different workout routines, only to find that, despite all of your efforts, the pounds are not melting away, and your muscle tone is still meh. So, what gives?

Turns out, your body type may be what's affecting your workouts. So, if you've been pushing yourself through workouts that are not optimized for your body type — this could be the reason why you feel like you've been running in place.

Everyone falls into one of the three body type categories, or a hybrid version, also called somatotypes. Ectomorphs are lean body types that have challenges when it comes to putting on pounds. Endomorphs, on the other hand, are naturally fatty and muscular, and gain weight more easily. And, lastly, there are the enviable mesomorphs. Mesomorphs have bodies that are naturally athletic, and they typically build muscle and lose weight with relative ease (via Men's Health).

"Very few people see themselves accurately — in my experience, about 50 percent of people misclassify their body type," Phil Catudal, a National Academy of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer tells Everyday Health. The good news is, though, that once you determine which body type, or hybrid body type, you are, you'll be able to make more informed choices about what kinds of workouts will be the best fit for your fitness routine.

For example, if you fall into the ectomorph category, consider swapping out some of your cardio workouts with muscle-building exercises. "Focus on doing 'compound lifts' — ones that use multiple joints and muscle groups, such as deadlifts and squats with dumbbells — a few days per week, and you'll get the toned, sculpted results you want," Catudal recommends. If you find that you fall more in the endomorph category, start with a steady cardio routine to burn fat, and then, once you begin to see results, add some targeted strengthening exercises to build muscle tone. "The cardio is more important in terms of conditioning and fat loss," Catudal says. And if you're a mesomorph, a steady, moderate cardio workout with occasional sprints thrown in would be a good place to start.

So, not to worry, no matter your body type — there is a workout out there for you! Just make a few adjustments to your current routine and you may soon see your frustrations — and those pesky pounds — finally start to melt away.