Just become a better you

The reality and fiction of changing your body type and shape. We have all seen the infomercials and magazine articles: “Get flatter abs in 4 weeks”, “Throw away those love handles with these 3 simple exercises”, “Follow the (insert movie star name) leg and butt workout to look like her”, “Get rid of fat in those problem areas forever”.


The reality is that for the most part we genetically fall loosely into one of three body types: mesomorph or a more common one word description – muscular, ectomorph or a more common one word description – skinny, or endomorph or a more common one word description – curvy. While we can’t change our genetic make-up we can improve our body style within each type with our exercise program. So if you are an ectomorph you probably will never become a mesomorph (think middle linebacker in football) but you can become more muscular. If you are an endomorph you will never be an ectomorph (think Olympic marathon runner) but you can slim down.

You can change the amount of fat you store through your diet and exercise program, but you can’t really change the places where your body chooses to naturally store it. This storage place falls into what is termed body shape: banana, pear, apple or hour glass. Men tend to store fat in the “beer belly” and “love handles”. Women generally store fat in their hips, upper thighs and back of their arms. Those “problem areas” of fat are generally the place where your body shape stores fat. Specific targeted exercises to these areas will not make them go away unless your overall body fat reduces through proper diet and exercise.

Take home point: Don’t get tricked and fooled into thinking your exercise program can make you look and feel like someone you are not, but it can make you look and feel like a better you. Be realistic with your fitness program and goals to make a better you.