Have you ever used your metabolic type to help calculate the right diet?
All people have unique rates and methods of metabolism. We all have that one friend who can eat anything they want without gaining a pound. Or maybe you’ve heard people talk about whether they’re an endomorph, ectomorph, or mesomorph — these are all words describing how different bodies process calories and put on weight differently. In this article, we’ll break down specifically what the different metabolic types are and how you should adjust your diet accordingly.
How does metabolic typing work?
“The metabolic typing diet maintains that people have different macronutrient needs based on their metabolism. Experts concur that people have individualized nutrition needs, but disagree with the specific metabolic typing personalities and diets, which can be unbalanced,” says Chrissy Carroll, RD, MPH.
Metabolism is mainly influenced by two key factors: the activity level of your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls digestion, and the rate at which your cells oxidize. Everyone has a different combination of how these two things work in tandem in your body to control your metabolize. Some people have an extremely active parasympathetic nervous system and high rate of oxidation in cells, some have one but not the other acting as highly dominant, and others have both working at significantly slower rates than average. This results in three types of metabolic processing with three different recommended diets.
The three metabolic types
You can probably calculate your metabolic type based on how you gain weight and past eating habits. However, it’s always worth checking in with a doctor or nutritionist to confirm with blood tests what you already know. Here are the three metabolic types and their associated diets.
- Carbohydrate metabolic type: This metabolic type has slow cellular oxidization but a highly active nervous system. People with this metabolic type generally have a poor appetite, gain weight easily, and crave sweets. Recommended Diet: This metabolic type is named because carbs are key for controlling your diet in this situation. The carbo type should have a diet that is extremely high in carbs and low in proteins and fats. This will counteract cravings for bad foods and help eliminate excessive weight gain.
- Protein metabolic type: This metabolic type his a high rate of cellular oxidization and a less active nervous system. Unlike carbo metabolic types, they are constantly hungry and crave fatty or salty foods. They do not gain weight as easily but can suffer from fatigue and mood problems as a result of poor diet. Recommended Diet: This metabolic type calls for a diet rich in oils and high-purine foods such as organ meats, dark-meat poultry, and seafood. Carb intake should be low overall and the protein-rich diet should counteract the “constantly hungry” feeling that many protein types suffer from.
- Mixed metabolic type: Some people fall somewhere in between these two models and will need an adjusted diet. Recommended Diet: People who are somewhere in between these two extremes will need a diet that is relatively balanced in terms of carbs and proteins.
