I am genetically lean like my father and could eat just as much food as my brothers growing up. My body type falls between an ectomorph and a mesomorph with a raging metabolism. So, in order for me to maintain my lean mass and body weight, I need to consume lots of carbs each day. Honestly, eating can feel like an emergency if I wait too long between meals.
I turn to healthy carbs to fuel my body and feel good throughout the day. I can feel lightheaded if I go too long without eating, especially carbs.
Carbs I eat routinely:
- oats
- quinoa
- seeded whole grain bread
- whole-grain tortillas
- sweet and white potatoes
- brown rice
- veggies
- fruits
- bran cereal
Metabolism and Gains
My metabolism seems to work faster than I can fuel my body. Some people say they can just look at food and gain 5lbs whereas the opposite happens to me.
I will not exercise if I feel hungry and prefer to down a healthy meal before hitting the weights. I’m definitely not a candidate for intermittent fasting to improve athletic performance or to reduce body fat.
I just so happen to be one of those people on the other side of the spectrum that works hard to gain weight. This doesn’t mean I want to gain by eating lots of crap to achieve skinny fat. My goal is to maintain or increase lean muscle mass by eating healthy carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Genetics and Goals
Genetics do play a small role in your physical appearance, but you absolutely have the power to change things by what you eat and how you challenge your body. I work hard and eat to support my goals. I don’t believe in diets nor do I teach that in my personal training practice.
Genetics may predispose some of us to become lean or overweight. However, regardless of your genetics, it remains important to strive for good health for all body types.
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