Carbs are my kryptonite

Carbs are my Kryptonite.

We were all created different and that is an awesome thing that sets us all apart from one another but there is something that we have in common with a lot of people and that will be our body type. Do you remember learning about this at school all those moons ago? I know I do and I thought nothing of it then and I haven’t done since. Little did I know that unlocking the knowledge of my own body type would affect me so positively and that it would have such a profound effect on my success so far. I AM AN ENDOMORPH! An awesome body type in many ways but it also comes with its Achilles heals that if not addressed can be your kryptonite. 

There are two other body types. Ectomorph and Mesomorph. Ectomorphs are typically, slim bodied individuals that struggle to either put on body fat or lean muscle. Whereas Mesomorphs are the body types that we all envy and would like to be, carrying little body fat and gain lots of lean muscle very quickly. The guys and girls in the gym that simply look at dumbbells and grow biceps!

But I am not going to dwell on these body types, simply because they are not me, I said when I started this blog that I will share what knowledge I have found with my own experience and if you are struggling with your body fat or weight issues you may well be an Endomorph like me. Typically soft bodied, round or box shaped and struggle to lose bodyfat. But if the nutrition is correct and you can learn how your body reacts you can burn this body fat quite effectively it just takes discipline because that one “cheat meal” a week can ruin your weeks progress. Trust me I’ve ruined weeks upon weeks of training and dieting in the past! Big upside to being an endomorph, generally we build muscle very easily.

Figuring out my body type was the first major step I took to realising what I needed to do to be successful.

"Out of shape Endomorph, typical Endomorphs shape!!"

I have a poor tolerance towards carbohydrates. The Starch kind!

I started to think about how each type of foods made me feel after I had eaten them, I found that carbohydrates, in particular those high in starch (rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bread, pasta etc) were in fact my kryptonite. I noticed that after eating a meal containing these I would feel slightly bloated and could be quite lethargic and this was simply because my body did not handle them as well as an energy source. They are absolutely rammed packed full of energy and I cannot process this energy when eating these at every meal. After all a “healthy balanced” diet should contain them at every meal! Or so you would be lead to believe. For some yes, but it depends how your body handles them, remember this is all individual. So for a long time Carbs were my Kryptonite!! I wasn’t using them correctly for my circumstances. A bit like using a hammer to drive a screw in, you’ll just make a mess of the job!

So what did I learn???!! I train to high volume so I need carbs right? Yes! But they’re having a detrimental effect on my body fat! Well..its all in the timing. Starchy carbohydrates are awesome for repairing you body. So after I have done an intense session, whether it be a hard circuit, heavy sparring session or a big lifting workout I will feed my body with these carbs, but not too much, just enough to assist in my recovery. Just enough to feed my depleted muscles! Which for me, is usually, a medium sized sweet potato. A typical post workout meal for me would be:

Large salmon fillet cooked in real butter with chilli seasoning.

Medium sweet potato baked in the oven with a little real butter in the middle.

Steamed broccoli, cauliflower, carrots seasoned with some garlic.

Fish, vegetables and sources of good fats :) Perfect. All the ingredients are either caught or grown. Caveman style.

Importantly if I haven’t trained I don’t eat starchy carbohydrates! I keep my meals to lean meat, vegetables and good sources of fat (nuts, seeds, olive oils amongst others)

Fear not fellow endomorphs, your are truly blessed with this body type. I feel that I am, you just need to understand the beast. An endomorph in shape can be a truly intimidating prospect to tangle with, see below: “THE BADDEST MAN ON THE PLANET.” (at one time)

"In shape Endomorph!"

Get your nutrition right and get your training right and you can unleash an extremely efficient, frightening beast of physical performance. Now i'm not using Mike Tyson as a shining example to the human race, nor do I condone things the man has done outside and inside of the ring, quite the opposite but one thing cannot be ignored when he was "on" he was unstoppable. I'm talking about his physical gifts, one extremely gifted Endomorph. 

But unfortunately if you do not look after your body as an endomorph you wont find yourself as lucky:

"Out of shape Endomorph!"

I have found that my body responds quickly to metabolic type circuits. Intense bursts of exercise followed by short periods of rest. That kind of training most commonly found in boxing gyms, mixed martial arts gyms and any other combat sports forum. If I’m doing weights I go heavy and intense with little rest. After all I have a need to burn calories as, as an endomorph I have fat to burn and keep off! This training is more effective at burning fat than steady state cardio. For me!! Remember if running is your thing brilliant but I’m not built to run. Training this way I’m less likely to get injured and I’m getting a greater response with my body. That’s not to say I can’t run. I trained for and ran a marathon but felt no greater increase in fat loss or body composition than with any other training I’ve done. If anything I got less gain and towards the end put weight on. But thats another story :)

So get a grip on your body type, stand in the mirror if you’ve got fat gathering around your hips, stomach. Round or box shaped. Storing fat on your back and shoulder blades chances you’re an Endomorph just like me. If your going for “jogs” and getting nowhere think to yourself is this the right training for my body type. Seek out your local boxing gym, MMA gym, rugby club etc. Go and join in with their training. You just might find your body responds, fast! You can unleash the beast you just have to know how to.

And after all carbs are not my kryptonite, quite the opposite but only when the amount and time is right. 

The BJJ Boxer