If you are thinking about embarking on a fitness or bodybuilding program, here are a few pointers you should know before you begin.
- Consult your physician, especially if you are out of shape
- Set realistic fitness goals and record them in a notebook
- Start off slowly
- Stick to the basics
- Commit to your program
- Weigh yourself and take measurements
- Build a foundation (don't be tempted to follow an advanced routine)
Following this advice will be very helpful in the long run.
There are 3 basic different body types and some people have certain characteristics of all 3.
- Ectomorph—Extremely thin with a very fast metabolism.
- Mesomorph—Athletically built and usually classified as an easy gainer.
- Endomorph—Usually overweight, with a very slow metabolism.
Ectomorph
Training
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Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
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The reason I stress not adding any other exercises to this routine is because, being extremely underweight you do not want to overwork, and you must conserve energy to re-build the torn down muscle tissue.
Workout Schedule
Upper body on Monday and Thursday, lower body on Tuesday and Friday.
Rest on the other 3 days, keep outside activities to a minimum so as not to burn excess calories needed to build muscle.
If you find this diet too much to consume slowly make an effort to eat just a little more all the time. Also get as much good sound sleep as you can to aid in recovery.
Diet
Now the matter of what to eat to feed those injured muscles. I would recommend eating every 3 hours or so. I know from personal experience this might not seem possible, but you must try to eat at least a little more until your body becomes acclimated to the new food intake.
We no longer label our 3 meals as breakfast, lunch, and dinner, because we will be eating at least 5 but preferably 6 meals a day, and they are now known as Meals 1-6.
Eggs
Whole Wheat Bread
(toasted)
Banana
Milk
Tuna
Salad
(mixed greens)
Orange
Milk
Peanut Butter
Protein Powder
Eggs
Ice Cream
Steak
Baked Potato
Asparagus
Milk
Chicken
Carrots
Olive Oil
Protein Shake
Peanut Butter
That should be enough for starters as you will probably have a hard time eating this amount. Drink a minimum of a at least a gallon of water every day.
Endomorph
I would offer the same advice to them also except do 3 days of low intensity cardio just for your endurance and to keep fat gain to minimum. Mind you this is only a temporary routine.
Mesomorph
Same routine, different diet, and 4-5 days of cardio of your choice.
I recommend walking on the treadmill. As you get in better shape increase duration, but start off at 20 minutes slowly building up to 30-45 minutes. If this seems like a lot of work it is but as I tell my clients if you can't stay motivated, stand naked in front of a full length mirror, if you don't like what you see this should be motivation enough. I will go a lot deeper into fat loss but here we are just beginning.
Diet
Egg Whites
Eggs
Oatmeal
Protein Shake
Tuna
Baked Potato
Salad
(mixed greens)
Chicken
Brown Rice
Broccoli
Tuna
Salad
(mixed greens)
Water
Protein Shake
Now here are some helpful tips to avoid hunger pangs and binging.
- Eat your food slowly.
- Always drink at least a gallon of water a day. There are a lot of good reasons for doing this but for you it will create a sensation of fullness.
- If you must eat something, pick a healthy low calorie snack, such as raw veggie cakes, fat free yogurt, salad, etc.
Do's And Don'ts
Now for some do's and don'ts for all 3 body types... let's get to the Don'ts first:
- Don't eat junk
- Don't forget water
- Don't miss workouts
- Don't deviate from this routine
- Don't slack off.
Now for the Do's:
- Do train hard
- Do be consistent
- Do stick to your diet
- Do add weight to the bar when possible
- Do use good form