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Your unique body-type plays an important factor in determining which exercises are optimal to build muscle and burn fat. There are are three distinct body types: endomorph, ectomorph and mesomorph. Each are very unique to the individual and help explain why some exercises aren’t getting the job done, and why other exercises help you build muscle and burn fat.

Build muscle and burn fat – Endomorph

Endomorphs are your naturally “soft” friends, making it tough to build muscle and burn fat. Celebrities like Kristie Alley, Oprah and Jason Alexander have struggled with weight-loss throughout their careers because of their natural body type. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible to reach your dream body, but it’s definitely a challenge.

Get motivated! The best workout for an endomorph to build muscle and burn fat, is to start with fat-burning cardio, like sustained cardio or interval training. Sustained cardio workouts could be anything from incline walking on a treadmill to participating in steady outdoor activities until fatigue. Interval training is simply taking those same exercises, but adding short bursts of high resistance, high incline or faster speeds throughout the workout.

Endomorphs need to focus on burning fat and cardiovascular strength before building muscle to prevent injuries.

Build muscle and burn fat – Ectomorph

Ectomorphs are the naturally slim and slender people you see wearing skinny jeans like there’s no tomorrow. The biological blessings needed to build muscle and burn fat are split down the middle, where muscle building is tough, but fat burning is easy. Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima or goofy late night talk show host, Conan O’Brien, rock the bodies of an ectomorph.

No matter the muscle-building goal of an ectomorph, they’ll need to lift weights and jack-up the endurance to build muscle and burn fat and achieve their goals of strength, muscle growth and endurance.

Being thin doesn’t mean you’re healthy! Avoid skipping your cardio session, because without a strong heart, all of your hard work will go to waste.

Build muscle and burn fat – Mesomorph

You know all of those naturally athletic friends of yours? Those are mesomorphs. Professional athletes like Clay Matthews and actresses like Jessica Biel are the opposite of ectomorphs when they want to build muscle and burn fat; muscle comes easy, but fat-loss can be a struggle.

Its important to focus equally on exercises that build muscle and burn fat. Therefore, depending on your goals, any weight-lifting exercise, strenuous activity or interval training session is beneficial for a mesomorph.

Avoid the same workout for long periods of time. This body type needs frequent variation because of the quick muscle adaptation and development. Otherwise, you may struggle with “a plateau” in your gains.

Building muscle and burning fat – Accept yourself!

Accepting your unique body shape is very important to reaching your fitness goals. Of course, a healthy and clean diet goes hand-in-hand with obtaining your dream-body. Don’t solely rely on exercise to reach your goals. Eating right and exercising your body in order to build muscle and burn fat is a lifestyle, not a phase.