High Metabolism Macros: Ectomorph Diet to Build Muscle

Have you been trying to bulk up but no matter how much food you eat the scale doesn’t seem to want to move? You might even be losing weight. Don’t give up hope. Your dream physique can still become a reality. You just have to eat the right diet for an ectomorph body type to build muscle.

The Problem: Why Ectomorphs Can’t Build Muscle?

When you think about ectomorphs you probably think about some skinny guy who can eat whatever he wants and still not gain any weight. If you thought of yourself then you’re probably in the right place.

Ectomorphs typically have a much narrower body frame with a metabolism that can outrun a jet-plane. This is due to each of our own genetic individuality but it also seems to be where the problem lies, or may I say problems.

Ectomorphs typically burn off more energy than they can store and, since muscle needs a lot of energy, it doesn’t usually translate well into building a lot of muscle. Frustrating right?

In addition, ectomorphs may not be as efficient in digesting and processing food when compared to other body types. Their smaller frame makes for a smaller stomach capacity. This leads to less of those valuable calories being consumed.

From this, it might be easy to think that as an ectomorph you’ve drawn the short end of the stick in the genetic lottery, and that it’s impossible to build muscle. That thought couldn’t be further from the truth.

It’s simple. Now that we’ve identified the problems, we can work on finding solutions to implement in our ectomorph diet plan.

If you’re having the opposite of these problems then you might want to check out our Endomorph Guide.

Solution 1: Calories for Ectomorph Muscle Growth

Calories are nothing more than the energy we get from the food we eat. It’s simple. If we consume more calories than we burn throughout the day then we gain weight. If we eat less than that then we lose weight.

The problem stopping ectomorphs from gaining weight is the fact that their metabolism is so high. That means that the amount of energy they’re burning throughout the day is much higher, and they have to eat a lot more calories in order to gain muscle.

Therefore, you can’t eat the same as the average Joe and expect the same results, especially when his metabolism is walking and yours is riding a spaceship to the moon. It just won’t work out. You need to eat for your body type.

The solution is tough but it is simple. You have to eat more.

It can be difficult to figure out just where to start and how many calories you need to eat in order to gain muscle as an ectomorph. An easy tip is to take your bodyweight in pounds and multiply that by 16 or 18, depending on your activity level. This should generally put you in a calorie surplus.

Building muscle as an ectomorph is already hard enough, so I made this calorie calculator for you. That way we can skip all of the math and get straight to building muscle.

It’s not perfect but at least it will give you an idea of what you need to be eating in order to build muscle. I suggest using a diet tracker like myfitnesspal in order to keep on track. There is no need to be meticulous with tracking. Just make sure you’re in the ballpark and you’ll gain weight.

Quick Tip: Weigh yourself at the same time everyday and find the weekly average. When the weight stops increasing week by week then it’s time to increase your calorie intake.

Solution 2: Ectomorph Mass Gaining Macros

Of course, it’s simple, as long as you’re in a calorie surplus you will gain weight. However, not every calorie is the same. Different calories will affect the type of weight you gain as well as the way you feel.

Calories aren’t created equally, and because you’re going to be eating a lot of them on your ectomorph diet plan, you might as well do it right so you can optimize your muscle growth.

The energy you get from food comes in 3 major forms; carbohydrates, fats and protein. These each play different roles in your body and will affect your metabolism in different ways.

Carbohydrates in Ectomorph Diet

These are our body’s major source of energy. I’m talking about your breads, your rice and your pasta. They fuel our workouts and they fuel growth.

The effects of carbs on insulin and other hormones make them incredibly anabolic in nature. Therefore, if muscle building is your main goal then you don’t want to skimp out on your carb intake.

I suggest aiming to get at least 40% of your calories in the form of carbohydrates. It may seem like a lot but carbs are some of the easiest foods to get down in order to meet those insane calorie requirements.

Protein in Ectomorph Diet

Whenever we’re talking health and fitness, protein is often regarded as the most important thing in your diet. However, as an ectomorph it can be a bit of a double edged sword.

Don’t get me wrong, a high enough protein intake will keep your body from breaking down hard earned muscle tissue and make sure that your muscles have the building blocks to grow. Therefore, it might be tempting to go overboard with protein on your ectomorph diet plan.

However, at the same time, protein tends to be very satiating. This means that it keeps you full for longer periods of time. In fact, protein takes longer to digest and actually uses more energy than other macronutrients to be digested. Even protein shakes tend to stick around a bit longer in your gut.

This doesn’t sound too good for hard-gainers who are already struggling to eat enough.

That’s why I suggest a more moderate approach to protein intake. Around 0.8 to 1g of protein per pound of body-mass should be enough. If you’re consistently in a calorie surplus you shouldn’t have to worry about muscle loss, and this way you’ll be able to eat a lot more.

Fats in Ectomorph Diet

Fats and oils are essential for your body’s hormone production. These chemicals are important to make sure your body functions optimally, affecting your bulking journey all the way from your workout effectiveness to your mood, to your rate of muscle gain.

I suggest getting a minimum of 20% of your calories from healthy fats and oils. However, it is incredibly easy to get a lot of extra calories in your diet by including additional fats.

1 gram of carbohydrates contains 4 calories, whereas 1 gram of fats contains 9 calories. To put that into context, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter contains nearly 100 calories. So if you’re smart (and you are) you’ll probably aim to include a lot more in your ectomorph diet plan.

Solution 3: Ectomorph Food Choices

Some might say it’s simple, it’s just calories in versus calories out, but those of us who have to force feed ourselves until our stomachs burst and still can’t meet our calorie goals can disagree. What we eat definitely matters, and this can make our bulk go a lot easier.

Take the sweet potato as an example. One cup, will contain nearly 100 calories and, because of the fiber, will require a lot of chewing to get through. Compare this with a cup of white rice, which has nearly 200 calories and requires less effort to chew.

Which of these would make your muscle building journey easier? Exactly, the one which gets you more calories with less work. You don’t want to burn more calories chewing your food than you’re getting out of it.

You’ll want to prioritize foods that are simpler and easier to digest and foods that require less chewing. Trust me, your jaw muscles will thank me for it. This doesn’t mean to pig out with fast food. Health matters. Think about white rice, mashed potatoes and shakes.

I’m not saying to ignore foods that are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals and pig out with tons of fast food. Your micronutrients matter too! These all have a place and are necessary in order to build muscle and process the food you’re eating. So while you’re busy scarfing down calories, remember to opt for the healthier options.

High fiber, highly nutritious foods should still make up some part of your diet. However, your calorie intake should take precedence since it is your major obstacle on this journey. Besides, you’re going to be eating a lot and getting in a lot of vitamins and minerals regardless.

Ignore what the celebrities are saying – You can’t bulk on just chicken and broccoli. It just isn’t feasible, especially for naturally skinny guys and gals. What you eat does matter!

Ectomorph Muscle Building Diet Hacks

If you’ve followed everything so far, you should have all the information to overcome your shortcomings as an ectomorph and finally start building some muscle.

Here are some advanced tips I’ve discovered over the years of dieting to gain muscle and free myself from the curse of being skinny. Follow them to make your mass gaining diet easier.

1. Chew Less – Gain More

The more time you spend chewing, the harder it’s going to be to get the food down. It’s not just because your jaw muscles will get tired. Chewing releases hormones that reduce your appetite and get you satiated. That means that the longer you spend chewing, the more stuffed you’ll feel.

Gain muscle the easy and smarter way. Why eat a baked potato when a mashed potato is already chewed for you? Don’t struggle to chew through meat when minced meats are an option. Include softer foods that are easier to get down and your bulk is sure to get a lot easier.

2. Liquid Calories for Solid Muscle

This one stems off of the first point. Liquid calories won’t full you up as much as solid food and can help you cheat your way into getting your calories in. Include tons of fruit juices, milk, smoothies and shakes in your ectomorph diet plan.

Shakes are versatile too! If you need more carbs you can blend up some oats or fruits, need some more fats then add some peanut butter, and there’s always protein powder when you truly need it.

3. Snack Often – Snack Smart

Snacking between meals can be an easy way to rake in those extra calories. It’s self explanatory. These micro meals won’t fill you up and you can snack while you carry about your day. However, you can snack smarter to make your diet a lot easier.

Try having a small sugary snack about an hour before your next big meal. This one isn’t about the calories. It’s about the sugar. The small amount of sugar will cause a quick insulin spike which will quickly drop.

As soon as your insulin starts dropping you’ll feel hungry and it will be time for your next big meal. If top level athletes can do this to get insane amount of calories in then so can you!

4. Supplements fight Skinny

Supplements aren’t necessary to build muscle. Whole foods should make up the majority of your ectomorph diet plan. However, if you’re still struggling to get those calories in then it might be worth it to invest in supplements.

Mass gainers have a special formulation of proteins, fats and carbs which often times have over a thousand calories per serving. They’re effective but I suggest paying attention to the ingredients. You don’t want to go too excessive on the sugar. Keep your muscle building diet healthy.

5. Digestive Aids

If you’ve tried bulking seriously before then you’ll understand the feeling. Your stomach is stuffed up, you’re bloated and constipated. It’s as if your body can’t seem to process any more food. And you’ll be right to think so.

Digestive enzymes can help speed up your digestion. You can get these in supplements or in fruits such as papaya and pineapple. Include small amounts of these in your ectomorph diet plan to help speed things up.

Another important thing to consider are probiotics. Being on a mass gaining diet for a while changes your gut biome. This means that the natural bacteria that helps to digest food in your gut goes away. Avoid this by including probiotics in your diet.

Something as simple as having some Greek yogurt before bedtime can not only give you a sustained protein source while you sleep, but help process all that food you’ve been eating and get rid of the bloating. Win – win!

6. Flavor is King

Getting the food down is one part of the journey but if you have to suffer while you’re doing it then you’re only making it harder for yourself. You don’t need to eat white rice and skinless chicken breasts. It’s okay to enjoy your mass building diet. Suffering won’t make you grow muscle faster.

Include foods in your diet plan that are not only healthy and calorie dense, but are foods that you enjoy and will actually eat if you weren’t committing to a goal. Believe me, a little bit of seasoning can go a long way!

7. Variety is the Spice of Life

You’ve meal prepped and committed to seeing your diet through, but eating the same thing every day can get boring fast. Keep your taste buds on their toes. Mix up your diet plan to keep the muscle building going.

There’s a whole world of food out there. Mix up your protein sources -there’s more out there than chicken. Tried rice today – how about getting your carbs in with some pasta tomorrow? Keep your diet interesting and it will never be hard!

8. Consistency is Key

You won’t get anywhere if you get your diet right today but tomorrow you don’t eat. You need to be in a calorie surplus in order to see the results you signed up for. Don’t spin your wheels and stay in one spot. Consistent hard work will pay off.

9. Power through the Pain

It won’t be easy. You knew that from the start. It’s tough to gain muscle, especially as an ectomorph, but you still made up your mind to start this muscle building journey.

Raking in the calories day by day won’t be easy. The workouts won’t be easy. Seeing your abdomen distended at the end of the day won’t be easy. Most of the times it will just be bloating but you’ll feel fat and you’ll be discouraged.

Don’t let it get to you. Don’t let any of it get to you. Use your willpower to power through the pain and get to where you need to be. Everything worthwhile in life takes sacrifice so push through and stick to your diet plan.

10. Workout Hard – Workout Often

Of course, if you’re an ectomorph trying to build muscle then you’ll be doing some kind of physical activity to stimulate your muscles to grow. Workouts are your stimulus and your diet provides the building blocks for that stimulus.

However, workouts can make your diet easier. Not only do they mitigate fat gain, but harder workouts often stimulate our appetite. Your muscles will literally beg for food. This is a win-win for an ectomorph trying to put on some size.

11. Nutrient Timing for Ectomorph Gains

Workouts are magical things. It’s one of the times where muscle tissue can take up glucose without needing insulin. I’ll spare you the science. Just know that your muscles are literally begging to be fed.

During this time all those nutrients you eat will shuttle into your muscles and not into your fat cells. More muscle, less fat – sounds like a win to me. Structure your diet to get most of your carbs before, during and after your workout to reduce fat gain on your bulk.

12. Don’t Pig Out

You’ll be tempted to eat as much as possible to gain as much muscle as possible. More calories means more gains right? In an ideal world that would be true, but then there would be bodybuilders lining up outside of McDonald’s to pack on as much mass as possible.

Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world and there is a limit to the amount of muscle we can put on at a time. Any calories past this limit will just be stored as fat, even if you’re a hardgainer.

This fat will reduce your insulin sensitivity and lead to even less muscle gain. Think about it like this, your fat and muscle are competing for nutrients. Eating more will lead to diminishing returns on your bulk. It’s safer to have a moderate calorie surplus.

13. Autoregulate

The human body is amazing. It will adapt to any condition. One day you’re eating in a calorie surplus and building muscle. The next day the scale is stuck. This is because your body quickly adapts to the extra calories. When this happens our muscle building diet plan needs to adapt too.

It does this by increasing body mass to use the extra energy, and by increasing your daily energy expenditure in intricate ways (increasing temperature, fidgeting more, etc), and you already know that your ectomorph body is highly efficient at wasting calories.

Your calorie surplus won’t remain your calorie surplus for long. You have to keep an eye on the scale and be mindful of when it stalls. At that point you have to autoregulate and bump the calories up to keep the gains coming.

14. Knowing when to Quit a Bulk

All great things come to an end. Sadly, this is true for your bulking diet. You need to know when it’s time to throw in the towel before it’s too late. Building muscle is hard, and sometimes the best way to build muscle is to focus on losing weight.

Your body is highly adaptive. Soon your metabolism will adapt to any amount of food you can throw at it. Soon your insulin resistance will rise so that no more nutrients can fuel any more muscle growth. It’s a sad time, but the only thing we can do when we reach this point is to recalibrate.

If you’ve reached this point then I congratulate you. That means you’ve successfully completed a bulk and you have to move on to the next phase – the cut. It will be tough to focus on losing weight, especially as an ectomorph, but it’s necessary for your future muscle gains.

A lower calorie intake will make your metabolism recalibrate so that the next time you increase it, it will be purely anabolic. It will give you a diet break so that you can mentally recover from overeating and also allow your cardiovascular health to recover from prolonged excess.

Most importantly, you will lose fat. This is important, not only to reveal the muscles you worked so hard for, but to increase your insulin sensitivity so that the next time you go on a bulking diet the nutrients will be able to go to the muscles more efficiently.

Quitting your muscle gaining diet is a tough decision for an ectomorph, but it is sometimes a necessary one when you look at the bigger picture.

The Ectomorph Diet – Conclusion

You’re starting a difficult journey, which will sometimes feel like an uphill battle, but if you follow my advice you’re sure to build muscle as an ectomorph. I’m rooting for you!

Feel free to reach out to me for more support and share these tips with your ectomorph friends so you can all benefit and support each other. If you know someone having the opposite problem feel free to check out our Endomorph Guide.

References:

Florescu, O. (2016).The Determining Factors in the Formation of the Three Body Types (Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph). Marathon, 8(1), 43-50.

BA, S., I, C., JC, S., & WPT, J. (2004). Diet, nutrition and the prevention of excess weight gain and obesity. Public Health Nutrition, 7(1a), 123-146. doi:10.1079/PHN2003585