How To Get Skinny Legs: Mesomorph Guidelines

This mesomorph guidelines blog post is for my athletic mesomorph female who seem to have won a genetic lottery when it comes to female body types.

As you know, there are 3 main body types- ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph– according to the body classification by William Sheldon that dates back from the 1940s.

Each body type responds to a different diet and workout regime to achieve the best fitness results.

Out of these three female body types, mesomorphic women are those who have naturally athletic bodies and respond quickly to exercise.

This is pretty great, as mesomorphs lose weight quite quickly, but they can also pack up some unwanted muscle mass pretty darn fast.

Trust me, I know! I am a mesomorph, too! :)

In this article, I’ll cover the main traits of a female mesomorph, as well as the best diet and workout regime for getting a lean and toned body, without any fear of bulking up (which can easily happen to this body type).

WHAT IS A MESOMORPH BODY TYPE?

First, let’s take a closer look at a female mesomorph body type.

Mesomorph body type is typically characterized as naturally muscular, with a medium-size bone structure, broad shoulders and narrow waists.

Think of naturally lean-looking girls with moderate weight (not underweight or overweight) that seem to have some muscle definition even if they don’t work out too much.

Girls with a mesomorphic body type lose weight quickly, but on the flip side, they may gain weight just as readily and they distribute it evenly on their bodies.

They are generally referred to as athletic as they respond to exercise in a matter of weeks, gain muscle very quickly and have lower body fat levels.

If you’re extremely active but trying to stay lean and not gain too much muscle, you might consider this characteristic a disadvantage, because some workouts can bulk you up quite easily.

I’ve been there before :) More on that below.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M A MESOMORPH?

If you’re unsure about your body type, here’s a FREE Body Type Quiz to help you figure it out!

Mesomorphs usually have a naturally athletic build, with broader shoulders, a narrower waist, and a bit more muscle mass. If you find that you gain muscle easily and can lose fat without too much hassle, you might just be a mesomorph!

To get a better idea, think about how your body responds to different workouts and diets. Mesomorphs often shine in strength training and tend to see results with fewer reps. If you can maintain a balanced physique without overly strict diets or tons of cardio, that’s another clue!

Also, consider your family history—genetics can play a big part in body type. If you have relatives with similar builds, that might give you a hint. Remember, body types aren’t set in stone; you can have traits from more than one type! Embrace your unique body and focus on what makes you feel your best.

WHO ARE FAMOUS MESOMORPH WOMEN?

If you think of athletic-looking women in Hollywood and show business and you will most like pick celebrity mesomorphs.

Absolute badass babes like Gal Gadot, Jessica Biel, Halle Berrie, and Jessica Alba are all mesomorphs.

When it comes to famous models, the majority of the Victoria Secret angels and supermodels are all mesomorphs from Adriana Lima and Lily Aldridge to Gigi Hadid and Doutzen Kroes.

THE BEST DIET FOR MESOMORPH WOMEN

The calorie needs of mesomorph females are maybe a bit higher than those of endomorphs (as they have a higher percentage of muscle mass), but they should still be very careful about not consuming more than they need, as they can gain weight very quickly.

If you’re not sure how to calculate your daily calorie intake, check out my blog post that will help you figure it out.

Mesomorphs do best on a balanced diet, which means eating a combination of healthy fats, protein and carbs.

Try to eat fat, protein, and a few carbs at each meal.

I still find that most of my mesomorph clients that are trying to get lean quick (including myself) do much better on a higher protein diet, and I do try to limit daily carb intake.

I’d recommend trying it yourself- rotating between a week or two of a lower carbs-higher protein diet and a balanced ratio of protein/fat/carbs and seeing which one works the best for you.

WHAT SHOULD FEMALE MESOMORPHS EAT DAILY?

As I mentioned, you don’t need to restrict much of any certain food types (besides going a bit lower on carbs if you like), and you should have a diet consisting of balanced carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

A good macronutrient breakdown is:

• 30-35% carbohydrates
• 35-40% protein
• 30% fat

HOW MANY CARBS SHOULD MESOMORPHIC FEMALES EAT?

The majority of your carbs should be consumed around breakfast and post-workout when your body needs it most.

Post-workout, your body needs carbs to replenish your body, NOT store fat. This is the absolute best time to consume carbs, whether morning or night.

Make sure your carbs are coming from healthy and low GI carb sources such as vegetables, fruits, quinoa, oats, and brown rice, rather than white, sugary or processed carbs.

THE BEST WORKOUTS FOR WOMWN WITH MOSOMORPH BODY TYPE

Regular cardio will be a key factor in keeping your body from gaining fat and also slimming down your legs.

Example workout plan for mesomorph female body type:

• Resistance training 3 times per week (can include some HIIT)
• High-intensity cardio 3 times per week
• Power walking at least 5 times per week
• One rest (or active) recovery day per week

SHOULD MESOMORPHS LIFT WEIGHTS?

As your body type can build muscle quickly, you need to be careful of the exercises that you do so you don’t pack on lots of muscle.

I recommend using light weights and resistance bands (or just bodyweight) and keeping your repetitions high.

Focus more on endurance rather than strength in your resistance sessions (to prevent bulking).

Here is an example of a lighter resistance circuit you can do to tone up without adding bulk.

Related: Female Guide to Lean & Toned, NOT Bulky

SHOULD MESOMORPHS DO HIIT?

HIIT workouts are great for the mesomorph body type, so some of your resistance training sessions can be HIIT.

Just be wary of building too much muscle with weighted HIIT workouts and lots of leg-focused exercises.

Here is an example of a full-body HIIT workout that won’t bulk up your legs.

CARDIO TIPS FOR MESOMORPHS

You should aim to have 3 cardio-only days.

High-intensity cardio, such as running on a flat surface and at a steady pace, works best for fat loss without bulking.

To challenge yourself, you can make one of these cardio sessions high-intensity interval cardio (read my blog post on how to do intervals for lean legs).

Power walking is one of the best forms of exercise for reducing body fat on your legs, so I recommend doing as much as you can!

At a minimum, aim to power walk for 30-60 minutes most mornings (preferably on an empty stomach).

To find out more about why power walking is essential for leaning out legs, read my blog post here.

WHAT ABOUT REST DAYS?

You should have at least one rest day as it will help prevent overtraining and injury.

Remember that you don’t get fitter and stronger during your workout- this happens afterwards, during recovery.

If you can’t stand the thought of having a rest day, you can have an active recovery day and do something light such as walking or yoga.

HOW FAST WILL MESOMORPHS LOSE WEIGHT?

You may notice muscle definition and strength in a matter of weeks before you notice a significant fat loss.

This is okay, however, make sure you’re keeping up with the cardio to reduce your body fat, particularly on your legs.

It is normal for your legs to be the last place you notice weight loss, so if you’re seeing fat loss in your upper body and stomach, then you’re on the right track to getting rid of that stubborn fat on your legs!

Remember that these are general tips, and everyone’s bodies will be different and respond differently to exercise.

If I have suggested something that doesn’t seem to be working for you, change it!

If you’re gaining more muscle than you would like, then reduce your weights and increase your cardio.

It’s your body, so do what makes you look and feel your best!

Overall, though, I hope that I have been able to provide some information to help.

HOW TO GET SLIM LEGS AS A MESOMORPH FEMALE

I should also mention that my Lean Legs Program 1 is designed to help you get gorgeous lean legs without bulk.

There are 3 versions of my program, one for each of the three body types.

The mesomorph body type version of the program is designed specifically for girls. It combines the right type of cardio and resistance training.

My program also contains an 8-week meal plan and the mesomorph version has your ideal macronutrient ratio. 

That way, you can be sure you’re going to get the best possible results! :)

Here is a transformation of one of my mesomorph girls after finishing my program.

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A post shared by Women’s Health and Fitness (@rachael_attard)

Also, the resistance training part of my program has FULL-LENGTH videos that you can follow from warm-up to cool down.

To find out more about my Lean Legs Program 1 CLICK HERE!

Love Rachael xx