The 80/20 Rule Of Exercise – What Is Your Body Type?
Did you know that you might be wasting a whole lot of time and energy on your exercise regime because it is not tailored to your body type?
We have the science, thanks largely to the ancient teachings of Chinese Medicine, that can take your results to the next level…
So what is YOUR body type?
Your body is unique and by evaluating what your underlying health issues are, you can gain an understanding of what glands or organs in your body may show imbalances and then work towards detoxifying, healing and then ultimately strengthening them.
Biologically, the growth of your body and its metabolism is determined by three main hormonal glands, the thyroid, the gonads (ovaries and testicles) and the adrenal cortex. The functioning of these glands is largely controlled by hormones. They play an important role in determining what shape your body is.
Many scientists now believe that fat and fluid accumulates in several specific body areas as a result of hormone imbalances caused by weakness or alterations (imbalance) in the function of your glands or organs.
Hormonal imbalances can develop from long term exposure to toxic chemicals, over consumption of nutrient poor foods and long term stress.
Epigenetics, which is the study of changes in gene expression, can also reveal underlying weaknesses, however pathology testing is required to provide meaningful information.
Just like FOOD (as described in detail via Chinese Dietetics), the type of EXERCISE you should undertake is related to your body type or shape.
So let’s get started and work out what body type YOU most resemble…
There are four main body types in regards to fat accumulation and these are:
BODY TYPE 1: An even weight distribution across your body with some fat potentially accumulating in the rib area (Thyroid related);
BODY TYPE 2: An accumulation of upper body fat and a potbelly (Liver related). Noticeable bulging below the rib cage is the most common expression;
BODY TYPE 3: An accumulation of weight on your hips, bottom and thighs (Ovary related). Shoulder width is commonly smaller than that of the hips (the typical ‘pear shape’) and lower abdominal fat is also common. For males the gonad (testicular) body type is more closely related to the adrenal body type; and
BODY TYPE 4: An accumulation of lower belly fat, the ‘spare type’, and below the base of the neck, the ‘buffalo hump’ (Adrenal related).
If you want to see images depicting the four Body Types and a full run down on the common symptoms experienced by each….CLICK on the BUTTON to receive our FREE: BODY TYPE – EXERCISE GUIDE CLICK HERE!
Your body shape can actually be used as an indication of underlying health problems. By taking care of those organs and glands that show an underlying imbalance, as revealed by your body shape or other diagnosis, you can actually use this knowledge to optimize your body’s performance and overall health.
Most people can relate to one of these four body types although some people may express a combination, and over your lifetime you may shift between body types.
What currently describes your body shape best right now?
What is the 80/20 rule and how do you apply this to exercise?
Ever heard of the 80/20 rule?
Most people have, but for the uninitiated – it was originally known as the Pareto Principle and named after Vilfredo Pareto, who in the 1900s discovered that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the people.
Note: that the 20% and 80% are intended only as rough estimates, actual proportions generally “cluster around” the 80% and 20% figures.
Now if you aren’t a math and science geek, don’t get scared off!
This concept is relatively simple and easy to understand.
The 80/20 principle isn’t just a rule of thumb for business, it is a law of nature and once you understand what it is, you will be able to recognize it all around you.
For example, if you have 10 rooms in your house the chances are that you spend most of your time in two (20%) or three of them. Or during a fundraising campaign, 80% of the money raised is likely to come from 20% of the donors. Ever noticed how 20% of the people at your work seem to get 80% of the work done?
One of the most widely used adaptations is:
80% of your results will come from 20% of your efforts; and
20% of your results will come from the other 80%.
Starting to see what it is all about? It’s quite spooky, the more you look the more you will recognize this principle in practice everywhere around you.
Now let’s think about this final adaptation and how we can apply this rule to optimizing your exercise regime…
So in the gym for example and depending on what your goals are, around 20% of the exercises that you undertake are going to be the real results drivers (80% of results).
These are the ones that burn the most fat or build the most lean muscle.
Wouldn’t you like to focus on only those exercises that are bringing you the results?
This is where tailoring your exercise regime to your body type comes in.
What type of exercise SHOULD I be doing?
Well this depends on your body type and overall health…take a look at our brief summary below for each of the four most common body shapes:
BODY TYPE 1 (Thyroid related):
Your thyroid is in the front of your lower neck and it makes hormones that control your metabolism in all of your cells. This is why this body type tends to accumulate fat all over and not necessarily in just one area. A sluggish thyroid will slow your metabolism and for a lot of people this is the main cause for such a body type. Hormonal changes such as estrogen dominance can cause your thyroid to become sluggish.
If this is you, consider a combination of anaerobic (high intensity) and aerobic (low intensity) workouts if your health permits. Daily exercise is likely to be beneficial and try mixing up going for a walk, dancing or swimming with some high intensity interval and resistance training to really boost your metabolism.
BODY TYPE 2 (Liver related):
Your liver filters toxins from your blood and helps with the digestion of food. Having a pot belly can be caused by both fat and/or fluid accumulation. If you have this body type you may often wake up irritable, have digestive problems or regularly have cravings for fatty foods, chocolate and alcohol that will stress the liver even more.
For this body type, you should consider bursts of high intensity, anaerobic workouts a few times a week if your health permits. This will boost your immune system and get the blood pumping through the body for improved organ function.
BODY TYPE 3 (Ovary related):
Dysfunctional sex glands can be the cause of this body type. Similar to the thyroid body type, this shape is often related to an excess of estrogen which is generally caused by improperly functioning ovaries. If fact, after pregnancy many ovary body types are known to convert to the thyroid body shape as a result of the spike in estrogen experienced. An excess of sugar is also known to trigger this shape, with a particularly toxic effect.
If this is your body shape, consider a combination of both anaerobic (high intensity) and aerobic (low intensity) exercises if your health permits. This should include a combination of both low and high intensity training to regain balance in both your upper and lower body.
BODY TYPE 4 (Adrenal related):
For this body type, a build-up of stress most commonly results in the body transitioning to the ‘fight-or-flight response’ mode and the subsequent release of the ‘fat making’ hormone cortisol into the blood stream. This results in a build-up of fat around your most vital organs in your mid-section.
If you have this body type then all the sit ups in the world won’t give you a flat stomach until you can reduce your cortisol levels. It is important to reduce the stress on your body, so focus on low intensity, aerobic workouts if your health permits. Activities such as walking, swimming, tai chi or yoga will bring you improved results. Once you a feeling stronger, you can up the intensity a little, but focus the majority of your efforts on low intensity exercises.
Don’t forget to stretch before and after exercise to keep your muscles limber and to facilitate the removal of toxic waste from the body.
It is also important that you listen to your body and don’t over train, as this may leave you susceptible to infections and injuries. Overtraining can upset your hormone balance and trigger the production of excess cortisol. This signals the body to start burning muscle for fuel and may even encourage fat gain! Try to limit high intensity exercises to no longer than half an hour per session.
For everyone, it is critical to keep your STRESS levels in check…
As you have already probably taken in, having a hormone imbalance can seriously thwart the achievement of your fitness or weight loss goals. Chronic stress, which results in the release of cortisol (the ‘fat making’ hormone) can wreak havoc on your body…
I use herbal teas, meditation, music and exercise along with a healthy eating plan to burn off any unwanted cortisol and ultimately bring those hormones back into balance. Getting at least 7 hours of good quality sleep is also critical for your body to effectively detoxify itself and rejuvenate your cells.
If you don’t get your hormones back into balance, it doesn’t matter how much exercise or healthy eating you undertake, you will not be able to achieve your maximum weight loss or fitness potential.
Your ACTION for today…
Now that you have a better understanding of how you can tailor your exercise to address the needs of your unique body type, schedule in at least 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times per week and focus your energy on those 20% of activities that will bring you 80% of your results!
Try not to let two days go past without any exercise, the 80/20 rule again dictates that your results will suffer and deep down inside you know that it will too…
Great nutrition and a strategic exercise regime that is tailored to your body type will take your health to the next level. Now that you know the basic fundamentals in regards to exercise, take ACTION today to experience improved results sooner!
Want a take away summary of the information provided and images depicting the four Body Types? We have prepared a FREE GUIDE for you which includes the common symptoms experienced by each body type….CLICK on the BUTTON to receive our FREE: BODY TYPE – EXERCISE GUIDE CLICK HERE!
Keep an eye out for future blog posts where we will teach you how to tailor the food you eat to your unique body type so that you can keep smiling from the inside…
Knowledge is power. Hopefully you have learnt a little bit more about your body and can use this information to take back control of your health.
Remember:
“Big doors swing on little hinges”
-W. Clement Stone
Final Note: As always, don’t forget to check in with your doctor if you have any health complications before you begin any exercise regime as you don’t want to over stress your body. Nothing said in this article is meant to diagnose or provide a cure for any medical disease. It is meant to educate you about the human body.