Body types

"Each body has its art," observed poet Gwendolyn Brooks.

Each of us has a body type, called somatotypes. Based on the pioneering work of American psychologist William Sheldon (1898-1977), each human somatotypes has three distinct characteristics called mesomorphy, ectomorphy, and endomorphy. These characteristics determine how the body looks, reacts to exercise, and loses or gains weight.

The mesomorph body type is celebration of muscle. Broad shoulders, strong arms and legs, low, narrow waistline, narrow hips. Mesomorphs are more likely to increase muscle size quickly.

With the ectomorph body, think Olive Oil, Popeye's sweetie. Shaped like a ruler with long arms and legs, short torso, fashion model slim hips. Willowy, delicate. Endomorphs are curvy, shaped like a spoon, with prominent hips and thighs.

There are also combos of the three majors. For example, the meso-ecto body is cone-like that tends to gain from the waist up. Meso-endos are pyramids that carry extra body fat. Their weight blossoms from the hips down.

Whatever your body type, celebrate who you are.
As Henry David Thoreau once said, "Good for the body is the work of the body and good for the soul is the work of the soul, and good for either is the work of the either."