What body type are you?

by | Mar 24, 2016 | Blog, Movement

body shapeDid you know that your body type can determine where you carry weight?

Four Metabolic Types Defined:

The metabolic types have its foundation in “Sasang” Constitutional Medicine, which values the relationship between the mind and the body. The balance between Yin and Yang and the differences of “Qi,” or life energy in internal organs. Depending on one of the S-Yang (hour glass type), S-Yin (Spoon Type ), T-Yang (Cone Type) and T-Yin (Rectangle type) constitutions not only affects our physiological and metabolic status, but also results in differences in emotional characteristics, personalities and attitudes.

S-Yang (hour glass) Types:

S-Yang (hour glass) Types: Tend to be thin, with broad shoulders and narrow hips. S-Yang types are strong willed, and quick decision makers. They tend to be optimistic about everything, and do not hesitate to take on something new. If a new idea comes up, they tend to take immediate action. Such quick actions may mislead others to thinking that things are rushed, but in the S-Yang type’s mind, all plans are in place. S-Yang types are quick, multi-dimensional, and skilled at processing tasks.

However, S-Yang types tend to lack perseverance, and have difficulty finishing tasks that they started. Thus, an S-Yang type needs to have people around them who can hold them accountable. You can compare an S-Yang type to a sprint runner. They can spear forward with instantaneous speed, but cannot maintain their initial momentum over an extended period of time.

Recommended Foods :

  1. Grains/Legumes: Barley, aduki beans, mung beans, kidney beans, buckwheat, green beans
  2. Meat/Poultry: pork, duck, egg
  3. Sea Foods: Oyster, sea cucumber, sea squirt, abalone, halibut, squid, octopus, crab, crayfish, swellfish, mackerel, mussel
  4. Vegetables; Cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, squash, lettuce, burdock, carrot, celery, spinach
  5. Fruits: Watermelon, melon, grapes, strawberries, bananas, pineapples, bananas, coconut, blueberries, persimmon, avocados

Foods To Avoid :

Hot foods and foods with high calories, Instant food or canned food, anything with artificial or chemical seasoning Chicken, beef, or milk, Wheat gluten, honey, goat, Peanuts, Red peppers, ginger, ginseng, green onions, mustard, spices like curry, wine, and coffee

T-Yang (Cone) Types:

T-Yang types are good communicators, and are sociable and decisive. Their positive and outward attitude allows them to communicate with and lead others. In comparison to other constitutions, T-Yang types are rather masculine in nature. They are decisive, and do not show regret once a decision is made. Since T-Yang types can be very charismatic, even to the extent of being self-righteous, they tend to possess leadership-qualities.

Recommended foods

  1. Grains/legumes: buckwheat
  2. Meat/Poultry: Avoid
  3. Seafoods: fish, shrimp, oyster, ear shell, crab, octopus, cuttlefish (squid), sea cucumber, shellfish, mackerel, sea cucumber, sea squirt, prussian carp
  4. Vegetables: celery, pine needles, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, lettuce
  5. Proteins: Avoid poultry and meat;
  6. Fruits: Grapes, persimmon, plum, cherries, kiwi

Avoid the following foods:

Spicy arid hot food, Fatty foods with high calories (sodas, ice cream, etc … ), ginger, onion, cinnamon, garlic, fennel, green onion, chives, turmeric, mustard, greasy foods, meats and poultry, honey, ginseng, hard liquor, and coffee

S-Yin (Spoon) Types:

S-Yin types tend to be introverted, mild in temper and pay close attention to detail. They tend to have a strong sense of pride and are meticulous which can lead to a perfectionist character who does not like having mistakes. Generally, you can trust an S-Yin type person to be very independent. However, the pursuit of perfection can often mean that S-Yin types do not like doing two or more things at the same time, nor are they particularly good at completing tasks quickly. Their meticulous nature means that they want to deliberate carefully before reaching a conclusion. They can have tendencies of being indecisive. S-Yin typically does one task really well and does not do well with multi-tasking because then the care and time to do a perfect job is not possible.

S-Yin types are introverted; they do not outwardly express their anger or displeasure, and tend to suppress such feelings. Since anger needs to be vented, and suppressing it can lead to depression. Physiologically, their digestive functions are weaker in comparison, and with a slight increase in stress, S-Yin types can easily end up with indigestion and headaches.

Recommended Foods:

  1. Grains/Legumes: rice, millet
  2. Meat/Poultry/Diary: Chicken, lamb, goat, turkey, goat’s milk
  3. Sea Food: Pollack, swell fish, mudfish, snapper, yellow covina fish, anchovies, croaker fish, butterfish
  4. Vegetables: Spinach, tomatoes, parsley, cabbage, green onions, garlic, ginger, red-peppers, mustard Black pepper, curry, sweet rice, millet, potatoes
  5. Fruits: Jujubes, apples, oranges, and peaches, lemons, mangoes, nectarines, pomegranates, hawthorn berry
  6. Tea: Ginger tea, ginseng tea, citron tea, cinnamon tea, honey tea

Foods to Avoid

Cold foods and high caloric foods, Buckwheat, cabbage, Beef, pork, milk, Pear, watermelon, melon, cucumber, raw fruits Sweet potatoes, chestnuts, walnuts

T-Yin (Rectangle):

T-Yin types are patient and poised. They tend to be persistent and see a task through to completion without difficulties. They can relax only when the task at hand is finished. Such patience and perseverance can lead to success in business.

T-Yin types tend to be introverted, and harbor ideas. They like to be sedentary and conservative. Thus, they do not over-extend themselves, and takes on tasks that can be realistically completed. Their tendency to harbor things means that they are good at defending their own property and this desire can intensify and manifest itself as greed at times. T-Yin types have very realistic viewpoints, and can be calculating when it comes to considering their own benefits.

Recommended Foods:

  1. Grains/Legumes: Wheat, brown rice, oats, soybeans, tofu, millet, lentils, beans, peas, peanuts
  2. Meat/Poultry/Dairy: Beef, butter, cheese, yogurt, milk
  3. Sea Food: Cod, eel, fish, salmon, tuna, cod fish
  4. Vegetables: seaweed, kelp, marine plants, alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, pumpkin, radish, squash, sweet potatoes, taro, tomatoes, turnips, yams
  5. Fruits/nuts: Pear, chestnut, walnut, ginkgo nuts, pine nuts, peanuts, plum, apricot

Foods to Avoid

High caloric foods, such as sodas, ice cream, and processed foods, Egg, chicken, Raw cabbage, apples, honey, sugar, ginseng, pork.