There are three main body types -- ectomorphs, who are naturally skinny, and often known as "hard-gainers," endomorphs, who carry more fat, and mesomorphs, who are athletically built. Mesomorphs tend to naturally carry more muscle, are stronger, and while not as lean as ectomorphs, tend to have far less fat than endomorphs. As a mesomorph, you may have good strength levels, a moderate amount of body fat, and find it easier to build muscle, but you still need to consider your diet when trying to gain weight. While there is no one perfect diet, there are a number of factors that you need to consider.
Calories
In order to gain weight, you need to eat more calories than you burn. Bodybuilding diet coach Tom Venuto recommends that the best way to work out your ideal caloric intake is to use an online calorie calculator, which takes into account your height, weight, body-fat percentage and activity levels, although he does advise that most males will need between 3,200 and 4,000 calories daily to put on weight. You will be able to handle more calories than an endomorph without gaining too much fat, but not as many as an ectomorph. You will also need to adjust your calorie intake depending on your weight-gain progress.
Protein
Protein is absolutely vital when gaining weight, as it is responsible for the growth and repair of muscle cells, and many chemical reactions that happen in your body. The typical recommendations for protein intake are 0.5 to 0.8 g of protein per kg of body-weight per day; however, according to sports nutritionist Dr. John Berardi, if you're training regularly, you should aim to consume at least 2 g per kg per day. Look to get your protein from red meat, white meat, fish, dairy products, eggs and a protein supplement if necessary.
Carbohydrates and Fats
The rest of your calories will be made up from carbohydrates and fats. Generally, the leaner you are, the better your tolerance for carbohydrates, meaning as a mesomorph, your diet should contain a moderate amount of carbs -- around 40 percent. Try to consume the majority of these in your pre- and post-workout meals. The rest of your calories should come from fat. For carbs, choose slow-digesting and unprocessed foods, like brown rice, oats, pulses and legumes, fruit and root vegetables; for fat, look to oily fish, olive oil, nuts and nut butters, oily fish and seeds.
Food Choices
Berardi advises that most of your food intake should be from nutrient-dense sources such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains, as these types of food contain many essential vitamins and minerals, which will help with gaining weight and maintaining a healthy diet. However, as you may need to consume a large number of calories and you don't naturally carry much fat, you have some leeway to include a small amount of junk food in your diet if it helps you to meet your calorie needs and keeps you on track.
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