Australian personal trainer and bodybuilder Kris Porthill is based in Shanghai. Last year he was crowned Mr Universe, Mr World and Mr Australia and now he has joined forces with TALK to reveal his top nutrition tips.

We all look at celebrities and sports stars and think, “Why can’t I have a body like that?” When instead of measuring yourself against others, the first thing you need to understand is which body type you actually are. We can break body types up into three initial categories: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph. For women there are four sub-categories that may help you to further understand your body type: android, lymphatic, thyroid and gynaeoid. Each one has a different rate at which you metabolise food, store fat and build muscle.

Ectomorphs and thyroids are slight in build with shoulders the same width as their hips. They’re not naturally powerful, so they have to work hard for muscle gain and strength. They aren’t prone to cellulite. Workouts for ectomorphs could include kickboxing, running and high-impact aerobics. They can eat bread, rice, pasta – all the stuff everyone else wants to eat but can’t – and it’s very important they add protein to their diet. Famous ectomorphs include Kate Moss, Nicole Kidman and Brad Pitt.

Gynaeoid bodies are the classic hourglass shape. Due to excessive hormones, they are prone to storing fat around the hips, thighs and butt. Excessive refined carbohydrates increase their sensitivity to oestrogen, leading to cellulite. They should replace these foods with fruit. A low fat diet can help with fat loss from the breasts, shoulders and arms, but not from the butt and thighs. Toning exercises like Pilates, yoga and kickboxing are perfect for shaping the legs and hips. Good examples of a gynaeoid body type are Marilyn Monroe and Nigella Lawson.

Mesomorphs and androids usually have broad shoulders, a large rib cage and strong muscular limbs with a narrow waist. They gain muscle easily and can get ‘ripped’ quickly. They gain weight in the abdomen and upper part of the body. Circuit training, running, jumping rope, and advanced yoga are ideal workouts for the mesomorph. Make sure carb levels are high enough to fuel workouts and eat lots of protein. Healthy fats from avocados, nuts, and olive oil are important in their diet. Famous mesomorphs include Madonna, Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Aniston.

Endomorphs and lymphatics are usually described as stocky or solid. Endomorphs have a very slow metabolic rate. Weight gain occurs over the entire body very easily and cellulite is common. They tend to crave dairy products, but should avoid them because they can overload their lymphatic system. They should limit their fat intake to 20 per cent of their total calories, load up on fibre and water and snack on fruits and veggies. To keep their metabolism going, they should eat five to six mini meals per day. Workouts like walking uphill, Tae-Bo, and kickboxing will help. Famous endomorphs include Britney Spears, John Goodman, and Kate Winslet.

You’ll find some people fit perfectly into one of these categories, but others have a predominant one with elements of another. The people we admire most may be the ones who are genetically lean (endo) or naturally muscular (meso), but if we can first recognise what we’re working with, then we can look at a realistic body type to aspire to. You can change a lot but genetics always has the final say.

To contact Kris with your questions, or for more information about personal training in Shanghai, email: [email protected]