I Exercised According To My Blood Type For 4 Months—Here's What Happened

After a long period of trial and error in developing more health awareness, I found I feel my best on a hunter-gatherer (similar to paleo) diet with an emphasis on lean animal proteins and fruits and veggies over grains, legumes, or dairy. When I first heard about Dr. D’Adamo’s blood type diets, I explored the findings, and – lo and behold – I realized I had exactly pinpointed the needs of my own blood type (B+), simply by becoming in tune with how my system reacted to certain foods! As one does after such a discovery, I went down the rabbit hole and found that Dr. D’Adamo’s philosophy extended beyond food to exercise as well.

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What Your Blood Type Can Affect

Published author and naturopathic physician Dr. Peter D’Adamo wrote the book Eat Right 4 Your Type, which explains how each blood type has a correlating nutritional diet for optimal function and fighting off inflammation and disease. I was fascinated to learn that our blood types are the result of multiple ancestral genetic factors that may predict susceptibility to certain diseases. For example, Dr. D’Adamo found that B blood types are more susceptible to autoimmune disorders (checks out for me and others I know who have type B blood). WebMD researchers found that people with type A, AB, and B blood types are more prone to stomach cancers; specifically type A, because the stomach bacteria H. pylori infection is more common in people with type A blood. Again, I’ve met plenty of type A people who struggle with stomach issues and ulcers. 

Even gut bacteria relate to blood type, and this “originated from our ancestors whose digestive tracts developed to accommodate one type of diet over another,” Dr. D’Adamo’s research indicates. This means that certain people’s microbiome developed to break down carbohydrates much more efficiently (type A), whereas others (type O) tend to store carbs as fat. You know those people who seem to be able to eat almost anything but don’t gain weight, and they actually need a certain amount of carbs in their diet? Yeah, those people. They’re probably type A. 

These genetic factors also spell different types of stress responses for each blood type. For example, type A blood types tend to have naturally higher levels of cortisol, so they may struggle with stress management more than others, while type O tends to release less cortisol in moments of stress. In connection with this, Dr. D’Adamo discovered that each blood type benefits from certain kinds of exercise, according to its own specific metabolic workings. “Everyone has an envelope of tolerance for exercise,” his website claims. “Train within the envelope, and exercise is a great method for managing or releasing stress. It acts as a safety valve to let off steam.” 

Each Blood Type’s Preferred Exercises

Some people have a different type of energy and metabolic rate than others – that’s actually in their blood. As Dr. D’Adamo’s research indicates, each blood type has a favorite type of exercise. But moderation and mindfulness are key; train within your envelope before branching out to the next level of intensity, or, Dr. D’Adamo says, “you might actually be adding more stress into the equation.” Here’s a brief glance at which exercises most benefit each blood type: 

• Type O responds well to regular, more intense exercise, especially one that is cardio-based like weightlifting, running, biking, swimming, aerobics, and martial arts. Starting with walking is a great way to work up to a higher intensity of exercise to condition your heart rate.

• Type A does better with low-impact, flexibility-based exercise, as well as mindful meditation, such as Tai Chi, aerobics, low-intensity Pilates, and stretching. Even with higher intensity workouts, maintaining mental calmness is key to keeping stress levels low.

• Type B responds best to a mix of intense activity and relaxing exercises: biking, tennis, aerobics/Pilates, swimming, martial arts, Tai Chi, and stretching. Alternating between the higher and lower intensity exercises is advised. Exercises using mindful balance are type B’s favorite kind, especially when interacting with others to keep it fun and relaxed!

• Type AB individuals benefit from a mix of both A and B types’ workouts: tennis, aerobics, biking, Pilates (low or higher intensity), Tai Chi, and stretching with mindful meditation thrown in the mix!

And, of course, walking has numerous health benefits and is good for every blood type! Humans are first and foremost walking creatures, after all. Walking can be added to any blood type’s exercise routine. 

My Experience Exercising for My Blood Type for Four Months

Before researching this, I knew I physically felt my best when I exercised with swimming, Pilates, walking, and biking. I also fell in love with hiking two years ago. I loved doing these workouts; they made me feel so alive, and I always felt like I could easily keep trim and on top of my weight management while doing them. Guess what? I found that my B+ blood type actually metabolizes and functions best with moderate and interactive workouts that involve mental balance, including swimming, Pilates, walking, hiking, and biking! I was floored when I read this, because I instinctively knew those were my body’s favorite ways to move. 

With my propensity for fluid retention, I know I need to move consistently, or I feel swollen. My system needs good stress management, so it’s actually better that I don’t do super intense workouts because they might raise my cortisol levels. In fact, moderate-intensity workouts actually help stabilize my system and better regulate my stress levels, while giving me a steady stream of energy. The interactive potential of these exercises (being able to do them with friends) serves as an additional anti-stress mechanism to help moderate cortisol levels.

Once I made the connection, I started religiously keeping to my blood type’s exercises and often rotated between biking, swimming, Pilates, and walking. 

Now, one thing that Dr. D’Adamo does not consider in his research is the distinction between male and female bodies and their differences in hormonal nutritional needs. Granted, his findings preceded the more recent research on the science of hormonal cycle-syncing, and now we know more of the distinct nutritional needs of the four different phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle.

To modify for my female physique, I intertwined Dr. D’Adamo’s research with the 28 app, which is designed to work with, not against or in spite of, a woman’s cycle and her fluctuating energy levels. 28 Wellness provides daily workouts, nutrition guidelines, and hormonal insights into bodily and emotional happenings (but does not tap into the blood types). I got the premium level, and I love it! Usually, I combine a daily 28 workout with a power walk and/or 30 minutes of swimming laps in the pool. On days of lower energy around my period, I would stick to stretching and more moderate walking.

The combination of these two resources has been the ultimate recipe for energetic and balanced wellness for me! I followed that routine for roughly four months – working out every day with plenty of walking, and swimming several days a week – and I lost about 15-20 pounds. My endurance increased and my brain focus peaked, whereas I used to struggle with energy stamina and brain fog. Friends and girls at work told me I looked “snatched” and asked what I did for my workouts (after asking if I was wearing tummy control shapewear). I noticed I was able to manage stress much better – on days I didn’t get my walk or workout in, I definitely felt swollen and got stressed more easily.

During this time, I was hardly snacking, if at all, whereas before, I often felt hungry throughout the day. If I did need a snack, I usually kept to a jerky stick, fruit, or leftover steak strips. Sometimes, I’d simply chew Spry gum (all natural, xylitol-sweetened) to help with snacking and sugar cravings. Drinking lemon water and increasing my protein intake helped balance my blood sugar and boost my energy. At the end of the day, I felt my best yet and enjoyed my renewed energy, as well as slipping back down a clothing size!

What’s Yours?

Okay, so if this all sounds good to you, how do you go about discovering the needs of your blood type? Firstly, your blood type is listed on your birth certificate, so that might be the easiest way to find it (unless you recently had bloodwork done). If you don’t have easy access to your birth certificate, another option would be to order a simple DIY blood test kit from Amazon, which is what I did. I bought this one for $10, and it’s very easy, inexpensive, and only takes a few minutes with minimal effort and cleanup. 

Once you do your test and know your blood type, you can search what you need to know about your specific blood type on Dr. D’Adamo’s website. There is also the app The Blood Type Diet, based on his bestseller book Eat Right 4 Your Type, which provides nutritional guidelines based on your personal blood type. Once I heard about the app, I lost no time in downloading it.

Closing Thoughts

Obviously, it’s not good to obsess over any health concept, and this research is meant to empower, not enslave. Since every body is different, any diet or exercise advice should be taken with a grain of salt. Rather, I wanted to share what has personally worked for me and delivered results.