Looking to put on muscle mass? Thinking about what the best way to get from point A to point B is? If so, you might be looking into a weight gainer protein powder. Many people consider these powders in an attempt to maximize their nutrition and see faster weight gain results.
Are they really right for you? Let’s take a closer look into weight gainer protein options and whether these will do the trick for transforming your body.
Body Type
The first thing to think about is your body type. If you are an endomorph looking to build muscle for instance, a weight gainer is likely the last thing you need. You’re someone who tends to put on body fat quite easily so if you start drinking 500, 600, 800 calories or more, you can imagine what this will do to your body fat level.
These types of individuals rarely need to do much more than have a slight increase in their normal food intake to start seeing weight gain and muscle being built. They’ll be fine with a straight whey protein powder alone without ever having to worry about changing to a weight gainer protein.
On the other hand, if you’re an ectomorph, meaning you’re someone who really struggles to put on any weight at all no matter how much food you eat, you’ll likely find a weight gainer very fitting for you. The extra calorie support will be appreciated when you’re trying to reach your intake of 4000-5000 calories per day as it is for many individuals like this.
Access To and Desire To Eat Whole Foods
Another thing to consider is whether you have access to whole foods on a regular basis. If you work a busy job or are always on the go and don’t have the time or ability to get to a kitchen or fridge to eat whole foods, it may be more beneficial to simply use a supplement in times of need.
While it generally is superior if you’re able to use whole foods in your diet plan more often than not, getting in liquid calories is better than getting in no calories, especially when the goal is building muscle.
It’s also worth noting that some people simply don’t have the appetite to take in multiple meals per day. If you’re naturally thin and looking to build muscle, this may mean consuming 4000, 5000, or even 6000 calories per day. This is a lot of calories to take in for someone who’s not that hungry so liquid calories will work a lot better.
This isn’t to say you don’t need to get whole foods in at your main meals – you do, but for snacks in-between, a weight gainer shake may be much easier.
Dietary Preferences
Another reason you might consider a weight gainer is simply because of your dietary preferences. If you don’t have a taste for many protein rich foods and need more calories than what a standard protein powder can give you, you’ll find the weight gainer to be the superior option all around. This way you can get in those calories you need while still maintaining your target protein intake.
Getting enough protein into your day is imperative to ensure that you aren’t suffering from lean muscle mass and are able to rebuild and recover as quickly as possible from each workout session you do.
Budget
Also consider your budget. The good news here is that weight gainer proteins are comparatively cheap to whey protein powders alone. This is without a doubt due to the fact that the extra fats and carbs come much cheaper than pure protein. Since these mixed products contain more than one macronutrient, you can get them cheaper than if you were to have protein alone.
So if your budget is tight, and you’re wavering between just getting a protein powder or getting a weight gainer, you might choose a weight gainer if gaining weight is in your goal set anyway.
Do realize however that per scoop, you won’t be getting as much protein as you would if you were using a whey protein powder alone. Usually the serving size for weight gainers is 2-3 scoops for this reason.
You’re An Athlete
If you’re someone who’s an athlete, that’ll be yet another reason you might choose a weight gainer. It may not even be because you want to gain weight per say, but rather the weight gainer will supply you with the additional calorie support you need because you are so active in your sport of choice. If you’re doing multiple training sessions per day, there is a very good chance that you’ll easily be burning up 1000+ calories in just physical activity alone each day. If you already have a fast metabolism, this can make it hard to prevent losing weight.
If you’re between practices or have just finished up with your sport specific training and are now heading to the gym, a full meal may not sit so well.
Instead, liquid calories or a weight gainer shake may be the much better option to investigate.
So there you have the top reasons why you might find a weight gainer shake fits in nicely with your overall program plan.
Should You Make Your Own?
This now leads us to the question of whether you should just consider making your own weight gainer shake. Can’t you just mix protein powder and ground up oats for instance to come up with your own shake?
You certainly can. But do realize that pre-prepared weight gainer shakes have been made with ingredients that mix up instantly and are easy to take on the go. They also have a carb, protein, and fat ratio that’s been nailed down and proven to work for most people, so there will be no worries about having to figure out your macros if you’re carefully watching your food intake – it’ll all be done for you.
Weight gainer protein is a great option for many people who are hoping to see dramatic improvements in the amount of muscle they’re able to build as quickly as possible. Do keep in mind that weight gainer protein options can vary considerably both in the ingredients used as well as the calories and macros they deliver.
What is very important if you are going to use a weight gainer protein is that you analyze the nutrition stats on it – the calories and protein – and ensure that they are going to work for your own unique diet plan. Using a weight gainer that contains 800 calories per scoop for instance, isn’t going to be an ideal option if you’re simply just looking for a protein powder that can be used as a replacement for a snack. In that case, finding one that contains 300-400 calories per serving would be a wiser choice to get your needs met.
Weight gainer protein powders come in all shapes and sizes, so evaluate your current plan along with your needs and preferences and see if you can figure out a solution that will work optimally for you.
