What are Mass & Weight Gainers?
Every individual has their own fitness goal. Some may wish to lose weight, while some aspire to gain. Weight gain might be challenging, specifically for hard-gainers and ectomorphs. If you struggle to gain weight, build mass, and bulk up, include a mass gainer in the diet.
Gainers are nutritional supplements formulated to aid in mass gain and weight gain. Gaining weight does not mean simply loading up calories. There has to be an adequate balance of all the nutrients. Food experts consider the same while formulating gainer supplements to provide a healthy weight gain. A gainer typically provides 700-1000 calories per serving and a protein: carbohydrate ratio between 1:3 and 1:5 and sometimes added fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Mass and weight gainers mostly come in powder forms that can be mixed with a liquid such as milk or water to create a shake. Some mass gainers may also be available in bars or ready-to-drink formulations.
People with high metabolic rates should follow a simple formula: consume a calorie-rich diet to gain weight. The requirement may vary, usually 2500+ calories a day. Intake of high calories with a balanced proportion of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats daily might be effortful; that’s where gainers help. Regular consumption of gainer with an adequate diet helps build muscle, gain mass, and achieve your desired physique.
Mass & Weight Gainers: Benefits & Uses
Mass & Weight Gainers are beneficial for healthy mass and weight gain. They are a convenient way of increasing overall calorie intake and gaining bulk and strength.
- Rich in calories: The calorie needs may go more than 2500 per day if the health goal is to bulk up. It might be challenging to meet such high needs only through diet as it requires consuming large portions of food in every meal. Gainers are a healthy way to deliver approx. 700-1000 calories in a single-serve hence conducive to achieving health goals.
- Nutrient-Dense: Gainers are enriched with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to boost health naturally. A good quality gainer like Nutrabay Gold Mega Mass Gainer will always provide healthy carbs, protein, and fats sources, and not sugar or any harmful ingredients to deliver calories.
- Excellent for Recovery: Research-backed studies suggest a post-workout meal should have a carb+protein combination for complete recovery. Gainers are perfect and well-suited as a post-workout meal. Proteins present in them support fast muscle recovery, while carbohydrates aid in replenishing lost glycogen stores. The increased muscle mass can lead to improved physical strength and performance, particularly for athletes and bodybuilders.
- Support Digestion: People prone to frequent indigestion issues should opt for a gainer enriched with digestive enzymes. The presence of enzymes supports better digestion and absorption. Better absorption means increased nutrient supply to the muscle cells resulting in enhanced muscle gains and mass.
- Versatile to consume: Gainers are very easy to include in the diet. They can be taken in the morning as a breakfast beverage or in-between meals as a healthy snack. Gainers are the ultimate pre or post-workout drink, provide ample energy, and facilitate muscle recovery and growth.
Types of Gainers:
There are two types of Gainers: Mass Gainers and Weight Gainers. People often use them interchangeably, yet there is a noticeable difference between them. Both are widely available in powder forms in various flavours to enjoy. A clear understanding of both might help make a wise selection to satisfy nutritional needs.
- Mass Gainer: They should be preferred when the fitness goal is to gain muscle mass. Mass gainers are calorie-dense and contain high carbohydrate content compared to protein and fat. A typical mass gainer composition consists of approx. 60-65% carbs, 30-35% proteins, and 4-5% fats. Also, they may contain added digestive enzyme blends, vitamins, and minerals. Mass gainers are perfect for clean bulking without extra fat in the body when accompanied by a proper workout.
- Weight Gainer: Ideal for people intending to gain weight. Carbohydrates and calories are higher in weight gainers than in mass gainers, and the protein content is less. The best weight gainer will usually have a nutrient distribution of approx. 75-85% carbs, 15-20% proteins, and 4-5% fats. Weight gainer shakes are generally opted by hard gainers having light exercise schedules.
How to choose the right mass & weight gainer for you?
Choosing the right gainer might be confusing at times. Here are a few quick checks that may help determine the right product.
- If the fitness goal is to gain weight, go for a weight gainer, but if one desires to gain muscle mass, choose a mass gainer.
- Identify daily protein, carbohydrate, and fat requirements, and choose a gainer that fits perfectly in fulfilling the same in a planned diet.
- It is better to have a gainer with protein complex from sources like whey and casein. A combination of sustained and fast-release proteins ensures the supply of nutrients for a prolonged period and supports muscle growth.
- A gainer should contain no added sugar and be free from all prohibited or banned substances.
- Check the ingredients list for any allergens, such as dairy, soy, or gluten, if you are allergic to any of these.
- Mass and weight gainers can vary widely in price. Determine how much you are willing to spend and compare prices of gainers that satisfy the criteria.
How to use Mass & Weight Gainers?
- Mass gain and weight gain powders are available in various compositions and lip-smacking flavours. If someone has busy mornings and tends to skip breakfast, gainers can act as a perfect breakfast beverage with water or milk.
- Instead of bingeing on an unhealthy snack, one can take gainer as a healthy evening bite. One can experiment with shakes or smoothies using a gainer by mixing them with fruits, nuts, and nut butter to enjoy a healthy dose of nutrition.
- One can consume mass and weight gainers immediately after a workout when needing additional calories and protein.
- It is important to note that weight and mass gainers are most effective when combined with regular exercises, such as weightlifting or resistance training, to help build muscle mass.