Do You Really Need a Weight Gainer Supplement?
While this may not be the popular opinion of supplement companies selling a weight gainer supplement, we’re going to discuss the pros and cons of using such a product so that you can make an informed decision for yourself on whether or not it would be advantageous for you.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, changing your daily nutrition, or adding any supplements to your regimen.
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Why You May Want to Use a Weight Gainer Supplement
If you are someone who can’t seem to take in enough calories to put on size, a weight gainer supplement may fit your needs. Hard-gainers around the globe find themselves eating everything in sight, yet can’t seem to put on the quality muscle they desire. What do they turn to? A weight gainer supplement. But why?
For starters, most people purchase a weight gainer supplement due to the marketing behind it — claiming to help put on size (it should be noted that not all the gains will be lean muscle, but also body fat). Another reason why hard-gainers purchase a weight gainer supplement is because when shopping, they are told by store clerks that they need a gainer (which can be debated, and we’ll get into that aspect shortly).
Generally, each serving of a weight gainer supplement contains upwards of 1,000 calories and is slammed with protein, carbs, fat, and sugar. If you’ve never tried one of these shakes before, they are incredibly thick and filling.
The downside of a weight gainer supplement is that you have no control over the macros unless you use a smaller/larger serving. While there are many good gainers out there with quality ingredients, there are twice as many that are full of junk, fillers, and ingredients that will cause you to put on more body fat than lean muscle mass.
So, is there a better option? I believe there is, so let’s dive into it.
Make Your Own Weight Gainer Shake
A simple solution to put on the quality size you want is to make your own weight gainer rather than being restricted by what is found in a specific weight gainer supplement.
For instance, not only can you save money, but you have the ability to manipulate your macros to fit your wants and needs. An example would be using a protein powder as the base of your weight gainer shake and then playing with the carbs and fat around the protein powder.
You can easily put 2-3 scoops of a protein powder (you can go with a whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, or blended protein) into a blender, add some natural peanut butter (as a source of healthy fats), frozen fruit such as a banana (for the carb source and added micronutrient profile), water or milk, and some ice cubes. From there, blend it all up and enjoy!
It should be noted that you can be creative with the protein powder flavors you use. A straight vanilla or chocolate would be considered a staple since you can work everything around those flavors, but if you purchase a fruit flavor, peanut butter, coffee, etc., you can make your own creation. Making your own gainer will almost always taste better than a premade weight gainer supplement.
Again, the goal of this article isn’t to bash brands out there who sell a weight gainer supplement, but rather to provide you with information you can use to make better buying decisions according to your goals.
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