When it comes to gaining weight and muscle, diet is essential for accomplishing your fitness goals.
Many people, particularly those with high metabolisms or fast-paced lifestyles, find it difficult to consume enough calories to fuel muscle growth and gain weight.
This is where mass gainers come into play. Mass gainers are supplements that help you consume more calories and nutrients in an easy-to-digest, convenient form.
But how do you include them in your daily diet? In this guide, we outline exactly how the usage of mass gainers will benefit your nutrition plan in gaining muscle and weight.
What Are Mass Gainers?
Mass gainers are high-calorie supplements that contain a well-balanced mixture of carbohydrates, protein, and fats in order to help users gain weight more effectively and for muscle building.
They are formulated so that an ample amount of nutrients are delivered in each serving; they can range as high as 700 to 1,000 calories or more per serving.
In addition to macronutrients, mass gainers can also contain other added vitamins and minerals to assist with overall health and recovery of muscles.
While they are mainly used by athletes, bodybuilders, and anybody who wants to gain mass, mass gainers are also useful for those who are not able to consume enough calories in their daily diet.
In any case, it’s worth noting that mass gainers should be taken as an addition to your regular diet, not as a substitute for whole food sources of nutrition.
How to Incorporate Mass Gainers Into Your Daily Diet
While mass gainers are a great source for high-calorie intake, knowing when and how to include them into your daily routine, can maximise the effects. Here are a few steps to help you achieve optimal results.
1. Determine Your Caloric Needs
First of all, you must calculate your daily caloric requirements. Without any comprehension of how many calories one is required to consume, using a mass gainer will most probably result in gaining unwanted fat.
Use a TDEE calculator to estimate how many calories you need. TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure. It is the total energy that a person uses in a day and is estimated using factors such as a person’s basal metabolic rate (BMR), activity level, and the thermic effect of food.
To build muscle mass, you should be in a caloric surplus. This means you consume more calories than you burn. Once you are ready with your target surplus of calories, you can now reach this requirement with the help of a mass gainer.
2. Use Mass Gainers as Snacks Between Meals
The most effortless way to include mass gainers in your diet is to take them as a snack between meals.
For instance, if you have difficulty consuming large meals at various times of the day, a mass gainer shake can provide a calorie-dense, nutrient-rich snack to keep your energy levels up and your muscle-building efforts on track.
You can mix a serving of mass gainer with milk, water, or a non-dairy drink and have it in the afternoon or before bed. With this, you can consume the additional calories without feeling puffy and bloated.
3. Post-Workout Recovery
Your muscles require protein and carbs after a heavy workout, in order to repair and build themselves. Taking a mass gainer shake after finishing a workout will really serve to replenish the needs of your body, repairing your muscles and thus prompting them to rebuild.
A post-workout mass gainer replenishes glycogen stores with carbohydrates but also provides a rapid source of protein for muscle repair. The fast absorption of carbohydrates will give your body a boost of energy, while the protein will start the recovery process.
4. Morning Boost
If you tend to find it hard to eat an enormous breakfast, a mass gainer can help kick-start your day with lots of calories.
It becomes very easy to add mass gainer to your smoothie or oatmeal as one of the efficient ways to get started in the morning and be provided with a calorie-rich, nutrient-dense meal that helps you meet your calorie and protein requirements early.
5. Mix Mass Gainers with Other Foods
Mass gainers need not be taken alone. You can mix them with other high-calorie, nutrient-dense foods to take calorie intake to a new high.
For instance, you can add a scoop of mass gainer to:
- Nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter) for healthy fats.
- Bananas or other fruits for additional carbohydrates and vitamins.
- Greek yogurt or milk, adding more protein and fat.
This way, you increase the calorie count of your meal or snack while ensuring a good intake of nutrients through whole foods.
6. Track Your Progress
It is important that while you include mass gainers in your diet, you still track your weight, muscle growth, and overall improvements. Tracking progress always tells if one is indeed gaining lean muscles or going overboard to put on excess fat.
If you seem to be gaining too much body fat, then chances are that you have to reduce your overall calorie intake which perhaps means reducing your calorie supply from mass gainers by making sure most of your calorie is coming from clean whole food items.
Conversely, if you’re not seeing any weight gain, consider increasing your intake of mass gainers or adding another meal to your day.
Conclusion
Mass gainers are very useful for anyone who needs to gain muscle and weight in a healthy, controlled manner. They can give you the additional calories and nutrients you need to fuel muscle growth and recovery if used correctly as part of your diet plan.
By understanding your caloric needs, choosing the right mass gainer, timing your intake appropriately, and complementing them with whole foods, you’ll be on your way to gaining weight and building muscle in no time.
If you’re in Dubai, buying from a Dubai online pharmacy is an easy and efficient way to get the supplements you need, making it easier than ever to incorporate mass gainers into your daily diet plan.
Remember, consistency and proper tracking are key to making mass gainers an effective part of your daily diet plan.
