Tips to choose the Right Mass Gainer
Identifying a suitable mass gainer that tallies your weight gain expectations and targets can be quite tricky. There are several weight gain pills in the market and each of them seems to claim potential miracles when it comes to muscle gain. In this post, let us explore a few tips that will help you choose the best mass gainer for you.
Before we get to that, let us answer the pressing question on your mind.
Do mass gainers work?
The short answer is yes but it is not that easy. Mass gainers are supplementary to your diet and workouts, which will always be the key to sustainable weight gain. When taken in the right quantity, along with a high-calorie diet, mass gainers do their job of regulating your metabolism and help you maintain a calorie surplus.
Some of them also boost your appetite, which helps you gain weight naturally. But you need to make sure that you consult your physician and keep your expectations realistic.
For mass gainers to work, you need to be consistent in all aspects of your diet and exercise plans.
Do you need a mass gainer?
If you are someone who has been struggling to gain weight and spending hours at the gym without seeing any results, a mass gainer might be right for you.
It shall enhance your progress and give you a boost in achieving aesthetic results.
You will be able to maintain a good calorie surplus and sustainable weight gain with relative ease.
Tips to Choose the Right Mass Gainer
You need to consider the following things when you purchase mass gainers so that they can match your expectations from them.
Calories
You need to determine your BMR and discover exactly what calorie surplus you need to achieve your weight gain goals without becoming fat. Once you have identified the ideal surplus range, look out for weight gain pills and mass gainers that help you achieve these targets by using healthy and safe ingredients.
You might be tempted to pick out mass gainers that offer a calorie surplus of 1000cal but it is advisable to refrain from doing so for multiple reasons.
Firstly, such excessive amounts of calories will not be fully used for muscle gain and will instead be stored as fat, which is an undesirable outcome.
You are better off starting with 200-400 extra calories per day, which can easily be achieved from a majority of good mass gainers.
Sugar Content
Consuming sugar is an easy way to put on weight, not muscle necessarily, but weight. Because they help you enter a calorie surplus easily, some mass gainers will just load the supplements with sugar.
This is very unhealthy and not only will it prevent you from actually gaining muscle, but it will also lead to unnecessary health complications such as insulin resistance which can lead to diabetes.
You don’t need excessive amounts of sugar to gain weight or muscle. During the weight gain process, it is recommended that you stick to healthy carbs such as brown bread, sweet potatoes, oats, etc that help you gain mass slowly and steadily as opposed to soda and candy.
The Carbohydrate-Protein Ratio
For you to achieve sustainable and progressive weight gain, balancing out macronutrients is the first and most important step. The ideal carb to protein ratio for those looking to gain muscle mass is 3:1.
Now, the type of carbohydrates and proteins that you consume also play a key role in this. Complex carbohydrates are optimal as they take a while to digest and you can utilize the energy for improving your performance during workouts. While the digestion of carbohydrates should be slow, you need protein that acts at varying paces- multiple kinds of proteins.
Quick-release proteins, as well as slow-release proteins, should be in the mix. Some examples of slow-release proteins are whey protein and casein. These are important to maintain the growth and structure of your lean muscles.
On the other hand, the quick release proteins help build new muscles and help in post-workout recovery.
Fat
The best mass gainers are built on understanding the importance of healthy fats and incorporating it into a balanced nutritional scale. But as we know, fat can be quite troublesome if consumed in excess.
The percentage should be low and just right to give you a good calorie surplus without leading to unnecessary fat gain in the body. There are two things you need to look out for, the type of fat and the quantity of fat that is present in the mass gainer. Saturated fats are the ones that you must avoid at all costs.
Medium-chain triglycerides and omega 3 fatty acids are healthier and safer options and are the preferred ingredients in most good quality weight gain pills.
Make sure that the quantity of fat does not exceed over 2g per serving. Balance out the fat levels in your diet as well.
Sources of Ingredients
Do your research before you select and finalize upon a mass gainer. It is important to make sure that all of the ingredients are sourced naturally so that they do not affect your health adversely.
If the mass gainer you choose is made purely out of natural ingredients, chances are that they will pose no chances of allergic reactions or digestion problems. Initially, some weight gain pills are bound to cause acidity and bloating but this can be avoided if you pick out a supplement that is light on your digestive system.
Make sure that you check the label and the sellers’ websites to ensure that everything about the pill is transparent. It is also recommended that you consult with your nutritionist for added benefits.
Conclusion
The best mass gainer is the one that works optimally for your body type and helps you progress at a desirable pace. There are many options out there but once you have considered the above factors, it should be easy for you to come to a decision. Remember to stay away from those loaded in sugars, fats, and promises that seem too good to be true.