Mass Gainer or whey protein?
If you want to put on weight mostly from lean muscles…
I always prefer whey protein over mass gainer!
Let me explain to you why?
When I first started weight training in the gym my trainer advised me to go with a mass gainer, which I did…
But after a few months of using it, I somehow realized, I should be eating more whole food than using a mass gainer or whey protein.
Things have changed when I have started my professional career where I was having no time to cook my meals.
So, in order to complete my daily protein intake, I have started taking whey protein and it has been 7-8 years.
Hey guys this me Gympanzie with another commonly asked question on my Instagram profile.
This was me in the year 2011…
& this is me now 😊
Since then, I have tried and tested multiple brands available in the Indian supplement market.
So, first, let me start with this!
What is the difference between mass gainer and whey protein?
If your goal is to gain lean muscle mass while minimizing fat stores (also known as Lean Bulk) and a clear-cut idea on how to design your diet by counting calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fats then whey protein is the best option for you.
If you are a complete beginner and have no idea about calories and macros then a mass gainer supplement will help you to gain muscle mass with some fat.
What is in a mass gainer and whey protein?
A typical whey protein concentrate supplement available in the market consists of 80% protein per 100 grams that means a standard 30-gram scoop size serving will give you 24 grams of pure protein with 1-2 grams of fat, 2-3 grams of carbohydrate and 120 calories approximately.
A flavored whey protein concentrate will cost you around 2000-3000 Rupees for a 1 kg pack and an unflavoured raw whey protein concentrate will cost you around 1200-1600 Indian Rupees for 1 Kg pack (=30 servings)
Whereas if you see the nutritional content of mass gainer it contains higher amounts of carbohydrates and calories, with lesser protein content, added vitamins and minerals along with some creatine and glutamine.
Let’s take an example of a very famous product ON Serious Mass.
Per 100 grams of this mass gainer consist of 15 grams of protein, 0.9 grams of fat, 76 grams of carbohydrate and 378 calories.
It comes with a big scoop with a serving size of 334 grams giving 50 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat, 254 grams of carbohydrate and 1263 calories.
A good mass gainer will cost you around 800 to 1200 Rs per kg.
Is whey protein better than mass gainer?
Most of the skinny guys who start lifting weight have this confusion that should I go for a mass gainer or whey protein?
Where their friends and trainers always advise them to take a mass gainer or weight gainer supplement as a beginner.
Which I don’t think is required…
WHY???
A simple way to understand this is:
- To build muscle you need protein
- Carbohydrates for energy
- Fats to regulate hormone functions, regulate blood glucose levels, insulin response and to absorb fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamin A, D, E and K.
So, in order to fulfill your daily protein intake, eat eggs, dairy, soy (in moderation), non-vegetarian food (if you eat), etc.
And if you are short of protein then add a whey protein powder in your diet and distribute the servings throughout the day.
For carbohydrates add rice, whole grain bread, roti (Indian bread), fruits, etc
For fats add nuts, oil & seeds.
Another point which I missed is important to convey that most people are scared of eating fat as they think “FAT MAKES YOU FAT”
I have already mentioned a few benefits of consuming fat but most importantly fat has been linked to increased testosterone production.
Testosterone is a male hormone which plays a very important role in overall growth including muscles.
So, Less testosterone = Fewer muscles
More testosterone = More Muscles
How do you gain weight scientifically?
So, if a skinny guy wants to put on weight, he can do this by increasing either of these:
- Muscle Mass
- Fat Mass
- Water Weight
- Bone Mass
In order to gain weight, you can focus on increasing muscle mass, fat mass or do both.
If you want to gain muscle mass or bulk you have to eat a diet high in calories.
How to gain weight if you are adding a mass gainer in your diet?
So, if you don’t have time to cook your meals or cannot eat a lot of whole food then go for a mass gainer supplement.
But if you are relying only on mass gainer and take a recommended serving, you will not gain weight as it will only supplement 1100 to 1200 calories which are not enough.
To make it effective first calculate your daily calorie intake and you can find a simple calorie calculator at the end of this article.
Enter your current weight and goal weight, then hit calculate.
You will get your daily calorie intake.
Use this CRONOMETER mobile application to track your daily calorie and nutrition which is very simple to use.
You just have to enter what food you are eating on a daily basis and this app will calculate the number of calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Which Mass Gainer is best for beginners?
See I never share a product which I haven’t used.
So, Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass is the only supplement I have used as a beginner but I can assure I have seen some difference.
Along with that, I made sure that I eat plenty of whole food such as eggs, chicken, bean sprouts, chicken to get an ample amount of protein, other macronutrients, and calories.
How to use a mass gainer?
Divide one serving size throughout the day as you will find it hard to gulp down one big serving in a single seating.
As most of the mass gainer has a big 250 to 350 grams scoop approximately.
You can add cow or soy milk, peanut butter, and banana to increase the number of calories further.
This is what I used to do 😊
Best protein powder for weight gain
Do not forget whey protein + carbs + fats + calories in total will help you to gain muscle.
Whey protein alone can do nothing…
You need to take a balanced diet.
Currently, I am using Dymatize Nutrition Elite 100% Whey – 2.3 kg (Chocolate Peanut Butter) and Nutrija WHEY CASEIN BLEND on a daily basis.
Please leave the comment down below if you have any question. I will be more than happy to answer 😊