We build muscle correctly: how to choose and take a gainer

Why and who needs a supplement?

Gainers(they are also mass-gathering cocktails) help to gain weight, give an increase in muscle mass, and increase strength.

Types of gainer

Also, with the help of the additive, the following tasks are solved:

strict adherence to the diet and accounting for macronutrients entering the body - proteins, carbohydrates and fats;
accelerating the recovery process of the body after sports;
maintaining relatively lean muscle mass ( protein does a better job with this task);
prevent muscle loss.

The latter task is important for those who expose the body to prolonged aerobic exercise (running, cycling), including athletes, football players, and basketball players. In this case, taking a gainer will provide a high level of energy during sports.

The individual characteristics of each person do not allow us to consider this sports supplement as universal and suitable for everyone. Before choosing a gainer, it is recommended to take into account the type of physique and metabolic rate

Body Types

People who are prone to fullness and with a relatively slow metabolism (body type endomorph), mass-gathering cocktails should be taken with caution (monitor the reaction of the body, reduce portions) or even excluded from the diet. They have carbohydrates included in the additive are easily stored in the form of adipose tissue. As a result, instead of increasing muscle, fat folds on the abdomen grow.

A more appropriate tandem for endomorphs is proteins with slow carbohydrates from the main diet (buckwheat, brown rice, oatmeal, durum wheat pasta).

For people with an average body type (mesomorphs), protein-carbohydrate gainers with a moderate calorie content are recommended. In such sports nutrition, the concentration of protein is close to the content of carbohydrates, up to a ratio of 50 to 50.

High Protein Gainers

The weight gainer is perfect for thin people (thin people and ectomorphs). Because of their fast metabolism, it is difficult for them to gain muscle and body weight in general. Incorporating easily digestible, high-calorie supplements into your diet will usually produce tangible results.

Different types of gainers are suitable for thin people, including carbohydrate-protein ones (protein accounts for no more than 25-30%) and even pure carbohydrate ones.

Who needs a gainer

What to consider when choosing?

Understanding the role of the individual characteristics of the body, you can start looking for the best gainer for yourself. To do this, consider the following aspects:

1. The ratio of macronutrients. The basis of most mass-gathering mixtures is carbohydrates. But the percentage of proteins also needs to be looked at if you do not plan to take protein separately. It is important to consider the type of physique. So if 15% of protein in a gainer is enough for thin people, then mesomorphs and especially endomorphs need 30% or more. The presence of fats should be moderate, and most of them should be unsaturated fatty acids.

2. Type of carbohydrates and proteins. As a building material for muscles in gainers, whey proteins are usually used, a little less often - complex (with the addition of egg or other proteins). A typical carbohydrate in a supplement is maltodextrin (aka molasses). It is quickly absorbed and causes a sharp jump in blood glucose. That is why a large presence of sugar in the composition is definitely not recommended. But a good concentration of dietary fiber and slowly digestible carbohydrates, on the contrary, is welcome.

Gainer in the bank

3. Calories. The indicator itself is directly related to the size of the portion and the ratio of macronutrients. But recommendations for caloric content are determined by the individual characteristics of the body. For thin people with fast metabolisms, high-calorie mixtures (more than 300-350 kcal) are recommended, and for everyone else - with a moderate energy value. You can regulate incoming kilocalories by choosing different gainers or adjusting the serving size.

4. Other criteria. These include the presence of additional additives (for example, creatine, which is also suitable for mass gain), type of packaging (bag, jar, bucket), taste, brand reputation.

Creatine Gainers

In general, you should first buy a small package, make sure that there are results (increase in weight and muscle volume), the taste is suitable, and then take a gainer weighing 5+ kg.

Gainer in the package

Understanding how to take a gainer

The best time to take a supplement in terms of bodybuilding is the first minutes after the end of a workout. During this period, with the help of it, you can close the protein-carbohydrate window, thereby accelerating recovery, suppressing the processes of muscle destruction, replenishing the body's energy reserves and laying the foundation for muscle growth.

With high and prolonged physical exertion, you can take a mass-gathering mixture before sports. But keep in mind that the supplement should be based on quickly digestible proteins and carbohydrates, and during the training process you will not lose fat.

People who are not inclined to be overweight can drink cocktails with a gainer at other times: instead of separate meals or in between them.

How much to drink gainer

The second important question of admission is how much gainer to use. A number of manufacturers overestimate the size of one serving, including more than 30 g of protein and 100-200 g of carbohydrates. In this case, it is highly likely that some of the macronutrients simply will not be absorbed by the body.

Ideally, limit a single dose to approximately 100 grams of supplement (30 g protein and 70 g carbohydrates), or if the manufacturer specifies lower doses, strictly adhere to their recommendations. As a rule, 1 - 2 doses of the supplement are enough per day.

To prepare a gainer, mix a portion of the powder with water or milk. You can combine the mass-gathering mixture with creatine, using them in one cocktail. Also, the product goes well with pre-workout complexes, protein, vitamins and minerals.