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Weight gainers are highly regarded supplements for those who want to grow in size.
But are weight gainers also suitable for skinny women who wish to pack on mass? Or will they just create a bulging belly for your physique?
Read on and find out!
Men and women gain weight the same way – you have to consume more calories than your body burns.
If you are a skinny woman who plans to achieve a lean physique, a mass gainer supplement can help you hit your fitness targets.
It all boils down to using your mass gainer the right way.
Mass gainers are excellent sources of calories that you need for gaining weight.
Without the right training program, however, you will most likely end up getting a chubby physique instead of a lean and curvy body.
We have 5 useful tips for skinny women, like you, who are thinking of adding a mass gainer to their fitness regimen.
Mass Gainers for Women: Stay Away or Safe to Take?
Many skinny people take weight gainers to build mass. If you are thinking of adding a weight gainer to your diet and fitness program, here are 5 points to consider before doing so:
#1 Set the Right Goal.
It’s easy to say, “I want to gain weight.”
If you are looking to take a mass gainer, you first need to decide how big you really want to get.
Are you planning on building a competition-worthy physique with bulging muscles and ripped abs? Or you are just planning on packing on a few pounds of lean muscle, just enough to keep you from getting called skinny all the time?
Whatever your weight gain goal is, you need to build a plan around that goal.
What kind of exercise are you going to take on? How many calories are you going to consume in a day? Are you ready to devote time and energy for daily exercise?
These are just a few things to consider if you are thinking of gaining weight.
Otherwise, you might end up gaining fat instead of lean muscle – or even end up being skinnier.
#2 Be Ready to Exercise the Right Way.
Whenever you enter the gym, most women can be found using the treadmills or the stationary bikes.
Those machines are perfect if you are trying to burn fat and lose weight.
But for a skinny woman who wants to pack on pounds, those exercise machines are probably not the best ones to help you achieve your goal.
To build muscle mass, you are better off heading right towards your gym’s free weights section. Lifting weights helps build your strength and promotes lean muscle growth.
Using dumbbells or resistance bands is also a great way to start your strength-training program.
As you progress, you can gradually move on to more-challenging exercises, such as deadlifts, chin-ups, squats, and bench presses.
Performing these exercises will help you gain lean muscle mass, and not just body fat that ends up ruining your waistline.
You may also want to consider consulting a fitness expert who can create a custom fitness plan for helping you hit your mass-gaining targets.
Taking a mass gainer can help you build the physique you want – just make sure to pair it with the right strength-training workout to increase muscle mass and burn off unwanted fat stores.
#3 Be Ready to Make Changes in your Diet.
Some gym goers make the mistake of relying solely on a mass gainer for growing in size.
Typical mass gainers contain high amounts of carbohydrates, plus good amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, or performance-enhancing compounds, such as caffeine or creatine.
While weight gain supplements can supply your body with massive amounts of calories (roughly 600 to 1000 calories, depending on the brand), that doesn’t mean that they can replace your daily meals single-handedly.
To pack on lean weight, increasing your daily protein intake is a good idea.
Protein supplies your body with amino acids, which are needed for building, repairing, and strengthening your muscles.
Increasing your consumption of lean meat, fish, eggs, and protein bars can help you boost your protein intake.
Adding a scoop or two of protein powder to your mass gainer shake is also a good idea.
Aside from protein, consuming foods with healthy fat can also help you grow big in no time.
Snacking on seeds, nuts, nut butters, and avocados throughout the day keeps your body well-supplied with dietary fat for packing on weight.
Your weight gain shake should only be a supplement that gives you extra calories.
You may take a mass gainer shake whenever you are on a rush and don’t have time to prepare or eat a whole meal.
It also works great as an in-between-meal drink or a post-workout beverage.
Just keep in mind that it is not always the best idea to exclusively rely on a weight gainer as your daily source of nutrition and sustenance
#4 Be Ready to Stay Committed to your Fitness Regimen
Even with the right exercise and a good weight gain diet, it may take several weeks or months before you see actual changes in your physique.
Just like losing weight, gaining weight requires patience, commitment, and dedication.
There will be those times when you feel like slacking off or giving up on your weight gain goals.
If you ever get that feeling, always remember your goal of transforming your skinny self into a lean and muscular one – a physique that makes you look good and feel good at the same time.
#5 Choose the Right Mass Gainer.
A common misconception is that weight gain shakes are more geared towards men who wish to bulk up.
While men’s nutritional needs slightly differ from those of women, that doesn’t mean that a weight gainer won’t work for you.
If you are planning to take a weight gain supplement, we recommend that you choose one that is specifically formulated for women – unless your goal is to transform yourself into a She-Hulk.
Women’s mass gainers usually have lower calories, but higher vitamin and mineral content – making them more tailored to your body’s nutritional needs.
Not all mass gainers are made the same. Some may cause trouble for your stomach or some may have an unappealing taste.
Choose one that contains a good balance of nutrients, one that agrees well with your gut, and one that makes you feel excited for your next serving.
If you are trying a mass gainer for the first time, we suggest starting on a lower dose then increasing it gradually.
If Taken Properly, Mass Gainers Can Help You Grow Big.
Adding a mass gainer to your weight gain program can work wonders in helping you achieve your desired physique.
The more calories you consume, the more lifting you should be doing to stimulate muscle growth and repair – otherwise, all those calories will just end getting stored as fat.
If you are thinking of taking your weight gainer after exercising, you might want to choose one that contains quick-absorbing carbohydrates, such as dextrin or maltodextrin.
These simple sugars are quickly digested by your body, triggering an insulin spike that helps your muscle cells absorb more muscle-building nutrients.
If you are planning to take your mass gainer in the morning or as a meal replacement, you are better off choosing one that contains complex carbohydrates, such as waxy maize or oats.
These are digested at a slower rate, keeping your body supplied with energy for a sustained period of time.
