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When paired with the right workout program, a mass gainer can help you achieve the hulking physique that you’ve always been dreaming of.
With a blend of carbs, protein, healthy fats, and nutrients, a mass gainer can supply you with the calories you need for packing on serious weight.
But can a weight gainer alone take the place of a well-rounded breakfast?
Mass Gainers for Breakfast: Yay or Nay?
Can you drink mass gainer before breakfast on an empty stomach?
Mass gainers are meant to supply your body with massive amounts of calories in one drink.
If you have the time (and cooking skills) to prepare a hearty breakfast every morning, good for you!
But if you just don’t feel like going through the tedious process of preparing and cooking food, a mass gainer shake for your morning meal is the practical choice.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Is a mass gainer enough to be your main source of morning nourishment? Let’s find out below:
It’s All About the Calories.
A typical bulking breakfast has a good balance of macronutrients and a respectable amount of calories.
It should have healthy amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals – all of which are needed for building and repairing muscles.
Some popular breakfast choices for those who are looking to bulk up are:
- Banana pancakes
- Chicken omelette
- Yogurt with nuts and berries
- Eggs and avocado toast
These breakfast choices feature a good balance of protein, carbs, and fats – delivering roughly 500 to 600 calories per serving.
While a mass gainer may not contain all the wholesome nutrients (and mouth-watering taste) of the food mentioned above, it can still serve as a quick source of nourishment and calories for those times when you are in a rush.
A typical mass-gaining shake can contain more than 1,000 calories per serving – that’s roughly the same amount of calories you get by eating 2 quarter-pounder cheeseburgers!
If you are trying to pack on solid weight, drinking a mass gainer in the morning is 100% better than skipping breakfast altogether.
Perfect for Those with Weak Appetites.
There are those days when you wake up in the morning and you just don’t feel like downing a full plate of food.
By drinking a mass gainer in the morning, you quickly nourish your body with nutrients and calories needed for supporting muscle growth – without forcing yourself to eat a large plateful of food in one sitting.
Fits your Busy Lifestyle
Fixing up a well-balanced meal is easier said than done.
For someone like you who is always on the go, it can be hard to find time to prepare and consume a calorie-packed breakfast.
Preparing a serving of your mass gainer shake only requires a few minutes of your time.
Just mix a few scoops with water or milk in your shaker bottle, blend it well, and you are all set!
Mass Gainer vs. Protein Shake: Which is Better for Breakfast?
Muscles need protein to grow, rebuild, and recover.
Why not just drink a protein shake in the morning to keep your muscles in a non-stop growth mode?
Your body relies on more than just protein to stay strong and function at its best.
It also needs a healthy amount of carbohydrates and fats, which serve as sources of energy to fuel your day-to-day activities.
Without these nutrients, your body may end up breaking down your hard-earned muscle tissue for energy.
A mass gainer is typically loaded with high amounts of carbohydrates and healthy fats, usually paired with protein, vitamins, minerals, and sometimes, performance-enhancing compounds, such as creatine, L-Glutamine, or caffeine.
Compared to an ordinary protein shake, a mass-gainer typically contains a broader range of ingredients that can support growth, boost exercise performance, and promote daily wellness.
If you are looking to boost the protein content of your mass gainer shake, you can always mix it with milk, a spoonful or two of peanut butter, or a scoop of your favorite protein powder to help your body meet its daily protein needs.
When to Take Mass Gainer for Best Results?
There is no doubt that a mass gainer shake can help you build a lean and mean physique in no time.
But is there a proper way or a best time to take a weight gainer?
Some prefer drinking a mass gainer on an empty stomach, while some consume a serving after a meal.
It all boils down to how your daily schedule looks like, how well your stomach digests your food, and how big you really want to get.
Take it first thing in the morning.
When taken on an empty stomach, your mass gainer shake can keep your body supplied with calories for a few hours into the early parts of your day.
But this, alone, will not be enough to get you through the day. Nourish your body with nutrients throughout the day by snacking on healthy treats, such as nuts, fruits, yogurt, protein bars, or eggs.
Drink it after working out.
30 minutes after pumping iron is the best time to trigger muscle growth and repair.
At this point, your body is ready to absorb the most nutrients from your food and supplements – so it is best to take advantage of this time to load up on calories.
Drinking a weight gainer after exercising triggers an insulin spike, in which your muscle cells open up to receive more sustenance from your diet.
This way, your muscle cells are saturated with amino acids, water, and nutrients that support growth, repair, and regeneration.
Use it as an in-between-meal beverage.
Drinking a mass gainer is an easy way to help your body meet its high caloric requirements. Fix up a serving in the morning and take it with you while you are out and about.
Take a sip every now and then to give your body the caloric boost it needs while you are on the move.
Down a serving right before bedtime.
Getting the right amount of sleep is necessary if you are planning to grow in size.
Consuming a mass gainer before you hit the sack provides your body with nutrients that keep your muscles nourished all night – helping protect against muscle wastage, breakdown, or catabolism.
You can mix your mass-gainer shake with a slow-absorbing protein, such as casein, to keep your muscles well-fed with amino acids for extended time periods.
Maximize Muscle Growth by Following These Steps:
Get enough sleep.
Your muscles grow while you are at rest – not while you exercise.
Whenever you sleep, that’s when your body starts to repair damaged muscle tissue – making it increase in size and boosting its strength.
Not getting enough sleep robs your body of much-needed rest, and this can ultimately lead to slow muscle growth, poor exercise performance, and lack of focus while you workout.
Drinking your mass gainer, exercising right, and getting adequate night-time rest are surefire ways of helping you build that hulking physique in no time.
Make those muscles work.
Even without exercise, a mass gainer can help you grow in size.
However, all the growth you get are in the form of fat reserves, and not lean muscle tissue.
A weight gainer works best when partnered with high-intensity strength training and weightlifting activities.
These forms of exercise are perfect for shaping those muscles and eliminating fat stores – revealing that lean, muscular, and well-toned body.
Eat right.
“You are what you eat.”
This common saying always holds true, especially in the world of fitness.
If you are planning to build a larger physique, that doesn’t mean that you have to eat everything in sight.
Better drop those candy bars and start snacking on healthy food.
Make sure to get enough protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from your diet and supplements.
Rest, workout, and eat your way to a hulking physique!
