Weight gain can be as hard as weight loss. A lot of people don’t realize this and think that gaining weight means just adding more food to your diet. But that’s not the case. If you want to gain weight in a healthy way, then it needs to be done systematically and in a slow and gradual manner. Many people have fast metabolism and find it difficult to gain weight due to high Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). If you are also the same and want to add lean muscle mass without adding any extra fat to your body, then it is highly recommended that you consider weight gain supplements. It will supplement your diet with extra calories and add protein and carbohydrate that your body needs to fuel through intense workouts.
There are two types of Gainers: 1. Weight Gainers and 2. Mass Gainers
The only difference between weight and mass gainers are the ratio of proteins to carbohydrates present in them
Weight Gainers:
When you intend to gain overall body weight then you need lot of carbohydrates as well as substantial amount of protein in the supplement to help you gain healthy weight. It is especially suited for people who have high BMR and have difficulty in putting on weight
Mass Gainers:
When you intend to gain muscle mass and size especially when you are working out on increasing substantial muscle growth then you need a balanced carbohydrates and protein in the supplement. These supplements are also termed as Bulk Gainers and are especially suited for people doing intense body building.
Benefits of Gainers
There are various benefits of including a high quality weight or mass gain supplement in your fitness routine.
It helps you gain weight in a healthy and balanced way
It provides the right nutrients for post workout recovery
It keeps you feel fuller for longer and cuts down cravings
It builds stamina and strength
It boosts exercise performance and helps you power intense workout sessions
It is a good source of fiber which helps in digestion as well
There are so many kinds of mass gainer supplements available. It is best that you ask your doctor to know which of them will align as per your fitness goals. There might be chances that if you are a beginner level athlete your trainer and doctor might recommend a whey protein supplement instead of a GNC mass gainer.
Busting myths and misconceptions
Here are some myths and misconceptions about weight or mass gainers that you should definitely know.
You can control your weight by counting your calories
The most important thing to know whether you are on a weight gain or weight loss journey is that not all calories are the same. Various kinds of foods you eat go through different metabolic processes and get digested at different rates. Foods that enter your blood stream quickly can cause weight gain and foods that get entered gradually provides energy. For example sugars from aerated drinks lead to weight gain whereas sugars from fruits are comparatively healthy.
In the same way protein calories are different than the calories derived from fat or carbohydrate. You can replace fats and carbohydrates with protein to make you feel fuller for a longer period of time and to reduce your appetite and thus balance hormones responsible for weight management.
You’re not eating in moderation
Moderation is the key for weight gain and even for weight loss. If you eat everything in moderation your body can digest it and get all the nutrients. But if you start taking any particular food in excess, it has adverse effects on your body.
Skipping meals is ok
This is the biggest mistake and will lead to weight gain in the long run. It is ok to skip breakfast or lunch if you are on intermittent fasting. But if you want to lose weight or stay healthy, then you shouldn’t skip your meals. Skipping meals will just slow your metabolism. So when you deny your body, your body ends up holding fat or you tend to overeat which is not good for your body.
An effective weight loss plan eliminates fats
Fats have this bad reputation. If you want to gain weight people tend to advise you to add more fats in your diet plan, and if you are trying to lose weight then the first food group to be cut from the diet is fats especially the ones which are unhealthy. Just like your body needs protein and carbohydrates in moderation, the same holds true for fats as well. The type of fat you eat matters as well. Fats provide energy and are really important for healthy hair and skin. Essential fats are those that your body can get through food sources and they cannot be naturally produced in your body.
It is really important to choose the right kind of fats aligning with your weight loss or weight gain journey. The fats that you should avoid are trans fats and saturated fats. These have a direct effect on your weight and cause immense weight gain. Monounsaturated fats helps lower bad cholesterol and are really beneficial for your body and polyunsaturated fats reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Best GNC Mass Gainer Supplements
The top selling GNC Mass Gainer supplements are –
GNC Pro Performance Weight Gainer
GNC AMP Amplified Mass XXX
GNC Beyond Raw Re-Build Mass XP
GNC Pro Performance Bulk 1340
You can easily buy all these GNC mass gainer supplements online from GNC India’s official website – www.guardian.in
Make sure to consult a doctor before including any new weight gainer supplement in your routine. Also it is advisable that you should only consume the dosage as mentioned on the package. Consuming excess amount over a period of time may cause certain side effects.