Your DIY Mass Gainer

Muscle Food 101

First things first, if you weren’t aware we do stock a seriously good mass gainer product, Muscle Food 101.

So if you prefer to simply scoop and shake, take a look at MF101. But if you’d like to have a crack at making your own bulker, keep on reading!

Why take a mass gainer?

The main reason for taking a gainer is for GAINS. You want to get bigger, boost muscle development and grow your physique. Whether that be for bodybuilding, your preferred sport or just for aesthetics (we hear you ).

Gainers contain macro ratios designed to speed up the muscle recovery process and deliver a surplus of calories to support growth.

Compared to a regular protein shake, mass gainers offer a decent serving of simple and complex carbohydrates, additional amino acids and often healthy fat sources and vitamins.

Pros of DIY

The major benefit of making the gainer yourself is that you have supreme control over the ingredients and the quantities. This means you can adjust the amount of protein and carbs day by day.

It also means you’ve got a multipurpose protein on hand for times when you don’t want a bulking shake as well as an effective carb source which can also be used intra workout or at any other time of the day.

Let’s start creating!

Step 1: Protein

You can’t have a protein shake without protein now, can you?

Here you can pretty much choose any protein powder you like. However, our loyalty lies with Protein Matrix+. It’s uber creamy and contains lactase enzyme to help digest lactose. Otherwise WPC is great choice... or WPI for a virtually lactose free whey option.

If you’re dairy free simply sub in Earth Protein! The The pea, rice and bean blend is a fantastic alternative to whey.

Simply scoop out a 30g serve and let’s move on to carbohydrates…

Step 2: Carbohydrates

Carbs are really important to include with meals when you’re wanting to add real size to your frame. Carbohydrates deliver much-needed energy to allow you to power through heavy training sessions and replenish glycogen stores which become depleted after intense exercise.

Our carbohydrate pick? Carb+ of course! Carb+ is a blend of three carb sources which each operate differently to deliver a balanced fuel source.

Dextrose Monohydrate and Maltodextrin supply instant energy to produce a spike in your output ability during training and replenish your glycogen quickly after training. The third carbohydrate source, Isomaltulose, provides a more sustained, longer lasting energy release to support improved performance during long gym sessions.

Add 50g of Carb+ to your protein source and we’ll move on…

Step 3: Amino Acids

Boosting your shake with additional amino acids can assist with recovery as well as performance. If you’re serious about building muscle, you won’t want to leave out creatine monohydrate.

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements on the market and has proven time and time again how beneficial it can be for athletes looking to gain strength and increase muscle volume. Add a little creatine and push out more reps, train for longer and see better results faster.

A second optional addition we’d recommend for your DIY gainer blend is L-Leucine. L-Leucine can assist with boosting muscle repair and boasts anti-catabolism properties that work to prevent muscle wastage (which is helpful when you’re bulking!).

Now scoop in 5g of creatine monohydrate and if you’re going all out, 5g of glutamine too!

Step 4: Fats (optional)

Finally, healthy fats!

The reason we’ve made this an optional step is that if you’re consuming your gainer after a workout, we’d recommend just sticking to protein, carbs and aminos.

Fats are calorie-dense, seriously tasty and an essential macro for anyone with bulking goals, however, they slow down digestion. Post workout fast digestion of protein and carbs is preferred to start the recovery process and to replenish muscles.

When you aren’t taking your gainer after the gym, definitely include a source of fats. Our suggestion with Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT Powder) is Muscle Food 101 and Quick Protein Oats. MCTs are a readily available energy source as they’re easily absorbed and digested and have shown to greatly benefit the development of lean muscle.

Looking for a little more flavour from your fats? You could also choose natural nut butters or even seeds such as flax or chia as well as whole fat milk.

Our recommended ratio for DIY Gainers

Shake it up

Now it’s time to enjoy your gainer!

The easiest way to do so is by mixing it with water or milk in a big shaker. However, we like to combine the powder with milk and a little ice in a blender until smooth and creamy.

You can change up the flavour by choosing different protein flavours, such as Rocky Road and Salted Caramel. Or you can always throw in some frozen fruit for a fresh twist.

How’d you go? Are you enjoying your DIY mass gainer? If you need a little advice on the best supplements to meet your goals, be sure to get in touch with our knowledgeable customer service team.