08 Jun Is Mass Gainer Good for Gaining Lean Muscle Without Getting Fat?
Mass gainers are often part of every skinny wannabe muscle builder’s go-to kit.
If you’re a skinny dude, you might already be familiar with how it feels to get lost in the rubble of muscle-building supplements.
Truth be told, mass-gaining supplements are the only available effective products that lead to weight gain.
Now, while the mass gainers can help with the bulking process, can they replicate the same results for those looking for lean bulking?
Is mass gainer good for lean muscle? Though it may sound like a silly question to some, it’s not that easy when it comes to real-world results.
Lean bulking is a process of muscle gaining without over-boarding the fat gains. This certainly requires more than just intense training; it needs proper nutrition.
But can gainers be the perfect choice to meet such needs? We’ll be addressing the question of whether can you lean bulk with mass gainer or not in the entire blog.
So read till the end to find the truth.
What are Mass Gainers?
Mass gainers are supplements that are specifically crafted to aid in the weight-gaining process. This weight-gaining supplement assists in intense bulk-up and building an overall hulk-like body.
It is popular among bodybuilders to increase muscle mass. The supplement is loaded with proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that are essential for building mass and gaining weight.
Other essential ingredients like leucine, creatine, choline, or digestive enzymes are also added to it to make the bulking process easier.
So, is mass gainer good for skinny guys?
Being rich in protein, moderate in carbohydrates, and low in fat, mass gainers are an excellent addition for ectomorphic to mesomorphic people in their bulking phase.
But can mass gainers be used for lean muscle? This is a query that lingers somewhere in everyone’s mind who is seeking dramatic bulk-up via lean bulking.
Is Mass Gainer Good for Lean Muscle?
Lean bulking is the process that focuses more on attaining quality muscle mass by reducing body fat. This type of bulking process requires you to eat more calories than you consume.
Interestingly, a single serving of mass gainer delivers around 700-1000 kcal. 80% of the calories in the mass gainer come from maltodextrin, wax maize, and powdered oats.
So, can you lean bulk with a mass gainer?
Undoubtedly, yes!
Typically the ratio of calories to protein to fat in the mass gaining supplements are in 3:2:1. Clearly, there are more carbs in the mass gainer mix in comparison to whey protein powders.
It is essential to increase calorie consumption to create a calorie surplus diet for gaining weight and channelizing it to lean muscles later.
Though the protein might be low, the higher carbs and just enough fats in mass gainers accelerate the calorie intake and thus helps with the lean bulking process when you exercise to balance out those calories.
Usually, mass gainers have more carbs than protein and fat, and that’s mostly intended to power up your workouts.
The only area where you might feel your mass gainer lacking will be a lower protein content. Well, choosing a good-quality mass gainer might help you counter that too. there are some good mass gainers for beginners that contain as much as 50g. protein in one serving.
Adding mass gainer is good for lean muscle; however, to make it the best, try accompanying it with whey protein.
But if you’re using mass gainers with protein for lean bulking, it is essential to use protein in a limited quantity. Excessive amounts of protein can cause a strain on the kidney.
Balancing out the intake will not only fulfill your calorie requirement but also give you enough protein to help amplify your workout sessions.
Since mass gainers drive the calorie surplus, are there chances you might end up being fat rather than stacking the lean muscles?
Does Mass Gainer Make You Fat?
This is the common fear among beginners who want to give mass gainers a shot.
Notably, mass gainers don’t actually make you fat directly. So, if in any case, you are getting fat after adding mas gaining supplement to your diet, it’s because you might be consuming more calories than your daily requirement.
In such a case, it is advisable to reduce the serving size or cut the added calories consumed through your food.
Adding to it, for those who think mass gainers can increase belly fat, well, these supplements can’t lead to fat accumulation in particular parts of the body.
In fact, no particular food can result in a fat increase in a specific area of the body.
So, the next time you want to gain lean muscle mass, make sure you keep calorie consumption in check to avoid fat accumulation.
Can Everyone Take Mass Gainer?
Mass gainers are typically safe for every healthy person who wants to gain mass and excel in the bulking phase. However, there are always some exceptions you need to consider when adding a supplement.
Mass gainers may not be suitable for everyone. So, it is important to use them in moderation and be aware of the negative effects they may cause:
#1. Weight Gain: Excessive consumption of mass gainers even along with the daily diet can lead to weight gain. Therefore, it’s better to follow the prescribed dosage and monitor calorie consumption for avoiding weight gain issues.
#2. Upset Stomach: Mass gainer may cause upset stomach, especially in people already dealing with food intolerances. It is common to experience bloating, flatulence, gas, cramps, and constipation after adding a mass gainer to the diet.
Therefore, if you’re using the supplement for the first time, consume less than the recommended dosage and then gradually up the intake as your body gets used to the consumption.
#3. Dehydration: Though it might happen otherwise; mass gainers are sometimes found to cause excessive dehydration. Therefore, it is quite worrisome who already drink less water than they should.
#4. It is for Hard gainers: Lastly and most importantly, mass-gaining supplements are for hard gainers. That is to say, people who have a hard time gaining muscle can largely benefit by adding this supplement.
Gaining weight and gaining muscles are two entirely different things. Your body is great at gaining weight but not so good when it comes to bulking up.
The disadvantages of mass gainer are only visible if you don’t use it in moderation. And as people always say, “Excess of anything is harmful”
Therefore, if you don’t want to gain weight but mass, rather than making clumsy adjustments to your diet, chose the right mass gainer.
How to Use Mass Gainer for Best Results?
Not as easy as it sounds, mass gainers need to be inculcated wisely if one wants to witness good lean muscle bulking via mass gainers.
Here are a few things you need to know so that you can use mass gainer for lean bulk the right way.
These steps come even before you rush to buy the best mass gainer in the market.
Firstly, calculate how many calories you need, and for that multiply your body weight by 14 and add 100-200; that’s the number of calories you need to consume.
The second step would be to keep the track of calories you are consuming every day. This includes the pre-serving calorie you get from mass gainers along with your daily diet.
Now, moving further, here are some of the instructions which can help you attain the maximum results from mass gainers.
#1. Mass Gainers are All About the Ingredients List
That’s right! Mass gainers are only as good as their ingredients list. Pay special attention to the sugar content in the mass gainers.
Everything these days are loaded with sugar either to increase the weight or in the name of “new flavors”. Surely, you don’t want to gain weight and stack up on unnecessary sugar when on clean bulking.
#2. It is Only as Good as Its Ingredients
Like any other supplement, mass gainers are also only about their blend. So, before you make an impulsive decision to add the product, analyze whether you can make the required changes in your bulking by preparing the meal yourself.
If the answer is negative, you might need a mass gainer, or else, just making some modifications in the diet with the help of a professional can do the needful.
#3. Consume it at the Right Time
This has always been a debatable topic. However, after enough research, it’s quite clear that mass gainers are best to chug after intense workout sessions.
Mostly, skinny people find it hard to eat enough right after coming from the gym maybe because of exhaustion or maybe because pre-workout left them bloated. In such a case, the mass gainer is the best option.
#4. Back It Up with the Right Routine
Even if you are a beginner, you probably might be aware of the fact that only diet or only exercise can’t do anything. A mass gainer is good for lean muscle only if you support it with the right workout to channel its benefits the right way.
Notably, when trying to bulk up, design the workout session with the right balance of HIIT as well as heavy resistance exercises.
While only doing HIIT can lead to weight loss, heavy resistance exercise can assist in bulk up. So, if you want lean bulking with a mass gainer, accompany it with the right exercise.
Keep an eye on mass gainers that fall right in your regime and for your body type.
Not all mass gainer is made equally. Also, depending upon the effort and body type, the results of mass gainer can also vary from person to person.
Concluding Thoughts
Mass gainers are best when it comes to gaining weight, especially for those who have been trying for a long time to bulk up.
These supplements are usually a calculated mix of easily digestible calories. Additionally, it contains just enough protein to accelerate muscle protein synthesis.
However, if you want to lean bulk, just add some whey protein to your diet. Not to mention, make sure to choose the right supplement after looking at the ingredients list and how many calories it serves in a single serving.
It is also equally important to remember that mass gainers, if not accompanied by the right exercise and diet, can lead to undesirable weight gain.
So, if you are looking for a better alternative to gain lean muscle mass than the traditional one, you can go for mass gainers.
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