Are Weight Gainers worth the money?

[Steve Dougson]

I bought a weight gainer because I needed a new jug of protein and I saw this ten pound jug with 55 grams of protein per serving for 50% off. I jumped for that and didn't realize it was a weight gainer until I got home. I have never really heard of weight gainers before and so I'm wondering if I wasted 25 bucks or not.

Note: My goal is to gain weight, but now I'm worried that it'll all be fat. I'm awfully confused with my purchase right now.

 

[Timbaland]

NO. Weight gainers are generally empty carbs (sugars). adjusting your diet would help you gain weight.

 

[Steve Dougson]

Is there anything good about this purchase? Each serving has 55 grams of protein, but is that too little when it comes with 17 grams of fat and 162 grams of carbs?

By the way. the product I bought was Ultimate Nutrition's "Muscle Juice 2544"
More info here: http://www.ultimatenutrition.com/catalog/muscle_gain/muscle_juice.html

 

[Cooz]

do a search for weightgainers, weight gain....bah..just try the word weight and you'll find some really good threads.

 

[Chad Hamilton]

I've always liked Ultimate Nutrition.

I think you have made a good purchase.
I use their GlutaPure.

 

[Madmick]

NO. Weight gainers are generally empty carbs (sugars). adjusting your diet would help you gain weight.

Which are useful in adding weight; however, I believe maltodextrin (what is predominantly used now, not dextrose) is technically not a sugar since it's a medium-chain carbohydrate. Also, they have the highest GI Load of any food, period, and that will lend to weight gain: for muscle, too, not just fat.

Weight gainers are one of the few supplements that work. Just don't ingest a ridiculous amount of calories from them. Stick to 600-1200 additional calories a day from your WG.

 

[Lard-ass]

IMO the best way to use weightgainers is immediately after training, and by immediately I mean at the gym, not waiting til you get home, cause the body needs fast carbs and protein directly after workout and can digest fast carbs without releasing a lot of glucos. (Think of it as your muscles are in a sort of "spunge-mode" after workout)

At the same time gainers not so good to use as an everyday snack cause its a little too high GI with the risk of glucosspikes.

 

[Kingston]

Coincidentally, I was going to go to my local supliment store and pick that exact same weight gainer up this week. Apparently it's pretty good.

 

[Steve Dougson]

At the same time gainers not so good to use as an everyday snack cause its a little too high GI with the risk of glucosspikes.

What is high GI and glucose-spikes?

 

[BAS_FAN]

Weight Gainers are crap. It takes triple the amount of scoops to get the calories. You can pretty much turn any protien powder into a weight gainer......but its never worth it. I find it hilarious when guys mix up a cement shake worth 5000cals and then chug it.

 

[Madmick]

Weight Gainers are crap. It takes triple the amount of scoops to get the calories. You can pretty much turn any protien powder into a weight gainer......but its never worth it. I find it hilarious when guys mix up a cement shake worth 5000cals and then chug it.

No, they're not. Listen, I understand that if I guy would eat an additional 600-1200 calories a day in food, that would be better. But that 600 calories is really easy in two servings- split throughout the day. Sorry, but I've just seen too many guys who couldn't get it done at the dinner table become whole new men with weight gainers. It blows my mind every time.

It's not going to match the nutritious value of whole food. That shouldn't even be in question. But that's not it's job. It's job is to spike your insulin and get some calories in there that otherwise wouldn't.

Weight gainers are highly, highly effective.

 

[Lard-ass]

What is high GI and glucose-spikes?

Im no expert so excuse my lack of scientific lingo, but GI (glykemic index) is a measurement of how fast the food is digested. It has also to do with molekylstructure. AND food thats digests fast reccuire the release of o glucos in your bloodsystem to absorb all the nutriont that has been digested.
Fast carbs causes high glucos levels that dont last long (a glucos spike) so eating "slower" carbs causes a more longterm glucos level.

So if you train hard, you want an even glucos level in your body, since this is optimal for storing protein (and building muscles) and fat but also to be able to burn fat. And by eating often you get this optimal state. Eating just say 2 times a day causes the glucus level to drop and leaving you without energy, and also the metabolism sort of slows down not burning any fat or building any muscles. Eat often and little - you burn fat. Eat often and much - you build muscle.

But if you train hard, there is no point in keeping a strict low GI diet because you need a lot of carbs and protein and fat, just stay away from the real fast carbs like coca-cola, whitebread, white rice, jams, and all stuff with lots of sugar in it.

This is what I

 

[Madmick]

But if you train hard, there is no point in keeping a strict low GI diet because you need a lot of carbs and protein and fat, just stay away from the real fast carbs like coca-cola, whitebread, white rice, jams, and all stuff with lots of sugar in it.

You were solid until here, you fucking Lard-Ass (sorry, lol, I just realized I never use this word without using those other two leading up to it). The reason an athlete shouldn't stricly eat low-GI is because the insulin spike that causes the nutrient flush is advantageous post-workout, and because (as with weight gainers) sometimes athletes are really trying to put on mass quickly. Although a mostly low-GI diet is better for a lean gain (at least in theory), nothing puts on the mass like eating a high-GI diet.

But a major reason for any athlete to avoid high-GI dieting is the same as for any non-athlete; it's much healthier for you. Aside from the fact that people who eat high-GI relentlessly and never exercise become FAT (hello, my fellow Americans), and this is really the leading cause of death in the USA, they're also linking high-GI diets to Type II Diabetes and the heretofore inexplicable high cholesterol levels in individuals who exercised and ate a diet low in cholesterol.

Perhaps I misinterpreted you from the start when you said "strict low-GI." I mean, grape nuts are actually fairly high-GI, but man, if you eat grape nuts instead of All-Bran in the morning and you're an athlete, your body should be able to handle that. It's the blueberry muffins with butter, yeah, like you said, that are the killers.

 

[Lard-ass]

Madmick, we seem to agree on the main points. And as you said, post workout, fast carbs with some protein to go is extremely good.

Lard-ass is certainly a fun combination of word. haha

 

[zdrax]

I highly recommend steak. Medium-rare. Best weight gainer ever. it t3h pwntz n00bz w3ightg@inerz.