There's no real secret to gaining weight--you need to consume more calories than you expend in order to move the scale. But if you're extremely active or just have a fast metabolism, putting on weight can be difficult. If your caloric requirements are high enough, eating can seem like a chore, especially if it means feeling full and bloated all day. Luckily, many supplements are available to help you gain weight quickly.
Meal Replacement Powders
Meal replacement powders are designed to mix easily in water or milk. These powders produce a liquid meal that won't make you feel full, but will provide much-needed calories for growth.
Meal replacement powders usually contain 500 calories or fewer per serving, but are high in protein and low in fat. Typically, these powders contain a variety of protein sources, including whey, casein, egg and soy.
In addition, meal replacement powders often contain conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid that encourages lean muscle gain, instead of fat. These powders may also contain medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). These are a special class of fatty acid that are more likely to be burned for energy than stored as fat.
Lastly, meal replacement powders may be enhanced with vitamins, minerals and fiber.
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Meal Replacement Bars
Meal replacement bars are high-calorie snacks that are convenient and portable. These can be more filling than meal replacement powders, but don't require preparation or refrigeration.
Meal replacement bars tend to contain around 500 calories or less, with 30 to 40 grams of protein. The protein is usually from a variety of sources, such as whey, casein and soy. Each source has a different rate of absorption, which allows for a sustained release of amino acids throughout the day.
Meal replacement bars offer plenty of carbohydrates, usually from complex sources such as rolled oats. Because of this, bars often contain up to 10 grams of fiber as well. However, many bars also contain high levels of sugar (perhaps 20 grams or more).
Because fat is so calorie-dense (9 calories per gram), meal replacement bars tend to include around, if not more than, 10 grams of fat. Try to pick bars that are low in saturated fat and trans-fat free.
Ultra-High Calorie Weight Gainers
When all else fails, ultra-high calorie weight gainers can help you outpace even the fastest metabolism or highest activity levels. These can be mixed in water or milk, and often contain up to 1000 calories per serving, if not more.
Weight gainer products come in powder form and usually cost less per serving than bars. Most of the calories in weight gainers come from carbohydrates. Weight gainers typically contain many simple carbohydrates--sugars such as dextrose, maltodextrin and fructose. These sources provide calories but don't leave you feeling full. However, research from the "Journal of the American Medical Association" has linked excessive sugar intake to increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Often, weight gainers contain similar ingredients to meal replacement powders, including around 50 grams of protein per serving and CLA and MCTs.
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