For many individuals, gaining weight can be more difficult than losing weight. With busy schedules, it can be challenging to fit in enough time to eat sufficient amounts of food. Protein drinks are a convenient way to add additional calories to your diet without filling you up like regular meals. To gain weight, the University of Michigan Health System recommends adding 500 calories to your daily diet. Some individuals may need to add more, but including one to two protein shakes a day in your diet can easily help meet these additional requirements.
Step 1
To create the liquid base of your shake, add milk or juice to your blender. Water can also be used, but it adds no additional calories and is not as effective for weight gain. When using milk, opt for 1 percent or 2 percent milk instead of skim to add additional calories.
Step 2
Put one to two scoops of protein powder in the blender. There are many types of protein available, but the cheapest and most commonly used is whey protein concentrate. The flavor and type of protein powder used is up to you. If using juice, a fruitier flavor such as strawberry or fruit punch will work better. Milk is a more neutral base, so almost any flavor can be used.
Step 3
Include up to one cup of frozen fruit to add texture and additional flavor to your shake. Berries and bananas are a great way to add additional calories and nutrients.
Step 4
Thicken your shake and add considerable calories with peanut butter or cottage cheese. According to nutritiondata.com, 1-2 tbsp. of peanut butter will add an additional 100 to 200 calories to your shake. Peanut butter is a great complement to chocolate-flavored protein powder. Two percent or four percent milk fat cottage cheese is a more neutral flavor addition that adds a large amount of calories as well. Olive oil is another healthy way to add fat to your shake.
Tips and Warnings
- Continue to eat your regular meals in addition to adding protein shakes. Weight gain will only occur if you are eating more calories than your body requires for maintenance. Protein powder quality will deteriorate after mixing, so drink shakes as soon as possible. Add less liquid for a thicker shake. Add more liquid for a thinner shake. Use an online nutrition database to determine the total calorie amount from the ingredients in your custom shake. Adjust accordingly for your goals.
- Beware of possible food allergies. Substitute or exclude ingredients as necessary. Some protein powders from dairy sources (whey and casein) can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Use with caution.
Things You'll Need
- Blender
- Milk or juice
- Protein powder
- Frozen fruit
- Peanut Butter, olive oil or cottage cheese
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