When is weight gainer a good idea?

[Mark S]

I'm posting this for my brother.

He plays baseball pretty seriously, sophomore on his schools varsity team and is playing a bunch of showcases in the upcoming year/year and a half. Hes about 6'3", 170 pounds and skinny as all else.

Hes in great shape, has some muscle but he really needs to fill out to compete with the other kids.

The problem is he eats and eats and eats, but he never seems to put on anything, so my question is...Is weight gainer a viable option? I'm concerned primarily with him putting on sloppy calories and getting sluggish, but he really, reallllllly needs to bulk to keep up.

Thanks in advance for all the insight.

[Frank.S]

Make a 'weight gainer'.

Cup of oats
4 scoops of protien
Couple tsp Olive Oil
Cup of milk

mmmm.. Actually works out cheaper the most weight gainers I have seen and you getting 'healthy' food. Anyone can grow, they just need enough calories. I know I have to eat much more then I am happy with every single day to gain weight.

[RedLefty]

Frank's got great advice there.

I arrived to my college baseball program at 6'2, 143. Yes, 143. Eighteen months later I was 6'3, 190, but I really don't know how much was due to caloric intake. Some of it was just the body maturing.

Why exactly does he need to "fill out to compete with the other kids"? Baseball's not a sport of body composition, but of skill. There are major leaguers his size.

[gobbla]

It's a good idea if he's willing to keep taking it for ever. Otherwise if he doesn't change his eating\workout habits he's going to lose it all.

The other option would be if he's out and about with no access to refrigeration. If he can get to a fridge have him haul around some juice or milk.

[El tío Saín]

If it´s one of those sugar-based gainers, I would take it just pre/post workout. Anyway, you can build a customed gainer just with dextrose/maltodextrin (pretty cheap) and a good protein powder.

For other moments I would use a mixed of oats and milk protein isolate or concentrate.

Yeah, why not, it´s a good idea if you feel you need more calories and find it difficult to get them only with solid food.

[coach hale]

if he does'nt have the appetite to get in whole foods and weight gainer is the only way he is going to get calories go for it

thanks
Coach Hale
www.maxcondition.com

[Jason B]

Read Dave Tate's food log and then see if you still think he 'eats and eats and eats.'

It's simple physics, no matter how much you think he's eating, if he's not gaining weight he's not eating enough. Eat more. And then when he's full, have him eat more. If not's polishing off a gallon of whole milk a day already, do that. 1 cup of heavy cream has 800 calories, add that to the milk. A 10oz can of mixed nuts has 1700 calories, never leave home without it. Frank's shake is also a great option, certainly better than a sugar loaded weight gainer. Another good one is a shitload of peanut butter blended up into whole milk for a night-time shake.

[Frank.S]

Originally Posted by Jason B

Read Dave Tate's food log and then see if you still think he 'eats and eats and eats.'

It's simple physics, no matter how much you think he's eating, if he's not gaining weight he's not eating enough. Eat more. And then when he's full, have him eat more. If not's polishing off a gallon of whole milk a day already, do that. 1 cup of heavy cream has 800 calories, add that to the milk. A 10oz can of mixed nuts has 1700 calories, never leave home without it. Frank's shake is also a great option, certainly better than a sugar loaded weight gainer. Another good one is a shitload of peanut butter blended up into whole milk for a night-time shake.

Jason is right. I actually use chocolate milk instead about 1/2 gallon a day for me (thats 2L I think?).

heres another idea.. I like this a few hours after a workout.

Pesto Pasta (TheSteve came up with this, i think i changed it some)
2-Cups of whole wheat pasta (740 cals)
2 Cans of tuna (240 cals)
Lots of olive oil (2tbs) (240 cals)
Lots of pesto (2tbs) (240 or so (dont have this to check right now))
Diced Tomato (meh)
=1460 cals, lots of of protien, lots of good fats.

Lots of good ways to get in more cals, dont always have to resort to bacon sandwhiches (man im sick of those).

[Mark S]

Thanks for the input all, a lot of great advice.

RedLefty-It may sound like hes bigger than he is, but the kid is as skinny as a twig. Although I do agree with you that it is a sport of skill, I also believe that strength and getting weight behind the ball helps out quite a bit with hitting. Don't get me wrong, not everyone on his team is dieseled out, but hes getting to the point where it wouldn't hurt to get a little heavier.