Best protein powders for muscle gain?

Stop messing around with those mass gainers

Look, Steve, he’s the old pro here...

You can find them at your local gym or in the supplement aisle at Target. Just Google it.

Thanks, but I’ve realized they have all these different types of whey—so which one am I actually supposed to be taking? Basically, what's the best fit for me?

If you’re looking for whey, just look at the price per ounce. I’d grab a massive 10 or 12 lb tub from Optimum Nutrition for maybe $100-$$233. You’ll be set for half a year, whereas buying those tiny 2 lb tubs is a joke—you run out in two months and have to go shopping again.
Besides, those 2 lb containers usually run you about $50-$$150
I actually saw a huge tub from Optimum Nutrition for $233.

As for mass gainers and that kind of stuff, I'm no expert, but I know the body needs both protein and carbs to build mass. You aren't going to bulk up on protein alone; at least, that's what I read. This guy needs to pack on a ton of weight. If I remember correctly, he was about 180 lbs and only weighed 120 lbs? He probably needs another 45 lbs to hit his goal, so using a mass gainer would get him there much faster. The only catch is he’d need to train like a beast so he doesn't just turn all that sugar into fat.

Personally, I avoid those mass gainers too. I stick to whey. But if I were in his shoes, I’d definitely lean into the bulking phase because it’s the fastest way for him to see results.

Of course, you can get those carbs from actual food; they don't just exist in powder form.🙂 If you stick to whey—which is basically pure protein—just do a quick Google search for the best carb sources and supplement with those.

Anyway, don't come for me if I got something wrong. I'm not exactly a nutritionist.

p.s

To save me from answering everyone's DMs: I've decided to train clean without any supplements for the next couple of months, so please stop sending me offers. I'm starting Accutane for my acne soon, and some guy over at bodybuilding.com advised me to cut back on protein because of some nonsense regarding liver health. So, I'm pausing the supplements until spring. I'll keep training, and then once spring hits, I'll go on a shopping spree and buy whatever I want.

Alex Long8 said:p.s

So I’m not going to go through the hassle of replying to everyone via DM individually. I’ve decided to go natural for the next two or three months, so you can all stop sending me your "offers." I'm actually starting a course of Accutane for my acne, and some guy over at bodybuilding.com suggested I scale back on the protein intake due to some nonsense regarding liver strain. Because of that, I'm ditching the supplements until spring. I'll just maintain my current physique for now, and once spring rolls around, I'll be out there buying up every single thing on the shelf...

Good grief...

Michael Rivera63 said:Give me a break...

He didn't tell me to quit entirely, just to scale back. But honestly? I’d rather just kick the habit once and for all so I don't have to deal with these cravings forever. Even if I'm pretty sure it doesn't actually matter, whatever. The guy who gave me the advice is a pro bodybuilder who's also studying med school or something, so he clearly knows his stuff.

Is it worth taking this if I’m not actually training right now?

Of course you can, but just keep in mind it should be used as a supplement to your diet rather than your primary protein source.

So you wrote that you want to gain muscle mass!!!!!!

Then obviously you have to train for it—it goes without saying. You aren't going to build muscle just by sipping shakes all day. You actually have to lift, otherwise everything you gain is just going straight to fat.

got it, thanks

So, I’m new here, and I figured I’d reach out to the veterans for some actual guidance... I’m 17 years old, standing about 5'9" and weighing in at roughly 134 lbs. My schedule is pretty intense—I’ve got soccer practice four times a week, each session running about an hour and forty-five minutes, plus I have an 80-minute match every Saturday or Sunday. Based on my BMI, I’ve calculated that my target weight should be somewhere in the 155–160 lb range. As for food, I basically just eat whatever my mom cooks for dinner, so I don't really have control over the menu, which isn't the issue; the real problem is that the scale just won't budge no matter what. Given that, what kind of protein supplements or other gear would you guys recommend for someone in my position?

Thanks for getting back to me. 😛

Jamie Ramirez2 said:Hey everyone! So, I’m brand new to the forum and was hoping to pick the brains of you seasoned pros... I'm 17 years old, currently sitting at about 134 lbs, and I'm 5'9". My schedule is pretty intense—I've got soccer practice four times a week, lasting about an hour and forty-five minutes each session, plus we play full 80-minute matches on Saturdays or Sundays. I did a little digging with my BMI, and it looks like my target weight should be somewhere around 155-160 lbs. When it comes to food, I basically just eat whatever my mom whips up for dinner, so I don't really have a say there—which is totally fine! But the real struggle is that no matter how much I eat, the scale just won't budge. It's like I'm eating everything in sight and still staying skinny. So, what would you guys recommend in terms of protein powders or any other supplements to help me finally pack on some muscle? Any advice would be awesome!

Thanks so much for getting back to me! 😛

Hey! Why don't you give me a full breakdown of what you're actually eating? I mean, lay it all out for me—what's on the menu for each meal, how big are the portions, and how many times a day are you refueling? Once we get those details down, we can finally figure out what's going on with the scale!
Look, even if you’re running like crazy, you’ve still got four workouts a week plus that game on top of everything else. That is a massive amount of activity! You’re basically burning through fuel like a jet engine at this point, so you seriously need to be eating a ton just to keep up.

What kind of football game lasts 80 minutes??
more food on my plate

You know how it goes with junior varsity games—it’s not quite like the varsity squad playing a full 90 minutes since we’re stuck with 80-minute matches... basically, I can get away with eating five or six meals a day if I want to. There's plenty of food around, and lunch is usually a massive deal where I eat like a pig. Before lunch hits, I’ll grab some fruit, maybe an apple, an orange, or a banana... breakfast is usually just a decent little sandwich because I’m stuck in class in the morning, and when my classes are in the afternoon, I don't really have anything spread on bread like some kind of pâté, so I just end up grabbing lunch right after school. The real headache is dinner, though, because our training sessions run until 8:00 PM under the stadium lights, meaning I don't crawl through the door until around 11:00 PM. Some nights I have to whip something up myself, and other times there's actually something ready waiting for me...

Jamie Ramirez2 said:It's the junior varsity games, you know? Seniors play the full 90 minutes, but since we're juniors, we're only out there for 80... basically, I can easily knock down 5 or 6 meals a day. There's a lot of variety, honestly, and lunch is huge—I seriously eat like a pig. Before lunch, I'll grab some fruit, like an apple, an orange, a tangerine, or a banana... Breakfast is usually just a decent sandwich because I'm at school in the morning, and when I have afternoon classes, I don't always have time to make something like a spread, so I just get home and eat lunch before heading back to class. The real struggle is dinner, though, because our practices are at 8 PM since we have the stadium lights on, so I don't get home until around 11 PM. Sometimes I have to whip something up myself, and other times there's already food waiting for me...

First off, you really should be hitting carbs in every single meal (think oatmeal, rice, pasta—even for that last snack before bed, especially since you're running so much and it totally drains you. It’s especially crucial when you're doing sprints, which really kick your metabolism into high gear and burn through fat and muscle during the next day.

So yeah, aim for 5-7 carb-heavy meals a day.

I totally get that eating cold rice is gross—I hate it too—but you can always just throw together a whole grain sandwich with some chicken (maybe some deli turkey) and some veggies, toss in a little pesto or something, and it's actually pretty good.

Alright, thanks for the input. I’d love to hear from anyone else who actually knows what they’re doing here before I make any moves. Honestly, I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this—do you guys think it makes sense to start messing with something like a mass gainer, or am I just overcomplicating things?

Where on earth can I actually pick up some Pronutrition whey? Don't they have a retail location in Los Angeles?

Also, what’s the deal with ordering that Optimum Nutrition stuff from overseas? How does the shipping work? If I order it, does it just sit at the post office waiting for me to swing by? Which local branch is the furthest away from downtown LA?

I feel like I've read about 90% of this thread, but those specific points above are still pretty fuzzy to me...

Thanks for the answers...

Jamie Ramirez2
If I were you, I’d just grab some whey. Use one shake a day after your workout as a meal replacement—assuming you're eating plenty of other food, obviously.

Also, what are you actually doing at these training sessions? Just running around and playing ball, or are you hitting the gym for actual strength training? If the goal is putting on mass, you need to build muscle.

I deal with the same issue where I'm constantly moving and can't seem to pack on the weight. Actually, I'm sitting at about 175 lbs at 6'0", but I don't even look it. Nobody believes me when I say I weigh 175; they all assume I'm more like 155. And I eat a ton of good stuff: oats, lean proteins, tuna, chicken... I'm honestly counting down the days until I can afford my next tub of protein powder.

Anyway, does anyone here have experience using Animal M-Stak?

Carl Sanchez4 said:Where can I actually find Pronutrition whey? Don't they have a shop in Los Angeles?

And what's the deal with that Optimum stuff coming from overseas? How does shipping work? Do I just order it and pick it up at the post office? Which post office is closest to LA?

I read about 90% of the thread, but that part above still makes no sense to me...

Thanks for the help...

Pronutrition isn't sold in LA; they're based out in Irvine. You can just order online through their site, and delivery usually takes 2-4 days.

Alex Long8 said:You can't pick up Pronutrition in downtown Chicago or anywhere near the suburbs; you have to order it online through their site. Just shoot them an email. Shipping usually takes about 2-4 days.

Is that 2-4 days, or are we talking weeks?

I wonder if they charge for shipping. Is it cash on delivery or what?

And what about our neighbors over in Canada? Where would be the closest place to head to visit them?

Alex Long8, honestly, we’ve just been grinding through ball drills and running lately, which is a given. Then we move into strength training—you know, push-ups, sit-ups, and all that basic stuff... but now that the mid-season break wrapped up this weekend and we're getting back into tournament mode, we're heading straight to the gym.😁