Best Protein Shake Recipe to Gain Weight and Build Muscle
Want a new go-to protein shake recipe to take your gains to the next level? Read on and you’ll have all you need.
If you like this article, check out my high-level training programs available through TrainHeroic.
Whenever someone asks me what they should eat to gain weight, build muscle and put on size, my answer is always the same.
Use the Blender!
If you’re serious about gaining weight and building muscle, you need a go-to protein shake recipe.
This recipe is one I’ve used for a long time to great effect.
I used it twice a day when I put on 20 pounds in 2 months a few years back.
It’s evolved a bit over the years, but the basic ingredients remain the same as they are perfect for gaining quality size and muscle mass.
Note: This article contains affiliate links to products I believe in. They come at no additional cost to you, and are here because I believe they can benefit most readers.
Benefits of a Solid Protein Shake
There are several reasons why you should be having a protein shake before and/or after your workouts.
When it comes to gaining weight and putting on muscle mass, it’s crucial that you get a surplus of calories and protein throughout the day.
This can NOT be overstated.
Building muscle requires a lot of energy and resources.
If your body doesn’t have it when it needs it, you will not grow.
Don’t Make Things Complicated
I’ve done some crazy stuff in the past, including tossing whole chicken breasts into my protein shakes.
Needless to say, it tasted gross, and made me dread drinking the shake.
So, keep it simple. Save the chicken breast for later and try to enjoy your protein shake just a little bit.
You Can’t Beat a Protein Shake for Calories
The fact that you can literally put 1,000 calories in the blender and drink it down in less than 5 minutes makes a protein shake incredibly powerful for gaining size.
To gain weight, you’ll need to shoot for around 500 calories over what you need to maintain your weight.
If you’ve been stuck at your current weight for a while, add 500-700 calories per day to what you’re currently consuming.
How Many Calories Do You Need to Gain Weight?
To calculate how many calories you need to gain weight, multiply your weight in pounds times 16.
For more aggressive weight gain, you can multiply your weight in pounds times 18-20.
This is a general guideline. Use it as a starting point and go from there based on your results.
Use Quality Protein
I’m a believer in quality when it comes to protein.
I use and promote Bulk Supplements because the ingredients are pure, you get more of them, and pay less. No Brainer
Be Consistent
The real key to gaining size and building muscle is consistency.
Eating big one day and not the next is not going to yield results.
Weight gain and size will come fast when you’re consistent with your daily calories and protein.
Having a go-to protein shake can make this that much easier.
Focus on Protein
Studies show that taking in protein throughout the day stimulates protein synthesis (muscle building) most effectively.
A protein shake allows you to get a huge amount of protein and calories in just a few minutes.
Getting protein and carbs in before your workout has been shown by research to speed up recovery and boost protein synthesis.
For this reason, when trying to build muscle and size, I take a protein shake both before and after my workout to maximize hypertrophy.
You want to be in as anabolic a state as possible when trying to build muscle.
Ultimate Protein Shake Recipe
Here’s my go-to protein shake recipe that I’ve been using for years, along with a few other ingredients that are optional.
I’ll leave some tips for tweaking the recipe to suit your own weight gain goals.
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Oats
- 1 Cup milk
- 1 Banana
- 1 Cup Frozen Berries (any)
- 1-2 Scoops Whey Protein (skip the chicken breast)
- 2-4 Tbsp Peanut Butter
- 1 Cup Acai Puree or Acai Ice Cream (from Costco) *optional
Directions:
Put all the ingredients in the blender, Ninja or whatever you use to make protein shakes/smoothies.
Add a little bit of water and/or Ice as needed.
Blend and consume 1-2 times per day, depending on how aggressive your weight gain goals are.
Nutrition: (approximate)
- Calories: 950-1100
- Protein: 55-80 grams
- Carbohydrate: 100-120 grams
- Fat: 20-30 grams
Read: 4 Best Programs for Strength AND Size
Why I Love This Protein Shake Recipe
There are 4 reasons this continues to be my go-to protein shake recipe:
- It’s made with whole foods and mostly healthy ingredients.
- It’s made up of mostly complex carbs from oats and fruit
- It gives me over 55 grams of high-quality protein and over 1,000 calories.
- It can be scaled according to your needs.
Scale the Protein Shake Ingredients to Meet Your Needs
You can easily scale the recipe to meet your own needs.
If 1,000 calories are too much, use a half cup of oats, half banana and less (or no) milk.
If you’re looking for maximum weight and muscle gain and are just straight up trying to bulk up fast, use 2 cups of whole milk, 2 bananas and extra peanut butter.
It’s easily scaled to meet whatever needs you have at the time.
When I want to bulk up, it’s always there for me.
When I want to get a little leaner, I simply scale back the carbs.
Add Your Supplements to The Protein Shake
You can also add whatever supplements you take every day to your protein shake to make things even easier on yourself.
You can add 5 grams of creatine to the shake before and/or after your workout to further enhance strength and muscle gains and boost recovery.
Conclusion
Gaining weight and building muscle and size requires a consistent intake of surplus calories and protein.
Getting adequate calories and protein in from food can be a serious challenge. Protein shakes are the perfect way to fill that gap and reach your goals faster.
This is my recipe, but feel free to make it your own and add whatever ingredients you want.
I’ve tried pineapple, strawberries, and other ingredients and it’s always been good.
Remember, the key is always in consistency. Now go get after it!
If you need some help with the other side of the coin (working out), check out these articles for some muscle building workouts, tips and exercises.
- How to Build Muscle: The Full Guide to Gains
- How to Get Bigger Arms with BFR Bands
- Supastrong Big arms Program
