The protein shake, long reserved for people who lift weights, offers many advantages: it is easy to prepare, easy to carry, and nutrient-dense.
To succeed in your mass gain, it’s also possible to customize the composition of your shake based on your tastes and needs.
With water or milk, plant-based or animal proteins, in powder form or nourishing foods… Many options are available to you !
Here I explain how to prepare your bulking shake optimally, with recipe ideas and tips.
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My bulking shake recipes
Ingredients to enrich your shake
Follow the instructions for use provided. Generally, you have 1 scoop to measure the correct amount to pour into the shaker.
You can mix the protein of your choice with water or plant-based milk; adjust the amount according to the desired flavor and texture. Expect on average 150 calories per shaker (excluding gainer).
To make an effective shake for mass gain, you can add foods to it depending on training intensity and appetite.
Preferably combine ingredients rich in low-GI carbohydrates, healthy fats and other proteins; I recommend:
- some carbohydrates with fruits such as banana, rolled oats, or cocoa powder
- some healthy fats: hazelnut butter, peanut butter, chia seeds, flaxseed or avocado
- some creamy proteins: plain yogurt, fromage blanc or skyr, or silken tofu
Whey isolate shake, banana split-style
- 1 scoop of whey isolate protein (vanilla or unflavored)
- 200 ml of plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon of sliced almonds
Blend the whey with almond milk, the peeled and chopped banana, and the peanut butter. Then add the almonds to garnish.
Nutritional value: 356 kcal
Protein: 32.5 g
Fat: 15.6 g
Carbohydrates: 28.4 g
High-protein vegan smoothie shake
- 1 scoop of hemp protein
- 200 ml of light coconut milk
- 100 g of mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
Blend all the ingredients to obtain a creamy and nourishing shake.
Nutritional value: 220 kcal
Protein: 16.5 g
Fat: 8 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Why take a shake to build muscle mass?
Increase protein intake
Training is, of course, an indispensable pillar for gaining muscle mass. Nutrition is another, equally important one!
Les fonctions des protéines sont nombreuses et en font un nutriment étroitement lié à la pratique sportive : structure des muscles, rôle immunitaire, adaptabilité durant l’effort, réparation des tissus lésés…
On average, for muscle gain in athletes, I recommend consuming 1.6 to 2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is what this study recommends.
Choosing proteins
Dietary proteins
Ideally, vary your sources; they are all worth consuming:
- animal proteins, complete in essential amino acids: meats (chicken, beef…), fish (fatty fish 1 to 2 times per week…), eggs, dairy products
- plant proteins, incomplete in essential amino acids: legumes (lentils, chickpeas…), cereals (quinoa, oats…), nuts (almonds, hazelnuts…), seeds (chia, soy…)
Note that soy and hemp are exceptions among plant proteins because they contain all the essential amino acids!
Protein powders
Again, a wide selection is available to you — the powdered protein market is brimming with formulas:
- whey et isolate : issues du petit-lait (lactosérum), elles sont les plus appréciées par les sportifs car pauvres en sucres, riches en protéines et rapidement assimilées. Les isolates sont plus digestes et moins écoeurantes grâce à une faible teneur en lactose.
- casein: the main milk protein, said to be slow in terms of absorption and especially anti-catabolic. These formulas are often marketed for weight loss and mixed with other proteins like whey.
- plant-based protein powders: a good alternative for vegetarians or vegans, they can blend several sources to ensure a complete amino acid profile
- the “gainer” formulas: with sugars and fats, they are more energy-dense and less concentrated in protein. Their usefulness is limited; if needed add fruit, nuts and seeds, a bar….
Depending on your sport, those enriched with creatine may be beneficial for building muscle, power, and strength.
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An overall calorie surplus
To reach your goal of gaining mass, 250 to 500 extra calories per day are recommended.
The protein shake therefore helps increase your energy intake. However, two other macronutrients remain essential: carbohydrates and fats.
They serve as energy substrates to allow proteins to be used more effectively and to fully perform their roles.
Aim for a balanced diet, varied and slightly higher in calories without relying solely on protein.
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The best time to take your bulking shake
Upon waking to feed your muscles
Breakfast is often a rather sweet meal, sometimes too sweet, not rich enough in protein or completely absent for many people.
Taking a protein shake in the morning can therefore be, in my opinion, a relevant nutritional solution. Lighter on the stomach than a solid meal and providing about 20–30 g of protein, it is ideal for nourishing the body.
A shake as a snack to train better
A sufficient protein intake before training helps avoid training in a fasted state and better prepares muscle fibers for exercise, as suggested by this study.
Especially if your previous meal was a long time ago or low in protein, you can take your mass-gain shake 30 minutes to 1 hour before exercise.
After a workout for growth and recovery
This is generally the time favored by athletes: taking the shake after exercise to promote recovery and anabolism.
Studies show post-workout effectiveness even though controversies exist regarding a potential metabolic window within the hour following a workout.
In any case, the post-workout shake is practical and justified.
L’ajout de glucides peut aider à recharger les stocks de glycogène mais n’est pas indispensable d’après cette étude. Les protéines seules sont aussi efficaces en termes de croissance musculaire avec ou sans glucides.
So I recommend adjusting your shake intake for muscle mass based on your preferences, hunger cues, and energy levels.
Sources and scientific studies
ANSES – Les protéines
Phillips SM, Van Loon LJ. – Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation, J Sports Sci., 2011
Naomi M Cermak, Peter T Res, Lisette CPGM de Groot, Wim HM Saris, Luc JC van Loon, Protein supplementation augments the adaptive response of skeletal muscle to resistance-type exercise training, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2012
Hulmi JJ, Laakso M, Mero AA, Häkkinen K, Ahtiainen JP, Peltonen H. : The effects of whey protein with or without carbohydrates on resistance training adaptations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015
