Strongman Fuel: Most Delicious Weight Gainer Ever

Use this awesome smoothie recipe as an extra calorie boost to smash through weight gain plateaus and get you jacked.

With just a few adjustments to the base recipe it can also be used as a great meal replacement for when trying to lose weight or just maintain what you've already got! 

When it comes to my protein shakes, I usually just man up and slug them down without giving much mind to it, after all the whole point is to get those much needed nutrients in right after a training session right? After months and years of doing that however, it can wear down your morale to get in that often necessary extra protein. If you're like me, sometimes you like your food to actually taste like food! With that being said, it shouldn't take you more that 2 minutes to get the ingredients from the cupboard to your belly when making an actual smoothie. One of the greatest advantages to making a blended smoothie is you can add any fruits and even mild veggies, like spinach (you won't taste it in there), to it to increase the nutritional density of the smoothie.

Here's what you'll need for the recipe:

250ml 2 % milk (140 cal, 10g Pro, 13g Carbs, 5g Fat)

2 Tbps All natural peanut butter or almond butter (200 cal, 8g Pro, 6g Carbs, 16g Fat)

2 or more scoops of whey protein isolate (200 cal, 50g Pro, 2-3g Carbs, 1g Fat)

1 Banana (121 cal, 31g Carbs, 4g fibre)

1/2 Apple (60cal, 15g Carbs, 3g fibre)

The total macros for the base recipe is: 721 cal, 68g Protein, 68g carbs (including fibre), 22g fat

I must say that's a pretty great distribution of macros for after a workout as it is. I also add 5-10g glutamine, 5g creatine and about 30-50g of extra carbs through waxy maize to my postworkout shake, which would give you another 100-200 calories in the form of carbs.

For a lower calorie meal replacement:

This recipe could work pretty well as it is for the strongmen out there who are looking to drop some weight or want to have a 'lighter snack.' I will say that it is very filling and you probably won't be feeling hungry for another 3-4 hours after drinking this.

If you happen to be not such a large mammal and want to still incorporate this delicious and healthy shake into your weight loss/ maintenance menus I would suggest some of the following changes that will cut it down to a more reasonable 500 calorie meal or lower:

-replace dairy milk with almond milk will save you about 100 calories (you will also lose most of the protein, but on the plus side the majority of the carbs as well)

-going with only one spoon of peanut/ almond butter or one scoop of protein will cut another hundred calories. I would recommend starting with the peanut butter, because from experience most people trying to lose weight should get more protein in their diets than they currently are.

-use only half of a banana if you want to cut the carbs to more of what I would classify as a 'lower carb' meal.

Base these substitutes on what your diet requires of you (low carb/ high fat & protein, high carb & protein/ low fat, etc. etc. etc.) or on what you are lacking in your diet for that given day.

Wait... That's All I Get?! I need MOAR SWOLLNESS!!1!1!!!

If the base recipe ain't cuttin' it for macros and you need moar anabolic factorz 9000 in that shake you're making then make some of the following additions (or all if you like to consume 8000 calories per day - I haven't quite got there yet on a regular basis myself).

-Oatmeal or Quick Oats (cooked oatmeal will blend a bit smoother and come out with a better end result, but ain't nobody got time for that, for feel free to add in quick oats and just blend the shit out of them) - Each cup of oatmeal will add another 250 calories and 60g of carbs, plus a good dose of fibre.

-MOAAARR PEANUT BUTTER! - 100 calories and 8g of fat in each additional tablespoon. Yummm!

-Olive Oil - 135 calories and 15g fat per tablespoon

-Coconut Oil - Tastes even better than olive oil, really compliments the smoothie flavours. - 135 calories and 15g fat per tablespoon.

There you have it!

Give this recipe a shot if you've been getting sick of having the same boring shake day in and day out. Leave a comment on what you think about the recipe and any changes you would make to it!

What's your favourite smoothie recipe? Comment below and remember to like this post and share it on all your favourite social media sites! Thanks!

Fortissimus