I’m confused about how to tell if a meal/brand that is “protein packed” is for weight gain or weight loss. This is from someone who really doesn’t know much about fitness and needs to gain weight for medical reasons. The brand I’m confused about right now is Kodiak. Should I avoid this brand?
It’s neither. It’s just protein packed, but look at the total calories and see if they fit in your caloric budget and are worth the spend. Protein is important, but it is becoming another buzzword because it helps sell products. What makes someone gain weight is a caloric surplus (eating more calories than you burn), and what makes someone lose weight is a deficit.
There’s no such thing as protein for weight gain or protein for weight loss. If you need to gain weight then you need to add more calories to your diet because you’re currently using more than you’re taking in. Just eat more.
They are awesome as far as taste goes and it does have protein in it so can help manipulate your macros. But honestly, if you meed to gain weight eat them up!Eat as many eggs and bananas as you can too. Spoonfulls of leanut butter and as much fruit as your heart can stand. And add in a few protein drinks a day too. I absolutely am my happiest when bulking back up after a nice long spring/summer diet sesh.
Typically pancakes have zero protein. Companies have been adding plant based proteins recently to various products and well advertise them as a healthier option. Basically “protein packed” meals offer a more complete meal. Before these products were on the shelfs if you had pancakes, pasta, etc it would just be carbs and maybe fats, which is considered unhealthy.
More protein however does not equal more weight gain per say. Generally its calories in over calories out. There are certain thins however, like consuming carbs and consuming sugar that helps weight gain. That is because carbs and sugar act as a source of energy first before fat and muscle are used. Protein is the basically the building block of muscle and the body in generally, however generally protein is found in calorie rich food. Calorie rich protein food = weight gain.
There are mass gainers powders on amazon if you are trying to gain weight. Those will definitely help, and quickly.
I wouldn’t look at calories as carbs and protein have same amount of calories by weight but are metabolised very differently. I rather look at carbohydrates.
Higher carb can give higher insulin and more protein synthesis which is good for weight gain. Low carb high protein can get you into ketosis which is good for weight loss
Extra protein and fiber are good for weight loss for their effects on the sensation of fullness, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid either for weight gain. You might want to work some more fats into your diet, they’re over twice the caloric density of carbs and proteins and generally healthy as part of a balanced diet when unsaturated and non-trans (natural peanut butter, avocados, bananas, some nuts and seeds).
The great thing about protein is you need it for muscle gain and fat loss so it should be a part of your diet regardless of your goals. Roughly a gram per lb of body weight is a good ballpark to aim for.
Kodiak brand products are an “alright” source of protein. Basically a protein is a chemical chain of smaller units called amino acids. The quantity and type of amino acids in each particular protein source goes a long way in determining quality. If I remember correctly most of their products use wheat protein isolate as the primary source of protein which is cheap and low quality. They also tend to include a blend of milk/whey proteins too which are higher quality but also lower % of the mix.
Not a doctor, but if you have a medical condition that requires you to gain weight, I’d probably focus on hitting your daily protein goal consistently first. Once you nail that, then start playing with your sources more to see what works best for you.
Weight gain or loss is irrelevant. Look at how many calories are in the meals, and the carb and fat macro break up.
Just having high protein is just one piece of the puzzle, you have to consider total kcals, fats, carbs.. and if you really wanna be picky - the quality of the protein, added sugars, how processed the meal is, its micronutrient density, etc.
Marketing is marketing. Brands will market a candy bar as a protein bar if it has 10g protein but 35 grams carbs. Don’t know about you but that sounds like a carb bar to me.
Learn about macro nutrients and you won’t fall prey to different marketing schemes. Get the nutrition your body needs. There is no one size fits all.