How much muscle can I actually gain?

A trained adult who eats and sleeps well can add roughly 0.5–2 lb of muscle a month. Anything faster on the scale is mostly fat and water.

Do I need a mass gainer shake?

Only if solid food is hard to fit in. A blender of oats, milk, banana and whey does the same job for a fraction of the price.

Add 200 calories a day, hold it for two weeks and re-check the average. Bodyweight is noisy — judge trends, not single mornings.

Free nutrition plan

A controlled surplus with enough protein and carbohydrate to recover from hard training and add tissue, not just weight.

No account, no email. Numbers update as you type.

Bodyweight

Basal rate

Weekly activity

On your feet, 3–5 sessions a week

Maintenance is about 2,070 kcal at 175 lb and moderate activity.

Training day: 2460 kcal

Rest day: 2180 kcal

Drink around 2.6 L of water a day, more in heat. General guidance, not medical advice.

Add roughly 10–15% over maintenance, then adjust monthly
Aim for 0.25–0.5% bodyweight gain per week
Eat protein four times a day rather than one large hit
Carbohydrate before and after lifting drives the training quality that builds size