I bought some SAVAS Weight Up from Don Quixote?

[TokyoJoeblow]

So, due to losing a little weight from all the walking around and bike riding, I picked up a weight gainer.

It recommends to take it 2 or even 3 times a day, but since this is my first time using this product, I will take it 2 times a day at least for the first couple weeks.

Has anyone used this or any other weight gainers or protein powders here in Japan? Do they even work?

This product seems to have very few reviews online...in both English and Japanese. The few reviews I did find were positive though.

This question is for all you bodybuilders/weight lifters on here...would it be cool to take it once late morning/around lunchtime before or with breakfast and then take it before a workout at night?

This stuff doesn't have any caffeine in it, so there is a good chance it won't keep me up all night it I take it...but it is a lot of calories haha.

I posted questions about this like a month ago on legit bodybuilding forum and nobody replied. Just thought I would post on here since this is s Japanese product.

 

[MikeH]

I don't think real bodybuilders would touch anything from Savas or other Japanese manufacturers. Both the protein amounts and nutritional values are very poor compared to products you can order online from USA.

And of course because we are in Japan the prices are way higher here. Then again gaining weight should not be that difficult; just add calories to your diet. Eating at McDonalds will probably get your weight up faster and cheaper

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

I don't think real bodybuilders would touch anything from Savas or other Japanese manufacturers. Both the protein amounts and nutritional values are very poor compared to products you can order online from USA.

And of course because we are in Japan the prices are way higher here. Then again gaining weight should not be that difficult; just add calories to your diet. Eating at McDonalds will probably get your weight up faster and cheaper

Yes, I couldn't agree more when it comes to the US weight gain products being far superior. I am not actually trying to seriously get into bodybuilding though, so this product might work for me. I'm just trying to gain about 10-15 lbs of muscle mass through the use of this product, eating more and exercising.

Here is some details info: *Consuming SAVAS Weight Up twice daily (daily total of around 42 g) Calories 77kcal

Well, I'm new to this stuff but I just read that kcal is a kilocalorie which is the same thing as a calorie. So basically 1kcal = 1 cal?

At first I read the k and 1,000 and thought it was 77,000cal per serving haha. So it is actually only 77 calories per serving...that is all? Wtf?

 

[HotlineBling]

A) Savas is shit protein; and
B) "mass gain" protein mixes are a scam. Usally just fillers, carbs and small amounts of additional supplements such as creatine.

Whey protein (particularly blends) I find is largely ineffective for gaining mass considering most of it becomes catabolic waste due to your body's inability to absorb it. If you want to increase size, increase caloric intake (particularly starchy carbs); train heavy; and sleep. Of course upping your protein will help recovery and rebuilding the muscle. If you insist on whey, stick to a product like hydroisolate or WPI for post workout recovery. Personally I don'r use Whey anymore, I either use vegetable proteins or humapro and find it helps me gain mass fairly quickly so long as I am training heavy consistently.

You can also experiment with cycling creatine; a quick way to gain weight although it is mostly water.

My ideal post workout shake:
Humapro and around 20-30gm of l-glutamine

If you prefer whey and want to gain weight, try around 40-60gm of protein (check how many grams are in each scoop, this may require more than the suggested serving size), 20-30gm of pure dextrose, 20-30gm l-glutamine.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

A) Savas is shit protein; and
B) "mass gain" protein mixes are a scam. Usally just fillers, carbs and small amounts of additional supplements such as creatine.

Whey protein (particularly blends) I find is largely ineffective for gaining mass considering most of it becomes catabolic waste due to your body's inability to absorb it. If you want to increase size, increase caloric intake (particularly starchy carbs); train heavy; and sleep. Of course upping your protein will help recovery and rebuilding the muscle. If you insist on whey, stick to a product like hydroisolate or WPI for post workout recovery. Personally I don'r use Whey anymore, I either use vegetable proteins or humapro and find it helps me gain mass fairly quickly so long as I am training heavy consistently.

You can also experiment with cycling creatine; a quick way to gain weight although it is mostly water.

My ideal post workout shake:
Humapro and around 20-30gm of l-glutamine

If you prefer whey and want to gain weight, try around 40-60gm of protein (check how many grams are in each scoop, this may require more than the suggested serving size), 20-30gm of pure dextrose, 20-30gm l-glutamine.

Would you be able to take a look at the link and let me know if Weight Up is 77kcal per serving or per scoop? It must be per scoop right? If it is only 77kcal per serving and one serving is one scoop, then that makes sense. I'm still new to how they measure and calculate. If this product has a calorie amount too low to truly gaining mass, could I just take more than the recommended serving or is that dangerous? I would definitely use more milk/water if I pour in more scoops of course.

By the way, those products you recommended...not available in Japan I assume? You are living outside Japan yes?

 

[HotlineBling]

Would you be able to take a look at the link and let me know if Weight Up is 77kcal per serving or per scoop? It must be per scoop right? If it is only 77kcal per serving and one serving is one scoop, then that makes sense. I'm still new to how they measure and calculate. If this product has a calorie amount too low to truly gaining mass, could I just take more than the recommended serving or is that dangerous? I would definitely use more milk/water if I pour in more scoops of course.

By the way, those products you recommended...not available in Japan I assume? You are living outside Japan yes?

I'm not seeing a link, maybe it's just me? I think you answered your own question if it is only 1 scoop per serving. No repercussions, your body will just waste what it can't absorb and you'll most likely just shit it out.

Water is always ideal for protein shakes.

The products are available online on IHerb which ships to Japan if you order over $50 bucks. You can find a ton of stuff on there.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

I'm not seeing a link, maybe it's just me? I think you answered your own question if it is only 1 scoop per serving. No repercussions, your body will just waste what it can't absorb and you'll most likely just shit it out.

Water is always ideal for protein shakes.

The products are available online on IHerb which ships to Japan if you order over $50 bucks. You can find a ton of stuff on there.

Oh shit I'm sorry man. I thought I posted the link but didn't.

Here it is: http://images.meiji.co.jp/sports/savas/en/products/weightup.php?cat=athelete

Could you take a quick look at this and let me know how many servings and water amount you would recommend daily?

 

[HotlineBling]

It has 4gm of protein per 21gm serve.
I would recommend consuming 0 servings daily and using however much water it takes to wash it down the drain.

Depending on your current lean body mass, you would have to take at least 5-6 scoops to get an adequate amount of protein for a post workout shake.

Much more cost effective to buy a pure protein isolate and add your own dextrose or maltodextrin.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

It has 4gm of protein per 21gm serve.
I would recommend consuming 0 servings daily and using however much water it takes to wash it down the drain.

Depending on your current lean body mass, you would have to take at least 5-6 scoops to get an adequate amount of protein for a post workout shake.

Much more cost effective to buy a pure protein isolate and add your own dextrose or maltodextrin.

Well, I will check out that site you mentioned above and order more quality products to be shipped here. Well, being new at this, I wouldn't know how much dextrose and maltodextrin to add to the protein isolate. What is the difference between protein isolate and concentrate?

Since it is impossible to return this Weight Up, could I just pour 5 or 6 scoops into a tall glass of water and drink that 2 times a day until it is gone? I might as well use it even if it sucks.

By the way, I am a hard gainer. I have a super fast metabolism and I'm an ectomorph with lean muscle.

 

[MikeH]

At first I read the k and 1,000 and thought it was 77,000cal per serving haha. So it is actually only 77 calories per serving...that is all?

No actually there is 77.000 calories in that. The confusion comes from the fact that you Americans fucked it up. So when they write 77 cal in USA food labels they actually mean 77 kcal.

Well, after the miles, pounds and whatnot we should probably not be surprised.

And yeah, that is per scoop and serving because they are supposed to be same according Savas.

 

[Anna Summer]

I'm not a bodybuilder or weight lifter but my workout requires protein as well. I use pumpkin seed protein powder and every once in a while chia seed protein powder.(more for cooking tho) With the pumpkin powder it's one serving - 2scoops - 28g of protein. I mix it with soy milk.
Usually before and after my workout.
Iherb is definitely great to order! And relatively cheap compared to japan at least. Even if you don't buy stuff for 50$, the shipping is still reasonable and fast (my orders usually arrive in less than 5 days).

 

[Lukes]

If I were you I would just consume what you bought so as not to waste money. Then you can use the better quality products.

I've used soy proteins and whey protein (currently in use) and TBH I can't tell a major difference in terms of gains. I eat a lot of boiled chicken breast with some brown rice and steamed vegetables, supplemented with the ocassional fish or rare red meat dish for a little variety. Plenty of protein from actual food helps.

 

[Sudsy]

Wow... that Savas stuff really is crap. 3 times as much carbohydrate as protein... you're better off eating a chicken breast from 7-11.

 

[MikeH]

Wow... that Savas stuff really is crap. 3 times as much carbohydrate as protein... you're better off eating a chicken breast from 7-11.

LOL. I was talking with a friend yesterday night and told him that someone made the mistake of buying Savas. The first words out of his mouth were "That stuff is really crap. He'd be better off eating chicken breast from 7-11".

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

If I were you I would just consume what you bought so as not to waste money. Then you can use the better quality products.

I've used soy proteins and whey protein (currently in use) and TBH I can't tell a major difference in terms of gains. I eat a lot of boiled chicken breast with some brown rice and steamed vegetables, supplemented with the ocassional fish or rare red meat dish for a little variety. Plenty of protein from actual food helps.

Yes, while I agree that eating more is healthier and probably more effective, I feel sick and vomit every time I overeat for gains. I'm literally unable to overeat to a certain degree and I have been sick because of it at many Thanksgivings and parties.

So, while protein shakes are not as good an option, I have tried protein shakes years ago and never felt sick after drinking them (they had a ton of calories per serving). So this is my main reason for using these shakes instead of just eating more....but also buying a ton of meat and food is more expensive.

 

[Lukes]

Yes, while I agree that eating more is healthier and probably more effective, I feel sick and vomit every time I overeat for gains.

No worries. Shakes are good too. I'm pushing 30 now and realizing that I can't eat as much as I used to. I guess my overall approach is just add in a little protein and nutrients wherever I can into my diet. Some from food, some from supplements.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

No actually there is 77.000 calories in that. The confusion comes from the fact that you Americans fucked it up. So when they write 77 cal in USA food labels they actually mean 77 kcal.

Well, after the miles, pounds and whatnot we should probably not be surprised.

And yeah, that is per scoop and serving because they are supposed to be same according Savas.

Yes, the American(s) in particular that went against the metric system needed a major ass whooping for being such annoying bastards.

 

[DocMcStuffins]

I haven't stuck up for 'murica in a long time, but i gotta say that I'm down with the whole kcal vs cal thing. It's like when they use to re-value currencies: new d-mark replaces old d-mark. You move on, and no one cares.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

I haven't stuck up for 'murica in a long time, but i gotta say that I'm down with the whole kcal vs cal thing. It's like when they use to re-value currencies: new d-mark replaces old d-mark. You move on, and no one cares.

Yes, that is a good point.

Well, this protein powder reads that each spoonful contains 4g of protein and the directions say to use 3 spoonfuls, which is 21g of protein...is this still total crap?

Even though the protein amount seems really low, at least the total amount in calories is 77,000, which is still way more calories than I'm currently consuming now...so taking this is still a lot better than not taking it at all right?

 

[DocMcStuffins]

77000 calories is just a rounding error. You'll get more from the milk.

I don't think calories are really the point though.

 

[MikeH]

I don't think calories are really the point though.

That product is supposed to help you gain weight so I would argue that the calories are kind right to the point. But yeah, for something that is supposed to get your weight up it really doesn't have much.

With any other protein supplement you would though try to find something that has as much protein with as little calories as possible.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

That product is supposed to help you gain weight so I would argue that the calories are kind right to the point. But yeah, for something that is supposed to get your weight up it really doesn't have much.

With any other protein supplement you would though try to find something that has as much protein with as little calories as possible.

I agree with you that although taking this is better than nothing...it seems this might be the bottom of the barrel when it comes to weight gain products.

All the extra carbs are just going to go to waste, but I just mean overall I will still be absorbing a lot of carbs that say come before that limit that the body accepts. I try to eat healthy everyday, but with how busy I am...there is no way I'm getting the recommended daily amount of anything (protein, carbs, etc).

As for it being so high in carbs, my friend that exercises all the time mentioned to have a shake before a workout and use the carbs to boost my energy during the workout. Of course I'm putting together an exercise and diet plan much more detailed what what I'm talking about now haha.

Are there any products you would recommend? Have you tried any protein powders before? I'm checking out iherb now.

 

[MikeH]

Are there any products you would recommend? Have you tried any protein powders before? I'm checking out iherb now.

I haven't been using anything lately but earlier I was buying Dymatize whey protein from iHerb. It has a lot of protein and even tastes decent.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

I haven't been using anything lately but earlier I was buying Dymatize whey protein from iHerb. It has a lot of protein and even tastes decent.

Ok, so I'm confused.


With 24 oz Water With 32 oz Milk
Amount Per Serving %Daily Value Amount Per Serving %Daily Value
Calories 1300 1900(serving per container is reads)

Yet, the SAVAS Weight Up is 77,000kcal? What? I must be not calculating this correctly because there is no way this stuff has more calories total than Dymatize right? I'm assuming you were taking the Super Mass Gainer?

 

[MikeH]

Calories 1300 1900(serving per container is reads)
Yet, the SAVAS Weight Up is 77,000kcal? What?

I never used mass gainers, I have that stuff figured out all by my normal meals . So I have taken only the nutrition stuff, in other words trying to find products with as much protein with as little calories as possible.

And no, the Savas stuff is 77 kcal. You use around 2.000 kcal per day so a scoop of that Savas would be enough for over a month if your calculations were correct

So as @DocMcStuffins said that Savas stuff is just a rounding error on your daily consumption. So one serving (with water) is 77 kcal with Savas, and 1.300 kcal with Dymatize. Quite a difference. In fact if you drink that Savas with 3 dl of milk as they suggest you get around 180 kcal from the milk alone.

The Dymatize Nutriotion I was using was just 120 kcal but still had 25 grams of protein which is a good value. The Savas has 4 grams of protein in one serving which is nothing.