Product of the Week: Gainful Personalizes Nutrition Better Than Most

Gainful creates personalized nutrition and supplement packages based on an online quiz, and offers access to registered dietitians

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Founded in 2017, Gainful is all about personalized performance nutrition. The company provides consumers with customized nutrition and supplement recommendations as well as access to a one-on-one Registered Dietitian.

After taking an online quiz where customers are asked information about their health goals, Gainful recommends a monthly shipment of products tailored to a user’s unique profile, including protein, hydration and pre-workout, along with performance boosts (such as collagen, creatine and fiber).

Athletech News tested Gainful to see if its personalized approach to nutrition is worth the hype. 

Pros

The Gainful quiz was not long but felt comprehensive. It asked about my nutrition goals, experience with nutrition, relationship with fitness, and current exercise routine, among other questions. At the end of the questionnaire, I received a list of products tailored to my own “Gainful System.” 

I was impressed by the product quality. Having tried and tested many protein powders, Gainful’s was among the most delicious. The Protein Powder is unflavored, but Gainful allows users to select flavors that come in individual serving sizes. I found the process of choosing a daily flavor, like Rich Chocolate, Strawberry Cream or Madagascar Vanilla, based on my preferences enjoyable. Similarly, both the Pre-Workout and the Personalized Hydration were subtly sweet and seamlessly integrated into my daily workout routine. 

Gainful’s personalization feature was useful. Many powders over- or under-deliver on protein grams or electrolytes or require a significant amount of research to find the perfect fit. Gainful makes the process easy—it considers whether or not you want to bulk up or lose weight and personalizes products accordingly. The Hydration and Pre-Workout offering also comes with a Caffeinated and Non-Caffeinated option. The packaging was also sleek and subtle, unlike many protein powders. 

Cons

Although Gainful markets access to a registered dietitian, using the service didn’t always feel seamless. I received an initial e-mail from my dietitian, encouraging me to reach out with questions, and stating that they expected me to provide updates once a week. I responded to the e-mail with a few questions. The response I received was from a dietitian other than the one to which I was assigned, and it was formatted too much like a customer service response. It would have been better to have a built-in “messaging” system on the platform, even if the dietitians changed. 

The price of the “System” can also be high—my recommended products were a total of around $130 per month. However, many high-end sports nutrition offerings are similarly priced but lack the component of personalization, so Gainful’s cost becomes more palatable.

Lastly, the powders did not include many other vitamins or minerals, unlike some competitors. Adding those in could’ve taken Gainful’s products to the next level by catering to different health needs. 

Final Thoughts

Despite some issues with the dietitian services, Gainful offers fantastic products that capitalize on the growing trend of health and wellness personalization. If you’re looking for a way to simplify your nutritional routine and work toward your goals, consider Gainful.   

Read more ATN Product Reviews here,