how do I eat like a bodybuilder when I am broke...

[nikinizor]

This is the time of year when those in my occupation dont have nearly the business we do in summer. After all my hard work the last 6 months running a x-tren cycle with good results and keeping up with lots of food and supps I dont want to lose it !!
I want to know what is ABSOLUTELY needed in my diet to maintain the best I can until money gets better again?
Obviously I know that chicken and eggs are a cheap protien and when carbs fall below a certain level my energy falls too. Is it better to use protein powder to maintain or stick with real food? I notice a big difference in how I feel without the protien shakes and am inclined to eat very little but maintain nutrition thru supps...
also should I adjust my training to exert less energy until cash flow returns.
anyone struggling with this issue please let me know how you deal with it! thanx

[Princess L]

This is the time of year when those in my occupation dont have nearly the business we do in summer. After all my hard work the last 6 months running a x-tren cycle with good results and keeping up with lots of food and supps I dont want to lose it !!
I want to know what is ABSOLUTELY needed in my diet to maintain the best I can until money gets better again?
Obviously I know that chicken and eggs are a cheap protien and when carbs fall below a certain level my energy falls too. Is it better to use protein powder to maintain or stick with real food? I notice a big difference in how I feel without the protien shakes and am inclined to eat very little but maintain nutrition thru supps...
also should I adjust my training to exert less energy until cash flow returns.
anyone struggling with this issue please let me know how you deal with it! thanx

Absolutely not.

Real (quality) food is your best bet.  Protein powder can be economical.  Do the best you can.

[dawakaman]

I've been broke before, and it's not easy but it helped me alot. Now that I'm doing a lot better financially, I truly realize the value of that experience. This is what I did:

1. Buy whole foods. Eggs, tuna, chicken en milk aren't expensive.
2. Buy in bulk,always.
3. Buy marked down food,like meats that close to expiration date and cook it the same day
4. Carbs are cheap
5. Check the internet and whatever newspaper for coupons, it'll, save you $$$ in the long run
6. Protein powder can be cheap...look for discounted stuff or sites like www.trueprotein.com

I've got a couple more, but that's it for now.
Goodluck.

Peace

[Nathan]

Patatos and oat meal are pritty cheap and good carbs for trainning. I used to eat a plate of patatos with chicken or ground beef. Oat meal I put in a big bowl with peanut butter and jam maybe a dash of milk. Tuna is real good on the wallet also as mentioned.

[Princess L]

I've been broke before, and it's not easy but it helped me alot. Now that I'm doing a lot better financially, I truly realize the value of that experience. This is what I did:

1. Buy whole foods. Eggs, tuna, chicken en milk aren't expensive.
2. Buy in bulk,always.
3. Buy marked down food,like meats that close to expiration date and cook it the same day
4. Carbs are cheap
5. Check the internet and whatever newspaper for coupons, it'll, save you $$$ in the long run
6. Protein powder can be cheap...look for discounted stuff or sites like www.trueprotein.com

I've got a couple more, but that's it for now.
Goodluck.

Peace

All good ideas.

3. Buy marked down food,like meats that close to expiration date and cook it the same day

or freeze it / or cook it and freeze it

[MCWAY]

All good ideas.

3. Buy marked down food,like meats that close to expiration date and cook it the same day

or freeze it / or cook it and freeze it

And speaking of marked-down items, hit the GNCs and Vitamin Shoppes. Especially GNC, when you do the Gold Card along with the marked-down items the first week of the month.

If you are (or someone you know is) in the military, hit the GNCs on the bases, where you can use the Gold Card every day, especially with their marked-down items.

[JasonH]

Never cheat on your diet - I've found I save money when I eat only the foods I'm supposed to be eating. Whenever I start to deviate, I tend to buy extra food in the form of junk to curb cravings and it soon adds up.

[nikinizor]

Thanks so much for the replies! I have been working my way through a 206 pound bag of brown rice and getting 'family pak' ground beef(I usually do turkey but saving a couple pennies is important right now)onions and oatmeal round out the shopping list. I will let you know how its going. I have already dropped ten pounds though andf my strength is waning.

[Mega Man]

For me...I've lifted since I was 14...

Unless you are a Professional Bodybuilder, retired, or Trainer for a living....Its hard to get 6 good meals in...even if you can affordit. If you are tight with money...forget about it.

I've been buying 5-10 lbs of Optinum nutrition 100% whey protien for years. I have 3-4 protein meals a day from Protien shakes. Also you should have a meal every 3-4 hours, and at work or school thats tuff, so I carry 3 shaker bottles around with two scoops of powder in it....then when its time for a meal....I go to a water foutain and add the cold water....Piece of cake. The other 2 or 3 are Tuna Fish, or Talapia. It saves time and money....cause in fast pace modern america....time is money.

Second...next easiest, cheap protien source is buying Cans of Tuna at BJ's or Sams club, or costco....or big bag of Boneless Tilapia Fillets that come in 4 oz individualy packaged in the big bag.

There you have....Buy Bulk Protein powder, Bulk Canned Tuna, Bulk Talapia Fillets.

[jordyb80]

Hit up Sams Club or Costco

[Mensa Bob]

when i used to bodybuild i was really poor due to going to school, had a friend who broke in to a restaurant he used to work for twice and stole all there meat and gave me the half of it everytime....i got 75 pounds of quality meat/time    

[wild willie]

Lean ground beef is 3 bucks a pound.......a ten pound bag of potatoes would cost you a few bucks.....a dozen eggs would be 2 bucks or so......white rice is very inexpensive.......a loaf of wheat bread would be 2 bucks......just a few ideas here to get you started.......best of luck!!!

[Nathan]

when i used to bodybuild i was really poor due to going to school, had a friend who broke in to a restaurant he used to work for twice and stole all there meat and gave me the half of it everytime....i got 75 pounds of quality meat/time    

Thats what happens when you dont pay your staff properly. Buisnesses and goverment think so short term lol Stiff the dude 2$ an hour so he clears out your meat freezer, thats karma in action folks never fails!

[Mensa Bob]

Thats what happens when you dont pay your staff properly. Buisnesses and goverment think so short term lol Stiff the dude 2$ an hour so he clears out your meat freezer, thats karma in action folks never fails!

spot on, thats why he did it to, the bastard owner gave him less in salary than he promised

[tomjone20]

Costco and buy everything in bulk!  Also, start deer hunting.  That's a delicious, free protein that'll last you for months

[suckmymuscle]

This is the time of year when those in my occupation dont have nearly the business we do in summer. After all my hard work the last 6 months running a x-tren cycle with good results and keeping up with lots of food and supps I dont want to lose it !!
I want to know what is ABSOLUTELY needed in my diet to maintain the best I can until money gets better again?
Obviously I know that chicken and eggs are a cheap protien and when carbs fall below a certain level my energy falls too. Is it better to use protein powder to maintain or stick with real food? I notice a big difference in how I feel without the protien shakes and am inclined to eat very little but maintain nutrition thru supps...
also should I adjust my training to exert less energy until cash flow returns.
anyone struggling with this issue please let me know how you deal with it! thanx

  Calories are very cheap. Forget about fancy protein and just make sure you get in enough calories to maintain and gain your mass. Things like pizza and burgers provide ample carbs and protein. Burger meat is probably the best protein for growth besides whole eggs, so eat lots of burgers. For carbs, whole grain pasta like maccaroni and linguini are very cheap if you buy it in bulk. Eggs are also ery cheap if you can buy them in bulk at a place like Walmart.

SUCKMYMUSCLE

[Meso_z]

 Calories are very cheap. Forget about fancy protein and just make sure you get in enough calories to maintain and gain your mass. Things like pizza and burgers provide ample carbs and protein. Burger meat is probably the best protein for growth besides whole eggs, so eat lots of burgers. For carbs, whole grain pasta like maccaroni and linguini are very cheap if you buy it in bulk. Eggs are also ery cheap if you can buy them in bulk at a place like Walmart.

SUCKMYMUSCLE

Way to get fat there.

[Princess L]

when i used to bodybuild i was really poor due to going to school, had a friend who broke in to a restaurant he used to work for twice and stole all there meat and gave me the half of it everytime....i got 75 pounds of quality meat/time    

Thats what happens when you dont pay your staff properly. Buisnesses and goverment think so short term lol Stiff the dude 2$ an hour so he clears out your meat freezer, thats karma in action folks never fails!

spot on, thats why he did it to, the bastard owner gave him less in salary than he promised

That's not karma, that's vengeance and theft    

Hopefully real karma has entered his life.

[Xfactormuscle]

it's just a very expensive sport... no way around it. Nutrition is key... I say, cheap oatmeal, COSCO or BJ
s for chicken and steak, a cheap foreman grill...

and try to make some $$$ man :-)

[suckmymuscle]

  The only advice is for you to become a member of a really large supplier and buy in bulk with huge discounts. WalMart has Sams Clubs where you get up to 75% discount if you buy in truly enormous quantities. You should also order things like meat and eggs diretly from the producer like supermrkets do. Another thing is for you to visit local producers personally and try to buy directly from them. This way, there is no middle man and you will pay half of what you pay. These are the only advices I can give you. If you can give the local producers something they need or perform some service to them, you might buy their products even cheaper. Another thing would be for you to plant fruits and vegetables at home, use some, and sell the rest for money to meat and eggs. Then you buy directly from the producer and you should ve spending a quarter or less than what you are spending right now on food.

SUCKMYMUSCLE