Clean eating is the key to a perfect body. Contrary to the popular belief, healthy food doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of ways to eat healthy and build muscle on a budget.
Make sure you choose protein-rich foods, frozen fruits and veggies, seasonal produce, and generic food brands. Buy in bulk to make savings. With careful planning, you can get the protein and calories you need without breaking the wallet.
1. Buy Cheap Proteins
In order to build muscle, you need at least 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. The easiest way to get this amount is to eat high-protein foods and drink protein shakes.
If you’re on a tight budget, look for cheap sources of protein such as canned tuna, ground beef, whole eggs, frozen chicken breast, and cottage cheese. Your diet may also include beef liver, mackerel, and milk.
These foods are high in protein and have an affordable price. For example, you can have three whole eggs with spinach and cottage cheese, tuna with spinach or bok choy, cottage cheese with flax seeds, or Quark cheese and nuts.
2. Go Generic
Store brand food and generics are just as nutritious as the high-priced items they are duplicating. Buying store brands could save you over 52 percent on most products!
Cottage cheese, frozen veggies, eggs, whole rice, dairy products, chicken breast, and red meat taste like brand name foods. Why spend your hard earned money on advertising and packaging when you can buy generic products ?
3. Eat Green Leafy Vegetables
Packed with dietary fiber, these foods suppress hunger and keep your blood sugar levels stable. Green leafy vegetables help reduce cravings and hunger pangs.
They go well with most types of meat and can be cooked in a multitude of ways. Whether you want to build muscle, lose fat, or both, add green leafy vegetables to your diet. These foods are cheap and will keep you full longer.
4. Choose Your Carbs Wisely
If you’re on a low carb or ketogenic diet, you don’t have to worry too much about carbs. However, those who are bulking up need high amounts of carbs in their daily diet.
Some inexpensive, healthy choices are frozen vegetables, potatoes, pasta, oats, frozen and fresh fruit, dextrose, and even whole bread. Frozen vegetables are cheap and last longer than fresh.
Oats are inexpensive when purchased in bulk. Potatoes are high in calories and carbs. Fruit are a great source of simple sugars.
5. Avoid Expensive Supplements
Most bodybuilders spend a large part of their budget on supplements. The truth is that you can get bigger and stronger with a clean diet and a good training program.
If you’re short on money, stick to basic products like whey protein, fish oil, and amino acids. Depending on your budget, you can also buy glutamine and creatine, which are quite cheap. Stay away from fancy muscle building supplements and costly fat burners. These products are expensive and may not always work.
Results vary from one person to the next. Most times, you can get the same results by training harder and increasing your protein intake.
Conclusion: Choose your foods wisely and you can get the same effects with less money. Concentrate on getting your protein in, and stay away from “fancy” supplements.
