Buying supplements on a budget. There’s no question, bodybuilding is not a cheap way of life. So the first thing you need to do is come up with your budget. When budgeting for your supplements it is important to stay basic.Multivitamins and minerals are one of the most important supplements for bodybuilders. It is also essential to use amino acids or BCAA‘s. Also budget for whey protein. Yes, there are many different types of protein but whey is the ultimate.
Buying Supplements On A Budget – Other Protein Sources
First, look for the best deals on supplements. Other cheap sources of protein include: chicken/beef liver, chicken gizzards, eggs, Brewers yeast and gelatin. One of the cheapest is gelatin, so you can make Jello your guilt-free, anytime dessert. Here’s the recipe for a dirt-free protein shake: gelatin + Brewers Yeast + 1 egg with a little honey, cinnamon or NutraSweet. You can also add nuts and raisins for a total of 20 grams.
Protein is not only found in meat, fish or poultry – it’s in plants, too. Plant proteins such as beans, lentils, peas, soy, tofu and peanut butter are less expensive than meat and are healthy and tasty. A few times a week, eat high protein vegetarian dishes.
Buying Supplements On a Budget – How Many Servings Of Protein Per Day?
You need about 3 servings of protein powder per day. What about total protein servings? Every time you eat a meal. or, 5-6 times a day. OK, back to protein powder. You can take a serving of whey first thing in the morning. Take another directly after your workout. Finally, take a mixture of whey and casein before you go to bed. Casein is less soluble than whey and encourages muscle enlargement while you sleep. It also helps to prevent protein breakdown. Any other times? I always took 1-3 protein servings to work. This might be a shake, and 2 protein bars. Why? I never had time to sit down to a meal. However, I always had time to drink a shake, or eat a bar, while I worked.
Real Food First
However, you should know that eating right is more important than the supplements you take. There are no miracle supplements, so it’s important that you eat right, train hard and sleep well.
Do you believe that eating right means blowing your budget at the grocery store? In the long run, “real foods” are cheaper than a lot of supplements. Nutritionists advocate getting as much of your protein as possible from fresh foods. Fresh foods also supply high-quality nutrients. Most supermarkets offer lower prices on meat, poultry and fish if you buy in larger quantities.
Buying Supplements On A Budget – Do Not Substitute Real Food
Supplements are precisely that, they are supposed to supplement your well-balanced diet, and your hard work in the gym. They are not a substitute for this. If you do not train properly and eat a well-balanced diet, supplements will be a waste of money. In addition, supplements must be used properly to be effective. They must be taken on your off days from training as well as when you are working out.
Clearly some supplements are more important to take than others. It’s very important to incorporate sports nutrition and supplementation into steady weight training, cardiovascular training, and nutritional habits. Some products such as creatine and whey protein are important to bodybuilders. For guys that are really dedicated to taking their bodies to the next level, they can be considered staples rather than supplements.
Buying Supplements On A Budget – Creatine
This is one of the most inexpensive yet effective supplements you can buy. Creatine works for about 70% of people, so it may be good for you. Initially you retain water and your weight will increase. This is good for two reasons:
- You’ll look bigger
- Water retention is thought to increase protein synthesis.
When you stop taking it you may lose a few pounds, but that is only the water. If you’re on a strictly limited budget, you should put your money (about $10-12 per month) toward creatine.
How Much Can You Spend?
A lot of young bodybuilders discover that the central restrictive issue in their bodybuilding progress is money. Take your budget into consideration when deciding on a supplement regimen. Can you afford about $85 per month? Then in addition to creatine, you can take glutamine, a multivitamin/multimineral pack with essential fatty acids. If you have a high-end budget, include pre-mixed get big drinks. This will be around $150-200 per month.
Any low-carbohydrate fiber product should also be included if your budget can accommodate it. Another good supplement is an essential oil, which can also be taken in capsule form.
Bodybuilding is a lot like running a business. For starters, businesses need to create revenue in order to develop and be successful, and so do bodybuilders. It’s very easy to compare bodybuilding accomplishments to a company’s success; each entails hard work and resources: two requirements that can easily function as restrictive factors to ultimate success.
Bodybuilding And Supplements
Bodybuilding and buying supplements is also a lot like buying cars. Most of us know vaguely what we would like. We have read a little about the selections. Yet we always, in the back of our minds, know we have to look closely at the products to get the best deals.
A high-quality workout plan can assist you in saving money and perhaps make more money. You can put into practice an effective, complete training program at very little cost. At the same time you will be reaping significant health benefits. Studies have confirmed that persons who workout on a regular basis save thousands of dollars in medical expenses over a lifetime.
Buying Supplements On A Budget – Let’s Recap
So, there’s no doubt supplements have a place in your program. Look for the best deals. Also look for the best products. Don’t just buy a supplement because it’s cheap. Read the label. Is it clinically dosed? Does it have an open label? How many servings do you have to use to get full dosing? How many servings are there, and what is the cost per serving?
Finally, stick with the proven basics. Protein powder, vitamins, creatine, and so on. Of course, food first.