By: MuscleSports.net
We here @MusclSport.net are going to show you how to get the best value on supplements and quality food, on a small budget, and, at the end, give you the inside scoop on the most inexpensive, but most critical, supplement of all: dihydrogen monoxide.
Spending money on supplements is very easy now days with all the so called great supplement son the market today. The caveat is that when you start reading the labels you find that a lot of those miracle supplement do seem to start working until after you bought a months supply. The same seems to go for many of these fantastic diet or eating plans being sold on APPs that you download to your phone or other devices. It's gonna take about a month before your gonna see results. Well both of those statement are COMPLETE BULLSHIT!
People are spending $300.00 - $400.00 a month for dietary plans that shouldn't cost you nothing. All the plan we have researched over the past 5 years have NOTHING and we say again NOTHING over eating plans designed 20 to 30 years ago that you can research for free with a little time and effort. With todays speed it up mentality most don't have the time to devote to such activities so spending a little money doesn't seem that big of a deal. To US @MuscleSports.net that's is complete BULLSHIT, WE CHEAP(some say Frugal)!!! We don't spend money on things we are ready KNOW! We also share this information with others so they don't go broke buying something that doesn't provide any NEW information over what bodybuilders knew back 20-30 years ago! We are what you can call - Penny Pincher Bodybuilders!
First off, let me say that I don't consider protein a supplement, since it is a food. You eat protein bars, mix protein powder shakes and drink protein drinks instead of food. They are food. I'm defining a supplement as something you eat in addition to food. Protein should come out of your grocery budget. And for those of you who say that I'm cheating, tough. Food is food, supplements are supplements.
I am very frugal (some would say cheap), but it's important to me to get the most for my money when it comes to supplementation. By getting the most for my money, I don't mean buying expired products from the Used Food store, or that I spend hours on web searches to save 14 cents. Time is money, after all. So let see how we can get the best of the deals, for - fifty bucks a month. Impossible? Watch and see.
The plan is to get your supplements plan under $100 a month. We try for $50.00 and never go over $100.00 for a full months supplementation. The cost can be way less if your not planning on gaining lean muscle mass but just staying health & strong. Lets get started:
Creatine Monohydrate: Creatine Mono should always be the base of every natural bodybuilder supplement toolbox. You will be ingesting 5-7 grams of the supplement 6 days a week with one day where zero supplement are taken. So that amount to 30-42 grams of Creatine x 2 per a week. Remember we are talking before and after workouts. About 250-350 grams per month. With creatine prices oaring in today market a 500 Gram tub of pure certified Creatine monohydrate from NOW Sports Nutrition, Micronized Creatine Powder 500g is hovering at $25.00-$26.00.
Glutamine Powder: Glutamine powder pairs along with you creatine powder after workout but also before bedtime along with your sleep enhancers inside of ZMA capsules. 5-6 grams after your workouts with creatine mixed in some juice(preferably apple or white grape) or in a EAA amino acids drink will kick start your recovery process before you even leave the gym. You will have another serving along with 2-3 ZMA capsules 30-45 minutes before going to bed. This helps with gut health as well as intestinal tract. Glutamine like the creatine comes to about 250-350 grams per month. NOW Sports Nutrition, L-Glutamine Pure Powder 454g at about ~$22.00 for 454 Grams will give you complete coverage for all the 30 days.
Caffeine Caps: Caffeine caps are used as part of your pre-workout supplementation. With most capsule at about 200mg of caffeine per capsule that is more than plenty to help you focus and drive all the way through your workouts without any crash afterward. The biggest problem with allot of these pre-workout powders today is the very fact they just load up on all the stimulants they can get their hands on with zero reguard to growing muscle. Being a energized bunny isn't going to build you any kind of muscle! Natrol High Caffeine Tablets - 200 ctat a price of about $8.00. With one tablet before exercise this and some used through out a busy day, the bottle should easily last you for the month.
EAA/BCAA: This like the Creatine this could be one of your big expenses for each month if your looking for flavored powders. We are looking for pure powders with more of a emphasis on quality over taste, because you only need to mix it with some juice after training along with your creatine and glutamine. The perfect after workout cocktail. The only problems will come in the form of label watching. Some companies advertise their EAA supplements at lower prices than others but beware because some of them also short change you on the more expensive aminos that build the muscle your looking to add on! You should be looking for a good amount of BCAA mix at a ratio of 2:1:1 L-Leucine, L-Isoluecine, L-Valinne. Beyond that next look for a fair amount of L-Lysine, L-Phenylalnine and L-Arginine. If these are there in good amount you have a good product. BULKSUPPLEMENTS.COM Essential Amino Acids Powder - 250g at a price of about $16.00. 25 serving of 10 gram each after each workout covers the entire month of workout with a few to spare.
Vitamin C: As an hard training bodybuilder on of the most important micro nutrients you have to take just about everyday is Vitamin C. Yeah you may have heard about all these other antioxidants doing amazing thing but none of them have the powerful immune boosting track record of good old Vitamin C. The problem is like one of the other vitamins on this list it is water soluble and is excreted from the body each and every time you urinate. That means you need to take this bad boy 2-3 times a day, also the form needs to be easily digested, so pills and tablets are OUT! The best way is to use as pure a vitamin C powder you can find. For the budget conscience bodybuilder your best bet is: NOW Supplements, Vitamin C Crystals - 8.0 ounces(227g), thats 206 1/4 teaspoon servings for about $9.00. You take it 2-3 time day mixed in your juice or water about 20 minutes before your meals. This one nutrient suggestion has help so many over the years avoids colds and other sicknesses and has greatly improved workout recovery.
B Complex (Vitamin B): This is the next water soluble vitamin that you have to take each and every single day, but unlike Vitamin C, B vitamins have many forms the do a lot of different functions with in the body that are very critical to nutrient absorption and digestive health that trying to take them individually would be a impossible task! Taking a well rounded B-Complex Vitamin at the beginning of your day. Life Extension Bioactive Complete B-complex - 60 Vegetarian Capsules, priced at $9.00 will last your the whole month with a few left over.
Vitamin D: The reason we include this one on everybody list of supplements is the very fact that most people don't get enough sun to help their bodies reproduce the desired amount of vitamin d naturally. Vitamin D is a natural steroid of the human body that help with the absorption and utilization of many nutrient inside of you body. Its one of the very reason that when you go out in the sun for a little while you body come alive and starts to burn the food you've consumed and you start to get that feeling of energy being created because it is being created. With sedentary lifestyles more prevalent, not to mention increase radiation from the sun, vitamin D supplementation should be a must for just about everyone. One caution we do have is not to take to much. Some people have been taking up to 10,000IUs a day for years and are now developing bone growth problem. We have alway recommended 2000IU per day, that seems to work year after year without any problems what so ever. NOW Supplements, Vitamin D-3 2,000 IU, 240 Softgels - priced at about $8.50. This should last you months just like the vitamin C crystals.
Cod Liver Oil: With everybody taking fish oils for just their heart health, we though that was silly because Cod Liver Oil has been around for over 100 years and has a proven track record when it come to cardiovascular & heart health. As we say here if it ain't broke don't try to fix it, we will stick with what has worked for the last 100 years keeping people heart healthy and strong. Cod liver oil can be obtained from eating fresh cod liver or by taking supplements. It is a source of vitamins A(Retinol) and D and a fat called omega-3. So what can we say about the supplement: excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin D. Vitamin A is a vital nutrient for immune system function, cellular growth, eye health, and reproduction. It's also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which decrease blood clot formation and reduce inflammation in the body. With this one you wanna go with the softgels unless you love yourself some bad tasting oil. Icelandic Cod Liver Oil Softgels - 100 ct priced at about $12.00. Taking 2 softgels every day 6 day a week should give you about a 2 months supply.
ZMA: ZMA = Zinc + Magnesium + Vitamin B-6. A very simple formula that has delivered great results for those who stay dedicated to its use as a sleep recovery aide. There have been many studies over the decades since it debuted on the supplement market in the mid 90s as an anabolic supplement debunking it as such. ZMA is not an anabolic supplement, it is a sleeping aide that help the body sleep more soundly thus producing more hormones to aide in recovery - PERIOD! The shit works when taken religiously over time. The stuff is cheap and it works - no wonder it was attacked! We pair it with GABA & Resveritol 66 & Glutamine. The cocktail when taken before bedtime produces restful sleep and excellent workout recovery. NOW Sports Nutrition, ZMA - 90 Capsules with a price of about $14.00 you get 30/45 servings depending on if you are a Man/Woman. Either way should take you well into the next month!
That is it when it comes to supplements. You have only 2 add on with the GBAG and Resveritol but the list is sold and produces amazing results for hard training natural bodybuilders following a good nutritional pal as the one that is going to be outline in the next part of “The Pennyh Pincher” below!
Supplements are just one part of your monthly budget, and the smaller part at that because your food budget makes or breaks anything you do with supplements. With you food budget what you want to aim for is QUALITY over QUANTITY! Buying a butt load of fatty beef is not a bargain when you cook it and that 12 ounces of beef dwindles down to 7 ounces because most of it was subcutaneous fat that just melted away once the heat hit it. Quality is not just on your proteins it also goes for your carbohydrates. We here at MuscleSports.net always tell everyone if you are not buying if from the farm directly it ain't FRESH!! If your gonna buy fruit that's gonna perish in 24 hours why buy it, buy the same fruit frozen. Buying that bag of frozen fruit is best deal you can get outside of going to the farm yourself. All frozen fruit are washed and flash frozen with in 24-48 hours of being picked. Once it hit the liquid nitrogen everything stops until you put it in your blender for a smoothy.
One more tip get a membership to a warehouse store. Warehouse stores help you stave off huge price fluctuation like we saw in egg prices last year. Some super markets were charging up $6 for a dozen eggs, I never paid more the $14 for 5 dozen at Costco. Do the math the membership pays for its self in a couple of months! Can't afford it alone get some family or friends together and go get yourselves a group membership, but don't just sit and take it when you can fight back. Below is a listing of the items you can pick up at a warehouse store that will save you money and time over looking through ads:
The plan here is cost control and not falling for the BS of something being on sale. The truth is there are very few sales in the food industries. Most product will stay at everyday prices until they are 7-14 days out of expiration date for sale. You buy it, it sits for 7 days its considered past date! The policy of Buying “Quality over Quantity” will always eliminate these issues!
That is just a partial list of the things I look for there to save me money each and every month. You also have the staple like rice, oatmeal, and other kitchen staple.
Budget Goals - For a single beginning bodybuilder living on his/her own you should keep you food budget under $300.00. To some that may sound like a lot but if you are eating right, training hard and using the tips in this article you will probably have a few dollar left over.
Based on 4 days a week workout schedule with Wednesday, Friday and Sunday Off - No supplements taken on Sundays
Monthly Total: (Men)$59.10 (Women)$55.26
Conclusion: With a total food and supplement budget of less than $350.00, it is entirely possible that even in todays chaos drive world just maybe a young aspiring bodybuilding athlete can make it through all the turmoil and strife to achieve his or her goals without having to go back home to live with Mom & Dad! Oh Yeah - Dihydrogen Monoxide!!! Well that supplement has been around for centuries it called - Water.
Tags: Athlete Nutrition Supplements Whole Foods
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