Cheap Bodybuilding Foods to Get You Ripped

If you plan to start bodybuilding, effective exercise is undoubtedly important for building and sustaining lean muscle. Losing body fat so these muscles become more visible--and getting adequate nutrition to sustain this--all boils down to cardio and an effective diet, however.

I ran into quite a conundrum when I first started bodybuilding--I could barely afford to buy a package of chicken breasts! I quickly began researching--and frantically searching all the grocery stores in my area--for alternative eats that weren't as expensive. The foods listed below are now my main eats, with plenty of protein and slow-digesting carbs to spare.

If you're on a tight budget, here are some cheap bodybuilding foods you can purchase that won't break your wallet:

5 Cheap Bodybuilding Foods to Get You Ripped

Canned tuna: Canned tuna is a great (and cheap) bodybuilding food because it's rich in protein, low in carbs, and usually very low in bad fats. I like to mix it with a pinch of plain yogurt and chili seasoning for a zesty kick. If you're watching your caloric intake, go for the "light" versions, which contain less than 100 calories per serving. At my local Cub, canned tuna usually sells for $0.70 per can.

Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese is almost the perfect bodybuilding food--not only is it low in carbohydrates, it's packed with muscle-building protein. I prefer to eat this as my last meal, usually with a side of peaches, so that it slowly digests while I'm sleeping, which helps fight late-night hunger pangs. I prefer the cottage cheese sold at Trader Joe's, simply because it's cheaper and tastes better--last week I bought two tubs for around $4.00.

Eggs: You've probably already had this on your grocery list, but eggs serve as a wonderful source of protein (and good fats) if you can't afford lean beef or chicken, making it a great cheap bodybuilding food. If you live near a farmer's market, you can get eggs there for fairly cheap. If you don't, try to locate a local Asian market for great deals. I regularly snag carts of eggs from my local Asian market in St. Paul for around $1.00 each.

Natural peanut butter: Lo and behold my surprise last week when I visited my local Trader Joe's--natural peanut butter currently sells there for under $2.00. As far as peanut butter goes, that's dirt cheap. I love peanut butter because it's rich in good fat, high in protein and has a naturally sweet flavor. Mix it with your post-workout shake, have it with bread for a filling meal, or dip fruit in it to sustain your energy levels. It's the perfect bodybuilding food for staying satisfied.

Potatoes: Although sweet potatoes are generally better for bodybuilders, regular potatoes still contain slow-digesting carbs, which keeps you satisfied. Regular potatoes are always a favorite cheap bodybuilding food of mine because of its versatility--I can cook it as is, slice it into strings for homemade fries, or mix it in the blender for instant mashes potatoes. It always tastes good with a serving of protein, too! I can usually snag a bag of potatoes for around $2.50 at my local Cub, and it usually lasts for a week or more.

Although this isn't an exhaustive list of cheap bodybuilding foods you could possibly purchase, these are the ones I prefer the most, due to taste, cost and its high protein, good fat and carb content.

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Best Muscle Building Foods

Everyone knows that intense and carefully chosen workouts are essential to achieving muscle gains - but it you don't choose the right protein rich foods you won't see the gains you deserve.

Making sure you pick the right high protein muscle building foods is not only the most important part of your diet, it is also a very important part of your bodybuilding program. The right foods will not only contribute to increased muscle, but also increase your overall health.

It is extremely difficult to gain weight and achieve the results you want without the right high protein foods. This is because the body relies on the nutrients from the foods you eat to repair muscle and connective tissue.

Not eating muscle building foods can directly affect your body's ability to build muscle tissue, and recover from stressful weight training workouts.

So you should aim to give your muscles a regular supply of protein rich foods throughout the day. It is recommended you consume protein - either from regular food or muscle building supplements between five and six times per day. This way your muscles will have a constant supply of amino acids to help recovery and growth. When it is difficult to eat regular food during the day, or night, the best way to consume protein is to take protein sports supplements. Many muscle building supplements contain protein from different sources - whey protein from milk is favoured by many bodybuilders as it is digested quickly by the body and provides a rapid supply to muscles. Other protein sources, such as casein protein is best taken before workouts or at night time as it is digested more slowly and has a time-release effect. With so many food choices - what should you include in your bodybuilding diet?

There are only a handful of muscle building foods that are high in protein worthy of consumption by the bodybuilder.

The best high protein foods are those that are relatively low in saturated fat, and contain high amounts of quality protein. These foods are called "complete proteins" because they contain all of the amino acids that the body requires to build muscle.

As well as being complete proteins, the best muscle building foods have a high biological value (BV) rating, meaning that the protein that they contain can be more easily utilised by the body due to the configuration of the amino acids.

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Protein Foods for Body Building

Protein is one of the most important nutrients for a strength-training program. Anyone with experience in bodybuilding will tell you that you have to consume protein throughout the day to achieve significant results. Protein gives you energy and contains amino acids, the essential building blocks for muscle tissue. Eating healthy foods rich in protein provides your muscles with the fuel they need to rebuild and grow after each workout.

Breakfast

Start your day with a solid breakfast. Hard-boiled eggs are an excellent source of protein and energy that will fuel you throughout the day. Eat two hard-boiled eggs each morning. Avoid fried eggs if you want to eliminate the extra fat and cholesterol while getting the most protein possible. According to an article by Medical News Today, the natural protein found in eggs is the most powerful form of protein that exists for muscle building. A single egg contains over 6g protein as well as leucine, an amino acid that helps your muscles recuperate from exercise.

Snack 1

Drink a whey protein shake as part of your mid-morning snack. You can also augment your protein intake with peanut butter. Try topping a banana or a fresh apple with a serving of peanut butter. Apart from the high levels of protein, peanut butter has healthy mono-unsaturated fats that boost testosterone and assist in muscle growth.

Lunch

Eat a whole-grain turkey sandwich for lunch. Make sure the meat is lean and not cured. A 3 oz. slice of fresh turkey breast packs a powerful punch with approximately 24g protein. Turkey is also one of the leanest meats available, so you get all the protein without the extra fat and calories. The whole-wheat germ of the bread also has a little protein and the necessary complex carbohydrates to keep up your energy levels.

Snack 2

Drink another whey protein shake or smoothie as a mid-afternoon snack before you hit the gym. Whey protein is a quality nutrient containing amino acids that build muscle and burn fat. Consuming a shake roughly 30 minutes before you exercise provides your muscles with the protein they need to excel through the workout. Have another smoothie or shake 10 minutes after you finish lifting to give your body an additional boost as your muscles begin to repair and grow.

Dinner

Prepare legumes as the main portion of your dinner. Soybeans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils and pinto beans are all good sources of protein and fiber. Cook a 6 oz. to 8 oz. serving of fish as well. Try salmon or tuna. Fish is a lean source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to decrease levels of the leptin-hormone, a metabolism depressant. In other words, by lowering your leptin levels, you boost your metabolism and burn more fat.

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