More Muscle, Less Expenditure: Cheap But Healthy Ways to Build Up
Struggling to bulk up your muscle mass? Some people gain weight with ease. For others, it’s not quite so simple. You can spend all day lifting in the gym, but if your diet isn’t conducive to building muscle, it won’t work. It’s like building a house without laying the foundations. You have to make the right dietary choices to justify your efforts in the gym. The good news is that it doesn’t have to cost a fortune, either.
1. Shake it off
There are a range of protein-rich, muscle building products out there on the shelves which are designed to optimise your nutrition. Embrace the power of whey protein powder – it not only helps to put the muscle together, but also works towards keeping you lean so that you can really sculpt those abs. Introducing protein shakes into your diet really boosts the protein power of your diet, without damaging your wallet — the average tub lasts about a month.
2. Eat more often
Forget about three meals a day, and instead, aim for five smaller servings. Eating every three hours gives your body a chance to use the proteins you’re eating to develop muscle mass, and will bolster your metabolism, burning away flab.
3. Protein-rich, not protein expensive
Just because you’re increasing your intake of protein you don’t have to gorge on a 10oz fillet steak every night. There are plenty of auxiliary foods which don’t cost a fortune. Eggs are a plentiful source of protein that you can incorporate in your diet, and will fill you up in the morning. Just don’t overdo it — they’re also rich in cholesterol. Fish and white meat also counts — substitute that steak with pan-seared tuna fillet, oven roasted salmon and lean chicken meat for a delicious alternative.
4. Snack right
If you’re trying to build muscle mass, it’s okay to intake some extra calories over and above your daily meals. Make sure you use these the right way. ‘Spend’ calories on high-protein, clean foods. Unsalted nuts, bananas, trail mix, peanut butter and protein bars are all going to help with that crucial mass.
5. Veg out
While not particularly rich in carbohydrates or protein, fruit and vegetables are essential to your nutrition, containing the vitamins and antioxidants you need for a healthy immune system, because you don’t want to be set back by that nasty cold that’s going around. They also contain dietary fibre, crucial for keeping your well-oiled machine in good working order.
These are five simple ways to pack on the muscle, and you can combine them for maximum impact. At the same time, you can save some money, making them both healthy for your body and your wallet.
Images by SurfaceWarriors and diekatrin, used under Creative Commons licence.
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