How to Buy Proper Foods


            So a big problem that I have had and still struggle with is how to go shopping at the grocery store for proper foods too meet my goals. In an article, on Muscle & Fitness website, called the $100 Muscle-Building Meal Plan by Nate Winkler, helps to define how you can cut fat, gain muscle and keep your diet in line for $100 a month.
            We first need to define how important Macro’s are too you. Macros are proteins, fats or carbs. A majority of your money spent will be on meat, the cheapest being egg, chicken and beef. Fish should be moved in as your budget allows. Protein mixes, whey protein, will not be budgeted into this guide.
            There are four types of dietary fat, Tran’s fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Trans are in highly processed foods and desserts, these types of fat should be avoided as much as possible. Saturated are found in animal-based foods such as chicken, egg and beef. Monounsaturated are in cooking oils. Polyunsaturated needs to be supplemented into this diet since the body can’t produce them.
            Carbs are vital source when in demand of energy for intense, long-duration exercises. For this diet you can find your sources of carbs in sweet potatoes, bananas, raw oats, black beans, and fruit.
            Greens and vegetables are the low-calorie but high nutrient foods that suppress hunger and stabilize your blood sugar. Since these foods are easy to digest, increasing the amounts you eat will allow you to avoid the “Food Comas” caused by carb-based diets.
How to Budget, How to Shop
            It is important to find enough time to cook. This means cooking in bulk. Cook all your meals and slice enough vegetables for three days in advance, to insure quick prep times for daily meals. When shopping stay in the side isles and avoid the middle isles, they will drain both your wallet and your health.
ANIMAL PROTEIN
4 lbs chicken........................................................................ $21.96
5 lbs ground beef................................................................ $12.45
4 dozen eggs....................................................................... $7.96
TOTAL................................................................................ $42.47
FATS
2 small jars natural peanut butter..................................... $6.58
2 large avocados................................................................. $1.79
1 bag omega trail mix......................................................... $4.69
1 bottle olive oil (8.5 oz)..................................................... $2.55
TOTAL................................................................................ $15.61
FIBROUS CARBS & NUTRIENT-RICH FOODS
2 heads broccoli................................................................. $2.49
3 large bell peppers........................................................... $2.69
2 bags French green beans............................................. $1.99
1 large bag spinach........................................................... $1.99
TOTAL................................................................................ $9.16
CARBOHYDRATES
1 bag sweet potato fries..................................................... $2.29
5-lb bag sweet potatoes..................................................... $2.69
2 cans black beans............................................................ $1.99
6 large bananas................................................................. $1.14
6 large apples.................................................................... $3.54
2 lbs raw oats.................................................................... $3.99
TOTAL............................................................................... $15.64
COOKING SPICES & MISC. ITEMS
Cayenne pepper................................................................ $3.25
Cracked pepper................................................................. $2.25
Green tea bags................................................................. $3.12
Hot salsa........................................................................... $2.99
Coffee............................................................................... $3.74
Limes................................................................................ $2.00
TOTAL.............................................................................. $17.35
FINAL TOTAL.................................................................. $100.13

            Timing your diets micro and macro nutrients with your body’s hormonal situation is the key to any diet. The first step is too know which nutrients you will need at specific times through out the day.
            The morning meal should consist of protein, vegetables, and fats. This is because when your body wakes it is primed and ready to burn fat. So every move you make until you eat is primarily fueled by fat reserves. At around 9am your testosterone and growth hormone levels surge and you don’t want your insulin levels to limit their positive effects. So try to avoid sources of sugar. But the main rule is to not in carbs in the morning.
            Afternoon meals are completely dependent on if you train in the morning or night. For morning trainers, eat a bulk of your daily carbs at this meal to fuel you for the rest of the day. But if you are training at night you should consume a large serving of vegetables and fibrous carbs midday with a protein source. Then toward the end of your workday, but 90 minutes before your training have some blended oats or fruit with a protein shake. This will give you that extra boost of energy through your work out.
            Evening or end of the day meals are where you need to prime yourself for the next day’s training. Dinner is when you will want to eat a large amount of carbs that align with your training goals. To lose weight, go for fibrous carbs such as fruit, oats, beans, or sweet potatoes with a rather large serving of protein and vegetables. After-dinner snacks should only have protein and fat to keep you in an anabolic state as you sleep.
The List: Modified
            Other sources of foods can also be used in this diet plan.
1.      Proteins
a.       Eggs
b.      Liquid Egg Whites
c.       Skinless Chicken Breast or Cutlets
d.      Lean Ground Turkey/Beef
e.       Top Round Steak
f.       Filet Mignon
g.      Buffalo
h.      Flounder
i.        Cod
j.        Pollock
k.      Wild Salmon
l.        Canned Tuna
m.    Turkey Bacon
n.      Cottage Cheese
o.      Pork Tenderloin
2.      Proteins to avoid
a.       Skinned Chicken
b.      Breaded Chicken
c.       Bacon
d.      Deli Meat- Low quality
e.       Farmed Fish- Lacking Omega-3s
f.       Fatty Ground Beef
g.      Fatty Cut of Red Meat
3.      Carbohydrates
a.       Oatmeal
b.      Steel Cut Oats
c.       Fruits
d.      Vegetables
e.       Sweet Potatoes/Yams
f.       Brown/White Rice
g.      Whole Wheat Bread
h.      Cream of Wheat
i.        Cream of Rice
4.      Carbohydrates to Avoid
a.       Cereal
b.      Candy
c.       Chips
d.      Ice Cream
e.       Soda
f.       Sugar Juice- High-C, Gatorade, PowerAde, Hawaiian Punch etc
5.      Fats
a.       Olive Oil/Flaxseed Oil
b.      Fish Oil
c.       Almond Butter/Cashew Butter
d.      Almonds
e.       Pecans
f.       Walnut
g.      Cashews
h.      Natural Peanut Butter- Avoid Processed.
i.        Avocados
6.      Fats to Avoid
a.       Fried Anything
b.      Butter and Margarine
c.       Palm Oil/Coconut Oil
d.      Vegetable Shortening
Now this list and any other list you find or create is always going to be incomplete, because while these foods will help you gain muscle and loss weight, it makes life no longer enjoyable. So every now and then have yourself a cheat day and indulge in your favorite sweet or unhealthy foods. Just do it in low, controlled proportions and get some space in-between them.  
For more information please visit these websites
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beginners_shopping_list.htm
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/nutrition/meal-plans/100-diet

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