Your fitness has it’s own plan….does your eating?

When it comes to health, fitness, and getting in shape, things don’t always behave as you’d expect them to.  One such classic example involves the person who has desperately been trying to cut body fat and improve their physique.  They do all the workouts, eat healthy, but still, cannot lose the muffin top, soft thighs, or make any dramatic strength increases.  More often than not, the reason they cannot lose that body fat is because they simply aren’t eating enough.  Can’t burn body fat because you’re not eating enough?  Yup, you read that correctly.

The greatest workouts in the world are no match for the person who simply isn’t giving their body the fuel it needs to grow.  Whether you’re already in shape or you’re trying to burn off 20 pounds of body fat, one of your primary goals should be to accumulate lean muscle mass.  This accumulation of lean muscle will do wonders for your metabolism, improve your aesthetic appeal, and help make you healthier.  Unfortunately for all of your light eaters out there, your body doesn’t build new tissue (lean muscle mass) out of thin air.  It needs fuel, which it derives from you making proper food choices.  When people starve themselves, or simply take in fewer calories than they’re burning, they are said to be in a caloric deficiency.

Building muscle is not going to happen when you’re in a caloric deficiency.  Period.

What you need is a proper diet that gives you the calories and protein (building blocks of muscle tissue) your body is craving.  By making sure you’re well fed, you will continue to slowly and steadily replace pounds of body fat with pounds of muscle.  And before you get worried about turning into an NFL offensive lineman, please refer back to this picture of Dave Thomas, owner of Performance 360 gym, and one of our fitness buddies here in San Diego.

175 pounds is 175 pounds. Only difference is higher body fat vs. lower.

So if you feel you’ve been working out hard for a while now, and still aren’t seeing the definition, tightness, or “lean-ness” that you’re expecting, it’s time to take a good, hard look at your diet.  More often than not, you simply aren’t eating enough calories to build the muscle you crave, and jump-start your internal fat burning machine, i.e. your metabolism.

Whether it’s a fear of getting fat, turning into a female version of the Incredible Hulk, or simply a lack of knowledge, a LOT of people who should be making progress AREN’T because they simply don’t get enough daily calories.

I’m not going to lie, getting enough calories and/or protein every day isn’t easy.  It’s currently my biggest struggle when it comes to fitness.  I’ve always been something of a hard-gainer – that is, I maintain a very low body fat percentage due to my fast metabolism, but need to REALLY eat to pack on muscle.  If I’m not making a conscious effort to get the calories needed, I can forget about doing much more than spinning my wheels.

For this reason, I’m putting together this little guide to help you add additional healthy (key word healthy) calories into your diet to help promote muscle gain, speed up metabolism, and ultimately help you burn body fat faster.

Five Easy Muscle Building Recipes

Three Bean Chili

Great to make ahead and have as an extra “meal” to make sure your feeding those hungry muscles.

• 2 cans black beans
• 2 cans pinto beans
• 2 cans kidney beans
• 1 can of corn
• 28 oz diced tomato
• 16 oz. stock of your choice
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 package soft tofu.
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1.5 tablespoons, ancho chile powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Saute celery, onion, and carrots in olive oil until softened and beginning to lightly brown.  Add garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes.  Stir in all seasonings and saute until fragrant.  Add beans, corn, and tomato.  Stir well.  Add stock and simmer partially covered until chile has reduced and flavors have intensified.  Add chopped soft tofu  and stir until dissolved for an added caloric bonus and extra serving of protein.  Salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

Stats: 400 calories per 1.5 cup serving, 30 grams of protein.

Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

A quick snack on the go that packs in a healthy dose of protein and much-needed, yet healthy, calories.

• Two slices of whole wheat bread
• 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 banana

Stats: 500 calories per sandwich, 15 grams of protein.

Chickpea Burger with Tahini

Healthy, tasty, and nutrient-dense burgers that taste just as good reheated as they do fresh.

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg
• Whole wheat pita
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/8 cup tahini
• Healthy squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Roughly chopped parsley

In a food processor combine first 5 ingredients.  Blend well and shape mixture into four patties. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a pan, sear burgers until nicely browned and crispy, about 5-6 minutes per side.  Warm whole wheat pita in oven on 300 for 2 minutes.  Wrap burgers in pita, perhaps with some sprouts or lettuce, add sauce, and serve.

Sauce: Mix Greek yogurt, tahini, chopped parsley, and lemon juice.

Stats: 400 calories per burger, 16 grams of protein.

Power Shake

Make a regular whey protein shake into something more substantial with this power shake.

• 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 scoop whey protein
• 12 ounces low-fat milk
• Unsweetened cocoa powder to taste
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• Half a banana

Finely blend oats until nearing a powder consistency.  Add other ingredients, ice if desired, and blend until smooth.

Stats: 755 total calories per shake, 48 grams of protein

Tofu Stir Fry

• 1 pound firm tofu, cubed
• 2 cups of broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 onion
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 can water chestnuts
• 1/8 cup sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice powder (optional, but tasty addition)
• 1/8 cup soy sauce, plus 3 tablespoons.
• 2 cups cooked quinoa, day old and slightly dried out works best.

Marinate cubed tofu in soy sauce/ginger marinade at least 20 minutes.  Lightly steam broccoli, set aside.  Saute carrot, garlic, onion in a little olive or coconut oil.  Add broccoli and water chestnuts and continue to stir fry over medium-high heat, keeping the pan “moist” with a little sauce soy as needed.  Meanwhile, broil tofu in oven for 5 minutes per side.  Keep a close eye so it doesn’t burn.  Add broiled tofu to pan or wok, and continue to stir fry. Add any remaining soy sauce and spices.  Turn heat to high, and continuously stir and toss your ingredients for another 2 minutes.  Serve and enjoy.

Stats: 390 calories per 1.5 cup serving, 29 grams of protein.

Other Tips to Easily Increase your Caloric/Protein Intake

• Switch to steel-cut oats; they’re higher in calories AND reheat well so making a lot ahead is no problem.
• Add ground flax-seed to things like oatmeal and yogurts for a dose of healthy fats and extra calories.
• Tofu assimilates with almost anything – stir it into sauces and soups to increase protein and calories in a snap.
• Avocado is another food high in healthy fats which instantly make a regular egg sandwich tastier AND more nutrient-dense.
• Carry a half a cup of walnuts in your bag each day.  Pack in almost 400 calories and vital protein with this quick and easy boost.
• Choose quinoa over rice.  Quinoa is much higher in complete proteins and will add over 200 calories per cup to any meal.

Please notice there are no recommendations here for stuffing yourself with unhealthy, fried, or overly fatty processed/fast foods.  Of course, adding calories isn’t hard.  A trip to Burger King could take care of an entire day’s worth of caloric requirements.  But you want to get lean, ripped, and fit, right?  Adding “healthy” calories is much more of a challenge, but with this guide, you should now know how to supply yourself with the extra calories needed to turn yourself into a lean, fat burning, machine.

Anyone else on the 5-6 small meal a day plan feel like a slave to the clock?

You’ve no doubt heard it before; to maximize your fat burning potential and keep your metabolism sky-high, you should be consuming 5-6 small meals a day, no questions asked. In theory this makes sense; your body is constantly working to process and digest your meals, thereby actively burning calories and not letting things slip into “sleep” mode during the day. Unfortunately, as you’ll realize, just because something works great on paper, doesn’t mean it actually does in reality.

For those of you wondering how often you should eat, you’re in luck.  Today, we’re tackling the oft-cited recommendation of 5-6 small meals a day and hopefully getting you an answer, once and for all, about how often you should eat to maximize your potential.

The 5-6 small meals a day tid bit has been thrown around for a while now. You may have heard it so often, you started accepting it by default. I too was on the 5-6-small-meal-a-day-train and accepted this nugget of advice as the word of God. As such, I adopted the 5-6 small meal recommendation and made it almost six months. For the most part I did a pretty good job sticking to schedule, but I soon realized what so many others do after a while of eating 5-6 small meals a day; finding the time to not only make, but EAT 5-6 small meals a day is hard. Really hard.

Of course, the response to this is, “Prepare all your foods for the week on Sunday, making enough so all you have to do is reheat and serve when needed.”

I don’t know about you, but I grew to resent this advice. First off, it’s not that easy to just prepare 42 servings in one day, unless of course you want to trade one of your precious days off to become a slave to your kitchen – or you’ve got a team of sous chefs behind you. Anyone have a team of sous chefs? No, your kids don’t count.

Eating should feel like meal time…not feeding time.

Not only that, finding the time and/or appetite to scarf down 5-6 small meals a day can be a bit of a challenge.  By giving yourself such a rigid eating schedule, these 5-6 small meals a day stop feeling like meals.  Soon enough, these regularly scheduled meals begin to feel like feeding times.  Feeding times are for farm animals – you’re not a farm animal.  You’re a human being – you should eat when you’re hungry and not allow a clock or schedule to dictate your meal frequency. 

If you’re like me, you’ll surely start to question how often you should eat after being on an intense 5-6 small meal a day diet plan.  Did I really feel tighter or more toned?  Was I burning through excess fat due to my heightened metabolism?  Was I putting on muscle faster?  For me, the answer to all of the above was a resounding no.  All I did was stress myself out when I missed a regularly scheduled feeding time, and obsess about how I’d make it up later in the day. 

How Often Should You Eat?

If 5-6 small meals a day works for you, I’m not going to tell you not to eat that way.  I’m simply here to tell you there are other ways to eat, and suggest 5-6 small meals a day isn’t the be all end all when it comes to how often you should eat. 

I was once told something that goes like this: Eat breakfast like a king.  Lunch like a prince.  Dinner like a pauper.  Break that long fast with a hearty, complex carb-rich breakfast.  Shoot for something a little less heavy, but still substantial at lunch, before making dinner something light and easy before you hit the hay.  Again, I don’t think you need to follow this to a T, nor exclude any additional meals throughout the day, but overall, I think this is a pretty solid approach.

Above all else, I think how often you eat should be dictated by your hunger – unless of course you’re overeating, at which point a little self-control and willpower need to come into play.  Aim to make your biggest meal breakfast.  Have healthy snacks available throughout the day, but don’t feel compelled to eat them because the clock is indicating it’s a certain hour.  Try to limit heavy, greasy, and carb heavy meals right before bed.  This may seem like common sense, but it’s surprising how many people completely skip breakfast, have a light lunch, then consume 70% of their daily calories an hour or two before bed.  This is a recipe for disaster and a great way to make sure that excess fat you’re trying to lose sticks around for a good long while.

A Growing Body of Evidence

While I don’t put a ton of stock into any individual study, there is a bit of growing evidence suggesting 5-6 small meals a day has no real effect on weight loss.  A study by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition showed no ill-effects of subjects eating three meals a day[1].  Further, the biggest weight loss came when subjects were eating ~2,000 calories in just a single meal a day (not that I’d recommend this).  This speaks to the point that your metabolism isn’t going to suddenly shut down if food isn’t coming in every two to three hours.  Additionally, another study conducted by the British Journal of Nutrition found meal frequency had zero effect on metabolic rate and/or weight-loss [2].

As always, don’t look to any one study as the smoking gun, but certainly consider the growing body of evidence coming out and the picture it’s painting.  Despite the number of people out there still claiming 5-6 small meals a day is the best way to lose weight, the evidence against their claims is growing.  What should you make of all this?  If it’s not clear already, let me be a little more specific.  Instead of wondering how often you should eat, you really need to be asking how many calories you should eat.  The number of calories, and not meal frequency, is the primary determining factor in your weight loss and/or gain. 

Calories per Day

Rather than spend the time and energy planning 6 meals a day, take the 2 minutes necessary to determine roughly how many calories you need each day.  I personally follow this guideline:

To maintain current weight, women should consume 10-11 calories per pound of bodyweight and men should consume 12-13 calories per pound of bodyweight.

This isn’t an exact science and there are of course variations, but this general ballpark has served me very well.  When I’m trying to bulk and add more muscle, I’ll bump this up to 14-15 calories per pound.  When I’m looking to cut a bit of weight, I’ll scale back to 10-11 calories per pound.  It’s simple, effective, and a relatively painless way to eat. 

One other change I’ve adopted is the intermittent fasting lifestyle.  Intermittent fasting involves intervals of fast, spread over the course of a week.  These intervals range from 18-24 hours, and result in lower total caloric intake over the course of weeks, months, and years.  As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, numerous studies have indicated intermittent fasting is an extremely healthy and effective way to manage your weight AND your long-term health.  Intermittent fasting has been associated with decreased rates of heart disease, cancer, and other life-threatening illness, while positively impacting life expectancy.  Do a little research of your own and you may find the intermittent fasting lifestyle is just what you’ve been looking for. 

To Recap…

• Eating 5-6 small meals a day is no more weight loss effects than eating 3 small meals a day
• Make breakfast your largest and heartiest meal of the day.
• Eat (sensibly) when you’re hungry, not when the clock says you should.
• Calories per day, not meal frequency is the factor you should be paying attention to most.
• Intermittent fasting is a worthy approach all people, regardless of weight loss or fitness goals, should consider.

[1]: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/4/981.abstract

[2]: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-06/health/sc-health-0606-nibbling-20120606_1_meals-metabolism-studies-show

Coconut oil….gift from heaven…or hell?

Fitness and nutrition trends are very much like fashion trends; in one minute, out the next.  Have you ever wondered why this is?  There are a couple of reasons for this.  First, the advice/trend may not have been all that great to begin with, so with time, it passes by.  Alternatively, us Americans have pretty short attention spans.  Even when we’re presented with something worthwhile and interesting, we grow tired of it, and quickly begin searching for the next latest and greatest thing. 

I think it goes without saying, to really make am impact on our health and weight, we’ve got to learn to discern the worthwhile bits of fitness and nutrition advice from the worthless.  Instead of following the rise and fall of each trend as they come along (and making no progress as a result), simply incorporate the good pieces of advice into your life.  Soon enough, these little bits of good advice will start adding up to some serious change in your body and health.  Now, we could sit here all day and still not get to every fitness or nutrition trend that’s been in the news lately.  But one such trend that’s been making a lot of waves  has to do with the health benefits of coconut oil. 

One school of thought purports the countless benefits of this tropical fat, while others claim it’s no different from butter or other oils; high in saturated fat, bad for your heart, bad for your waistline.  Is coconut oil really a flash in the pan trend that we should simply ignore, or are there some merits behind the claims of its proponents?  Let’s take a look…

Coconut Oil – The Good

To make an informed decision here, we’re going to first look at the positive health benefits of coconut oil.  First and foremost, you’ve got to understand the chemical make up of the fat found in coconut oil.  Fat falls into one of three categories; short-chain fatty acids, medium-chain fatty acids, and long-chain fatty acids.  Most of the fats we consume are long-chain fatty acids.  Coconut oil however, is made up of medium-chain fatty acids.  These types of fatty acids are more readily absorbed by the liver and converted to energy.  In other words, these fats are being used up before they have a chance to make themselves a permanent home on your gut, thighs, or butt.  So the next time someone implies coconut is bad for you because it’s high in saturated fat, you’ll know they’re making an unfair distinction, because the saturated fat in coconut isn’t the same kind found in other “unhealthy” high-saturated fat foods.

Along that same vein, the type of saturated fat found in coconut oil is largely lauric acid.  Lauric acid, in particular, increases good cholesterol (HDL), as well as bad cholesterol (LDL) but does not negatively affect the ratio between the two.  Moreover, lauric acid has been shown in studies to be something of a super substance.  That is, it possesses antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties that could fight anything from HIV to acne.

There are no doubt plenty of negative studies detailing the negative health benefits coconut oil.  One thing you need to realize however, is these studies almost always use partially hydrogenated coconut oil.  This in turn removes many of the positive effects of pure coconut oil and replaces them with the things you want to avoid, like trans fats.

So how about those claims about coconut oil helping to reduce fat?  There have been several studies which seemingly back these claims.  Researchers in one particular study discovered that the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut actually increased metabolism, fat burning potential, and overall body fat in test subjects [1].  They concluded that the replacement of long-chain fatty acids with medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil will not cause additional fat accumulation, and on the contrary, may actually help speed up fat loss. 

Another study looking at the health benefits of coconut oil focused on the effects it has on weight gain.  Researchers concluded that the replacement of long-chain fatty acid sources with coconut oil may additionally “increase energy expenditure, may result in faster satiety and facilitate weight control when included in the diet as a replacement for fats containing LCT (long-chain fats)” [2]. 

The Kitava Study

Kitavans get 80% of their calories from the saturated fat found in coconuts…but have low levels of heart disease and stroke…what’s up with that?

One particularly interesting study of note, has been dubbed “The Kitava Study”.  Researchers examined islanders living in Trobriand, which is a tiny island off the coast of Papua New Guinea.  The people on this island consume roughly 80% of their daily calories through coconuts and coconut oil.  Despite the high saturated fat content of these food products, researchers found very low levels of heart disease and stroke [3].  These two conditions are major killers of Americans, and are often associated with a diet high in saturated fats.  But again, before we conclude all saturated fat is bad, we must remember the saturated fats almost all Americans consume on a daily basis are long-chain.  There is clearly a difference between long and medium chain fatty acids and their effects on our health.

Of course, it would be foolish to look at the Kitava Study and automatically assume the health benefits of coconut oil were soley responsible for saving these islanders from heart disease.  Their diets were rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains as well.  Additionally, they lived a much different life than the typical Westerner.  Their days were often filled with physical labor and/or active living.  We know by now that lots of exercise will help prevent heart disease and stroke as well. 

Coconut Oil – The Bad

Now before you grab a jar of coconut oil and start scarfing it down like a tub of ice cream, we’ve got to point out the (hopefully) obvious here.  First off, a handful of studies promoting the health benefits of something are far from conclusive.  It takes years of research for the scientific community to make a definite and united claim about something.  I think the initial studies are pointing in the positive direction, but that doesn’t mean they should be taken as undeniable proof that coconut oil is indeed this wonderful superfood. 

Now, if you’re interested in the weight loss benefits tied to coconut oil, I can’t blame you.  There seems to be some really compelling stuff going on with coconut oil and it’s effects on metabolism and weight loss.  That said, coconut oil is still very high in calories.  As we know, calories coming in have to go somewhere.  While the type of calories found in coconut oil are quickly burned off, and may even raise metabolism, that doesn’t mean you can’t over do it.  Consuming hundreds of additional calories a day, regardless of how “healthy” they are, is going to catch up to you.  Just because something is healthy doesn’t mean it can’t cause you to gain weight.

The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil: The Verdict

In my humble opinion, I do believe there is a stark difference between long-chain fatty acids and medium-chain fatty acids.  I’ve read the studies, I’ve done my research, and this is the conclusion I’ve drawn.  Someone else may draw another conclusion, and that’s fine.  Personally, I’ve been substituting coconut oil for oils containing long-chain fatty acids for a while now.  I’ve experienced no unwanted weight gain nor have I had any problems with my blood cholesterol levels.  I’m not going to say coconut oil is the sole reason I’m able to maintain my low body fat percentage and quick metabolism, but I do believe it plays a contributing role.  At the end of the day, if you’re considering the inclusion of coconut oil into your diet, I would say to play it smart and simply use it as a substitute for other fats.  Instead of frying in olive oil, opt for coconut oil.  Instead of baking with butter, try coconut oil.  You get the idea.

I believe in the slow and steady approach to most things health and fitness related.  If you slowly and steadily incorporate coconut oil into your diet, I think you’ll be pretty happy with the health benefits you receive.  Remember, the idea here isn’t to go overboard with your coconut oil consumption, but to replace less healthy fat choices with a healthier choice.  And before you go running off and buying the first tub of coconut oil you can find, be sure that it’s virgin coconut oil and not the highly processed kind full of dread trans fats. 

Any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to leave a comment below and we’ll happily get back to you!

[1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12975635

[2]: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/132/3/329.full

[3]: http://www.staffanlindeberg.com/TheKitavaStudy.html

Learning how to eat healthy on a budget is all about learning where to find value…

Have you ever wondered where popular thinking originates? There are things in life we just assume to be true, regardless of any evidence to support them.   Today, we’re looking at a very common, and very damaging myth that has perpetuated for years.  This misconception is impacting your weight, your health, and even denying you the simple pleasure of enjoying tasty, fresh, and delicious food.  The idea that healthy and/or organic foods are too expensive is the reason you opt for bland, canned vegetables.  This is why your fish comes from bacteria infested factory farm pools.  This is why you buy the hamburger meat that’s jammed between a piece of saran wrap and a pink piece of styrofoam.  This myth is ensuring you keep up the average American diet, filled with highly processed, sugary, sodium-rich crap. 

Well you know what?  No more.  The game is over.  You want to learn how to eat healthier, tastier, and wait for it….LESS expensive foods while maintaining a budget?  Sounds too good to be true?  It isn’t.  Stick with us and we’ll show you how below…

As we’ve discussed on here before, the American diet contains a lot of crap.  Sodium, saturated fat, sugars, and chemicals you can’t pronounce make up the diet of millions.  I’m no scientist, but the idea that ingesting tons of chemicals, preservatives, and saturated fat may lead to cancer and other life-threatening conditions isn’t exactly shocking.  Sadly, millions of Americans are opting for these foods because the idea of eating healthy just seems too expensive.  People want to know how to eat healthy, but a quick run to McDonalads, a frozen dinner, or a plate of Rice-a-Roni just seems more natural.  As natural as it may be, it’s not hard to break the cycle.  Today, we’re going to teach you how to eat healthy by identifying a range of healthy foods you can immediately incorporate into your diet and replace the crap for good. 

How to Eat healthy: A Few Things to Remember…

• Nutrient-dense food is your friend – 10 grams of protein plus a handful of anti-oxidants is better than 10 grams of protein plus a handful of saturated fat and sodium, right?  Learn which foods deliver a nutrient-packed punch and which are falling short.
• Good Carbs/Bad Carbs – Simply switching from white bread to whole wheat bread or brown rice from white is a cheap and easy way to improve your diet and health instantly.
• More food doesn’t mean a better deal – Just because you’re getting 40% more of food A, if food A is going to leave you still hungry because it’s largely empty calories, you end up eating more of it.  Look for foods that fill you up while also providing nutrients instead of empty calories.

Broccoli – Here’s something I bet you didn’t know….ounce for ounce, broccoli contains more protein than beef.  Think about that one.  We’ve got this wonderful, cheap, and anti-oxidant rich vegetable that’s full of muscle-building protein that’s also incredibly CHEAP.  Make this one a staple.

Tomatoes - Full of cancer fighting compounds like lycopene, tomatoes, whether canned or fresh, can be easily cooked up and turned into a tasty marinara sauce.  And if you didn’t already know, marinara sauce goes good on almost everything.  Cans of tomato are going for as cheap as 99 cents a can.

Kale - This superfood should be a staple of any health-conscious shopper.  Full of vitamins, fiber, essential minerals, and more, kale is an often overlooked veggie that is not only cheap, but highly versatile.  Make kale chips, kale stir fry, throw it in with whole wheat pasta…the possibilites are endless.

Sweet Potatoes - This is an option to make a switch from bad carbs to good.  Forget the white potato and go for sweet potatoes or yams.  These bad boys pack tons of vitamins, fiber, and iron, and best of all…they’re super cheap.  A bag of sweet potatoes to last several weeks shouldn’t run you more than a few dollars. 

Spinach - Sure, spinach can be expensive when you buy it in little pre-bagged portions at a time.  Head to Costco and get a pillow case sized bag of spinach for a few dollars.  This leafy green is considered one of the healthiest foods of them all and contains healthy compounds that fight everything from colon cancer to heart disease.

A month’s worth supply of the above shouldn’t run more than $20 dollars.  But WAIT….what if you want to go completely organic and get all of those health and taste benefits to boot.  Well, it’s simple..and cheap.  Find a local CSA and get fresh, tasty, and organic produce delivered directly to your doorstep.  If you don’t know what a CSA is, check out this article which shows you how eating organic produce is LESS expensive than buying the regular stuff at your grocery store.  

Now, on to legumes and grains…

Garbanzo beans – Either canned or dried (less expensive), these are one of the most economical choices you can make.  High in fiber and protein, ‘gonzo’s may even help reduce cholesterol levels. 

Tofu – Originating from soy beans, tofu is a great substitute for pricier high-protein options such as beef. A serving of tofu can bring is as much as 15 grams of protein with none of the saturated fats or cholesterol of similar options.  Priced around 2 bucks a pound, tofu is a great choice for those trying to eat healthy and cheap while also wanting to pack on some lean muscle mass.

Brown Rice – Make the change from white already.  Packed with much more nutrients, the price tag is just about the same.  Not only that, brown rice will make you feel fuller longer, thereby helping you curb your appetite and get more bang for your buck.

Quinoa – Perhaps even better than brown rice, and only a hair more expensive if you’re buying in bulk, quinoa is high in protein, fiber, and essential minerals.  Quinoa can easily be served as a breakfast porridge, salad at lunch, or a side with dinner.  This versatile grain is a must for all of you healthy eaters in training.

Oatmeal - Oats are insanely cheap and should make up the bulk of anyone trying to eat a healthier diet.  Forget the pre-packaged instant oats and buy whole oats in bulk.  Even better (and tastier) are steel-cut oats which provide even more nutrients and keep you fuller longer.  What’s more, steel-cut are easily made ahead of time so you could make a week’s worth of breakfast and save time in the mornings.

Enough grains and legumes to last a month (or more) shouldn’t run more than 15 dollars.

Hang with us, we’re tackling meats next…

Grass-fed Beef - There really isn’t any debate here; grass-fed beef is better and wayyyy tastier than the grain-fed factory farmed crap you find at your supermarket.  I already know what you’re thinking…grass-fed beef is expensive!  Well yes, some grass-fed beef is expensive….but not all of it.  If you’ve got room in a freezer for it, consider purchasing a quarter or even half side of a grass-fed cattle.  While it’ll cost you a little more upfront, the savings are pretty noticeable in the long run.  Not ready for that?  Simply join a beef CSA and get a shipment of top-quality beef on a monthly basis for cheaper than you’d find at your local grocery.  A great example of a beef CSA would be Green Beef farms. 

Chicken - Sure organic is tasty and a bit better for you, but if you’re working on a budget, the regular stuff will do.  Make a run to Costco where you’ll find 10 pounds of skinless chicken breasts for $19.99. That’s less than two bucks a pound….now how much are you paying for that ground beef again?

Ground Turkey: Again, consider the nutrient content of your foods here.  Ground turkey delivers near identical levels of protein as ground beef, but without all the saturated fat.  If you’re able, splurge for the organic stuff, otherwise, simply switching from ground beef to ground turkey will make your heart and waistline happier.

Fish – Several types of fish provide all sorts of healthy fats, protein, and other cancer-fighting nutrients.  Simply check out your fish counter and buy what’s on sale.  Just make sure you look for “wild-caught” and avoid the farmed junk which is full of antibiotics to fight the cess pools they’re raised in. 

Greek Yogurt - Not meat per se, but another high-protein food source you should immediately include in your diet.  Fage Greek yogurt (again, found at Costco) comes without all the sugar found in the Dannon, Yoplait, etc. versions.  Packing almost 25 grams of protein per serving, a quarter-gallon tub shouldn’t run you more than three or four dollars. 

Personally, I’ve made a concerted effort to cut down on my meat consumption.  Instead of having meat every single night, I’ll now have it once or twice a week.  Not only do I feel better, but I’m saving a ton of money in the process.  By eating like this, I spend about $25 per month on meats. 

Up next, fruits…

Fruits can be a bit difficult.  Often times fruits are exponentially more expensive than veggies or other foods on your shopping list, so you’ll just have to choose a little more carefully. 

Apples – Packed full of antioxidants and fiber, apples are a cheap option that should be at the top of your grocery list.

Bananas – Banana’s are dirt cheap; about 20 cents each.  Banana’s are also packed full of vital minerals, like potassium, and make a great addition to your oatmeal.

Avocado - A great, very nutrient-dense option that is full of heart-healthy fats.  Grab a bag of avocados for less than a dollar per avocado. 

Oranges - Again, another dirt cheap fruit that contains good amounts of fiber and other cancer-fighting vitamins.  Not only that, oranges contain a phytochemical called hesperidin which has been shown to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in your blood.

Bags of frozen fruit – Don’t be afraid to go frozen.  Combining a little frozen fruit, greek yogurt, and perhaps some milk and/or protein powder makes a wonderfully healthy, and protein-dense treat or after-workout drink.  Costco has a great cherry, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry mix that is insanely cheap for the amount you get.  If you crave those expensive fruits, consider going frozen.

Enough fruit to last a month shouldn’t cost more than 20 dollars if you’re picking smartly.

Are you seeing a common theme here?  We’re almost completely ignoring the boxed, canned, and over-processed stuff that fills 90% of the shelves in your grocery store.  While this stuff may seem like a great value at the time, the return on investment is horrible.  Twenty packets of ramen for 2 dollars seems like a great deal, but what are you getting in return?  Zilch.  Empty calories and enough sodium to put your blood pressure through the roof.  Learning how to eat healthy is all about understanding what the food you’re putting in your body is doing for you.  That can of chile may seem like a great deal at a buck a pop, but you could easily make your own without all the sodium, saturated fat, and preservatives for LESS than that dollar per can….in many cases, MUCH less. 

So let’s do a quick tally…with all of the foods listed above, you should easily be able to supple yourself with enough food to last a month for no more than $80 per month.  Add in another $20-40 for incidentals and other items you may enjoy, and you’re looking at a monthly food budget of $100-120.  The best part of all of this is, you’re putting fresh, healthy, and nutrient-dense foods into your body which will serve you well for years to come.

How to Eat Healthy: A Few More Things to Remember…

• Buy in bulk when possible.  Buying in bulk will allow you to buy pricier items that are normally out of your budget.  Items like almonds, chicken breasts, and certain seafood become much more affordable when purchased in bulk.
• Look into a CSA near you.  CSA’s are a great way to get organic, fresh, and local fruits and vegetables without the high-cost normally associated with them.  The same is true for many types of meat as well.  Do whatever you can to get closer to the source.  Remember, when you purchase at a grocery store, there are a whole plethora of middle men who need to make their cut.  Seek out the source to get the real discounts.
• Cook for yourself. A six-dollar meal at a fast food joint may seem like a great deal, but when you consider you could cook healthier, tastier, and CHEAPER for yourself at home, it seems like less of a bargain.  For six dollars a serving, you could easily whip up a meal that would cost five times that in a nice restaurant. 

If you guys need any additional ideas and/or help with healthy recipes, food items, or cooking tips, please feel free to comment below and let us know.  I’ll be happy to get back to you as soon as possible!