Weight Training On A Budget

In the world of weight training, you need money, of course. Unless you're one of the fortunate few, your financial resources are limited. You may need to select from the various supplements available based on your budget and the specific needs of your sport. Protein, particularly whey protein, is a good place to start, followed by creatine and a vitamin/mineral supplement. You may also wish to experiment with glutamine and MSM if you can afford them. However, whole food should comprise most of your diet.

In a perfect world, we would all have the resources to buy whatever we wanted in order to increase muscle size. Alas, the world is far from perfect. Many of us have real financial constraints that limit what we can purchase. We need to make choices between whole foods, supplements and other necessities like rent and utilities. In this situation, it is important to get the biggest bang for your buck. You need to make hard decisions based on the specific needs of your sport and the amount of cash you have available.

One of the best ways to stretch your dollar is to buy in bulk. Supplements are no different than foods at the supermarket. The bigger the package, the less you pay per ounce. While it will set you back a bit paying for the larger size initially, in the long run you wind up saving money. This is particularly true for creatine and glutamine, although the same principle applies to most supplements. Also, buy powders instead of capsules. It is expensive to put powder into a gelatin capsule, and that cost is passed on to you. You often get at least twice as much of a supplement when you buy it in powder form, so save your change and spend it on something else.

Also, tailor your supplement and protein dosages to the requirements of your sport. You want to use the smallest amount of a supplement that works for you. By and large, sports that involve intense lifting or force production require higher nutrient levels than endurance-type sports. People with more muscle mass also need more nutrients than do athletes who are slimmer or shorter in stature. Another factor is your exercise intensity. Clearly, athletes who train long and hard need more supplements and protein than those who exercise less frequently and with lower intensity. Make an honest evaluation of your true requirements and only take as much as you really need in order to increase muscle size. The rest is just wasted.

If you are on a budget, focus first on your protein requirements. Protein is an essential nutrient for muscle growth, and without adequate protein you won’t increase muscle size even if all of the other nutrients are there in abundance. Whey protein is a particularly good source of the required amino acids, although some of the milk and egg and modified soy powders also provide high quality protein. Once you have made sure that you get enough protein, add creatine and a vitamin/mineral supplement to your list. Creatine is very inexpensive nowadays and it offers a lot of value for strength athletes. Vitamins and minerals are also essential for optimal growth, although true deficiencies are unlikely when you consume substantial amounts of good food. If you still have money left over, try glutamine and MSM. They promote a more anabolic environment for muscle growth and may help you in your quest to gain size.

However, you need to keep the whole issue of supplements in perspective. These products are intended to supplement your food intake, not substitute for it. While there are some excellent meal-replacement powders on the market, you should not live on them. Whole food has additional benefits. A well-selected variety of whole foods provides a full range of vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and other nutrients. Whole food also has fiber, which has important health benefits of its own. There is something to be said for having three square meals a day. The ideal role of these protein and meal-replacement powders is to provide a convenient way to get your fourth or fifth meals each day without the fat, cholesterol and excessive calories that two additional whole-food meals could provide. They are also more convenient, allowing you to eat good food on the run when you are in a hurry. They clearly have their place in a balanced diet, but they can be more expensive than whole food. If you're on a budget, use these and all supplements appropriately in order to increase muscle size. Your wallet may start to bulge along with your muscles!