Inexpensive Ways to Build Muscle

Many times we’re faced with either financial hardship, or a tight budget, and thanks to these and many other financial complications, we’re not able to get or do exactly what we wanted. Thanks to that some of our favorite pastimes/hobbies suffer in the process. But as the saying goes, “where there’s a will, there’s a way,” and today we’ll be looking at some simple options to help build muscle on a limited budget.

First of all, let’s get some false notions out of the way. Expensive gym memberships and or nutritional and protein supplements do not equal success. Many people successfully build muscle without the need to join Planet Fitness; however, it never hurts to have the membership if you can afford it. That said, here are some viable alternatives.

Concerning workouts, an expensive gym membership (as we stated before) is not necessary. Many a times there are inexpensive options one can use. Granted, it’s a lot harder to get the desired results without the right equipment, but consider this, a BoFlex machine can be financed for as little as $10 a month and at the end you have yourself a near complete workout machine that is multipurpose. Add a couple inexpensive dumbbells and some running or biking for your exercise and you have a complete workout system that works out to be a lot cheaper than joining a gym for $20-40 a month.

Concerning nutrition, protein supplements are not always healthy; in fact recent studies are finding a link between liver failure, cancer and other medical conditions when high protein supplements are consumed. Needless to say, this is not something that anyone would want to risk. So, instead of that expensive protein supplement, try something more natural. Legumes such as peanuts, red beans, pinto beans, soy beans etc. have as much protein and it is in a natural form so the body can handle it a lot better. Thanks to a wide variety in the vegetable kingdom, you can consume all the protein you need weekly without repeating a dish twice for the week. Couple that with the inexpensiveness of most legumes and you have yourself a winner. If you want something extra to add to the mix, you can always go for some nut or trail mix, a milkshake as well as some fruit.

Another great way to cut costs in bodybuilding it to change the diet completely. There is no need for animal flesh in order to build body mass. Consider a vegan or vegetarian diet as a healthy alternative to one that consists mostly of animal protein and other harmful foods. Most importantly, make sure that you substitute refined and sugary foods for foods that are healthier such as whole grain foods and those that are not sweetened with refined sugar.

Not only does this save money in the long run (health costs) but it helps to build muscle faster.

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This is a guest post by Jessy Troy who also blogs on diabetic diets and lean cuisine. If you have great ideas on living expensively, please contact us to have your guest post featured.