Frugal Finance: July 2011

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

Also visit the Bootstrap Businessman

Also Visit Frugal Marketer

Best Drinks High In Protein? Your Questions Answered!

Your Question:
Hi Frugal Fitness. I really appreciate your videos, good job. I am looking to increase my daily protein intake but I am having trouble eating enough meat daily and it isn't very convenient. What can i drink that has high protein ? -YouTube Subscriber

Frugal Fitness Answer:
Well, unless you want to drink pure eggs like Rocky Balboa and risk salmonella, your best bet is probably low fat milk and/or whey protein. I recommend drinking some skim or 1% milk for a good source of complete protein and other nutrients. I usually buy store brand skim milk, just make sure it is Growth Hormone and Antiobiotic Free (it will say on the label). If you have the extra cash, you could even buy "Skim n More" or "True Moo" which is extra concentrated and maybe higher quality skim milk that tastes richer and contains an extra 2 grams of protein per serving. Soy milk is a solid option but it is more expensive and the flavored options such as Vanilla have too much sugar in them compared to protein content. You also want to remember that the casein protein in milk is much slower digesting and has a little different amino acid profile than the faster digesting soy milk protein. You are right though that you can often drink more calories / nutrients compared to eating the same amount. Also, it can be much more convenient to grab or mix a protein drink than carry around coolers and tupperware containers filled with perishables like tuna, salmon, egg whites, and grilled chicken breasts.

Whey, casein, soy, or egg protein powder can be added to water, milk, or soy milk and could even be blended up with dozens of potential ingredients such as ice, peanut butter, fruit, juice, yogurt, flaxseed, supergreens, fiber powder, creatine, pre-workout mixes (such as NO Xplode), cocoa, mocha powder, and pretty much anything else you can think of for performance or palatability. You can obviously buy pre-made drinks in cartons or bottles but you will be paying $2-4 a piece which can add up fast, especially if you drink multiple protein shakes per day like myself. I also don't like how they concentrate some of these drinks into solutions that are way too thick, but that's just me. Weight gainer powders like CytoGainer, Monster Mass, N-Large, etc are mostly just whey protein powders diluted with fillers such as maltodextrin and a tiny amount of micronutrients and creatine so I don't recommend them for most people.

You can also technically drink egg whites / egg substitute like Sylvester Stallone in Rocky (such as Egg Beaters) but I wouldn't recommend it haha :)

Frugal Fit Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness?

Read My Posts:

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

Also visit the Bootstrap Businessman

Also visit Bootstrap Business & Read The $10 Digital Media Startup eBook or Article Series. Buy on Amazon. Advertise with us.

Teen Six Pack Abs and Better Biceps? Your Questions Answered!

Your Question:
Hey Frugal Fitness Just got a question for you. I used to do some small work outs at home about a year ago for a six pack i tried a few different sit ups and all but nothing was working? You have great abs so this should be a easy question for you . I am 15 i have good calves and back but i need a lot of work on my abs and biceps :D

Frugal Fitness Answer:
Well my friend, there are a few issues that need to be addressed to maximize your physique results. Achieving defined muscles is a byproduct of both building up muscle mass through resistance training and nutrition, and removing as much bodyfat between the muscle tissue and the skin through overall physical activity and dieting. First off, since you are a 15 year old male you will most likely have a very high metabolism since you are in a crazy biological growth stage. This will help to reduce your bodyfat and usually teenagers have a good amount of energy (and time) for physical activity. That being said, your testosterone levels and muscle mass capacity aren't going to be as high as somebody in their early-mid 20's so you won't be able to put on massive amounts of muscle in your biceps etc. Also, because your growth plates, tendons, and ligaments are still developing, you do not want to lift too heavy, intensely, or frequently so your muscles do not develop out of proportion with your other connective tissue. This could lead to tears, inflammation, growth plate injuries, stunted growth, and other problems.

You also mention that you tried a few situp type exercises and it didn't seem like you did them for a very long period of time while expecting results. Now I'm not the most patient person, and I was even less patient when I was 15 years old, but it does take time to put on muscle and burn bodyfat. It takes the average person about a week to burn a pound of bodyfat if they are doing everything right, and usually much longer to add on a pound of lean muscle. Because of your age, you could probably burn bodyfat more quickly but not necessarily put on muscle mass very fast. It can take a few months or longer but try to follow some of the recommendations I have listed below to maximize results and minimize time and injury risk.

What I would recommend is that you do weight training 3 times a week, 30-45 minutes each time, at a repetition range of 12-15 reps per set and around 30-60 seconds between exercises. You can do 3 total body workouts a week, or 1 upper / 1 lower / 1 total body workout, or 1 chest / tricep / deltoid, 1 upper back, bicep, and 1 legs / abs workout per week. All of these are effective options or you could alternate. But the key is, don't lift much more often than that so you don't risk overtraining.

You can work biceps up to 1 day hard per week, and 1 day light-moderate per week for optimal muscle growth and recovery. Make sure you do not straight at the elbow, wrist, or shoulder or do cheat reps on your curls by leaning backwards or laterally. Regular dumbbell bicep curls, hammer curls, preacher curls, chinups, bent over rows reverse grip, underhand cable rows, and other similar exercises are all good options. For abs, 1-2x a week is fine, I usually just encourage 10-15 minutes of several different types of ab, oblique, and lower back exercises in a row without stopping for smaller leaner and more enduring abdominal muscle fiber stimulation. Try including russian twists, alternating heel taps, crunches, twisting crunches, V-ups (if you can), planks, side bridges, and leg raises along with lower back exercises of hip bridges, supermans, quadripeds, and skydivers. You can do abs on your total body days, lower body days, or on your cardio days.

Also do 3-4 days a week of different forms of cardio to help reduce more bodyfat while keeping enough variety to avoid overtraining or hitting plateaus in your progress. An example would be run 1 day, bike another day, elliptical a 3rd day, and play basketball for an hour on a 4th day. If you just ran each day it would be the same repetitive microtrauma on your joints which could translate into chronic injuries like Ausgood Schlauter, stress fractures, shin splints, or tendonitis. Also make sure you are eating lots of protein, minimal sugar and junk food, drinking plenty of water, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and getting in enough sleep. Protein powder or supplements aren't necessary for your age, I certainly got plenty of results without them when I was 15. Hope this all helps!

Frugal Fit Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness?

Read My Posts:

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

Also visit the Bootstrap Businessman

Is Swimming a Good Workout? Your Questions Answered!

Got A Question For The Frugal Fitness Guru? Tweet Me!

No Way, Swimming isn't a good workout at all, Nope doesn't burn fat...

Question:

Frugal Fitness, me and my friend are having an argument about swimming. She thinks that swimming is a waste of time and will not help you lose weight or build muscle. I tend to disagree. What is your standpoint on this?

Frugal Fitness Answer:

Great question, your friend is absolutely wrong to say that swimming is a waste of time and doesn't build any muscle or burn bodyfat. Swimming is a total body workout that works pretty much every muscle group in the body and therefore burns a large amount of calories (the more/larger muscles involved in a movement, the more calories required to perform it). It works every joint range of motion and plane of movement so you may be less likely to neglect certain muscle groups or joint ROM. Swimming can be done in bursts of high intensity intervals or long bouts of low-moderate intensity lap swimming, both options will emphasize different muscle fiber types and energy systems in the body. Like jogging and doing sprints afterwards, you can include both types in your workout.

One of the greatest benefits of swimming is that nearly everyone can enjoy the benefits because it is very low impact on the joints. Therefore, it is a great option for those with arthritis, tendonitis, limited range of motion, post-surgery / injury rehabilitation, or those with other physical limitations. Swimming can strengthen your muscles without adding bulk and increase your metabolism and lung capacity significantly. There are many different strokes you can perform so you can emphasize certain muscle groups as you desire and keep your body from adapting by mixing things up. This will help prevent hitting plateaus in your progress when it comes to fat loss and performance.

There are a plethora of other benefits that swimming can provide for you but there are almost too many to mention in one blog post. Also on a related topic, water aerobics and treading water are both excellent options as well for burning fat so feel free to add those in to your swimming workouts for extra variety.

That being said, swimming doesn't necessarily cover all your bases when it comes to achieving all of your health, fitness, physique, and athletic goals. While swimming can provide excellent resistance for your muscles and connective tissue, it is not a weight-bearing activity and will not cause nearly as much adaptive increases in bone density compared to weight training, elliptical, stairmaster, or even walking. This is very important to keep in mind if you are at risk for osteoporosis or osteopenia. Water aerobics provide assisted/partial weight-bearing activity since the buoyancy of the water Swimming may provide light to moderate resistance for your muscles to work against but for many athletes and weightlifters / bodybuilders, it will not be enough to mimic their specific event or create the desired muscle hypertrophy (mass increase). To achieve a completely well-rounded and effective workout regimen, I would recommend complimenting your swimming workouts with traditional weight-bearing cardiovascular bouts, weight training, and core exercises.

So overall, swimming is an excellent workout when combined with other forms of cardiovascular and resistance training throughout the week. It is great for those looking to get back into fitness, minimize joint strain, rehabilitate an injury, work multiple muscle groups, or just do it to relieve stress in a positive manner. If you aren't hitting the pool this summer (or at your local health club in the winter), then start now!

Frugal Fit Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness?

Read My Posts:

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

Also visit the Bootstrap Businessman

Find Your Soulmate Or Spouse Through Free Dating Websites

Many dating sites have been growing in popularity for the last couple of decades. So what's behind this major trend in the dating world? Because everyone knows that dating websites work incredibly well! Stop going on those futile and frustrating blind dates with your friend's weird cousin, attending depressing singles nights at your local pub, or participating in awkward speed dating events. Free dating websites are simply a better way, especially for busy people that don't have a lot of time to get out and meet new people.

Dating sites are convenient, practical, and get real results. What makes them even better is that there are plenty of online dating sites that are frugal or free of charge! If the dating website is free, then there is no risk and it's all upside! Online dating sites have worked for me and free dating websites will work for you too!

If you didn't know, I'm a free online dating success story. I recently celebrated my 2 year wedding anniversary with my wife that I met through a free dating website about 5 years ago. In fact, we just got back from traveling to Mexico, Canada, and Europe! Every day I'm grateful that my friend told me to take a chance on a free dating website that connected me with my future wife in a matter of weeks! It was fate, and the free dating website helped facilitate it.

I know plenty of other friends and family members seeking real relationships find their current boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife on a free dating site within weeks or months! These days it is the most effective way to find lasting love, especially after a tough breakup or divorce when you're trying to get back on the dating scene.

Here's how to get started and find true love through dating sites:

Find The Right Free Dating Website For You

There are free dating websites for nearly every type of person these days. They could be based on location, age, ethnicity, religion, parental status, body type, occupation, common interests, or many other potential factors. Some examples of these wonderful websites are the dating niche sites on We Love Dates or Match Me Happy in the United Kingdom.

Create A Great Profile

Once you find the right niche dating website, it's time to sign up for free! Make sure to complete your profile including answering all questions you feel comfortable answering, answering questions, and filling out all fields honestly. Filling out all the field shows others looking at your dating profile that you are invested in the process and serious about finding someone. Put some thought into your answers. Be honest about who you are and who you're looking for!

Upload a current high resolution photo and several other photos of you in casual and more formal settings so your potential dates can visualize themselves with you in a variety of settings. While your pictures can be flattering, don't be that person that uses a picture from ages ago or a professional photograph heavily touched up with Photoshop. Set realist expectations so you don't disappoint your future date, and they don't do the same to you. Life is short so don't waste each other's time.

Don't Be Shy, Start A Discussion!

Make that pivotal first move! Sitting around waiting for Mr or Mrs Right to message you isn't usually the best way to go. You need to be proactive and check out profiles, start conversations, and getting some dates scheduled in your calendar. Message that cute guy or girl, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! You could even set up dates with multiple people if you have the time and get to know a variety of potential mates.

Be A Great Date

Take your date on some fun and unique dating experiences beyond the basic bar, crowded restaurant, or lame movie. Visit a beautiful vineyard or popular new brewery, play some mini golf, take a cooking lesson, head to a football game, or go to a couples paint and wine night.

Go to the local health club or gym and do a partner or couples workout!

But most importantly be respectful, be punctual, and be honest. If things aren't going well then don't ghost them, be clear but courteous about telling them it isn't working out and that you both should see other people. There are plenty of fish in the sea and you should both move on to increase your chances of finding that special someone sooner rather than later. That person is out there waiting to connect with you!

If you really want to find your soulmate then we recommend trying out some amazing free dating websites like We Love Dates and Match Me Happy in the UK.

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to find fun and true love through dating websites without growing your debt.

Interested in more articles about health and relationships?

Read My Posts:

- Use Dating Websites To Find Real Relationships & Lasting Love

- Exercises To Help You Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness
World Wide Wellness

Read More Free Articles Below

Weekly 6 Day Workout Split For Triathlete or Distance Runner

Monday:

45 Minute Jog

45 Minute Swim

Tuesday:

Foam Roll

3.5-4 Mile Run

Foam Roller + Stretch

Wednesday:

Foam Roller

30 Minutes ArcTrainer w/Arms

30 Minutes Bike

Foam Roller + Stretch

Thursday:

Warmup: Foam Roller + 5 Minutes ArcTrainer w/arms Resistance 25-28

Circuit 1:

2 Minutes Boxing at heavy bag

Twisting Crunches on Stability Ball 15 on each

Quadripeds (arm and opposite leg raises) on Stability Ball 2 second holds, 8 reps each

Pushups

Tricep Dips off step, stair, or treadmill

3 Minutes Cardio Wave Machine (Side to Side) "Effort Level" of 12

Circuit 2:

3 Minutes Overhand Cardio Row Machine

Single Arm Dumbbell Row w/ 15 lb dumbbell in lunge position no bench support

Kettlebell Swings with 8kg kettlebell

Wide Squats holding 8kg kettlebell (just holding it in front of you for extra resistance)

Leg Raises on Roman Chair / Tricep Dip Stand

Mountain Climbers on upside down BoSu ball (20 on each leg)

Circuit 3:

3 Minutes Underhand Cardio Row Machine

Russian Twists with 5 lb plate (20 taps on each side)

Single Leg Hip Bridge 10 on each leg

Alternating heel taps 20 taps on each side

Plank with alternating leg raises 8 on each

Partial Tricep Dips on Dip Stand / Roman Chair machine (use legs/jump for help)

Circuit 4:

3 Minutes ArcTrainer (1.5 Minutes Hands Free, 1.5 Minutes Lean Forward + Arms)

Chest Press machine 12 Reps Each Grip Vertical and Horizontal Grip (35 lbs)

Lat Pulldown Machine 8 Reps Each Forward, Palms Facing Each Other, & Reverse 55 lbs

Leg Press 160-180 lbs Knees start at 90 degrees flexion

Minutes Stairclimber

Cooldown: 5 Minutes Stairmaster + Foam Roller + Stretch

Friday:

Foam Roller

4-4.5 Mile Run

Foam Roller + Stretch

Saturday:

Foam Roll

Sprint Intervals

Foam Roll + Stretches

Sunday:

Rest

Frugal Fit Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness?

Read My Posts:

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

Also visit the Bootstrap Businessman

Favorite Gluten Free Foods, Brands, and Greater Boston Restaurant Offerings

Submitted By Helen Chin Lui of The Healing Place in Medfield MA

When shopping for condiments, check the label, because just about every condiment contains gluten. For example many ketchups and soy sauces contain forms of gluten, so be aware.
Food manufacturers use gluten as an additive in prepared foods. Gluten is used as a stablizer, an emulsifier, a thickener and flow agent in literally hundreds of processed foods, from soups to self-basting poultry. Click here for a partial list of packaged or processed food containing gluten, but again gluten can be found in just about anything. Check the label or contact the manufacturer.

Best GF Breads:

*Udi's. Great for sandwiches. Not dense, but light with holes like wheat bread! The best preparation is microwaving, which will give it a nice light and fluffy texture to it, which closely resembles wheat bread.

*Against the Grain - great bagels, rolls, baguettes and pizza crusts. Made with eggs and cheese so gooey and delicious.

*Rudi breads. The bread has the same texture and taste as regular bread. It does not fall apart in the toaster and makes a great sandwich.
Best GF Pizza (frozen or mix):

*Amy's now makes GF frozen burritos just like the regular ones. They also make a gluten free pizza. The taste is mediocre and the crust is made primary of rice flour.

*Whole Foods frozen pizza crusts - Very nice texture and crunchy when baked

*If you want to make your own pizza crust, try King Arthur's Gluten free or Bob's Red Mill pizza mix. Pizza mixes use rice, potato and tapioca flour or starches and makes approximately two 16" pizzas.
Best GF Pasta:

*Schar - Various shapes. Excellent. Tastes like you are eating the real thing.

*Quinoa - Ancient Harvest Quinoa Organic Pasta Gluten Free. This, too is very good.

*Brown Rice Flour pasta - We find these cooked pastas can become mushy. If you overcook the pasta by a minute you will definately have a plate of mush. We stay away from brown pasta, but is not bad if you are attentive in preparing it.

*We have found most of the dried rice and bean thread noodles in the chinese isle of the markets to be pretty good. They are less costly if purchased at Chinese markets such as the Hong Kong supermarket in Allston or Boston. All you have to do to prepare these noodles is boil them for a couple of minutes until they are soft and they are ready to incorporate into your favorite sauces.

Best Veggie Burgers:

Sunshine Burgers - Made from whole brown rice, ground sunflower seeds with bits of vegetables - delish!
All above can be found in the freezer section at Whole Foods and some at Shaw's . Also at New Leaf in Needham Center.

Restaurants:

UNO Chicago Grill Is The Best!

*Chateau Restaurants, Waltham and Norwood

GF pizza and Italian dinners. The one in Norwood does not carry the GF pizza, but the Waltham location does.

*Not Your Average Joe's. Various locations. GF menu.

*Legal C, Legacy Place, Dedham

GF Menu, GF bread/roll.

*Nebo Restaurant, Italian, located in the North End. GF Pizza. (Highly recommended). I believe they were shown on Phantom Gourmet or Chronicle.

*PF Chang's - Legacy Place, Dedham and Natick Collection, Natick, MA. GF Menu and GF desserts

*Outback Steakhouse, various locations, GF items

*Stone Hearth Pizza, Needham, GF pizzas, pastas, etc.

*Tavolino Pizza, Foxboro, GF pizza.

*Wicked Pizza, Legacy Place, Dedham. GF pizza. One of the best GF pizza that we have ever had.

*Zebra's, Medfield, GF Menu, GF bread/roll, GF dessert.

The Uno Chicago Bar & Grill Restaurant Location in Boston
where I had my Frugal Diet book signing!

Frugal Fit Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness?

Read My Posts:

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

Also visit the Bootstrap Businessman

Frugal Recipe: Hot Artichoke Dip

Submitted By Helen Chin Lui

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 8 (depending on how much you eat, it may be enough for one person!)

Ingredients:
1 cup of regular or lite mayonnaise
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
2 small jars or 1 large jar of artichokes with oil
2-3 tablespoon of salsa (mild, medium or hot…..we like it hot)

Directions:

Into a food processor, add drained artichokes, (leaving some oil,) mayo, parmesan cheese, and salsa and pulsate until ingredients are blended. Pour mixture into a casserole dish or pie pan. Bake at 350 degree for 20 minutes and the top is golden orange brown.
Serve immediately with rice crackers, crackers. This is also wonderful on spaghetti.

Frugal Fit Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness?

Read My Posts:

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"