How do you guys do it?

[CJB]

I wasn't sure where to post this but how do you guys do it? What I mean is, specially those who work full time and have many commitments yet find time to make/prepare food and train as often as you do? Also, even with working and many commitments, do you still make great gains or does it take more time due to your commitments?

I myself don't even have many commitments as some people on this board, and I keep finding myself not able to fulfill everything to make this bodybuilding lifestyle work. My biggest issues are of nutrition and understanding/applying it to when it is needed most during the day. It doesn't help that I'm kinda of a perfectious and I am anal on how I do this, and if these don't go right I may get discouraged. I guess thats my personality.

I would appreciate any thoughts or insight on my questions or my venting.

Thanks CJB

[slackie911]

gotta get into a routine...makes everything more efficient because you don't waste time. for example i have 4-5 staple recipes that i can whip up without thinking.

[TheMac]

exactly, do it long enough and it becomes a habbit. I find myself making meals for the day by accident on weekends some days lol. Get out of the shower pull out the tupperware and start measuring and putting food together, since i cook anything that needs cooking the day before it takes me about 10mins to prepare 3 meals to travel with.

[rootb33r]

spend a little more money and get the most efficient tools and food possible. yea, i'm a college guy, i don't have alot of money, but i want this bad enough that i make it happen.

by "efficient tools" i'm speaking of things that cut out time from your preparation, execution, and cleanup.

every morning i wake up and have my tupperware from the previous day drying in the rack, so i just plop whatever meals that i need to into those containers and throw them in my gym bag, and i carry my gym bag around campus with me all day.
for LGV's in my tupperware-meals, i choose broccoli, green beans, and green peppers because they are super easy to cut up and eat raw. some times i steam my broccoli while i'm in the shower if i think of it beforehand. i don't make salads for the daytime because they're big and bulky and messy.
for protein i eat packet-tuna if i am in an open area, or if it's in the middle of class i eat chicken so it doesn't stink as bad.
for carbs if i can have them for that meal, i eat brown rice or a sweet potato that i prepare in the morning (90 second brown rice for the win)

for my at-home meals it's about the same kind of stuff, but i eat canned tuna and have salads for my LGV's because they're yummy.

so the moral of the story is convenience and efficiency.

on a side note, this need for preparation and organization has really improved those skills in other aspects of my life. good deal.

[maverickBU]

make all your food ahead of time. Takes me 20-30 minutes to make all my food for the next day.

[jeffrobodean]

I work full time, I volunteer with the fire department and have an infant and a 4 year old at home. I make time. I have messed around long enough starting and stopping and making time and excuse. Now, I just make this a priority and you'll find time that you didn't know existed before. For starters, I get outta bed at 4:00AM, eat and workout an hour later across the street from my job. I prepare my meals, my clothes, my gym bag the night before. Breakfast is easy. I make my hard boiled eggs on Sunday to last me the week, and quick oats take 1min in the microwave. I usually tell my wife what to make for dinner and she has it ready when I get home along with extras for my lunch teh next day. It becomes a routine, a habit. The weekends are a little different. I'm not organized or prepared, and usually have too few meals. I still have to work on that, but I'm doing well once I decided to take this seriously.

[Growth In Motion]

Just think of your goals...and how great it will be when you reach them

[CJB]

Thanks for the comments

But another thing that comes to mind is that I don't an extreme amount of money to vary my meals. I mean chicken, turkey, protein powder, and steak can be used a lot through the day but what about your carbs? I ususally have a hard time varing them so i have some satiety and different nutrients. I often use oatmeal/sweet potatoes often and this doesnt seem right. Whats peoples thoughts on this?

In addition, I read an article about protein on this site and how one should vary their types of protein for better results in growth. Like they mentioned alternate between fast digesting and slow digesting proteins. (ex. Whey protein/eggs vs chicken/or cottage cheese) To kill two birds with one stone, does anyone see a problem with having Whey protein for 3 of their 6 meals as their protein??? Then you would be able fit this requirement of alternating and the fact that most people know gram for gram, Whey's cheaper then meat.

CJB

[CJB]

Any more thoughts on the above questions?

CJB

[Buffysboy]

For carbs there are so many alternatives, like rice, bread, green leafy vegetables, potatoes, I think you could basically eat everything that contains slow digestive carb for regular meals to stablize your blood sugar level, thus inhibits cortisol secretion.

Protein is a little more expensive, I'm not sure the price level in ur country. I'm not a big fan of supplements so I usually eat large amount of steak (for creatine), eggs, fish (salmon for essential fatty acids + flex oil), chicken, cottage cheese (pre-sleep) etc. I m sure there are other things that are good to eat, too.

Maybe just be a little creative.