In the 10th installment of “Indomitable Fitness, Athletics and Heroics” with guest contributor Bill Walker, he gives his tips on how to shop correctly while still being on your dietary mission.
Happy New Year or whatever!
As many of you have already endeavored into excellence by pursuing the path of physical power (fitness/getting strong/swole/lean) you may have noticed that grocery shopping can be quite the task.
Today I hope to give you some ammunition to put some audacity in your tenacity. When you “know thou’ you know how.” In the spirit of the greatest working class hero the world has ever known, I have dubbed this “The Peter Parker Guide to Grocery Shopping.”
Why? Well if Spiderman can hold down a job, save the city, look after his Aunt, all while being famous for crafting his costume (by hand, mind you!!!) then you surely have what to take to customize a crafty culinary list free from the forces of economic enigma.
Let’s begin!
Knowing where to hunt
Years ago, my brother introduced me to two magical establishments.
The first being Aldi.
The second being Jumbo Food International and yes that’s the actual name.
Aldi
I don’t know how they do it but somehow Aldi lives in a 90’s time warp. You can go in there with forty bucks and buy food of biblical proportions.
If you’re a stickler for brand names, try to resist the automatic reflex of turning away your nose and know that the stuff you buy isn’t all that different from non-brand stuff. As long as it’s not those irrationally and gargantuanly large steroid pieces of chicken breast you’ll be alright. ( You tough right?)
Just about everything you buy at any big chain grocery store you can find at Aldi. You’ll notice the Kirkland brand is at Aldi. Where else is Kirkland? That’s right kids…Costco.
International Grocery Stores
Years ago, my brother also showed me this international grocery store…”Jumbo Food International.” Number one you won’t pay taxes here. Somehow your favorite greedy, bloodsucking, shiftless, bureaucrats (on either side) have not discovered
how to tax these places. Until that dreaded Apocalyptic day, see if there’s any local international markets nearby that offer prices that rival your typical grocery store chain.
Looking for the deal, and ONLY buying certain items on sale.
During my epic 2016 cut…meaning getting lean for the warm weather…Klondike bars became a staple in my diet. Klondike bars, Bill? What about getting fat? Well if you have been paying attention you know I stress “hitting your macros.”
I would literally budget Klondike bars in my diet for the day which was about 1-2 a week. Yes, I eat fruits and veggies…so no hate mail, lectures or anything foolish as in to inundate me your way of eating. No one cares that you got lean off salad. To learn how to count your macros click here for my famous article that topic… Here it is for a quick refresher!
Back to Klondikes…as much as I love Klondikes, I will zealously only buy them on sale. If they are not on sale, I will literally look at them and walk away, which bring me to the next point…
Not buying everything.
You don’t have to buy every spice, juice, vegetable or every particular favorite item of yours. Get what you can get and move on. Learn to be fluid and eat like a ninja. What that means is making what is available work for you. Learn to “Flow like Water” (Bruce Lee).
If it’s not on sale, leave. Come back in a few days or hit another store. You do not have to buy or have everything just because it’s there. Some stores will have deals that the others won’t. Patience is your strength here. It is through patience that you will stick to your journey for the long haul. To learn from history, it’s worth noting that it was through patience that and meticulous planning that a wise and cunning Senator climbed his way through the political ranks and amassed control of vast territories. He brilliantly transitioned from Senator to Supreme Chancellor and later became Emperor. Look him up…his name was Sheev Palpatine. Keep in mind; you are also working the muscle of discipline…one of the most important aspects of all.
Coupons
Self-Explanatory. Mystical elusive documents that grant you more purchasing power. However you may have noticed that coupons and fresh food have an inverse relationship. Life. Make it work for you though.
Other strategies
Cooking in bulk
Cooking in bulk offers you the luxury of time. Personally, I’m not a big fan of preparing food when I’m already hungry. If I’m leaving the battlefield of excellence, depending on what time of the day I might be hungry. The absolute last thing I want to
is to go through the hassle of having to prepare and cook the food. Most likely I probably want to eat while I’m watching Vikings of Agents of Shield. Maybe you and I don’t feel like cooking after slanging massive amounts of iron. You’ll also save money versus going out to eat frequently and you know exactly what’s in your food.
If you’ve been counting your macros, you probably know you can save your dish on your MFP (My Fitness Pal) app and when you’re ready to feast on your culinary delectable, enter the portion into MFP and profit. If you’re one of those bougie folks who can’t eat leftovers then do my favorite thing…learn. If not do what you have to do.
Sharing is caring.
I’ve never done this but while watching workout wisdom from the Crossfit Mayhem YouTube channel, home of the four-time Crossfit games champion Rich Froning Jr., one of his bros spoke on buying a whole cow. Now this would be a team effort. If you have a deep freezer,
You and your team of hungry friends can get a whole cow and divide it among the group. Low and behold, you have your own frozen flesh section in the comforts of your own home. I’m sure you can apply this other animals…Lab, Elk…what have you. Maybe you can also team up and hit a local farm if worried about preservatives and all that stuff.
Hunting
Self-explanatory. Maybe you can kick some bread to one of your friends that actively hunts. Similar to the strategy above. Maybe you hunt yourself.
In closing
Eating is by no means cheap boots but in life all things require sacrifice. Since you have been armed with the amazing knowledge of…MACROS…then you will realize this isn’t as bad as it could be. Most importantly I hope I have helped you to think creatively in terms of buying food. To quote Dale Carnegie “Here it is I hope you like it.”
Save a buck and live it up. Then…lift it up!
For more info, input, questions, concerns, freak-outs, and general workout inquiries don’t be afraid to send the Bill signal.
About the writer:
Bill Walker is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), one of the top recognized agencies in the country. He’s also a Youth Fitness Coach in Washington DC. To set up an appointment or inquiry contact him at [email protected]
Instagram: @BilliusMaximus929
