Cheap Protein Sources…

When it comes to following a good bodybuilding diet plan the Number #1 thing that you need to focus on is meeting your protein intake. You need to consume a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily in order to build muscle. So if you weigh 175 pounds, you need to eat at least 175 grams of protein each and everyday (which is quite a lot).

Unfortunately high quality protein foods are also some of the most expensive foods in the grocery store. Things such as lean cuts of meat, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, dairy, etc. can really add up. Especially when consumed in the amounts needed for a good muscle building diet.

Now there are several ways that you can be a savvy shopper and save money on your protein foods. But one of cheapest ways to get a lot of protein is to go get it yourself.

Saving Money On Protein…

This past weekend I went out in search of some high quality protein with my dad and my uncle and we were quite successful!We went out Cod Fishing in my home province of Newfoundland and brought in a good catch. Cod is a white fish and is a great source of lean protein. In the grocery store Cod sells for about $7 a pound, it’s one of the more expensive fish. Over the course of our 2 day fishing trip we caught a total of 21 Cod fish. Now I never weighed them all out, but let’s just say it’s enough to stock a freezer with fish for a while. And besides getting a good stock of protein food, the fishing trip was a lot of fun and a great opportunity to spend some quality time with my dad and uncle… 😉 If you are an outdoors man yourself who likes to fish and hunt then you are already familiar with what a great source of quality protein you can get from these activities.

But Fishing Can Be Expensive…

If you are NOT into fishing and hunting and you try to jump into it just for the sake of saving money on protein… It isn’t going to pan out too well. The start up costs can really add up.

When it comes to fishing; if you had to go out and buy a boat, motor, fishing gear, etc. then that would cost a heck of a lot more than any savings that you would get from catching your own fish. In this case you would be better off buying your fish at the grocery store.

However, you probably know some people personally (i.e. family, friends, co-workers, etc.) who are outdoors men and who are into such activities. In cases like this just ask them about their past fishing / hunting trips. Every single outdoors man LOVES to tell stories about their adventures. And during the conversation you could mention how you’d like to try this yourself sometime and simply ask them if you could join them on a fishing / hunting trip in the future.

Very often they would be happy to have the company and an extra hand helping out. So you could tag along with them and borrow their supplies. That’s exactly what my dad and I did this past weekend. We went along with my uncle, who is a fisherman, and we used his fishing gear.

My uncle goes out fishing pretty much everyday of the fishing season. So he will catch more than enough fish for himself. He’ll keep what he needs and share the rest with family and friends.

So even if you are not interested in going out fishing yourself, you could ask around and you maybe able to get some cheap (or free) fish from local fisherman in your area.

Big Game Hunting…

Another great source of fresh protein is from game hunting. Right now it’s moose hunting season here in Newfoundland. And a moose can easily provide 300-400 pounds of meat. That’s A LOT of meat for a single family, so more often than not people who hunt moose will share the meat with family and friends.

While I don’t hunt moose myself, I still usually get a small freezer full of moose meat every fall that friends and family will give me.

So again, if you are into hunting then you can stock your freezer full of quality lean protein. And if you are not a hunter, just ask around and you maybe able to find some cheap (or even free) game meat from local hunters in your area.

Conclusion…

The best thing about getting your protein from fishing and hunting is that you are getting the real thing. This is natural food. No added hormones or chemicals like you often get from the synthetic fed farmed fish & meat that’s found in the grocery stores.

So by just asking around and looking outside the box it’s possible to stock your freezer full of lean protein, add some variety to your diet, and save some cash in the process!

And if you happen to be an outdoors man yourself… Please feel free to post a comment below sharing your experiences (i.e. the types of fish and game you get, etc.)
Heck, you can even share your “Biggest Fish Story” if you like… 😉

P.S.
You can see some more pics from our fishing trip on my facebook page at:
Lee’s Fishing Trip Pictures…