“Cheap, strong, light. Pick two.” That’s a popular saying when buying bicycle components because it’s unlikely you’ll find all three qualities in one product.

When it comes to eating healthy, the saying becomes “Cheap, healthy, tasty. Pick two.”

Healthy food is not cheap. Natural peanut butter, natural almond butter, whole wheat bread, premium supplements, organic fruits and vegetables… It adds up quickly!

And this food is typically less convenient than grabbing a candy bar (due to extra time spent for preparation,) but healthy eating is very important for everyone – especially if you’re trying to get in shape. Not to mention if your goal is six pack abs.

So the question is, how can we get these organic, healthy foods and high-quality supplements without breaking the bank?

Well, with a little homework and elbow grease, you can eat healthy without giving up your new carbon race bike!

Here is how to get everything as cheap as possible:

1. Clip Coupons

Clipping coupons is bothersome, but if you need to save money, do it. The savings are small but they do add up. And with these tough economic conditions, clipping coupons isn’t just for elderly people on food stamps – everyone can take part in the ritual!

All you need to do is pull the sales papers out of the local paper (typically Saturday or Sunday) and clip the coupons, or type “coupons” into Google and you’re bound to find a site that lets you print coupons free of charge.

One example is EmergenC.com. You can request a free sample, and for no obligation, you get three packets of Emergen-C powder along with a coupon for $1 off a box of Emergen-C.

2. Shop Around for the Best Deals

If you have time to burn, shop around at all the local grocery stores. While Wal-Mart is typically the cheapest place for anything, that’s not always the case. Sometimes a small, local store will have certain items that are cheaper there. (I don’t know why or how, but it happens.)

Then there are also some stores full of nothing but deals. My favorite is Big Lots, where you can get great stuff way cheaper than MSRP. I have found great deals on Peak bars, Honest Tea, Bear Naked, and other brands of healthy snacks and teas.

3. Get a Customer Card

Customer cards, like ones from Wegman’s and Star Market, are totally free, but they entitle you to great discounts. Most stores with customer cards have special prices listed where you just need the customer card and you get the sale price.

Signing up is quick and easy (you can even do it online,) and all you have to do to get the deals is swipe the card when you check out. It’s so simple, you have to do it.

Almost everyone is doing it these days. Heck, even Performance Bicycle does a membership card (that one costs $20, but it can still be worthwhile.)

To top things off, I’ve heard heart-warming stories about people losing their car keys, but getting them back thanks to a complete stranger finding the keys and sending them to the address listed on the shopper’s club card on the key chain!

4. Buy Private Label (a.k.a. Store Brands)

With private label brands, you’re going to get the same quality of food as a name brand, but at a lower price. It’s a great idea for frozen vegetables, rolled oats, and other basics where a name brand doesn’t matter.

You can get food extra cheap like this because sometimes these brands are on sale if you have a “Shopper’s Club” card. So Store Brand Food + Shopper’s Club Card = Saving Lots of Money!

5. Buy in Bulk

In most cases, buying food in bulk saves a lot of money. For foods you consume often, such as green tea, honey, eggs, or rolled oats, buy them in as big of containers as you can.

This applies to regular stores like Wal-Mart, but it is best used at retailers such as Sam’s Club, BJ’s, and CostCo.

Good news – even at higher-end stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, you can save money by buying from their bulk bins.

6. Buy Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Frozen fruits and vegetables are quite a bit cheaper than their fresh counterparts, but they’re still healthy. Sometimes the frozen ones are even healthier because they’re “flash frozen” as soon as they’re harvested. That means they’re not sitting around in the sun in shipping containers, losing nutrients, like what can happen with the so-called “fresh” produce sitting on the shelves.

I like Bird’s Eye green peas, and then any store brand for broccoli florets, mixed veggies, broccoli stir fry, and asparagus stir fry. Pretty much all frozen berries are tasty, so stock up on them – I love frozen strawberries for adding to my banana smoothies!

7. Invest in a Second Freezer

Buying in bulk is a great strategy, but it is usually limited by your storage space – specifically freezer space. If you have the space and the money, consider investing in a second freezer.

With the extra space, you can buy tons of stuff in bulk, freeze most of it, and get a little out at a time. It is a great strategy in combination with bulk stores like Sam’s Club and CostCo, or even Big Lots. Any time something is on sale super cheap, you can stockpile it!

(Note that this is a long-term strategy for cost savings, as it requires a good bit of cash up front!)

8. Grow a Garden

Typically, seeds for plants that grow fruit are much cheaper than buying the fruit. If you have the land, you should have a garden. That’s the only way to get truly fresh fruits and vegetables all summer long!

Yes, keeping the garden watered and keeping the bugs and animals away can be challenging, but once you realize how much better the food is, you’ll understand why it’s worth it!

9. Cook Meals Yourself

The more preparation that is yet to be done, the less you spend (relatively speaking.) For example, brewing your own green tea is maybe 25 cents per cup. Already prepared, it could be nearly $2 for the same thing!

And an $8 salad in the store – that’s about $1 worth of food and $7 worth of preparation time!

Same with cut fruit – $5 might get you a serving of cut fruit, while it would get you multiple pieces of fruit that you must cut yourself.

So cooking is something you should learn, especially if you like to save money by buying raw ingredients in bulk. Even if it’s not cooking per say, you could at least learn to clean and cut your own fruits and vegetables!

10. Order Online

For stuff that doesn’t spoil easily, like supplements, check online. You can find good prices and get free shipping, too!

At Amazon.com you get free shipping on any order over $25, but even at smaller stores you can qualify for free shipping on orders over $50 or $100.

Or, if you love a specific product, you might be able to get an autoship direct from the manufacturer, which typically has the free shipping benefit. For example, FRS and Recoup|90 offer autoships with cheaper prices and/or free shipping.

Eat up and save!

Photo credits: Jeff Keen | bcmom | KirrilyRobert

If you’re trying to lose weight or get in shape, there are foods you should just completely eliminate from your diet. You don’t have to go cold turkey on all processed foods (which is a challenge for sure,) but these are the worst of the bunch!

Phase out these foods and you’ll be well on your way to perfect health!

1. White bread (and bagels)

There is simply no need for white bread in your diet. Go for 100% whole wheat bread instead. You can find certain brands, such as Arnold, that do not contain unhealthy ingredients, or even better, bake your own bread at home. (And try sprouted grain bread, too, for the ultimate healthy choice.)

The same goes for bagels. You can get whole wheat varieties, so if you must have a bagel, don’t get a plain white bagel. Or at least treat yourself to a really good, luscious bagel! Or even a doughnut, but only on special occasions!

Just don’t half-ass it. White bread has about as many positive health benefits as a jelly doughnut, but it’s much less rewarding. So why bother? I say, make whole grain bread an important part of your diet, and have a doughnut if you need to treat yourself on a special occasion.

2. White pasta

Whole wheat pasta is widely available these days, so get it instead. It’s better tasting and much healthier than white pasta, and it’s even a good source of protein!

As with bread, I can’t stand to eat the plain white stuff after trying the delicious whole wheat variety.

3. Soda

This stuff is evil. It is packed with sugar, usually in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Diet soda is even worse, being chock full of artificial sweeteners (i.e. dangerous chemicals.)

Plus, soda contains other crap and preservatives that you don’t want a part of. Just to name one – phosphorus. Too much phosphorus in your blood pretty much sucks the calcium straight out of your bones! Why risk your health for this caramel-colored sugar water?

4. Potato chips and snack crackers

Typically, all chips and crackers that come in a bag or box are full of partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats. Even snack crackers that look healthy are usually as bad as cookies. Plus, an entire box or bag of these snacks won’t fill you up, so you’ll consume astronomical amounts of calories!

I used to eat this stuff all the time when I was younger, but once I cut it out of my diet and replaced it with wholesome foods, I no longer desired it. It wasn’t until I quit eating the stuff that I realized, “oh wow, that stuff provided no satisfaction whatsoever.”

5. Yogurt (the flavored ones)

You hear about the health benefits of yogurt all the time. But such health benefits apply mostly to plain yogurt (the sour stuff you get in larger containers.)

The flavored yogurts (the ones with fancy, colorful packages that appeal to children) are just loaded with so much sugar it’s unbelievable. A small container might have 26g of sugar!

As an alternative, get some plain yogurt and mix it with all natural granola or some fresh or frozen fruit.

If you take my advice and just gradually eliminate these foods from your diet, you’ll be healthier and happier in no time!

(And you may even be on your way to six pack abs!)

Photo credits: babbagecabbage | Lars K. Jensen

With all the marketing campaigns out there touting the benefits of each new energy drink, you might think that there’s no way to get energized without buying some expensive energy drink.

But pry your eyes away from the hype for a second and think about the target market of most energy drinks… it’s usually overworked adults who eat junk food and don’t get enough sleep, or teenagers who stay out all night and then need a big rush to keep them going the next day.

If that describes you, you could keep downing the energy drinks like there’s no tomorrow, or you could make a few little lifestyle changes that result in an abundance of energy, naturally!

Follow these simple steps and you’ll be getting energized for free:

1) Get enough sleep, whether it’s 4 hours, 8 hours, or more.

Why:

Have you heard that recovery is the most important part of your training? Well, sleep is the most important part of your recovery.

There are certain bodily processes that only occur during sleep, and there are just so many health benefits from getting enough sleep. For example, your body repairs damaged cells while you sleep, and being asleep naturally reduces stress.

Add that up and you have the recipe for more energy!

How:

First, figure out how much sleep you need.

Most nights I need eight hours of sleep, although on easy days I do fine with seven, while crazy circumstances (like numerous six hour training rides) call for twelve hours of sleep or more.

On the other hand, I know some people who sleep about four hours per night and wouldn’t dare sleep any more than that! It just seems that some people are wired to be fully rested by sleeping for four hours per night.

Now, block out that much time every night.

Let’s say you’re like most people and need eight hours of sleep per night. So, if you have to get up by 7:00 AM to get to work on time, be absolutely certain to be in bed at 11:00 PM.

Yeah, that’s easier said than done, but it’s your health that’s at stake, so make the wise decision.

2) Exercise regularly… as in, 6 days per week.

Why:

To paraphrase Newton’s first law of motion, “An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion…”

So by actually exercising, you’re getting into motion. Once in motion, it will be much easier to stay in motion. And if you think about it, staying in motion is a lot like having a constant supply of energy.

With regular exercise (from 30 minutes to 8 hours per day, six days per week, depending on your goals,) you keep your body ready to go and feeling great all the time.

Plus, exercise releases endorphins, which will keep your spirits elevated, creating a constant mental energy boost!

How:

You don’t have to do a lot, but do it regularly.

So schedule exercise like you would with any other important activity. You could schedule it on your appointment calendar or just pick a certain time of the day when you will exercise no matter what. (This is when it pays to have a coach or training plan to guide you.)

And don’t make excuses to get out of exercising. I’ve read numerous articles (here’s one about CEOs and one about the president) about busy people, usually CEOs or other businessmen that fit in their exercise despite 12-16 hour days in the office, global travel, and/or families.

They make it a priority and stick with it, instead of saying “oh I’m busy today” or “I have too many projects going on” or “I’m at work all day, there’s just no time for exercise.”

3) Eat healthy foods… you know, like green, leafy vegetables.

Why:

The last saying for today is “you are what you eat.” While that shouldn’t be taken literally, I have found that “if you eat crap, you’ll feel like crap.”

By that I mean, when I eat junk food like French fries or chips and snacks all day, I feel great for a very short period of time, but the next day I feel lethargic and run down.

However, if I eat natural, unprocessed foods (especially fruits and vegetables full of nutrients like antioxidants,) I just plain feel good.

That’s because your body needs those nutrients to function properly. You usually don’t get those nutrients with fast food, so instead of feeling energetic, your body shuts down until you feed it what it needs.

Also, if you binge eat or fill your body with sugar, you’re going to deal with blood sugar and insulin spikes, which will eventually result in a sugar crash. So… a complete lack of energy!

How:

To get a variety of healthy foods in your diet, the plan is pretty straight-forward: buy healthy foods.

Make a list of healthy foods, and when you go shopping (at the supermarket and local farmer’s markets,) buy the health food instead of the junk food. Or at least make the junk food a small portion of the overall amount.

If you have the healthy food in your house, you’ll eat it. If you don’t have junk food in your house, you won’t eat it.

Once that becomes routine, it’s not all that hard to eat healthy. Really.

It’s illustrated by Newton’s first law of healthy eating – “If you get used to eating healthy foods, you will continue to choose healthy foods over junk food.”

And once you realize how much more energy you have, you’ll be eating healthy, exercising, and sleeping sound, and you’ll wonder how you ever lived differently!

Photo credits: Sleeping by Annie Mole | Push-up by Joe Shlabotnik | Vegetables by mckaysavage