Well, since WF is like 2x the price of a Trader Joe's, you could probably save a significant amount.

Best food available would also vary from individual to individual. If you're eating Kobe beef and black truffles you'll spend more money than someone who enjoys whole grain bread and skinless chicken breast.

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$800 a month is waaay over the top,what would you be feeding them for that much money?

..........

I don't think health and fitness correlate much, unless you're eating like crap.
Buddy would likely be just as fast eating $400 worth of food.
Over dinner last year at the Ottawa Race Weekend, I was asking the Kenyans guys about their diet. They said they eat mostly oats, vegetables and some meat. Not slowing them down much.

2x trader joes great place for wine also

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Follow me on Twitter @CK21TRHC
I use what I love: ISM, Blue70, Trek, FLO

A case of Penta Water and of few lbs of wild caught Salmon fillets and you are out $65.00 at least.

And all you have is water and fish........

The Mojo work-around is a tuna-fish sandwich with a cup of warm tap-water.

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

Since ALL pro triathletes live in Boulder, Trader Joe's isn't an option...

;-)

Jodi

I'll bet my $800 is a conservative estimate for 'the best stuff available'

But I'll also bet it can be done for $400 per month if one gets creative......

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

Healthy + creative + smart = wayyyy under $800 a month. Wegmans spoils me :)

...and did you really just abbreviate Whole Foods. Too many calories expended in typing it out?? ROFLAWFA (rolling on floor laughing at whole foods abbreviation) :P

For a family of four (6 and 9 year old kids, mom and myself) we spend <$800/month, shopping at Austin's Central Market. Which may be a step below Whole Foods, but still above your average grocery store in terms of quality. No junk foods, lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, poultry. That includes lunch for all during the week (e.g. no hidden food cost for going out to lunch every day).
Sure you could spend $800/person/month, but I'd question if the additional expense results in foods sufficiently higher in quality that it would translate to better performance in training/racing. YMMV.

- S

Yea, one really has to define "the best" when it comes to food. Generally, the less processed, the better for optimum health/performance. In this case, of what the Kenyans eat - oats, vegetables and some meat - would amount to about $200 month.

That sounds way too high. I pay Whole Foods NYC prices and it isn't that much. And the veggies and lean meats are cheaper than the "ready to eat" stuff. That's where groceries can kill you. Maybe $400/mo if it's all raw ingredients.

Why are pro athletes different than anyone else in this regard?

HA!!

The local Whole Foods Markets has classes, seriously: "How to save money shopping at Whole Foods Markets"

Really?

Ihave an idea: Try not shopping at Whole Foods Markets.

I go there only to stare at Melons, if you know what I mean.........

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

For all you west coast athletes, there's this place called WinCo. Kind of like a bulk grocery store, but at the lower end. There's a section of the store that is just like Whole Foods, but half the price. Bins full of organic oats, flours, granola, dried fruit,.... they have everything for a fraction of the cost. Best bargains are grind your own almond butter for $4/lb, and I can get a bag full of whole wheat fig bars (about 30) for $2ish.. Easily stock up a week for less than than $100

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KP

"Make friends with pain and you will never be alone" Ken Chlouber

Why are pro athletes different than anyone else in this regard?

Because it is my belief that elite endurance athletes eat only the best food available. I think the attention to detail paid in training transcends to similar habits/attention to detail in nutrition.

If you have ever read a thread on this forum about people geeking out about Watts, IF, FTP, etc, etc, I find it difficult to believe that the same precise level of detail is not paid to nutrition.

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

Dude I eat on $300/month. The trick is to find foods that agree with you well and that you can buy in bulk and eat repeatedly. I have no doubt that there are some flaws in my nutrition plan, but on the whole I do pretty well as far as macronutrients are concerned. As far as vitamins and minerals are concerned, I'm not so sure (I may be getting them all in one or two meals as oppose to spread out over the 5 I eat daily), but it is certainly possible to get foods that fuel you for competing at a high level for wayyyy less than $800/month.

Fresh fruits like bananas can be bought in bulk for pretty cheap--I buy them roughly 15lb at a time at BJ's, eat some while they're fresh, and freeze the rest for smoothies. Same with strawberries, except BJ's 6lb bags of Dole frozen strawberries are the best I've ever found for smoothies, and yield consistently delicious results when combined with bananas and some swoletein powder. Chicken is another staple. Buying that frozen, 6lbs at a time cuts down on trips to the grocery store as well. Large bags of frozen tortellini and huge boxes of pasta are great as well. Monthly trip to BJ's: $150, then I supplement that with eggs/milk/breads/fresh produce from the local Food Lion on probably $40-$45/wk.

1. Buy in bulk.
2. Cut out BS like snack foods. Allow yourself an indulgence or two, but keeping a variety of snacks around is expensive.
3. Buy foods that can be combined cheaply and cooked multiple ways, or buy foods you like to eat regardless and cook them the same way.
4. Plan. Going to the store without a shopping list or at least a rough outline of a meal plan if you plan on eating variety throughout the week is a recipe for sticker shock at the register.

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__________________________

I tweet!

Fresh fruits like bananas can be bought in bulk for pretty cheap--I buy them roughly 15lb at a time at BJ's, eat some while they're fresh, and freeze the rest for smoothies.

You must be one banana eating mofo and have a very large freezer!! I did not know bananas thaw very well, but maybe it works for smoothies like you say.

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

Haha yeah like 2-4 on the average day. Some days I give it a rest and eat cereal for breakfast, other days more. I try to make the bananas last the whole month, but sometimes they don't, so I have to buy at the more expensive grocery store prices. Bananas are a pretty good deal in my opinion. Even though a lot of the weight is peel (nearly 1/3 to 1/2 in some cases), they're not bad from a $/quality calorie standpoint. Fresh fruits can get expensive fast--berries in particular. Frozen berries are substantially cheaper--$10 for a 3-lb bag at Target or BJ's I believe, and because their flavor is strong you can get away with using few of these when mixing with bananas.

Frozen bananas+frozen strawberries+ vanilla (or plain) protein powder+water in the right proportions results in a smoothie with an almost ice-cream-like consistency. This is how I like it, so there is no thawing needed. The flavor is great, but if you get sick of strawberry-banana you can cheaply switch to blueberry or pineapple or some combination of the above. Using water as opposed to Apple or Orange Juice cuts down on the unnecessary (and typically refined) added sugars, and these are far more expensive than water. I've found that neither really adds to the flavor, either. Smoothies (when made w/o bullshit) are a great way to incorporate extra fruits into your diet without having to force it. A good protein powder makes all the difference.

EAS and GNC brand vanilla are my go-to stuff(get the one with the most basic looking packaging you can find)--they're low in calories from stupid sources--they're basically straight protein, and you'll find that they have as much glutamine and BCAA's as Recoverite, or Ultragen (like 8x more than Endurox), and at a FRACTION of the cost. Sport-specific foods are expensive in general because the market is smaller, so going with a mainstream protein powder as your recovery drink is the way to go (provided it comes from a trusted source). The downside is that supplements are unregulated by the FDA, so companies have been known to routinely add things like creatine and even anabolic steroids to their products in order to give their customers results. Companies like Hammer and GU are used by enough pros in endurance sports that we would know if they were spiking their supplements with unregulated things like the mainstream companies do, so if your options are expensive or sketchy, better go with expensive. BJ's sells 5lb bags of EAS vanilla protein for $28--half as much per pound as if you bought from GNC, or bought Hammer whey. In case you haven't noticed, BJ's is a lifesaver, and the only reason I can eat/compete like a pro. This is starting to sound like an advert, but I promise they're far too cheap to be paying me (or anyone) for this.

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__________________________

I tweet!

If you aren't smart enough to find your local farmer's co-op for veggies and fruit, you deserve to overpay. It's the same way if you eat meat, and don't meet your local butcher.

There are still meat markets and farmer's co-ops for now.

I know Conagra is doing their best to put an end to it. Until then, you can overpay if you like, or you can become a smarter consumer.

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You will remain the same person, before, during and after the race. So the result, no matter how important, will not define you. The journey is what matters. ~ Chrissie W.

Oh dude, you're missing out. As soon as the bananas get too ripe to peel and eat straight up, into the freezer they go. Whenever you need, a frozen banana, some frozen strawberries, some frozen yogurt, milk and protein powder in a blender is amazing.

Also, if you want to keep your bananas at their perfect "ripeness" longer, put them in the fridge. The skin will turn brown, but the good taste of the edible part will stay that way longer.

Agree with you 100 percent on this. I'm making a run tomorrow to bring out "a few little things" for my wife at her team camp in the middle of nowhere, since the grocery store there is pretty paltry. I've got four big grocery bags ready to go in the fridge. That was just over $100, full of "perimeter of grocery store" stuff. Sproutless bread, nut butter, agave honey, fat free cottage cheese, yogurt, spinach, chicken, pickles, salmon, apples, pears, mushrooms, carrots... i'll eat none of it and it'll all be gone in three days, no joke. A training pro will just sit there and eat, all day. There's breakfast and dinner, maybe a lunch, but between it's just constant grazing. Her grocery store receipts from last year submitted for taxes were like a mini version of War and Peace. I bet between the two of us, our monthly is about $500 between Vons, Trader Joes and Henry's, and she eats literally three quarters of it. I'm a light eater anyway, but she is a food vacuum, just astounds me. Not because of any one big meal, but just with the constant munching.

And yes, for the pros, you get out what you put in. Fresh fruits, veggies, cheeses, perishables in general are just more expensive.

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Jay Prasuhn
Marketing Specialist, American Bicycle Group (Quintana Roo//Litespeed//Obed)
twitter.com/jayprasuhn

They don't call it "Whole Paycheck" for nothing.

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http://tricook.blogspot.com/

I'm on the same diet!

My wife and I eat nearly 100% organic and we spend < $600 bucks a month for both of us.


So $800 is over the top for one person.

bread and water can do wonders in that regard ;)

once i did, bread/nutela/coke for a couple weeks with friend (klep) and it wasnt too bad ;) of course the nutela always destroys the plafond :D

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S�rgio Marques
When it hurts is when it feels good ;-)
Sergio-Marques.com

Endurance athletes were fine prior to bottled water...if you really buy into the Penta Water then I'm not suprised that your grocery bill is $800. That is a complete waste of money as any additional benefit Penta Water provides can be utilized in cheaper forms.

You might say "attention to detail".... oh ya?

How many seconds can you prove you saved in any race by drinking Penta Water over tap water....I'm guessing you don't know...I'm also willing to guess that it isn't possible to calculate such a small variable.

.02

Side note: I spend $350.00 a month on myself with a planned out nutrition plan where my body is receiving more than enough nutrients and everything it needs to perform well above average.

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< Quitting Isn't An Option >

I'm guessing Mojo was joking about the Penta Water but I will say that the whole bottled water thing is a bit of a joke as is a lot of the "athletic food" industry..

-------------

Ours is similar, shopping at Trader Joe's (next door to church; the convenience has shaped our grocery habits), Costco, chains like Harris Teeter and (ugh) Giant, and the farmers' markets in summer.

We have been working hard to filter out most prepared foods from our diets because of the sodium content and all the other crap; with kids it's hard but at least the ingredient list on a box of TJs "triscuits" is about 1/3 as long as Nabisco's and contains ingredients recognizable as "food". Costco has many affordable organic foods but I suspect the are organic to the letter but not the spirit of the law. We probably spend @$700/mo including my occassional lunches out. Since we started the effort I think we have all noticed how much better we feel day in and day out with diets that are mostly fruit, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and dairy.

This year we won't be doing a farm share (CSA) but have done so in the past; it's a lot of money up front but pays for itself quickly and has forced us to try new recipes.

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De que depende?

Nabisco Triscuit ingredient info:

Ingredients: WHOLE WHEAT, SOYBEAN AND/OR PALM OIL, SALT. CONTAINS: WHEAT.

That's three, possibly four ingredients. All are recognizable as food. How is the TJ version 1/3 as long?

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"Honestly, triathlon is a pussified version of duathlon on that final run."- Desert Dude

Actually, that sounds pretty healthy—basically whole unprocessed simple foods. Also, if you look at it, with the exception of adding a little fruit, you pretty much have a very balanced diet. Note that all of those foods can easily be bought in bulk rather cheaply. In fact, even at Whole Paycheck you can buy those items, minus the meat, for less than $200 a month. I know this because this has basically been my diet—whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and a little meat.
A months worth of quinoa, bulgar, millet, brown rice, and/or kashi would maybe run you $20-$30. You could buy a ton of unprocessed chicken breasts or turkey for probably $60. You can also buy a ton of dried beans for $10. Fresh vegetables at costco are pretty cheap, figure$ 20-$40.....
If your spending $800, you better be eating filet minon or lobster for dinner for quite a few of those nights.

I don't think your assumption is true. I bet there are a lot of pros struggling to make ends meet - training full time but lacking a lot of sponsorships and stuff - who get by eating well but not spending $$$$$$ on all-organic etc food. Rice, beans, oatmeal, pasta, eggs, cheap.


And jonnyo eats McDonald's.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Point made. I'm very sorry I maligned Triscuits. I don't have the boxes in front of me. My point was, I see fewer additives and processed ingredients in many TJ items than I do in similar branded items at other stores.

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De que depende?

No problem. I'm sure Nabisco puts crap in all sorts of stuff, but not my beloved Tiscuits! :->

I see your point, and agree with it. I have no issues with TJ. Except that mine ia always crowded.

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"Honestly, triathlon is a pussified version of duathlon on that final run."- Desert Dude

.......and Dr Tommy eats Subway sandwiches...during his long bike rides..

You are right TC,I bet if I gave some of the broke pros $100 a week for food and told them to keep the change they would have more then enough left over for coffee shop time..

.

... and desert dude drinks soda and eats pizza.
actually his primary foodgroup is beer I think

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Wow! I eat healthy but not organic by any means, and I spend probably $250-$350/mo for just myself. Of course, I'm eating around 30,000 cal/wk and I would say most pros are much higher.

You must get stuff locally for cheap?

-Physiojoe

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-Physiojoe
Instagram: @thephysiojoe
Cycling coach, Elite racer on Wooster Bikewerks p/b Wootown Bagels

I think I feed a family of 4 for ~800 a month... and that includes 2 teenage boys. For sure under $1,000.
And I eat 4,000 calories a day :-O

Fruits & Veggies at Safeway & Costco , grains. We have a nice roast or fish most nights - pasta maybe 1-2 times
a week. There is plenty left over for Ice cream, frozen pizzas and other occasional treats. My wine budget is not included...

(Way) back in the day - I lived on $800 / month, including rent, car, bills and food. A big bag of rice can go a long way to stretch
a food budget and fresh veggies and fruit provide most of the rest of what you need.

.

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" I take my gear out of my car and put my bike together. Tourists and locals are watching from sidewalk cafes. Non-racers. The emptiness of of their lives shocks me. "
(opening lines from Tim Krabbe's The Rider , 1978

dont have to spend a lot for the 'best' food.

oats, rice, beans, all cheap. all get the job done.

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

The USDA thinks
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/USDAFoodCost-Home.htm
that a male 19-50 can eat for $342 a month, on a liberal spending-plan.. I'd agree. $800 is living high on the hog..
We spend about $900-1000 pm on a family of 4 with one teenage boy, buying expensive grass-fed organic meats, and vegetables from a CSA.

Just my personal input. Im a Pro1/2 cyclist, eating gluten, legume and mostly grain free. I cook almost every meal from scratch, lots of meat, veg and sweet potatoes etc. I dont buy any special or organic food. Bill is about 140$/wk so 600$ a month. In my experience grocery costs can be +/- 20% depending on where you live. British Columbia is a bitch but places like Boise ID and Tucson Az have dirt cheap prices on most things. Also, not falling back on grains as caloric filler pumps up costs.

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Professional Athlete: http://jordancheyne.wordpress.com/ http://www.strava.com/athletes/145340

Coaching Services:http://www.peakformcoaching.com/

1 Word
****Costco****

I am a former Div 1 College football player (Linebacker) and I dabbled in natural bodybuilding throughout my 20's and early thirties. There is not place to find better quality meats and fish at a better price. $800 is very high for an endurance athlete unless we are adding in supplements. At my peak when I was bodybuilding @ 6'4" 235 to 250lbs with single digit bodyfat eating on average daily 8 to 10 eggs 2 to 3 chicken breast a 16 oz steak, with veggies, yams, and oatmeal I was at 450 is for food and maybe an additional 200 for suppliments (Protein powder, creatine before it got cheap, ephedrine etc).
So for an endurance athlete @ 150 to 165lbs 800 would be extremely high.

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2017 Cervelo P2
2017 Cervelo S2
itraininla.com
#itraininla

Maybe you think that its the sheer volume of food/calories required for an elite athlete as compared to a typical person, which considering the typical waistline of a person these days, I would bet the elite athlete eats less calories per month

Good thread. I think I've been spending WAY too much on food lately. One of the things I have been doing to try to help cut costs though is lots of potatoes. Now those things are CHEAP. And delicious with some butter and a little bit of cheese.

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-Bryan Journey
Travel Blog | Training Blog | Facebook Page

You can submit it for tax returns?

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__________________________

I tweet!

Food is part of a pro triathlete's business expenses... hell yeah she submits those receipts.

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Jay Prasuhn
Marketing Specialist, American Bicycle Group (Quintana Roo//Litespeed//Obed)
twitter.com/jayprasuhn

Hell yes. Hahaa does the business have to be profitable?

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__________________________

I tweet!

If it had to, only the top five percent of pros would be able to claim. My wife turned a profit last year, but she's been in the red a few years too and has still been able to claim. But if you show a consistent history of NOT profiting, the government then considers the participation in sport as a hobby, and at that point you'd not be able to claim.

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Jay Prasuhn
Marketing Specialist, American Bicycle Group (Quintana Roo//Litespeed//Obed)
twitter.com/jayprasuhn

http://amandalovato.com/...-for-michael-lovato/

Michael Lovato's daily eating habits... sounds like he might be one to spend close to $800.

The more I read this forum the more thankful I am for having a local Trader Joe's and realize I'm a cheap eater! (Easily under $200 a month including a few meals out)
*I guess 128 lbs is cheaper to feed though than most :)*

http://goo.gl/maps/t5Sa


:-D

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36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

2 Buck Chuck

"6 craps in one day in not unusual for ML"

If 7400 calories a day were average for me, 6 craps would not be unusual either.........

I need to adjust my original estimate:

Food: $800
Ass-Wipe: $100
Total: $900

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

Word.

I feed myself on about $45 per week and rarely eat out (with the exception of "Taco Tuesday" at Del Taco: 3 tacos for .99. If payday were on a Tuesday I would splurge and buy 9 Tacos. But payday is Friday and on Friday those same 9 taco's would cost $4:41)

Eggs, cheese. rice, beans, tortillas, bread, canned tomatoes, potatoes, pop-tarts, canned salmon, canned tuna, more potatoes, ice cream, diet Shasta and a lot of whatever cheap protein happens to be on sale.

My point with this thread is that for "The very best stuff available" it will cost at least $800 per month for one elite endurance athlete. Can it be done for less? Of course it can. I know the grocery industry better than most people. Which means I know about sourcing, markups, sales, inventory and turns etc etc.

I guess I wonder about the difference between "Whole Foods Markets" 'Organic' shit and the same stuff the rest of us buy and is there something quantifiable that validates the purest food sources to the very best athletic performances? Further, I think if you do not believe food manufacturers are trying to influence your purchasing patterns with such claims, you are probably on crack.

Put it to you this way: a very well known cereal manufacturer is running commercials with this:

"Can a bowl of cereal change your life?"

"Yes it can"

The inference is that a bowl of cereal can cure attention deficit disorder because it is "Gluten Free"

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

My wife and I both are vegan and eat all organic fruits, veggies, beans, oats etc and our grocery bill with two boys is $140 a week. A mix of Trader Joes and WF

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"Base training is bull shit" - desertdude

I'll agree that 'best food available' is subjective at best.

I have the good luck to live in Southern California, so I've got farmer's market options year round, which to me is the 'very best food'.

I'm far from elite, but I can feed myself of WAY less than 800 per month.

If I really do menu planning, buy seasonal stuff and minimize waste, I can probably get it down below 200 per month for one person.

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http://aclockworkmango.com

That's friggin' nuts. My wife and I (both triathletes) eat like kings (granted we are kings with coupons) and, including our two boys, our grocery bill averages $1000/month. You just have to know how to shop, how to clip, and how to avoid eating packaged foods as much as possible, which tend to be spendier.

Ben Greenfield

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Ben Greenfield

Nutrition & Human Performance Advice
http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com