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The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete
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Eating only the very best food available, Homey speculates this bill is about $800 per month to feed one Pro (elite) triathlete per month. This probably means getting all groceries at one location 4X per month at a place like Whole Foods: $200 a pop. No bullshit like coupon clipping or 'shopping around', just paying 100% retail for the best stuff available: How Much?

If one were to include the inconvenience of 'shopping around' How much?


**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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Well, since WF is like 2x the price of a Trader Joe's, you could probably save a significant amount.
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Quantum] [ In reply to ]
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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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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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$800 a month is waaay over the top,what would you be feeding them for that much money?

..........
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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.
Last edited by: rmcboy: Apr 21, 11 19:15
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Quantum] [ In reply to ]
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2x trader joes great place for wine also

Follow me on Twitter @CK21TRHC
I use what I love: ISM, Blue70, Trek, FLO
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Ultra-tri-guy] [ In reply to ]
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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.


**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Quantum] [ In reply to ]
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Since ALL pro triathletes live in Boulder, Trader Joe's isn't an option...

;-)

Jodi
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Jodi] [ In reply to ]
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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......


**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [rmcboy] [ In reply to ]
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rmcboy wrote:
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.


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.
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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?
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [TurboDog] [ In reply to ]
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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.........


**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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


KP

"Make friends with pain and you will never be alone" Ken Chlouber
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Lilac J] [ In reply to ]
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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.


**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**
Last edited by: Mojozenmaster: Apr 21, 11 21:20
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [ZackC.] [ In reply to ]
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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.


**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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.

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

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.
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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Mojozenmaster wrote:
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.

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.
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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.

Mojozenmaster wrote:
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.

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

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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Quantum] [ In reply to ]
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They don't call it "Whole Paycheck" for nothing.

http://tricook.blogspot.com/

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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [ZackC.] [ In reply to ]
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I'm on the same diet!
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Re: The Monthly Grocery Bill of The Pro (Elite) Triathlete [Mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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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.
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