Shopping While on a Diet Made Easy

Along with training, eating right is the be-all and end-all of bodybuilding. Discipline is very important here, especially when you’re on a diet. But how can you stay disciplined when you’re constantly faced with delicious temptations everywhere you go? That’s why today I’d like to share how I make my grocery shopping an effective and positive experience. Since I’ve been back in my prep phase for the coming spring for a few weeks now, I have to plan my shopping trips so that, at the beginning, I really limit myself to buying only the items I actually need and that fit into my diet during this time. There isn’t much on my shopping list, because I know what I need during this period. Everything also has to be stored in your mind. You have to approach this way of eating correctly and consciously, stand by it, and—most importantly—love it. That isn’t always easy, and especially at the beginning of a diet or prep phase, it takes a lot of willpower and discipline. One more thing up front: I’m not “dieting” in the traditional sense, but rather trying to eat well. To me, eating well means giving my body only what it needs during a prep period. In addition to important supplements like protein powder and a good all-in-one muscle builder—which are indispensable for me as a bodybuilder—my main foods during this time are “rice, chicken or turkey breast, fish, eggs, broccoli, and rice cakes.” Low-carb and low-fat protein bars are also good. They’re high in protein, low in carbs, taste good, and satisfy my cravings for sweets. Since I have a sweet tooth, I really have to rein myself in here—which means my shopping list doesn’t include things like chocolate, gummy bears, cookies, etc. The protein bars I mentioned can help with that. Another tip: I never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, because that way it’s not hard at all for me to walk past the candy and other temptations and buy only the items on my short shopping list. See you next time! With athletic regards, Uschi Walzer (Runner-up – German Championship, Women’s Class 1)