Meal ideas for weight gain on a budget

Hi everyone, I'm currently 5"4 and 122 pounds. I've recently started going to the gym again after a 6 week break because of a hand injury. I was wondering if anyone could give me a hand with cheap meal ideas for gaining weight?

Also if you could help me with any good workouts or workout tips such as sticking to compound exercises or something then that'd be a massive help as well!
Thanks

Replies

  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    Recommended lifting depends on your experience. If you're still a noob, definitely a 3x/week compound program like StrongLifts or Starting Strength would work well. If you're an intermediate, I'd recommend finding a program on muscleandstrength.com or bodybuilding.com that builds off compounds (I like Steve Shaw's Power Muscle Burn program and he has a 3,4, 5-day/week variation).

    For food...buy in bulk. You can often get good deals on chicken breast, just be sure to shop the sales. White rice is cheap, whole milk, frozen veggies.
  • I think cans of Tuna are great value considering how much protein is in them. 40g per 150g drained weight. £1.20 from Sainsburys, sometimes cheaper if there is a deal on. Be sure to look at the drained weight etc though, they aren't all the same size!
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    1) Get a crockpot, because buying and cooking in bulk is the easiest way to save money on food.

    2) The cheapest thing I eat is chili. The meat I put in it is a whole small chicken, cooked and deboned. Every part of the chicken that's soft enough to chew goes into the chili, giving me tons of protein for about 50-cents per pound*. If gaining weight is your goal, add beans -- they're cheap. If you want still more calories, eat it over rice.

    3) Stick to compound lifts like Stronglifts, Starting Strength, or New Rules of Lifting for Women.

    (*I have a freezer chest, and buy all my meat in bulk. It's way cheaper that way.)
  • CarlKRobbo
    CarlKRobbo Posts: 390 Member
    Cheaper cuts as well - Chicken thighs etc... Eggs......... As said above, buy in bulk...

    RE: Meals - I'll second chilli - A nice easy way to get a ton of calories, and a ton of veg

    RE: Workouts - Start with compounds, Lift until Strong. Get Stronger. Train Smart. Keep it simple. As stated above, Stronglifts, Starting strength.

    RE: Bulking... Rest days are growing days. Sleep. Eat. Stretch.
  • DOLLAR TREE! I buy Jennie-O Turkey Burgers there with there Nature Own Honey Wheat Bread then their 40 oz bag of Pampa Long Grain Rice and their Eggs and big gallon of Water and sometimes their Soymilk.. All packed with CARBS and PROTEIN. The Jennie-O Turkey Burger alone packs 21 PROTEIN..the size of the patty itself is 1/3 lb. It has only has 220 sodium, NO sugar, and 22 TOTAL FAT..the calories also are 260!
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    edited November 2014
    One package uncle ben's 90-second rice
    One can Goya black beans, rinsed and drained
    One package Purdue Short Cuts

    Microwave rice for 90 seconds
    Pour beans in a bowl, microwave for one minute
    Add chicken to beans, microwave for one more minute
    Mix in rice
    (Add cheese and Sirarcha if desired)

    The base recipe
    1000+ calories, 15g fat 95g protein, 152g carbs - 27g of which are fiber