New to tris but long time athlete

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2006-10-11 8:32 AM

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Subject: New to tris but long time athlete
I just wanted to introduce myself. I am a college sophomore who just joined the Triathletes at Florida State University. I am new to this sport but have been an athlete my whole life and have experience with swimming and running competitively. I just wanted to say that as all college students are, I am on a very tight budget. I have succesfully bought my own road bike (2005 Trek model) and have lots of gear. The only thing I am struggling with is my day to day diet. Unfortunately, I have a weekly $20 limit on groceries (if I exceed that I am really stretching my budget.) It's extremely hard to stay fueled for my workouts, and in between my workouts, however I do eat healthy. No fast food. Is there any advice from other college competitors who are also on a strict budget?

2006-10-11 10:41 AM
in reply to: #566449

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Subject: RE: New to tris but long time athlete
Welcome to BT! I was a college student not all that long ago but I was not training at the time. I really don't know what advise to offer you. I know how tough it is living on a college budget and throwing triathlon and the apetite that comes with it into the mix and it is not going to be easy! I am sure that you will make it work out though! Good luck in your training! When is your first tri?
2006-10-12 11:51 AM
in reply to: #566449

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Subject: RE: New to tris but long time athlete

I am not a college student, but I do have an idea or two.

Find some young ladies that really love to cook, and let them practice on you.  Now you don't present it like that, but if you do it right you can get invited to a lot of meals.

Find a couple with fairly young kids, and offer to baby sit for them.  You can get paid for doing that, and have extra cash for food.  Or tell them you will baby sit for free, IF they will feed you dinner 2 nights a week (or something like that.)  If you don't know anyone with young kids, check out a local church they usally have a LOT of young couples with kids... and many of them are looking for cheap baby sitters.  (Now it MIGHT take a while to get this set up, since many families are a little slow about letting men watch kids but it really could workout well.)  I know we pay 5-6 bucks an hour to our sitters, so it is pretty easy money.  But we have 4 kids too.

2006-10-13 1:44 PM
in reply to: #566449

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Subject: RE: New to tris but long time athlete
Thanks for the great advice. Unfortunatley, I am already trying to pay my way through college in ALL the spare time I can get other than studying and training, which leaves me NO room for anything else. And I should have made it a little more clear, I'm a female, so it wouldn't be too hard to find a babysitting position. I guess its the Ramen diet for me after all....
2006-10-14 10:01 AM
in reply to: #568669

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Subject: RE: New to tris but long time athlete
Re: the diet, my cheap, relatively high-quality diet consists of mostly bananas and canned veggies. Get lots of cans of low-sugar (not sweet peas or sweet corn) veggies, + some bundles of spinach, and fill in the gaps with dry whole wheat toast. Breakfast is whole grain oatmeal (find it in the health food section) and a banana.
2006-10-17 2:16 PM
in reply to: #569068

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Subject: RE: New to tris but long time athlete
Grocery stores typically try to sell off their items for cheap before they expire. I used to live and work right next to a grocery store, so every night when I'd get off work I'd go and try to find all their "bargain bin" food, buy it and make a meal of it that night.

Brown rice is fairly cheap, easy to make and good for you. Chicken (with bones) is cheaper than boneless and can be cooked pretty easily. Oatmeal is really good for you and cheap. Flavor it with cinnamon and raisins for flavor. Fruits and vegetables always go on sale too, especially when they are in season.

Just be creative and be sure you're getting all your nutrients. A guy I used to swim with tried to over budget and ate nothing but rice. Ended up in the hospital doing two-a-days on nothing but a rice diet.

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