I need help!!!!

Here's my issue:

I live in a small closed mined town. Meat & potatoes farmers and uneducated people. This town is also far away from larger town's with more opportunities. I don't drive so I cannot readily get to larger town's with places to shop. I'm lifting a lot lately and really need more protein. I'm also on a fairly limited income.

I've been using some protein shakes, and am planning to order some vegan protein online. As much as I do not want to I'm struggling to keep myself a vegetarian. I am considering adding tuna. I feel though the more animal based proteins I have to keep adding the less true to myself and more true to this town I'm becoming. I've tried tofu, but it's really expensive here. In fact anything healthy is extra expensive here compared to the city where I lived (Chicagoland).

I moved here because I couldn't afford Chicago anymore, but I'm having a difficult time in this town without a regular place to get healthy food.

Please help me if you have ideas that won't cost a lot of money and can be super convenient.

Hi Sara,

I'm new to veganism, but based on my research, there are tons of types of beans and lentil and rice which are super cheap and excellent sources of protein. Buy bulk and it is even cheaper (they keep well). The internet has tons of creative ways to cook them - one of my new favs is corn, black beans and rice (tho I often use Quinoa which is more expensive and not likely available for you). I often will mix chili and rice together (especially if I have left over rice) . Or I will use lentils and barley in a soup.

Peanut butter is one of my staples.. I have it with breakfast several times a week. Sometimes you can get nuts in bulk for cheap too and they are easy to put in a snack bag and carry in your purse. If you are wanting to bulk up then the fat content shouldn't be a huge concern. I eat tons of nuts and I'm not fat yet - I should be huge if the nutritionists are telling the truth about their calories, but I'm not.

With those and the protein powder you are getting, that should be more than enough protein for a female. Here is a link that might help too: http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/556369-the-21-best-muscle-building-foods-for-vegetarians/?utm_source=articlebottom&utm_medium=1#slide-16

p.s. .. don't get discouraged because of the mindset where you live. You gotta do what you think is right. I go to Crossfit and they mock vegetarians, but screw them and their paelo, I'm going vegan now.

Cheers,

Tracie

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“Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it polite?’ Vanity asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’ And there comes a point when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor polite, nor popular, but one must take it because one’s conscience tells him or her that it is right.”

Martin Luther King

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Dried beans...soak them boil em..