I like to know exactly what I put into my body. I don’t care too much about taste – food just serves the purpose of fueling my body.
Knowing that this is my target, I am aiming for the minimal effective dose. In the case of my diet, this means minimizing expenses and inconvenience.
Most condos in Thailand (whether rented short- or long-term) don’t come with a kitchen. Usually, they are equipped with a fridge (plus freezer) and a microwave only.
No Kitchen = No Meal Prep
Without a proper kitchen or at least cooking plate, it’s inconvenient to prepare meals such as chicken and rice at home.
I’ve done it via the microwave by simply using ground chicken meat instead of regular chicken meat but the end result is almost unbearable.
In terms of costs, cooking at home is the cheapest option.
If you plan on staying in Thailand long-term, a cooking plate would be well worth the investment.
Without a kitchen, there are 2 alternatives for quality food:
- Food Court
- 7-Eleven
Food courts in Thailand are very inexpensive but usually very crowded except for early morning. A portion of chicken with rice ranges from 45-65 Baht ($1.36 – $1.97)
If you live within walking distance to a food court, you can use it for the bulk of your meals.
Let’s use the example of chicken rice.
- Price: 55 Baht
- ~150g Chicken Breast (247 kcal / 46P / 0C / 5.4F)
- 1 Cup White Rice (205 kcal / 4P / 45C / 0.4F)
- 1 Cup Soup/Bone Broth
- Total: 452 kcal / 50P / 45C / 5.8F
Not too bad!
Now, these macros aren’t exact as portion size will vary (slight) each time. But roughly these are the macros you are looking at.
I’m eating around 3,000 calories per day.
This means food court (the above meal) 4 times per day = 1,808 calories (220 Baht, or $6.65 USD).
Then I add to that 4 boiled eggs (7-Eleven) at 78 calories (10 Baht), totaling 312 calories.
Lastly, I do eat one meal at home but it’s an easy one to prepare: Oatmeal.
Mcgarrett Instant Oats 50g, to be precise.
I buy these 50g sachets. No scale required. Just one sachet per day mixed with water.
1 Oatmeal Sachet (50g) = 210 calories ( 6P / 35 C / 5F) at 10 Baht per sachet.
1 Tablespoon coconut oil = 117 calories (14 F)
Total Daily Macros
- 2,447 Calories
- Protein 230
- Carbs 217
- Fats 61
- Costs: 270 Thai Baht = $8.16 USD
On workout days, I throw in 3 bananas post-workout. That’s an additional 270 calories and 30 Baht.
Thailand 7-Eleven Diet
If you don’t have a food court close-by, living off 7-Eleven meals exclusively isn’t too bad.
I am NOT talking about the ready-to-eat dinner meals with preservatives and other unhealthy ingredients added.
What I mean is cups of rice (different variations) and pure chicken breast. They will microwave it for you at the store.
If you decide to put together the chicken rice combo using 7-Eleven meals, it will be significantly more expensive than the food court.
- 1 Cup of Rice = 10 Baht
- 2x 70g Chicken Breast = 72 Baht
That’s 82 Baht total VS. 55 Baht at the food court.
The 7-Eleven meal option isn’t perfect (microwaved, packaged food) but it’s good enough for 99% of people trying to get results in the gym.
Sport Supplements in Thailand
If you are serious about bodybuilding/fitness, you’ll probably want to consume a number of vitamins and supplements, such as magnesium, zinc, etc.
While you can obtain those at drugs stores all over Thailand, I recommend you bring a quality product with you when coming to Thailand.
If you plan on staying for more than a few weeks, you can also order via iHerb.
Keep in mind that it’ll cost a few $$$ for shipping and delivery time is around 3 weeks.
Keep total value of the order below $50 and you shall have no issues with customs.
If you need something urgently and can’t find it in stores, Lazada is another option.
Mostly overpriced and limited selection but at least you’ll get it delivered within a day. (Payment can be made cash at any 7-Eleven)
Testosterone in Thailand
The final component of making solid progress in the gym is maintaining optimal testosterone levels.
If you have naturally high testosterone, then I applaud you.
Otherwise you can use testosterone boosting supplements, such as Zinc, Aspartic Acid, etc.
If you want to go to supernatural levels, Testosterone Replacement Therapy is widely available in Thailand.
There are many clinics that can get you started on the same day you walk in.
More info on my TRT in Thailand can be found here and inside my Thailand Guide.
You can also get Vitamin B12 injections at most pharmacies in Thailand (in case you feel low energy or need an energy rush for your workout session).
Massages in Bangkok
We all know that muscles grow during recovery. In terms of recovery, there are some great massage places in Bangkok.
Soapy massage and Nuru massage in Bangkok are what I talk about most often but those won’t necessarily be your best option in terms of recovery.
The focus is on the sex part after the massage and often times the girl isn’t trained in giving in massage (because it’s not what customers want anyway).
A real massage you can get at places such as Health Land Asok.
To be clear, Health Land Bangkok is a place that offers professional massages.
Don’t go there expecting a happy ending or start touching the masseuse!
So there you have it – all essential elements of making progress in the gym. That’s the reason why many consider Thailand to be one of the best countries for fitness and bodybuilding!
Warm climate, low costs of living, cute Thai girls and access to a low-cost medical system (including steroids).