Weight loss Forum - weightloss.com.au

by **Blitz** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 5:33 am

I've ridden one exercise bike into the ground since I've started on this weight loss/maintenance journey. This was a bike I got my wife so she could keep fit but she found that it wasn't her thing so it ended up as most exercise bikes do as dust gatherers or clotheslines. Little did we imagine at the time of purchase that I would end up on it exercising my heart out.
Fortunately when I "killed" the bike I sent a text to my sister to that affect and she offered her unused exercise bike as replacement.
It was a very good bike...much better than the old one and I was able to continue on my way without missing a beat.

In the last week or so I've been noticing that this bike was starting to give up the ghost as well. I've found my exercise bike such an efficient tool to use that I started to price out a replacement bike. I was shocked at the price of a reasonable sort of bike would cost. Even the cheaper bikes were pricey for what they were. I can understand why these gym equipment selling places were offering "terms" - it is the only way one could buy them.

I was ready to bite the bullet and plug down hundreds of dollars for a so-so bike (not as good as I had but not the cheapest) when my good wife had a brainwave - why not check out some hock shops? First one had a good enough bike in it for $200 (a lot cheaper than buying one new) but we decide to check another shop out. Next shop had one for $79. Yes it wasn't as good as the one I had but at that price if it lasted only a year I would still be in front. Brought it for $70 (never buy any big ticket item at a hock shop without asking for a discount).

So now I'm on to my third exercise bike. It is interesting to compare them as each behaves differently from the others. Those read outs like calories burned and resistance levels vary wildly. For example, on my last exercise bike 30 minutes on level 4 would give me a read out of 500 calories burnt however 30 minutes on my new bike on level 8 (which is about the same resistance as the old bike's level 4) would only give me 200 calories. Also the seat is different...although this one is actually softer - my bottom is so use to the contours of the old bike that there is going to be an adjustment period while my bottom develops the new calluses to cope.

So the moral of the story is - don't pay full price for an exercise bike. Many people buy exercise equipment with good intentions but don't follow through...and sell near new items at very cheap prices. One guy was selling a bells and whistles cross trainer costing over a thousand for near half price on Gumtree with the words "Only used a few times. Bloody women" :shock:

Go to a hock shop, Gumtree or the like...and grab a bargain!

Kim

by **admin** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 4:01 pm

Good for you!

It just goes to show you one mans trash is another mans treasure.
I recently has this experience but on the side of things. We sold our office and have to move out beginning of October and I looked around and wondered what the hell am I going to do with 2 glass boardroom tables, 14 boardroom chairs and tonnes of other office items that is not needed now.

I thought I would try my luck as someone suggested and whacked it all on eBay....never in my life have I shopped on ebay for second hand stuff and thought I would still be stuck with it all.
Well in the last 2 weeks nearly everything except 2 items have gone to my amazement! I am now converted to eBay as a first stop for anything in the next office space....its another world out there.
I would also suspect many exercise equipment which have been housing clothes draped over them would be a great place to shop .... also many a late night ab rollers

(Do not buy anything that is marketed "just folds up and rolls under the bed" as that is where it will stay). Sorry I wandered off there for a minute.
Sharrelle

by **Blitz** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 4:55 am

admin wrote:I would also suspect many exercise equipment which have been housing clothes draped over them would be a great place to shop .... also many a late night ab rollers (Do not buy anything that is marketed "just folds up and rolls under the bed" as that is where it will stay). Sorry I wandered off there for a minute.
Sharrelle

The old adage "out of sight - out of mind" applies here. At least with you draping clothes over them...a fleeting thought that perhaps you ought to climb on it instead and use it to the purpose it was designed for my have a chance to enter your head.

I'm not a very "green" person but was raised in a household that understood what thrift meant. Waste not - want not. I once did a talk at church on gluttony and uncovered some shocking statistics on waste in Australia. Here is just one graph by the Australia Institute that is a real eye opener...

: Wasteful Consumption in Australia.png (8.94 KiB) Viewed 913 times

Australia wastes over $5,500 million in food not eaten, $1,500 million in clothes/shoes/etc not worn and $500 million in gym/sport (which is more than two thirds greater than we waste on electricity). No wonder our council verge clean up piles are so huge! And no wonder this sort of appalling wastage leads us to pile up junk in our huge guts. :shock:

Kim

by **CronicBadger** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 9:41 pm

I was at a Harris Farms store earlier today and they had "cosmetically imperfect" tomatoes for $1.50/kilo.

I asked about "cosmetic imperfections" and was told that 30 percent of produce never left the farms because it was too big, too small oddly shaped or had windburn. The major stores don't want that sort of thing so it is either ploughed back into the ground, or used as animal fodder. The store is trying to promote these overlook items.

by **Blitz** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:17 am

CronicBadger wrote:I was at a Harris Farms store earlier today and they had "cosmetically imperfect" tomatoes for $1.50/kilo.

I asked about "cosmetic imperfections" and was told that 30 percent of produce never left the farms because it was too big, too small oddly shaped or had windburn. The major stores don't want that sort of thing so it is either ploughed back into the ground, or used as animal fodder. The store is trying to promote these overlook items.

Tomatoes have long been the victim of this craziness. The modern tomato is strictly grown for looks - and as a result they taste bland compared to the ones of yesteryear. I bet these "cosmetic imperfections" are genetic throwbacks and probably taste better for it!

Kim

by **CronicBadger** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 4:41 pm

In yet another attempt to stretch the dollar in a healthy way, I'm currently making some ginger wine.

A lot of sugar necessarily goes into making wine from fruit other than grapes. A few weeks ago I found an old can of ginger beer concentrate at the back of the cupboard. Hmm. After a bit more searching I found some even older wine yeast on a shelf - almost certainly dead due to age, but worth an attempt at resurrection. Fortunately for my wallet, a few days of loving care saw the yeast erupting out of a covered glass of water, sugar and nutrients. Yes! Project "Don't chuck out that old ginger beer concentrate" was green-lighted.

A beer-brewing vat was cleaned up, the concentrate thrown in with 30 litres of water, yeast and a few kilos of sugar. Over the past few weeks another four kilos of sugar has been added, with another four to follow.

Simply speaking, it takes about 20 grams of sugar to raise the alcohol content by one percent in one litre of wine. So by careful measurement and testing the sugar will eventually be converted by the yeast to carbon dioxide and alcohol. So I am aiming to convert most of that nasty sugar to better things - the result, a dry, high-alcohol, low-sugar ginger wine ready for Christmas.

Total cost, including the ginger originally destined for the bin? About 70 cents per litre. Food energy about 350 kJ per glass.

by **DD Diva** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 5:21 pm

I admire your enthusiasm and thriftiness CB, but it seems to be a lot of work for a beverage that isn't really the best/healthiest of choices. It's certainly better than a lot of other drinks (that's true) and even if it is only 350 kj (83 calories) a glass if you have too much of it (low sugar or not) it still adds up to nothing more than empty calories. :oops:

Water straight out of the tap, is totally sugar free and (to an extent because you pay for it in your rates anyway) almost cost free as well!!!

by **DD Diva** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 5:24 pm

Oh and forgot to add....
Is the best form of hydrating agent for the human body, and at zero kjs / calories, you gotta love that don't ya???!!! :wink:

by **CronicBadger** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 11:06 pm

I shall drink it in moderation. :-)

by **Blitz** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 5:23 am

Sounds like you have all the ingredients for a lost weekend there Marc! :shock:

Gosh there is a lot involved in making your own. Just the effort has got to burn a few calories off! :lol:

At least you know what is going into your brew. Most people who buy their booze have no idea of the calorie content of their drinks. I've had a number of conversations with people who were very surprised about the state of play alcohol can have on why they can't lose weight.

Bottom line Marc...does it taste any good? :wink:

Kim

by **DD Diva** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 6:02 am

CronicBadger wrote:I shall drink it in moderation.

Yes, as with all things, it is the best way!

by **CronicBadger** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 11:25 pm

Fermentation has stalled and is a little too sweet for my liking. I've tried to kickstart it to no avail, so I'm going to add some starter yeast tomorrow to see if that helps.

At the side of the garage in the backyard I caught the dog sucking madly at the grass where I'd earlier chucked out half a cup of the wine in disgust. It hasn't hurt him, but I'll be much more careful to keep the boozehound away from free samples in future.

by **DD Diva** » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:58 am

Seems to me that you're having to add something more to your brew to make it drinkable, which begs the questions, how "cheap" is it going to be to produce and will it be worth the trouble??? :roll: