Great Tips... one liners

Penny_watcher_2

tupac662 wrote: »

I like.
Tried training at home instead of gym but found it hard to motivate myself. Will try and buy some weights and a cheap treadmil / rowing machine for next yr

One AWESOME exercise I began recently is weighted dips on my kitchen corner.

I used to do unweighted til I outgrew them but recently bought a backbpack originally to do weighted press ups (as bench is dangerous alone on a big weight) but used it for that instead.

I'm sure just for weighted dips a weights belt would be cheaper than the expensive hiking backpack I bought although I thought I would be using it for weighted chest at the time. I now don't like that exercise due to weights being too shaky whilst on the bag but find the weighted dips superior as a solo chest exercise.

As for the motivation part I found this a moot point cos of several student gyms I would go to I found it was mostly filled with SLOBS who only go to say they are training so it actually DE-motivated me. I went to a badboy rocky style gym once in an old mill which my bodybuilder friend took me too. That one was great but just a one off. That one I would pay to trian at for the 'neanderthal' atmosphere .

Seakay

I keep thinking that it would be so much better to exercise at home - especially as I'm not actually going to the gym at the moment! - but I do find it very hard to motivate myself and to find ways of making sure that I actually do useful work. The one thing about gym machines (once I'm fit enough to use them) is that you have to move a certain weight or go at a certain pace.
Any tips for regulating and enforcing exercise at home gratefully received!

Penny_watcher_2

Well having a set routine has worked out best for me.

Just have a routine of 4 exercises to do 4 sets of 12 reps. This 4 x 4 x 12 I read was a good average regimen; although there are different ones, for growth I read that is a good one.

What I was doing recently is since I added bigger weight to my dips is having a progress sheet. That was a good motivator cos then I can see directly if I'm improving or not.

So just a sheet of paper with each exercise. write down each set number and how many reps you manage then try and increase the amount each time. If it's getting too easy by the last ones increase the weight. Adjust weight up and down as required.

Then you have the stats there and you either do it or you don't and you have only yourself to blame if you don't . Commence to drown your sorrows in a fresh pack of (value) pringles.

I also have a course in life couching which deals with how to get motivated to actually do the thing in the first place but that would be more specialized to the individual.

Tish_P

Running is pretty frugal exercise. Good shoes and sports bras aren't dirt cheap, but you need them whatever sport you do, and there are no gym fees.

I make myself go running (I say running - it's so slow that it's jogging really, but that sounds so 80s) in the mornings by putting out my running gear next to the bed before I go to sleep. So the easiest thing to do when I wake up is put the running kit on, and by then I might as well go out. Silly, but I'm lazy enough that it works.

juliethemuse

ive always exercised at home, i would never venture anywhere near a gym, i used can of beans as weights, them my son gave me his old ones, so it costs me zilch too,
i no longer drink or smoke, apart from the health benefits i simply cant afford to, compared to last year i have changed so much! i was chucking food away, including the crusts of the loaf as no-one liked them, not anymore, even if i found myself suddenly rich (flying pig alert) i still wouldnt be able to change back i dont think,

lauren_1

Sorry but you CAN drink and still live like a cheapskate.

Making your own wines, beers, gins and moonshine can be so much more fun although you could possibly lose about 3 days through trial and error!

Penelope_Penguin

Penny_watcher wrote: »

I've just got some good info off this site so thought I'd make at least a small effort to give a lil back.

Thank you :A As this has fallen from the front page of OS, I'll add it to the existing thread to give you more ideas

Lou76

I hope it's ok to start this thread, I just thought I'd post (and ask others) what handy wee tips I've/they've learnt purely from reading this forum?

I've only been reading the O/S forum for a few weeks, didn't even realise it existed before, I tend to stick to the usual 2 or 3 forums I first found when I joined this site .

Anyway, so far I have found out about:

Stardrops; haven't used it yet, only bought it today, but looking forward to saving a fortune on a whole collection of different cleaners, like the ones I need to use up. :whistle:

Micro Fibre cloths; as above. Bought a pack of 3 (40cm x 60cm) in B&M for £1.49 - will be looking to cut them up, and sew the edge, into smaller cloths. I might not have tried them yet but I know the rhyme: Blue for the loo, Pink for the sink. :rotfl:

I'll try them out tomorrow on my [huge] livingroom mirror that likes to eat up the Mr Muscle window & glass cleaner - the only thing I've found so far to get it both clean & streak free.

Soda Crystals: Again, just bought today but have already tried them. My coffee mug was as manky as you can imagine :eek: (I only drink black coffee) and no amount of scrubbing worked, thought I was gonnae have to [grudgingly] bin it. Put about a teaspoon of soda crystals into the mug, added hot water, and left to cool. Rinsed it out at it's gleaming. I'm chuffed tae bits.

Potato water: After boiling your tatties, you can use the water for your houseplants, or pouring over dry dog food (I don't have a dog, or boil potatos much, but my Mum & Dad do/have both, passed that info on). I've been chucking mine down the sink.

Baby Oil: Cleans stainless steel. Forgot to buy some today, I'll get it soon though and try it on my bin lid.

Cinnamon sticks: Can be used to fragrance a room. Cannae believe I never thought of it before.

I'm sure there's many more, but these are the ones I can think of right now. Don't get me wrong, I've spent money buying things I wouldn't normally, to add to the ever increasing collection of cleaning products I already own, but hopefully these will replace them in the long run.

I'm so glad I found this forum. These days I'm skint, but I still buy as though as I have enough disposable income to buy every type of cleaning/food essential and leave myself without each month. Looking forward to getting on top of that. :T

If anyone reading this is the originator of a tip I've posted, please post and let me thank you. I could trawl the forum for your original post, but I doubt I'd have the energy.

If any other "newbies" are reading, please post your finds, as the rest of might not have found them (some are hidding within threads).

Lou xx

cooking-mama

I didnt know how wonderfull Oven Pride oven cleaner was,
I didnt know i could freeze wine/herbs etc in ice cubes,
I didnt know how to use a pressure cooker,
I didnt know what a Remoska was.
(I now own both a pressure cooker and a Remoska..saved a fortune on fuel bills.)
Im sure there are loads more things,too tired to think of them all just now.:)

stiltwalker

Never occurred to me to fleece line curtains - so glad I did as the boiler packed up and we were heatingless or a fortnight - so thank you preparing for winter thread! :T

Didn't know there was such a thing as left over wine to freeze in ice cubes!:rotfl:But if I ever have any it's a very useful idea.

Didn't know you could cook potato peelings and they'd be so yummy - had some cooling in the tray the other day when our best friend came over for dinner and when he asked what they were I was sure he'd think I had finally lost the plot irretrievably but no he declared them yummy and he and my OH polished off most of the tray before I put dinner out!

There must be loads more but like cooking-mama I'm tired and my bed is calling.