Money may be too tight to mention, but there are deals to be had if you know where to look for them. SIMON TIERNEYfind ways to live well with less cash
FITNESS
There must be interesting and unusual ways to exercise without suffering the brain-draining gym workout. Let’s face it, fitness can be a devastatingly functional experience. In Hannah and her Sisters, Woody Allen watches some joggers in Central Park and says, “Look at all these people, trying to stave off the inevitable decay of their bodies.”
So what can we do to spice things up? Dancing is difficult for a lot of people, including myself, because it requires doing a number of things at the same time. To a beat. But it is a social approach to exercise.
Walking is the simple and obvious alternative. I love to take my dog, Dermot, for a walk, although we have conflicting interests. He likes to stop regularly and sniff things. This is not a hobby I share. Some people find walking boring so I’ve found a group, listed below, that has given it some real oomph.
For teenagers, there is a great biking event to look forward to. I met a man at the weekend who had recently cycled from France to Turkey. I feel inspired. This week my goal is to cycle from my flat to the Spar. Baby steps.
Fat wallets lead us to pricey gyms. Empty wallets lead us to more exciting environs. Check out this week’s offerings.
DANCING
Salsa has become a phenomenon all over the world, now danced in 130 countries. Salsa Dublin runs classes with highly experienced teachers in Q Bar (O’Connell Bridge House, Burgh Quay, Dublin 1, tel: 01-677409). They are running a free introductory class on Tuesday March 13th from 7.30pm. If you prefer tango, have a go at Exchange Dublin (Exchange Street Upper, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, tel: 01-677 9264) every Sunday at 5pm. Try it for free tomorrow.
WALKING
My favourite approach to walking is the Let’s Walk & Talk group, run by Dublin City Council. The idea is that you are doing some exercise while also learning a language – and all for free. The French walk and talk group meets at the monument to William Conyngham (Kildare Place, Kildare Street, Dublin 2) every Friday at 2pm, and the Irish group meets in Meeting House Square (Temple Bar, Dublin 2) at 11am, also on Fridays Tel: 01-222 2233 for details. Each week the groups explore different parts of the city, and the walks last around 90 minutes. Allez toute suite, a chairde.
BIKING
For those who fancy something a bit edgy, have a stab at the Galway Blitz (Derroura, Co Galway) on Sunday, March 18th. It's the third round of the Biking Blitz, which has already taken place in Wicklow and Limerick, and will finish up in Dublin on Sunday, April 1st. With proper mountain bike trail centres used, it is ideal for beginners or more advanced cyclists too. Free for under-16s only. For details, visit biking.ie.
Finally, drinking a glass of cold water helps you to lose weight, apparently. Because iced water is around 4 degrees Celsius, the body has to work hard to maintain homeostasis. It takes one calorie of energy to increase the temperature of a litre of water by two degrees. It’s what I like to call “exercise for the astonishingly unmotivated”.
If you have details of free services/activities/ products, email emptywallet@irishtimes.com. Upcoming topics include wine and coffee
