Best Stationary Bikes Other Than Peloton

Posted on November 13, 2020

Disclosure: This post may have affiliate links. If you purchase any item mentioned in this post, I will earn a small commission from the sale.

With lockdown ahead, fitness fanatics will once again turn to interactive fitness equipment like Peloton bikes, and fitness apps

As the country and the entire world goes back on lock down as cases of COVID-19 start the surge again, fitness fans and those of us working to unload some of our Quarantine 15 pounds will have to find at-home ways to exercise.

The new restrictions would mean workout apps like Beach Body On Demand, remote fitness equipment like Peloton bikes and on-demand online and mobile workout apps offered by gyms and exercise studios, large and small, will once again start to be the go-to source for fitness fanatics.

Not long ago, I counted myself among the super fit. I would participate in charity road races every month. With work, life, family obligtions, I’ve fallen off the wagon but do plan to get back on the saddle.

I am familiar with the Peloton revolution as I had downloaded the app so I could preview and explore the hundreds of free non-bike specific exercise classes which are available free for 60 days!

Peloton Effect

I quickly began to understand the appeal to the disruptive spin bike company.

The bike comes with a 24-inch screen, access to world-class spin instructors and hundreds of fitness classes including 10-14 live daily classes and dozens of on-demand ones.

Early in the pandemic, a lot of people were like me and so much so that Peloton’s stock price jumped as sales soared durig the initial lockdown. While dealing with an order backlog, the company decided to forego participating in Black Friday this year and instead decided to sell its world-reknown bikes which retails for $1, 895, a drop from its original $2,245 original price.

The company upped its game again recently when it announced a collaboration with pop star Beyonce which involves Rides featuring her music.

Beyonce and Peloton worked together to create a series of themed workouts for her “Homecoming” HBO visual album, which is being held virtually this year due to the pandemic.

Additionally, Beyonce and Peloton are gifting two-year Peloton memberships to students at 10 HBCUs, and Peloton will also build recruiting partnerships with these schools.

Peloton Alternatives

While the idea of a 24″ HD screen that can rotate 360 degrees and a sturdy bike that can withstand the rigors of an intense rider sounds great, there are a few other bikes out there that will do the trick for less than half the cost.

Here are a few bikes that I have my eye on and am hoping some Black Friday sales come thru as well:

Bowflex

Fitness equipment maker Bowflex‘s answer to the Peloton bike is its C6 which sells for half the price of a Peloton bike at $999 and Bowflex throws in a pair of 3lb dumbells, adds an aditional 5-year mechanical warranty, a total of 10 years for its bike. The annual cost for the Bowflex workout subscription for the app service is $158 a year which is about 1/4th of Peloton’s annual subscription which is $468.

The C6 does not come with the monitor but it allows users to tether the bike with an app they connect to their Apple TV, a regular streaming TV or a phone or tablet.

Echelon

A price point below that is the Echelon Connect Sport Indoor Cycling Exercie Bike which retails for $497 and is essentially a Walmart exclusive Peloton knock off complete with its own app that comes with 1,600 rides included for 6 months of its subscription service.

Sunny Health

On the even lower end of the spectrum is the Sunny Health and Fitness SF-B1002 Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike which sells for just $369 but has excellent reviews and comes well recommended for being stable, able to accommodate 100mph speed, is quiet and easy to assemble.

Like Orange Theory, Peloton riders, have a cult-like following. They buy the gear and wear the branded clothing. But sometimes, the tops the instructors wear catch the eye of female riders and a new style trend takes off!

I noticed on Facebook this weekend that three of my friends were wearing the exact same cut-out bra. The linking characteristics of these three friends? They each are avid Peloton riders.

It is sold on Amazon for $15, but I found a similar one at Romwe for 9.95. The plus to both of these is that the bra is well constructed for the price and it comes with padding!

Alo, a California-based yoga studio with studios and shops in Cali and New York, sells a version for a slightly higher price ($54).

It gets excellent reviews as well from verified purchasers who describe the bra as comfortable, edgy and stylish. Their only complaint is that it has no padding and my not be suitable for HIIT workouts but is great for everything else.

Free People makes the Ruffle Me Up Sports bra which is a whole lot of feminine mixed with sporty.

Woman in Urban Outfittrs Sports bra with dog on deck

Finally, Urban Outfitters comes thru with the sexy pushup version in its Year of Ours Victoria sports bra.

SHOP MORE SPORTS CUT OUT BRAS

The appeal of the black cut out bra phenomenon is not necessarily new. Fitness pro Sylwia Wiesenberg wore a similar cut out bra in her Femme Fatale workout video back in 2014 and similarly, inspired thousands of women to go out and get a similar bra.

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News

Viral: Mom Cries When Panic Buyers Clean Out Diaper Shelves

Posted on March 21, 2020

Utah mom Lauren Whitney was having a tough week when she went to her local Walmart to get diapers for her 18-month-old daughter, Rosalynd. But when she got to the aisle, there was nothing left in Rosalynd’s size.

It was just too much for the mom of four to take.

“So basically I’ve just had like a really rough week,” Whitney told TODAY Parents. “I was demoted at work for a really stupid reason, and it just kinda created stress. I went to a few other stores first. I ended up at Walmart and I was just looking for diapers…and there was just none in her size anywhere. And I think it was the straw that broke the camel’s back for the week. And my emotions kind of bubbled up and I was like, ‘Somebody needs to hear this.'”

Whitney took to the social media video sharing app TikTok and recorded a video of herself crying, a video that has since gone viral with more than 5 million views.

Whitney, who works part-time at a movie theater to help subsidize her family’s income, said that for her family, she doesn’t have the opportunity to bulk buy like some.

“There’s so many people out there like myself that we, we don’t get paid very much,” she explained, adding that her husband is ex-military and a full-time student. “So, you know, we’re low income families and so it’s hard for us to be able to just go out and buy a large amount of things at one time.”

“When we do have the funds to be able to go purchase things and it’s not there for us to buy, it’s very frustrating,” Whitney said. “So those people that are buying in bulk or that are clearing the shelves make it harder for those of us that either are low income or only get paid every two weeks or even once a month.”

@browncoatbetty ##thisapocalypsesucks ♬ original sound – browncoatbetty

Panic buying refers to the phenomenon when consumers buy unusually large amounts of a product in anticipation of, or after, a disaster or perceived disaster, or in anticipation of a large price increase or shortage.

On Sunday, the National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association urged shoppers to restrain themselves from hoarding, asking that if they didn’t need an item in the next two weeks to leave it for someone else who does.

“Hoarding and stockpiling creates unnecessary gaps between the time that someone who truly needs a product can find it back on retailers’ shelves,” they said in a statement. “This is particularly important for our most vulnerable neighbors — the elderly and those who are struggling with other health issues.”

Whitney got diaper eventually, but here again are my tips for alternatives to diapers in a pinch.

Burp Rag. I’ve used cloth diapers as burp rags, so why not the other way around? Usually they are thick and will do the trick for a short amount of time at least. If you usually use cloth diapers and have a liner, then it should work a little better.
Wipes. If you have the kind of wipes that need to be wetted prior to use or if you have any wipes that have dried out, they can be used in a pinch while you pick up some more. I would not advise using wipes that are wet, as this could cause a rash.
Receiving Blanket. I wouldn’t suggest using your favorite one, just in case, but if you are out and about and have no other options then this will work. Most people have a receiving blanket in their diaper bag for infants, and it is large enough that you can fold it a few times for added layers or tie it around them.
Maxi Pad. This may be a little embarrassing if others see you use one; however, it is also very effective. Maxi pads are made to be absorbent and can hold enough to give you the time needed to get some real diapers. Make sure you have it secured into a diaper bottom or onesie, so it doesn’t slip.
Cheese Cloth. I would recommend folding this one as many times as you can and place it in a diaper bottom or onesie, the same as you would for a maxi pad. Since cheese cloth is made to have liquid wrung through it, you want to make sure you have as many layers as possible, and don’t rely on it lasting a long time.
Dishtowel. Again, I wouldn’t use your favorite one, but at least this one will be more absorbent and may buy you some additional time.
Wash Cloth. Depending on the size of your washcloths, you may want to use more than one, and either fold them or wrap them around and tie at the waist.
Pillow Case. Go for cotton and not silk or satin for best results. Bunch it together and tie or pin it up like a cloth diaper.
Napkin. I would suggest cloth, and not paper, but again stay away from your favorites. You can couple a few together for added protection and pin up the same as a cloth diaper.
Paper Towels. Notice the plural on towels as one will not cut it. I would use about four or five and fold up to insert the same as the maxi pad listed above.

I hope these tips help! Good luck, moms (and dads and caregivers!)

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Fashion

Casual Friday #OOTD {$6 Rainbow Leggings}

Posted on February 15, 2019

Athleisure is big and will be an $83B market by 2020, according to recent estimates!

But while top brands like Lululemon, Lucy and Athleta dominate the market among higher cost luxe brands, other retailers are cashing in on the craze and offering super low cost options.

Walmart is in on it as I recently discovered where I picked up a pair of $5.97 leggings from its “No Boundaries” athleisure junior brand this week while picking up a prescription.

I was on my way to the pharmacy when I peeped the work out clothes aisle in the corner of my eye. They were selling these bright pink sports bra and I have gained a bit of weight recently and needed to get a new “temporary” pair until I dropped a few. So I was up for purchasing a less expensive bra.

I look down and see these bright colorful rainbow leggings by Walmart brand No Boundaries going for just $5.97!

You have to excuse my mirror and one pop bedroom slippers ! lol

You cannot beat that price and so I didn’t mind checking them out because if they were ill-fitting or didn’t last, at least I would have only invested about 6 bucks!

I was pleasantly surprised to slip them on a couple of days later to discover how super soft they are! I wore them to bed and snapped a photo for my Instagram which auto posted to my personal Facebook page.

Right away, I started getting comments and in box messages from friends and followers who said they would make their way to their local Walmart to pick up their own pair! Woot!

I found them selling online too but as part of a set that includes one solid pair for $12.88. They go up to size XXL. Mine is an 11-12 and you can see how they fit on me in these photos on this post!

I think you can pair them with a casual sweatshirt, t-shirt or crop top and wear them out and about casually or with a PJ top and wear them to bed.

The next day, I was running late to my boot camp class and rather than fish a pair or athletic leggings out the drawer, I just slipped on a sports top and Made Right jersey screen long sleeve T ($9.88) and headed out to the gym.

My instructor, who is known to wear some pretty funky and cute work out clothes stopped mid class to compliment me on them!

I’d say they are a hit! I’m going to return later to look for some more.

You can get mine at Walmart.com for $12.88 for two!

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BumpNews

EEOC Sues Walmart for Pregnancy Discrimination

Posted on September 23, 2018

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit Saturday alleging that Walmart has violated federal law by discriminating against pregnant workers.

Pregnant employees were not given the chance to participate in a company program that allowed light-duty lifting while other workers with lifting restrictions were accommodated at Walmart’s distribution center in Menomonie, Wisconsin, EEOC’s lawsuit alleges.

“What our investigation indicated is that Walmart had a robust light duty program that allowed workers with lifting restrictions to be accommodated,” said Julianne Bowman, the EEOC’s district director in Chicago who managed the federal agency’s pre-suit administrative investigation. “But Walmart deprived pregnant workers of the opportunity to participate in its light duty program. This amounted to pregnancy discrimination, which violates federal law.”

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Your DIY Baby Food Making Guide + 12 Books To Help You Get Started

Posted on September 5, 2018

There have been a few baby food recalls in recent weeks that have prompted some new moms to consider making their own baby food from scratch for their little ones.

The idea of blending, pureeing, storing, thawing and making batches of baby food or toddler pouches can seem daunting, and time-consuming, but fortunately, in recent years, technology in the form of baby food blenders and scores of new books have cropped up to demystify and simplify the process.

Blender

To start, you may want to go out and get a blender with a puree function on it. I like the Magic Bullet for making smoothies and milkshakes for my little ones because it is easiest to clean. The company that makes it also sells a special version just for baby food making called Magic Bullet Baby Bullet Baby Care System which retails for $59.99 on Amazon but is sold in retail stores like Target, Walmart and the like.

Storage

Next, you’ll have to invest in tiny containers to store the foods you make. The Baby Bullet comes with its own containers and lids but you can also order storage containers. Sage Spoonfuls Big Batch Storage Set includes twelve 4 Ounce containers for about $20, enough for vegetable, desserts and other purees. They are freezer, dishwasher and microwave safe and durable portable jars with leak proof and easy to use screw on lids.

Recipes

Then comes the hard part: whipping up yummy recipes. Here are some books with tips, recipes and other suggestions.

ONE

The Amazing Make-Ahead Baby Food Book: Make 3 Months of Homemade Purees in 3 Hours ($17.88)

This popular hardback book will give you to tools and tips for making up to three months’ worth of healthy, homemade baby food in just three one-hour blocks of time. It has unique combos like Peachy Strawberry Salad, Coconutty Mango Lassi, Plum-Gingered Brocco-Quinoa, and Purple Papaya Flax Yogurt, blending in a rainbow of nutritious options while expanding your baby’s palate.

TWO

Real Baby Food: Easy, All-Natural Recipes for Your Baby and Toddler ($10.79)

The toughest part really is making the time but this book helps new moms create a routine that is easy, fast and flexible. The author starts with the building blocks of solid foods, and shares how to recognize food allergies, and easy ways to cook in bulk. Recipes progress from single-ingredient purées to multi-flavor blends like Salmon, Kale, and Sweet Potato Smash; then move on to finger foods—Turkey Meatloaf Bites, Maple Graham Animals—and finally toddler meals and snacks. Most can be made ahead and frozen, many are easily adapted for grown-up tastes, and all include full nutritional information. Nice!

THREE

101 DIY Baby Food Pouches ($10.99) specializes in baby food pouches for older babies and toddlers. This book includes instructions for filling your own pouches for cheaper, healthier, and eco-friendly options for your little one.

FOUR

Fast & Fresh Baby Food Cookbook: 120 Ridiculously Simple and Naturally Wholesome Baby Food Recipes ($11.87)

This book targets the early stage new mom who “can’t keep up with the laundry” or “can’t fit into anything but yoga pants” and “can’t make your baby sleep through the night.” The book promised to help this mom “make the best food for your baby in 30 minutes or less.”

FIVE

Little Foodie: Baby Food Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste ($13.59)

This book comes from a certified baby chef and blogger over at Baby FoodE, Michele Olivier. She offers over 100 food recipes, helpful FAQs and a comprehensive overview.

Baby food recipes include: Apple + Mint + Ricotta Purée / Fennel + Pea + Peach Purée / Pumpkin + Thyme Purée / Sesame Tofu Sticks + Peanut Sauce / Curried Egg Finger Sandwiches + Mango Chutney / Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine + Couscous / Sausage + Kale Over Creamy Polenta / DIY Toddler Sushi Bar, and more.

SIX

Super Easy Baby Food Cookbook: Healthy Homemade Recipes for Every Age and Stage ($11.74)

This book focuses on super simple recipes with just 5- ingredients each and includes over 150+ nutritious recipes that grow with your developing child. It has time saving sample menus for kids 4 to 18 months.

SEVEN

The Baby and Toddler Cookbook: Fresh, Homemade Foods for a Healthy Start ($15.68)

Packed with over 90 recipes and loads of nutritional information, The Baby & Toddler Cookbook makes cooking healthy meals easy, even for busy parents. By setting aside only a few hours a week, you can make and store an array of nutritious foods to keep baby happy and fed. All along the way, this book will give you helpful hints, guidance, and plenty of recipes to ease your path to nutrition.

EIGHT

Top 100 Baby Purees ($10.52)

Like the other books, you’d learn to wean your baby who is transitioning to solid foods, discover food allergies and how to make 100 Baby Purees with information tricks on finding the hidden nutrition in everyday foods. Dr. Michel Cohen, New York pediatrician and author of The New Basics: A-to-Z Baby & Child Care for the Modern Parent opens the book with a forward.

NINE

Cooking for Baby: Wholesome, Homemade, Delicious Foods for 6 to 18 Months ($12.30)

This book is organized by age and has smart tips on prep and storage with added suggestions on transitioning as baby grows. From celebrated children’s-food author Lisa Barnes, Cooking for Baby is a fully illustrated, gorgeous, four-color book that takes parents through the basics of preparing nutritious, delicious (and easy!) meals for your child, from six to eighteen months.

TEN

The Pediatrician’s Guide to Feeding Babies and Toddlers: Practical Answers To Your Questions on Nutrition, Starting Solids, Allergies, Picky Eating, and More (For Parents, By Parents) ($12.30)

A team of doctors came up with this comprehensive manual for feeding your babies and toddlers during their first crucial yeas of life. With The Pediatrician’s Guide to Feeding Babies and Toddlers, you have the expertise of a team of pediatric medical and nutritional experts—who also happen to be parents—in a comprehensive manual that takes the guesswork out of feeding. This first-of-its-kind guide provides practical, easy-to-follow advice to help you navigate the nutrition issues, medical conditions, and parenting concerns that accompany feeding. With recipes, parenting stories, and recommendations based on the latest pediatric guidelines, this book will allow you to approach mealtime with confidence so you can spend more time enjoying your new family.

ELEVEN

201 Organic Baby Purees: The Freshest, Most Wholesome Food Your Baby Can Eat! ($10.25)

When you can have 100 recipes, why not 201?! This book has even more healthy recipes that are organic and blends classic combinations such as turkey, sweet potato, and corn; Superfoods like avocado, blueberries, and spinach; and Puree-based transition recipes including soups, biscuits, frozen desserts.

TWELVE

The Happy Family Organic Superfoods Cookbook For Baby & Toddler Hardcover ($14.54)

This book comes from the organic family-focused food company Happy Family Organics and Cricket Azima, founder and CEO of The Creative Kitchen. Inside, find more than 70 easy-to-prepare recipes made with all-natural ingredients. It includes recipes with ingredient vegetable and fruit purees, including Happy Family’s best-selling spinach, mango & pear recipe, to recipes with quinoa, chia, and kale —Shazi’s and Cricket’s superfood recipes will nourish and please every kind of baby. Recipes for toddlers (1–3 years) include avocado & chicken whole wheat pizza; 3 bean farro risotto; and baked salmon with peas & rice balls; toddlers will love tasty snacks like strawberry-beet pudding with coconut milk and chia; avocado, melon & mint smoothies; banana, chocolate chip & quinoa muffins; and grilled nut-butter sandwiches with smashed berries.

Good luck!

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BumpNews

There’s an App Some Companies Use that Tracks When a Female Employee has Stopped Filling Her Birth Control Prescriptions

Posted on February 21, 2016

Some companies, including Walmart, are hiring third-party firms like Castlight Healthcare Inc. to help them reduce their health care costs. Concern is that some of this “help” includes tracking when a woman has stopped filling her birth-control prescriptions and made fertility-related searches on Castlight’s health app.

An article in the Wall Street Journal this week stated that the collected data about employees help employers calculate people’s risks of certain health conditions. It scared a bunch of folks, especially on the Internet, who thought the app was a set up for pregnancy discrimination.

You could imagine the part about the app sending alerts about one’s personal and private moves sounds invasive and scary!

But it turns out the alerts are sent to the employees who are then “nudged” to make healthier choices that could lower their (and their employer’s) health care costs in the long run.

Data collected from the app is matched with the woman’s age, and if applicable, the ages of her children to compute the likelihood of an impending pregnancy, Castlight’s chief research and development officer Jonathan Rende, Castlight said. She would then start receiving emails or in-app messages with tips for choosing an obstetrician or other prenatal care. If the algorithm guessed wrong, she could opt out of receiving similar messages.

The employers only receive data in the aggregate and stripped form any personal-identifiable information.

Still, people think about that Target incident a few years ago, where the big box store used big data marketing analysis to send women who didn’t even know if they were pregnant yet coupons for baby products. Infamously, a father got a teen daughter’s baby coupons and learned before the teen could tell her dad that she thought she could be pregnancy.

These data-mining platforms are risky because sensitive health data is at risk of breaches and hackers, worse than a boss knowing that you’re looking to get pregnant in the near future.

It still pretty scary stuff!

h/t Vox

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Reviews

NUK® is the Only true Orthodontic pacifier (GET $1 OFF to TRY)

Posted on May 22, 2015