Category: Uncategorized

Living Healthy: Do You Even Lift, DealDash?

 

Welcome back to DealDash Blog’s Living Healthy series. Today’s blog is all about weightlifting for beginners.

 

Are you ready to start your journey into weightlifting or weight training? If you’re a total beginner, then this article is for you! If you have already started your training regimen this might be a little too simple for you, but keep reading you never know when you might pick up a tip or two. I am going to tell you the simple and basic guidelines and rules for starting out in a weightlifting program; no matter if it’s for strength, weight loss, or just overall fitness this article can help you figure things out and really make the most of your new journey into being fit and healthy.

First, let’s talk about some things that you don’t want to do:

  • Using too much weight, too soon – this is a great way to injure yourself and ruin your fitness plan before you even get started. Pick a reasonable weight to start with, but if you can perform 30 reps with a certain weight, you probably should bump up the weight a little bit at a time.
  • Moving through repetitions too quickly, going too fast; because remember, there is nothing gained by lifting weights too fast. You should always lift weights in a slow and controlled manner. It’s better for the muscles, it increases tension and lessens the likely hood of having an accident and injuring yourself.

Now that we have a couple of the “don’ts” out of the way, let’s get to the “do’s”:

  • You don’t need to weight train every day to get healthy. Significant strength and fitness progress can be obtained obtained with only two workouts per week. Of course, it would be a great idea to get in some cardio exercises a couple of days per week, also. Don’t forget to also take a couple of days per week to rest, as well.
  • Take one day off from weight training between each workout. The days in between are the days that you should be getting in your cardio workouts.
  • For the best results, at least one set of 8-12 repetitions should be performed
  • It should take four to five seconds to complete one repetition through a complete range of motion; in a slow and very controlled manner.
  • Rest at least 30 seconds and no more than 90 seconds between sets of each exercise; and 1 to 2 minutes between each exercise.
  • Stay hydrated! There’s nothing worse than getting dehydrated and having to stop training for the day. Be sure to drink at least the minimum recommended 8-10 glasses of water each and every day; dehydration can make you weak, have headaches, and if it’s an ongoing problem it can even make you sick.

Now that you have some work out tips, how about checking out DealDash to see what kinds of weight training equipment they have for auction? They have weight benches, dumbbell sets, fitness mats, kettleballs, and so much more! Just click on this link and it will take you to some of the great fitness products that DealDash offers.

 

Gold's Gym XR 5.9 Slant BenchBowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells

 

 

I hope this article has started you on the road to fitness. If you’re interested in getting some items to help you on your journey head on over to DealDash.  I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to help yourself get healthy. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Let DealDash Help With Baby Supplies

 

As someone who just had a baby, I am very grateful that DealDash has baby items and supplies. Let’s take a look at the different things available for auction.

There are many things that you are going to need to make a new baby feel comfortable, safe, and secure. One of the obvious things that a baby needs to feel comfortable is nice soft dry diapers. Luckily DealDash has them up for auction occasionally. Along with diapers, they also have diaper changing tables, diaper accessory holders, and more. You can find those items by clicking on this link here.

Pampers Swaddlers Newborn Diapers, 128 countMunchkin Diaper Change OrganizerDelta Children's Changing Table White

If you are going to be driving your new baby anywhere, or riding in anyone elses’ car you absolutely need an infant car seat. There are some car seats made for just infants, and there are “convertible” car seats that can go from infant to baby to big kid. It just depends what you prefer. Be sure that you are buying a NEW car seat, used car seats are just not safe, especially if they have ever been in any kind of car crash. Also, car seats have expiration dates on them that you really need to pay attention and heed the warning sticker. Since you are going to have to buy a new car seat anyway (seriously, don’t use a used one, especially one that you don’t know it’s history of accidents) you might as well try to win one on DealDash. Remember, if you don’t win you can always BIN (Buy It Now and get all of your bids back.) You can find the car seats on DealDash at this link here.

Graco Childrens Products SnugRide Click Connect 35 Baby Car SeatGraco Nautilus 3-in-1 Multi-Use Car Seat

 

Another great thing that DealDash offers parents is multiple types of play yard. Play yards are really very handy, they are great as a portable crib for travel, they can be used as a playpen when the parents are busy and the baby needs to be somewhere safe,  and even if you don’t have small kids they are very handy to keep around in case you get any overnight guests with small kids or babies. We actually have two play yards at our house, one upstairs and one downstairs, because I think that they are just indispensable when you have a baby. You can find play yards at this link here.

Cosco Funsport Play Yard, Star SpangledGraco Pack 'n Play Playard, Ashford

Baby Trend Nursery Center Playard

Of course, no baby’s room is complete without some toys! Don’t worry, DealDash has you covered on those, too. They have a great selection of toys for kids of all ages, baby all the way up though teenager…Or even adult if you happen to like video games! If you’re looking for baby toys, they are located at this link, here.

Infantino Merry Monkey Floor Gym Explore and StoreBaby Einstein Discovery Essentials 9pc Bundle

 

 

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of what types of things that DealDash has to offer for babies. How about getting some of these essentials on DealDash? They have all types of items in many different categories there, check out the Toys, Kids, & Baby section to find some awesome products. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

DealDash

Living Healthy: How to Pick the Best Fresh Produce

 

Welcome back to DealDash Blog’s Living Healthy series. Today’s blog is all about the tips and tricks to choosing the best produce items at the supermarket.

 

I don’t know how many times I have gone into the supermarket, and picked out some great looking produce, got it home, and it tastes…Not bad, but tastes like nothing, like cardboard. This was happening to me way too often, so I started doing a little research to figure out how to get the best produce at the supermarket that I was able to find.

Of course, the number one way to get the freshest and best tasting produce is to buy things when they are in season where you live. If you’re somewhere warm like California or Florida, you’re in luck! Not only are there some great things grown right in your own home state, the distance that other things have to travel up from Mexico or South America is considerably shorter than someone who lives in Maine or Montana.

Here are some quick and easy tips on picking great tasting produce at the supermarket even if the items are actually in season:

• Apples: Choose fruits that are deeply colored, firm, naturally shiny, and heavy for their size.

 

• Artichokes: Choose globes that have tight leaves and feel heavy for their size. The leaves should squeak when pressed against each other.

• Asparagus: Choose firm, smooth, and brightly-colored stalks with compact tips. Avoid limp stalks. Choose stalks of equal thickness to ensure even cooking times.

• Avocados: Choose avocados that feel slightly soft to the touch. Firmer avocados may be ripened at home, but avoid rock-hard ones. Also avoid avocados with cracks or dents.

• Bananas: Choose bright yellow bananas to eat right away or green bananas to ripen at home. Avoid fruits that are bruised or split.

• Blueberries: Choose berries that are firm, dry, and blue (not red or green). A white sheen is natural. Also check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries.

• Broccoli: Choose broccoli with firm stalks, tight florets, and crisp green leaves. Avoid yellowed or flowering florets.

• Celery: Choose firm, unblemished stalks. The stalks and leaves should be green, not yellow.

• Corn: Choose corn with bright green husks and moist but not slimy silk. Peel back the husk to ensure the kernels are plump and not dry.

• Cucumbers: Choose cucumbers that are uniformly green (not yellow).

• Grapefruits: Choose fruits that have smooth, thin skins and are heaviest for their size. They should feel firm but slightly springy to the touch. Don’t worry about color.

• Grapes: Choose fruits that are firm, plump, and heavy for their size. They should be firmly attached to the stems without wrinkled or brown spots.

• Lemons and Limes: Choose fruits that are fragrant and heaviest for their size. Avoid fruits that are shriveled.

 

• Lettuce, Spinach, and Other Leafy Greens: Choose greens with fresh, crisp leaves. Avoid any that are wilted or slimy.

• Mangoes: Choose fruits that are slightly soft to the touch and fragrant near the stem end.

• Onions and Shallots: Choose dry, firm bulbs that feel heavy for their size. Avoid any with soft spots or green sprouts.

• Oranges: Choose fruits that heaviest for their size and have firm, smooth skins. Don’t worry about color. For Mandarin oranges, make sure skins are firm, not shriveled.

• Peaches: Choose fragrant, deeply colored (not green) fruits that are firm but slightly soft to the touch.

• Pears: Pears are usually picked before they are fully ripe, but choose fruits that are free of bruises and look for any that are getting soft just below the stem.

• Peas: Choose crisp, green pods. Avoid bulging, dried, yellow, or white pods.

• Peppers: Choose firm, naturally shiny peppers that feel heavy for their size.

• Pomegranates: Choose fruits that are heavy for their size. Cracks are a good sign that the fruits are bursting with plump seeds; just make sure there isn’t any mold in the cracks.

• Potatoes: Choose firm, smooth potatoes. Avoid those with bruises, green spots, or sprouts.

• Strawberries: Choose berries that are fragrant, uniformly red (not yellow or green), and shiny with fresh green tops. Also check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries.

• Summer Squash: Choose squash with naturally shiny, taught, unblemished skin. Avoid squash that appear dull or have soft spots.

• Sweet Potatoes and Yams: Choose potatoes with firm, unwrinkled skins and no bruises or cuts, as they are highly perishable.

• Tomatoes: Choose tomatoes that are fragrant, smell earthy at the stem end, and feel heavy for their size. Avoid tomatoes with wrinkled skins.

• Watermelons: Choose fruits that are firm and heavy and sound hollow when thumped. A properly ripened watermelon should have a yellow spot on one side where it sat on the ground

 

There we go! That’s the list! I personally made a copy of this list and keep it with my supermarket coupons so I know what I’m looking for when I am shopping for fruits and veggies.

Another way to be sure that you are getting great produce is to shop at the farmer’s market. The only downfall there is that you will probably only be able to find things that are in season. In my area, there is a farmer’s market going on in my town and every small town around me. When you go to the farmer’s market you are getting delicious fruits and veggies that are extremely fresh because they are grown locally. In addition to that, the prices are definitely better than any supermarket around, especially if there are multiple vendors selling the same fruits and veggies.

Hamilton Beach 70950 SaladXpress Counter-top Food Processor Electric w/ConesKitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Apple GreenT-Fal Initiatives 18-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out Cookware Set

I hope this article has helped you learn how to pick the best produce! If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make delicious things from your fresh produce. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Cooking a Winter Stew with DealDash

 

I don’t know about you, but I know that my family eats differently in winter than in summer. Let’s take a peek at a wintery meal we can prepare with help from DealDash .

My family eats a lot of soups and stews during the cold and wintery months. It seems to be a common theme in cooking magazines, as well as with people I know. Not only are they filling, moderately healthy (depending on what you add), they are also something that you can make with just items that you have on hand in the freezer and pantry. That means if it’s cold and snowing outside you won’t have to leave your cozy little nest of a home to go to the supermarket.

One of my favorite kitchen items in the winter is my crock pot/slow cooker. I actually have 3 crock pots of different sizes – a huge one that can accommodate a roast, a medium one that’s great for a stew or for soup, and a smaller one that can be for a gravy or fondue. I get a lot of use out of these in the winter months, if you don’t already have a crock pot (or three!) check them out on DealDash, here.

Hamilton Beach 5-Quart Portable Slow Cooker

If you are just getting started with using a slow cooker, you might be interested in a simple stew recipe:

Simple Beef Stew

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 3 potatoes, diced
  • 4 carrots, sliced
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped

How do you do it? Simple!

  1. Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
  2. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

That’s it! And really, one of the great things about a stew like this is if you are missing an ingredient, such as the celery or the carrots you can always exclude that item, or even swap it for a different item such as peas. Personally, since I am allergic to fish and seafood I exclude the Worcestershire sauce and add in a splash of soy sauce instead. It’s delicious!

Hamilton Beach 70950 SaladXpress Counter-top Food Processor Electric w/ConesKitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Apple GreenT-Fal Initiatives 18-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out Cookware Set

I hope this article has encouraged you to try to make a simple winter stew with your slow cooker.  If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make your kitchen better. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

What Will We Do With All of These Presents?

Let’s face it, as wonderful as Christmas is, the aftermath can be a mess! What are you going to do with all of your extra stuff? Let DealDash help.

First off, if you hosted your family’s Christmas celebration, I bet you have a lot of food left. So let’s talk about food storage first. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like it when my foods are stored sharing containers in the fridge. The flavors and smells kind of meld together and I just don’t care for it. So when I am hosting people in my home I make sure that I have plenty of extra food storage containers handy and ready to go. If you are in need of food storage containers check out DealDash’s Kitchen & Appliances section, there are a few different options that come up frequently for auction. I personally prefer the glass ones, but they do tend to be a bit more expensive than their plastic counterparts, and also get very hot to touch after you have heated them in the microwave.

Rubbermaid 40-Piece Food Storage SetPyrex Premium Glass Lids Storage Container Set (Set of 3)

How about all of those new DVDs, Blu-Rays, books, and video games that you or your kid’s might have gotten for Christmas? You might need to expand your entertainment storage a little bit by getting a new bookshelf or cabinet so you can display your new items. DealDash has a ton of different options, try browsing the Home & Office category on DealDash. I know that one of my husband’s biggest complaints is that we have too many DVDs and books just randomly stashed around the family room and kid’s playroom. That problem is easily solved by getting one of these great storage units.

Systembuild 9 Cube Storage - Resort CherrySouth Shore Storage CabinetSauder O'Sullivan Multimedia Storage Tower

 

Lastly, and probably the most prolific if you have younger children – toy storage! The Toys, Kids, & Baby section on DealDash has a ton, of course! There are different toy storage options for both boys, girls, and also in neutral colors. At my house we have one of each of these options – it’s a great way to be able to organize the toys that specifically belong to either my son or daughter, and then the neutral bins I store the toys that they like to share together, such as the Legos and other building toys, art supplies, puzzles, and other things.

Delta Children Disney Mickey Mouse Toy OrganizerDisney Multi-Bin Toy OrganizerTot Tutors Toy Organizer

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful Christmas together and got everything that you were wishing for! Good luck and happy bidding everyone.