Weight Loss

I'm moving home to Dublin for good next week after 5 years away.  When I last lived in Ireland I ate junk and did no exercise.  I have developed excellent eating and exercise habits over the past 5 years, but I need some tips for continuing them back home.  I'm not going to have a huge disposable income, so I need any money saving tips you might be able to share with me:

• I'm a pescitarian, fish is not going to be a problem, but I eat lots of stuff like tofu, bulgur wheat, quorn, ground flax seed - how easy is it to buy these kind of things in Dublin.  Can I buy them in Dunnes / Tesco, or do I have to go to a health food shop?
• Can anybody recommend any good health food shops in Dublin?
• Here in London, my local market sells a very wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, very cheaply.  What are the prices like in Dublin?  Are there still fruit & veg markets in places like Moore St?  What is the quality and variety like?
• I go to the gym to lift free weights - I'm not overly concerned with other equipment.  I was thinking that buying some free weights and a bench would be cheaper than joining a gym.  Any suggestions for a basic cheap gym, or somewhere I could buy the weights?
• I was thinking of joining a running club this winter so the dark nights wouldn't be an excuse not to run- anybody know a nice one in Dublin (south west or city centre area)

Thanks in advance for any advise of information you can offer me.

Ax

Hi Aoife, You'll find a big difference since you left- most of the supermarkets have a huge variety of 'healthy' foods now- I think more so since the influx of immigrants hit our shores? They have to cater for a huge variety of diets or they'll lose out to the smaller shops? So you should find most of what you need in your local Dunnes/Tesco etc.? Moore street still have the stalls and the stuff there is way cheaper than the shops- but places like Lidl/Aldi are as good a value- well worth a visit if you're not too 'brand-name' orientated as your weekly shop could work out MUCH cheaper? Argos is your best bet for cheap weights, but most council-run gyms are quite reasonable and you can pay per session, not an annual fee? Sorry I can't help about the more specific 'Dublin' q's (health food shops/running clubs), but I hope that puts your mind at ease a bit?

Thanks so much irishmum!!!  Good to know that I will be able to eat well without too much hassle.  Thanks for the Argos tip too - I didn't think of that - of course they will be great for weights and stuff.  Slán!

No bother! Every money-saving tip helps- especially the way things are going! Enjoy the move! We're heading up for the All-Ireland weekend in September to sample the Dub's hospitality! Its usually great craic. Slan abhaile!

Aoifek: Welcome back.. haha.. like irishmum says tesco,dunnes, superquinn etc. all have a great range of healthy products but for the more specific products, there is a great little holland and barrets on grafton st., also the health store on grafton st. is fab (but ya theyre a little more pricey)! Not sure about any running clubs, but Ben Dunnes gym at Kimmage cross, near Terenure, is very reasonable and has great equipment, also I heard of a gym that you pay as you go around Aungier St. So dont worry, it really wont challenge your healthy habits, moving back!! Good Luck.

Thanks guys!  Orgainsing the move and getting everything finished here is quite stressful, so it's great to be assured that at least it will be easy to maintain my healthy lifestyle.  I guess I seem to associate Ireland with breakfast rolls,crisps, lucozade and chocolate!!!!!  Carol - thanks so much for the gym tips - I will definitely be checking both of those out.

Hee-hee....damn Tayto! LOL! ;P

Hey Aoife,

As has already been said, you will be able to buy tofu at the supermarket (definately Tescos anyways - there are 2 brands: Cauldron and Blue Dragon.  The only downside is that you may have to go searching.)

As for Health Food shops, there is a good one in the Dundrum Shopping centre, 3rd Floor.

And you will prob be able to purchase the weights from Argos.

As for the other questions, I probably am not of much help, coz I'm from the Midlands.  Although the last time I was on Moore St, they were selling fruit & veg.  Lidl is another good place to go for fruit and veg.