Fitness-Inspired Christmas Gifts

Did you wait until the last possible second to buy for the fitness enthusiast in your family or the wannabe fitness lover at work?

Have no fear...you're a normal human being just like the rest of us!

Below are my top picks for fitness-inspired Christmas gifts that are easy to find at most big box department stores - no need to pay a bazillion $$$ for rush shipping! These are items I use nearly every day as a personal trainer with my clients and to keep myself healthy!

A note to the wise: never buy a fitness-inspired gift for someone unless you know they are "into" fitness or you are 100% positive they want a fitness-related gift. Buying someone a fitness gift if they're not trying to getting in shape is a little like asking a woman if she's pregnant...AWKWARD! And dumb.

Fitness Journal. I love my fitness journal. It allows me to write out my goals, plan meals and workouts, and track my progress. Each page also has an inspirational fitness quote or tip. Depending on the journal, this gift will cost between $10 and $30.

Movement Tracker. I love love love my movement tracker and I think every person should have one! Keeping the body moving is baseline for achieving great health. A movement tracker is hugely motivational for getting and staying more active! Movement trackers can be found at most department stores and will run you $50 to $200. Unless you are buying for the athlete who needs all the fancy bells and whistles, I'd go with a cheaper more basic model like the Fitbit Flex. It's simple, easy to use, and won't break the bank at about $75.

Suspension Trainer. Gosh...another piece of fitness equipment I just can't live without! If there was ONE thing I wished all of my clients had for at-home workouts, it would be one of these! This versatile piece of equipment will give you a full-body workout with exercise variations ranging from beginner to advanced. You can spend an arm and a leg on the original suspension trainer (called the TRX), or you can go to Walmart or Target and buy a knock-off for about $50.

Stainless Steel Water Bottle. She who wants to get healthy does NOT want plastic residues leaching into her water! Plus, it's better for the environment. The fewer plastic bottles we use, the fewer that end up in landfills or in our oceans. A stainless steel water bottle will cost between $15 and $50.

Water Filtration System. Did you know that there's probably stuff in your city water that you shouldn't be drinking? (If you want to find out what's in your local water go to the EWG's Tap Water Database and enter your zip code...scary stuff.) A good water filter is a great gift for anyone...including yourself! Hydration is so important for overall health, but we tend to overlook water quality. Water filters can be as cheap as $25 (the basic Britta) or as expensive as $2,000 for a reverse osmosis system.

Glass Food Storage Containers. Need I say more about plastic residues leaching into the foods and drinks we consume? Glass storage containers are also great for meal planning and prep...two things that become very important for someone who is time-crunched but still wants to reach their fitness goals! A glass storage set, like those made by Pyrex, will cost around $35.

Epsom Salts and Essential Oils. For the hard-working gym-goer nothing is more satisfying than that post-workout soreness...but recovery is essential and taking a bath with Epsom salts and a bit of lavender essential oil helps rid the body of toxins and relaxes tired and achy muscles. It's also a great way to unwind, reduce stress, and induce sleep at the end of a long day! Epsom salts are cheap and will usually cost less than $10, and some are already infused with essential oils! A good essential oil can be quite pricey, but I have found them from $5 to $50.

Foam Roller. Stretching is so 1980! The hottest trend in muscle and training recovery is self-massage. You can find foam rollers, self-massage sticks, and what appear to be little spiked torture balls at most big box stores or athletic outlets for between $15 and $50.

Group Motivation and Accountability. "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." This quote is so true when it comes to fitness and weight loss! Women and men who are involved in a group effort to get healthy are statistically far more successful at reaching and maintaining their goal weight! Here's my shameless business plug: I have three group programs starting in 2018 that range from $50 to $300. Give the gift of motivation and accountability!