Want to wow the fit person in your life with something under the tree this holiday? Here are 10 gift ideas that I personally love and recommend:
• Nike Epic Lux Capri Running Tights – $80
I. Love. These. Workout. Tights. They suck everything in, look awesome on, wick away sweat and are super comfortable. You can buy them at most running and workout wear stores.
• Travel Roller – $65
Anyone over the age of 40 needs to roll their muscles on a regular basis and this is my foam roller of choice. There are two different rollers from this company and I recommend the Travel Roller Kit with the acupressure balls inside. You can purchase it online travelroller.com, or they are on sale right now at Fitness Town.
• Athleta Sports Bra – $44 to $65 (US)
Good-bye Lululemon, hello Athleta. I am a huge fan of this store/website and I order from them all the time (in fact, probably too much if you were to ask loving husband). Anyway, the bras are super comfortable, they do their job and they look super cute too. www.athleta.com
• TRX – $199 to $249
This is one of the greatest inventions of all time. It’s right up there with the Internet, my iPhone and my Cookina reusable cooking sheets. I seriously cannot live without any of them. You can purchase a TRX at most fitness stores and online. Quick tip: I have priced them out online and in local stores and it is actually cheaper to get them locally.
• Stability Balls – $30 to $40
A stability ball is not only a great exercise tool, it also makes a fabulous office chair. This round, fun tool will activate a bit more of the core (than a traditional chair), while offering you a great mode to stretch your back when you need to take five from your work. You can purchase these pretty much anywhere from London Drugs to Walmart.
• GYMBOSS Timer – $19.95 to $24.95
If your loved one does any type of timed workouts, they will love this little timer. The GYMBOSS is a small, easy to use, repeating interval timer. It is versatile, can clip onto your workout top and allows you to set the work time, as well as your rest time and your number of sets. I use one for my own workouts and for my classes. Order online at gymboss.com or pick up at most fitness stores.
• How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman – $29.99
This is the ultimate vegetarian cookbook! I have one and I’ve also bought it for friends as gifts. It not only has over 2,000 recipes, it also includes tips, as well as a guide on how to eat vegetarian some of the time, or all of the time. Since going meatless once or twice a week is recommended for our health, now we can do it with great tasting food. Purchase at Chapters or online.
• Sigg Aluminum Water Bottle – $24.95
I am fairly picky about my water bottles. I like mine to be able to carry one litre of water, be easy to open, easy to drink from and easy to clean. Of all the water bottles that I have tried, the wide mouth, with adapter cap, Sigg is the best. The wide mouth of the bottle unscrews and allows me to clean the inside fairly easily, while the regular bottleneck let’s me unscrew it and take a sip without water spraying all over my face. You can purchase online or at Lee Valley.
• Sparkly Soul Wide Headbands – $17 (US)
These are quite possibly the best headbands in the world. They don’t slip and they keep your hair out of your face while you workout. I’ve tried a lot of headbands and these rock. Order online at sparklysoul.com.
• Workout Tanks/Tops – $24.99+
If you want to give your loved one a fun workout top, etsy.com is the web site for you. I have bought all sorts of tank tops (as well as other stuff from wrought iron address signs to handmade scarves and mittens), and I love this site because the vendors offer workout tops with sayings that are both unique and cheeky. You can get tame ones such as, “Live, Love, Lift,” or running tanks such as, “If found on ground, please drag over finish line.” There are also inspirational ones like, “Forget skinny, I’m training to become badass.” Order online at etsy.com.
PJ Wren is a local personal trainer and writer in the Delta area. Check out her show on Delta TV, Channel 4, weekdays at 7 a.m., 1 p.m. or 6 p.m.
