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'Tis the Season to Get Fit - 5 Healthy Gift Ideas
Can you believe Christmas is just 4 days away? Hopefully you have finished your shopping whether you had it done before Thanksgiving or are just waiting for Amazon to drop the last few items on your doorstep. Either way, let's face it, the holidays can be a stressful time, especially when it comes to gift giving. Our favorite part of the holidays is simply to be with family. We are so blessed year round and truly feel being together with the ones we love is the best gift of all. However, surprising your loved ones with a few gifts always feels pretty good, too. So whether it is Christmas, a birthday or a just because...we have compiled some of our favorite gifts we have gotten each other. Of course, the twist is these gifts are all health and fitness related because we believe the gift of good health is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
Since we love to live a healthy lifestyle, giving and receiving gifts that enhance our active life are the best. What's great about giving a healthy gift is that you are ultimately helping to improve the health and overall quality of a person's life. Not to mention the added motivation you get to stay focused on your health and fitness goals. Healthy gifts are fun and practical, well if you use them! A new pair of running sneaks don't do much good sitting in the closet.
Also, for some...getting a fitness gift may seem like a "hint" from your loved one. You might be thinking, what does he want me to lose weight, or does she think I need to go to the gym? Don't feel that way. Accept the gift out of love and use it to help motivate you to live a healthier life.
Here are 5 Healthy Gift Ideas:
1.) Running or Trail Shoes
There is nothing like unwrapping a new pair of sneakers! Remember as a kid when you would get new sneaks and you were convinced you could run faster and jump higher. Well, its kind of like that! Whether you are a runner, walker, hiker or any kind of fitness enthusiast, it is so important to have a good pair of shoes to give you the support you need and reduce the chance of injury. We are firm believers in investing in a good quality shoe. Read some reviews, cruise some shoe websites with your loved one, take a look at the style and colors they currently buy. For us, we love Brooks for running and Salomon for trails and hikes.
2.) Workout Outfit
There is something about new workout clothes that sparks some motivation. Many people have a hard time with this one because they don't want to buy the wrong size. There is only one way to eliminate that problem, simply ask! Or, take a peek in his or her closet at similar workout clothes to figure out the best size. For guys, maybe new shorts and a shirt or jogging pants and a long sleeve. For women, depending on the climate you are in, yoga pants and a top or a pair of sweats and a new sports bra or sports tank. Guys and girls, don't be afraid to ask the employees in the "active department" for help. Also, pay attention to the clothes in the closet to get a hint of his or her favorite colors and styles. For us, we love Lululemon and Nike. Although they are pretty pricey, we get a ton of use out of them, the quality is great and when washed right, they last for at least 5 years. Nothing is worse than buying pants that you wash once and they suddenly turn into capris.
3.) Health Supplements
Not sure about your daily supplement regimen but you might say ours is quite plentiful. Supplements are a great way to complement healthy eating and daily exercise. Now, we are not talking about the supplements that you see on TV that promise you every result short of a unicorn appearing. If a claim sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. Remember, there are no shortcuts to healthy living so a supplement that promises huge weight loss results or massive muscle gains, stay away. The supplements we take complement our healthy lifestyle and support our overall health and fitness goals. Some of our daily supplements include probiotics, vitamin D, omega 3, multi-vitamin, plant sterols, green superfood, enzymes and vitamin K2. What's really awesome is that Katie manufacturers a lot of the supplements we take for her natural supplement company, Innerzyme. Take a moment and check out her website to learn more, click here. It is great because she can ensure the supplements are all made using the highest quality ingredients and manufactured to the best standards. When we are choosing supplements, we not only look for ingredient transparency (a company that tells you exactly what is in the product and the amounts) but we also avoid products that contain artificial colors, flavors, unnecessary additives, GMOs and those that are manufactured outside the USA.
4.) Workout Accessories
What do you get for the person who has too many workout outfits and pairs of shoes already? Anything to complement their fitness activity whether it be a Camelback for hiking, a FitBit for tracking progress, a Garmin watch for runners, a fancy water bottle or even a heart rate monitor to dial in on fat loss. With any new workout accessories, we find it helpful to read customer reviews. See what others are saying the pros and cons are of particular styles or brands. Some great stores to shop for workout accessories include REI, RoadRunner, Dicks Sporting Goods or shop online direct from the manufacturers or Amazon.
5.) Gym Membership, Personal Trainer or Fitness Program
Gym membership prices run the gamut from $10 a month to several hundred dollars per month at your more exclusive clubs. What is most important when choosing a membership gift for someone is the value that club or fitness center provides. Let's face it, many people have gym memberships already and are guilty of making monthly contributions without ever going. If you or a loved one is not self-motivated, choosing a gym or fitness center that offers step by step coaching and motivation is a better option. Also, if you are giving a membership as a gift to someone who is new to working out, choosing a boutique style gym is often less intimidating than big box gyms. For us, our go-to gym is LifeTime Fitness where we have been members since 2000. This place is not cheap, however, there are a ton of amazing amenities most of which we use regularly. We are also very lucky to be surrounded by a fitness family as two of Katie's brothers own boutique fitness centers. The younger of the two brothers Nick, is the owner of TRIM - A Complete Fitness Center in Carol Stream, IL (Chicago suburb). The older of her brothers, Mike is the owner of Simply Cardio in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. Both TRIM and Simply Cardio offer drop in rates, monthly memberships and annual plans. What is great about fitness centers like these is that you don't have to think about what you are going to do. You show up and in 30 minutes, you get an amazing total body workout. The big box gyms of course have every free-weight, cardio equipment and resistance training machine but what good are they if you don't know how to use them. There is a lot to be said about paying a little more to have focused and guided workouts, plus some upbeat staff to keep you motivated.
We truly believe that the greatest wealth is health. So next time you want to buy someone a gift whether it be a loved one, friend or co-worker, we encourage you to gift the gift of health.
From our family to yours, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday!