Tuesday, December 21, 2010

All I Want For Christmas Is My Health

Do you still have last minute shopping to do or maybe you have a little holiday cash to spend on yourself?  Try a gift that helps to encourage better health:


For walkers and runners:
  1. Pedometer. Clip it on and have fun seeing how many steps/miles you do in a day, or keep track of your walking distance. Mine quit working, so I'm hoping Santa remembers to bring me one!
  2. Sports watch. Hit the stop watch button and see how long it takes you to do your run each day. The Garmin sports watch is highly recommended by Amy, one of our MM groupies.
  3. Fanny pack.  Great for those who walk or run and could use a little zippered bag to securely keep keys and cell phone. I put this on my wish list after I lost my car keys in the snow while I was walking the dog at a park. NOT fun!
  4. Yak Trax.  Very much needed for all of us in snow and ice territory.
  5. Blinking lights to attach to clothing for safe walking in the dark.
  6. Head phones.  Sport headphones that fit securely around the ear are great for exercise.
  7. I Pod or other MP3 player.  Music can make the exercise more fun!
  8. I Tunes gift card.  New tunes are great.
  9. Water bottle.  I've been using a lightweight metal bottle, and it's very easy to keep clean.
  10. Exercise tights, shorts or sweats.  We always need a new pair!
  11. Reader Lisa suggested a subscription to Runners World or other fitness magazine. Great idea for information and motivation!
For Swimmers
  1. Aqua gloves or hand paddles to enhance your swim. 
  2. Fog-free goggles
  3. Water proof holder for MP3 Player.  I hear these are great for lap swimmers.
  4. Mesh gym sack.  A must for after your swim.
  5. Lap counter.  Great if you have trouble keeping track of your laps.
Other Exercisers
  1. Yoga mat.  It's time for a bright new color.
  2. Hand weights.  Great for strength training.
  3. Exercise video
  4. Active game for Nintendo WII or XBox
  5. Work out journal. Logging your fitness progress really helps.
Other Ideas:
  1. Healthy Cookbook.  I'm still an Ellie Kreiger fan.  We have both of her cookbooks and use them all the time.
  2. Potted Herbs. Pretty on the counter and always fresh and ready.
  3. Special herb or spice blends are great for the adventurous cooks.
  4. Infused olive oil.  Truffle oil is amazing on salads!
  5. Special vinegars.  Try raspberry vinegar on a berry, lettuce, pecan and blue cheese salad.
  6. Good knives make cooking so much easier.
  7. A good Food journal diary can make a difference for many people trying to lose weight.
  8. Food scale.  I leave mine on the counter and use it for everything.
  9. Fun measuring cups and spoons.  I saw some flower shaped ones at our local bookstore recently that looked like a great way to help with portion control. 
  10. Bath salts and oils or beautifully scented candles for relaxation time.
  11. Gift certificates!  How about a massage, pedicure, a session with a trainer, or the promise of a few hours of babysitting?
  12. How about a gift certificate for a fun cooking class?  Lisa also suggested a kitchen knife skills class.  I'd love to take one of those.  I've always wanted to wield a knife more like the chefs on food network...
What are some other ideas you have? 


Wishing you the gift of health...

5 comments:

  1. Great gift ideas! I would love a food scale! Another good gift for runners would be a Runner's World subscription (that's how I got hooked on it) and cooking or knife skills classes would be fun for a new foodie!
    happy holidays!

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  2. I hope you get a good food scale from Santa, Lisa! Both my husband and I use ours all the time. Thanks for the suggestion of a health magazine subscription--Runner's World is a great one! And a gift certificate for classes to improve kitchen skills would be an exceptional gift. I'll add those on to our list!

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  3. Wonderful ideas. Wonderful post. Meilleurs voeux et bonne annee.

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  4. Great suggestions for a healthy new year!
    www.doctorcarrieshealthyliving.com

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