Holiday Favorite Fit Finds!

It's gift-giving season, and what could be a better gift than the gift of health? I'm not a big fan of shopping – seems like it's time wasted when I could be doing other things like working out (i.e.: Staying sane), watching a movie, baking, hanging with my family, or making money rather than spending it. But I do recognize I'm the minority, so my gift to YOU all is what I wish someone had given me when I first became the fitness nut I am today...a shopping list of must-have fitness items. Whether you're shopping for you or a fit friend, you'll find one, if not all, of these useful additions to your healthy living arsenal.

Happy Shopping!

Magazine Subscription

A couple fitness magazines I highly recommend are Women's Health and Men's Health. They by far have the most up-to-date fitness information out there, plus they include some pretty great tear-out-and-go workouts. Two healthy cooking magazines I love are Cooking Light and Eating Well, if your receiver likes to cook and/or bake but doesn't want to look like she/he does.

Pedometer

I've said it before and I'll say it again – one of the easiest and best ways to get into shape if you're just starting out is by simply moving more. We should all get in 10,000 steps a day, and it's surprisingly easy. To stay on top of it, treat your fit friend to an affordable but quality pedometer that will also track calories burned. One I use and recommend is the Omron GoSmart Pocket Pedometer (amazon.com). You can get it for under $35.

Water Bottle with Filter

It sounds like a luxury...and it is. But the cool thing is this is a very affordable luxury item now that so many are out there on the market. The one I personally use and love is the Camelbak Groove ($17-$25), but Bobble makes a great one that's even less and just as terrific, and they sell them online or at a Macy's near you...

TRX Suspension System

Okay so this one has a more luxurious price tag, so maybe pick this up for a (really) loved one or just treat yourself. I use the TRX on my clients every day in some fashion or another and it's by far my favorite piece of equipment for my home gym. Originally designed by Navy Seals, this bad boy can give a butt-kickin' and booty-shapin' workout for about $150 at trxtraining.com. Buy it this month and get 20% off and free shipping. Need I say more?

Laptop Gym Bag

If you or someone you know are like me and lug a gym bag, laptop bag, lunch bag, and purse to work every day, a laptop gym bag would be a pretty sweet gift. O n my Christmas list is the Puma Originals Mono Grip Bag ($75) or the North Face Talia Tote ($65). I know this addition to my daily routine would enrich my life...hint hint Santa...

Timer/Stopwatch

This is by far one of the cheapest and most convenient ways to make workouts less complicated. If you workout on your own a lot, you can appreciate the need for accomplishing a lot in less time. A good timer and/or stop watch is the way to do it. My favorite is the Gymboss Interval Timer ($19.95, gymboss.com). If you're willing to spend more money, another good one to give or receive is the Seiko S057 Stopwatch ($86, amazon.com). So if they're a sprinter or boot camp lover, go with the stopwatch. If interval workouts are more their thing, definitely give the timer.