Emily Maxie
The week before Thanksgiving every year I work on two things—my world-famous apple pie and my Christmas list. We have an unspoken rule that Christmas lists must be handed out to the family by the time we all go our separate ways after Thanksgiving dinner (so we’re all prepared for our annual Black Friday shopping trip).
This year as I was trying to come up with a list, I noticed a common thread. Almost all of my wishes are either food or fitness related (what can I say, I work out so that I can eat more). I thought it might be helpful to share some of the top things on my list in case you have a fitness nerd on your list (or if you need some ideas for your own list).
The week before Thanksgiving every year I work on two things—my world-famous apple pie and my Christmas list. We have an unspoken rule that Christmas lists must be handed out to the family by the time we all go our separate ways after Thanksgiving dinner (so we’re all prepared for our annual Black Friday shopping trip).
This year as I was trying to come up with a list, I noticed a common thread. Almost all of my wishes are either food or fitness related (what can I say, I work out so that I can eat more). I thought it might be helpful to share some of the top things on my list in case you have a fitness nerd on your list (or if you need some ideas for your own list).
A Cute Gym Tote Bag
Every girl needs a cute bag to haul gear to and from the gym, and this girl has been using a cheap-o-falling-apart bag for too long. The ideal gym bag should be as cute as it is durable.
I’m personally wishing for a Timbuk2 Women's Skylark Tote ($99). The thing that sold me on it? The water bottle pocket! (I’m tired of my water bottle falling over and leaking on my other gear.)
It also has a yoga mat holster, detachable backpack straps and interior pockets for your keys and credit cards. Cute and functional, they're sure know what a girl wants!
Every girl needs a cute bag to haul gear to and from the gym, and this girl has been using a cheap-o-falling-apart bag for too long. The ideal gym bag should be as cute as it is durable.
I’m personally wishing for a Timbuk2 Women's Skylark Tote ($99). The thing that sold me on it? The water bottle pocket! (I’m tired of my water bottle falling over and leaking on my other gear.)
It also has a yoga mat holster, detachable backpack straps and interior pockets for your keys and credit cards. Cute and functional, they're sure know what a girl wants!
Cold Weather Accessories ($2-$60)
It's not easy to stay active once the weather gets cold, but having cute and functional cold weather accessories sure helps. I especially recommend a pair of "tech gloves." These handy little guys let you change your workout music on your phone without having to take off your gloves! They come in a wide variety of brands and price ranges (as low as $2) to fit your style and your budget. Tech gloves were a big item on sale on Black Friday last year, and I predict we'll see even better deals on them this year, so keep an eye out! The North Face Women's Etip Gloves ($45, pictured right) can give your winter wardrobe a pop of color to energize a dark and blustery day.
And if your ears tend to get cold, I highly recommend a product called Earbags. Don't let the strange name throw you, these little guys are a lifesaver on a cold day. The small, ear-shaped bags fit tightly around your ears to keep you warm, and they're small enough to fit in your pocket (unlike traditional earmuffs).
It's not easy to stay active once the weather gets cold, but having cute and functional cold weather accessories sure helps. I especially recommend a pair of "tech gloves." These handy little guys let you change your workout music on your phone without having to take off your gloves! They come in a wide variety of brands and price ranges (as low as $2) to fit your style and your budget. Tech gloves were a big item on sale on Black Friday last year, and I predict we'll see even better deals on them this year, so keep an eye out! The North Face Women's Etip Gloves ($45, pictured right) can give your winter wardrobe a pop of color to energize a dark and blustery day.
And if your ears tend to get cold, I highly recommend a product called Earbags. Don't let the strange name throw you, these little guys are a lifesaver on a cold day. The small, ear-shaped bags fit tightly around your ears to keep you warm, and they're small enough to fit in your pocket (unlike traditional earmuffs).
HyperIce ($90-$130)
A lot of athletes are fighting a constant battle against aches and pains, and I’m no exception. Ice can help with muscle soreness, but I hate being trapped on the couch holding the ice in place. That’s why I was intrigued when I saw a post from one of my favorite fitness blogs Fitbottomedgirls.com.
It’s a simple concept, but it looks like it’d be a wonderful thing to have! The HyperIce is an ice pack combined with a compression neoprene sleeve that holds it in place. It has an air release valve built in for a snug fit. They’re pricey, but the reviewer said it’s worth the money. I’d be interested to try for myself to find out for myself.
A lot of athletes are fighting a constant battle against aches and pains, and I’m no exception. Ice can help with muscle soreness, but I hate being trapped on the couch holding the ice in place. That’s why I was intrigued when I saw a post from one of my favorite fitness blogs Fitbottomedgirls.com.
It’s a simple concept, but it looks like it’d be a wonderful thing to have! The HyperIce is an ice pack combined with a compression neoprene sleeve that holds it in place. It has an air release valve built in for a snug fit. They’re pricey, but the reviewer said it’s worth the money. I’d be interested to try for myself to find out for myself.
Foam Roller ($5-$65)
Another thing that’s great for achy muscles? A nice deep tissue massage! But if you’re like me, you probably don’t have the cash to splurge on a massage every time your muscles are sore. Foam rollers can give you a lot of the same benefits of a massage without the price tag. You can get one for as little as $5, or if you’re looking for something a little more special, you might want to try out The Grid Foam Roller by Trigger Point Performance ($25-$65).
Just like massage therapists uses different parts of their hands and arms to massage different muscle groups, this little roller has different sized ridges to relieve pressure in different spots. I haven’t tried it, but it’s got great reviews on Amazon, and that’s usually a pretty good sign.
Another thing that’s great for achy muscles? A nice deep tissue massage! But if you’re like me, you probably don’t have the cash to splurge on a massage every time your muscles are sore. Foam rollers can give you a lot of the same benefits of a massage without the price tag. You can get one for as little as $5, or if you’re looking for something a little more special, you might want to try out The Grid Foam Roller by Trigger Point Performance ($25-$65).
Just like massage therapists uses different parts of their hands and arms to massage different muscle groups, this little roller has different sized ridges to relieve pressure in different spots. I haven’t tried it, but it’s got great reviews on Amazon, and that’s usually a pretty good sign.
Cute Workout Shirts ($15-$30)
What do you get for the fitness nerd who has everything? Clothes! You can never have too many cute workout shirts. Need some suggestions? Check out my post “5 Awesome Shirts That'll Make You Actually Want to Work Out.”
Fitbit One ($99)
So this one isn’t technically on my list, but my mom gave it to me for my birthday last month, and I just have to share. I’m a fitness nerd in the truest sense of the word. I love being able to track my progress and see improvement (or get a kick in the pants if I start slacking off). That’s why the Fitbit One has been great fun!
I already have a GPS watch to track my distance when I’m running, but I do a lot of activity during my regular day that I wasn’t tracking. I could walk to Starbucks or do two hours of shopping and have no data to see how far I’d gone. The Fitbit One is no simple pedometer; this little guy also tracks how many flights of stairs you climb in a day, how many calories you burn, and it monitors your sleeping patterns.
What do you get for the fitness nerd who has everything? Clothes! You can never have too many cute workout shirts. Need some suggestions? Check out my post “5 Awesome Shirts That'll Make You Actually Want to Work Out.”
Fitbit One ($99)
So this one isn’t technically on my list, but my mom gave it to me for my birthday last month, and I just have to share. I’m a fitness nerd in the truest sense of the word. I love being able to track my progress and see improvement (or get a kick in the pants if I start slacking off). That’s why the Fitbit One has been great fun!
I already have a GPS watch to track my distance when I’m running, but I do a lot of activity during my regular day that I wasn’t tracking. I could walk to Starbucks or do two hours of shopping and have no data to see how far I’d gone. The Fitbit One is no simple pedometer; this little guy also tracks how many flights of stairs you climb in a day, how many calories you burn, and it monitors your sleeping patterns.
And it’s easy to use! You don’t have to tell it when a new day starts, it automatically knows, and it wirelessly connects to your phone so you can see neat little graphs of your activity. You can also log your calorie intake (a feature I don’t really use, but it could be helpful if you have specific weight loss goals).
Plus, it’s fun! It displays little motivational messages every once in a while to boost your spirits (this morning when I woke up it told me “you rock!”). And you can compete with friends who have Fitbit to see who can take the most steps in a week. Plus you can earn badges when you reach fitness milestones. It automatically emails you when you’ve earned a badge, and then it will give you a goal of the next badge you should work toward getting. You get a weekly progress report showing you how far you’ve gone, what your least active and most active days were and more! And if you don’t want all of that information emailed to you, you can always change your email preferences.
You can also log other activities (like spin class or weight training) from the smartphone app or on your computer. I highly recommend this tiny wonder for anyone who wants motivation to get active in their everyday life.
Plus, it’s fun! It displays little motivational messages every once in a while to boost your spirits (this morning when I woke up it told me “you rock!”). And you can compete with friends who have Fitbit to see who can take the most steps in a week. Plus you can earn badges when you reach fitness milestones. It automatically emails you when you’ve earned a badge, and then it will give you a goal of the next badge you should work toward getting. You get a weekly progress report showing you how far you’ve gone, what your least active and most active days were and more! And if you don’t want all of that information emailed to you, you can always change your email preferences.
You can also log other activities (like spin class or weight training) from the smartphone app or on your computer. I highly recommend this tiny wonder for anyone who wants motivation to get active in their everyday life.
Dance Central 3 for Xbox Kinnect ($25)
Working out doesn’t necessarily have to feel like work. I personally love playing active games on my husband’s Xbox Kinect or Wii. Both of those systems have workout games, but I much prefer dancing games (that just so happen to also give you an awesome total body workout).
I’m wishing for Dance Central 3, mostly because it features one of my all-time favorite dance songs “Cupid Shuffle.” It also has a party mode for up to eight people.
Working out doesn’t necessarily have to feel like work. I personally love playing active games on my husband’s Xbox Kinect or Wii. Both of those systems have workout games, but I much prefer dancing games (that just so happen to also give you an awesome total body workout).
I’m wishing for Dance Central 3, mostly because it features one of my all-time favorite dance songs “Cupid Shuffle.” It also has a party mode for up to eight people.
Single-Serve Blender ($20-$200)
There’s no better post-workout snack than a fresh fruit smoothie, but it can be a hassle to break out the blender (and clean it out afterward). I much prefer having a single-serve blender.
We’ve had the GE Rocket Blender ($20) for a couple years. It works pretty well, but it doesn’t quite have the power I’m looking for (sometimes you have to open it up and mix things up to get it completely blended).
I’ve got my eye on the Ninja BL660 Professional Style Blender with Single Serve ($116). With that option you get a powerful regular-sized blender and single-serve blender in one.
There’s no better post-workout snack than a fresh fruit smoothie, but it can be a hassle to break out the blender (and clean it out afterward). I much prefer having a single-serve blender.
We’ve had the GE Rocket Blender ($20) for a couple years. It works pretty well, but it doesn’t quite have the power I’m looking for (sometimes you have to open it up and mix things up to get it completely blended).
I’ve got my eye on the Ninja BL660 Professional Style Blender with Single Serve ($116). With that option you get a powerful regular-sized blender and single-serve blender in one.
Donate to Charity
As we all know (but too often forget) the holidays are about giving more than about getting. So there's no better time to support a fitness-related charity. I'm inspired by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. This cause is very close to my heart. As a kid, I was unhappy with my weight and body image, but I had no idea how to make a positive change. And I'm not alone; today one in three kids in America are overweight or obese.
This organization battles childhood obesity by educating children and parents, creating partnerships with food and beverage companies to make healthy changes (their beverage agreement resulted in a 90% reduction in calories shipped to schools across the country) and by giving doctors, ensurers and employers incentives to fight weight gain in a preventative way.
You'll feel good knowing you've given to a good cause, plus some studies show that giving to charity is good for your health!
As we all know (but too often forget) the holidays are about giving more than about getting. So there's no better time to support a fitness-related charity. I'm inspired by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. This cause is very close to my heart. As a kid, I was unhappy with my weight and body image, but I had no idea how to make a positive change. And I'm not alone; today one in three kids in America are overweight or obese.
This organization battles childhood obesity by educating children and parents, creating partnerships with food and beverage companies to make healthy changes (their beverage agreement resulted in a 90% reduction in calories shipped to schools across the country) and by giving doctors, ensurers and employers incentives to fight weight gain in a preventative way.
You'll feel good knowing you've given to a good cause, plus some studies show that giving to charity is good for your health!
What fitness items are on your Christmas list? Comment below or tweet @adventuringmiss using hashtag #dontsweatit.