Life Balanced

In an article in the Dallas Morning News, fitness experts were asked to share gifts they’d like to give and receive this year. Below I’ve listed some of their great gift suggestions and some of my own for the special person in your life who wants to get or stay in shape.

1. BOSU Ball- One side looks like half of a large, inflated exercise ball. The other side is flat. Standing on a BOSU, with either side up, is a challenge. Doing bicep curls while standing on a BOSU tests your balance, stabilizes your core and strengthens your arms.
2. Heart rate monitor - Whether you want to lose lbs. or are training for a race, this is a great tool that will tell you a lot about your body.
   
3. iPod Shuffle - Only $79, it weighs less than a pound and holds 240 songs - perfect for the gym or a long run.
4. Cooking classes or a gym membership. Just make sure this is something they want or you may be put in the uncomfortable situation of having to explain why you thought they could use this gift.
5. Work out clothes - If you’re like me, you might have a difficult time spending a lot of money on something you strictly wear to sweat in (I’m the one rummaging through the sales bin when in comes to fitness wear). Getting a nice outfit is a great gift and provides extra motivation to work out.
6. Yoga and pilates DVDs - These are great when you only have a limited amount of time to exercise. It takes little effort to do yoga for 20 minutes before work and it’s a great way to start the day.
7. Pedometer - Ever wonder how many miles you walk a day? This is a great tool for someone just getting into a fitness program.
8. Stability ball - Excellent for all fitness levels, stability balls are large, heavy-duty, inflatable balls that can be used for a wide range of activities including toning muscles (especially abs and lower back), improving posture and increasing flexibility.
9. Gift certificate for spa treatment or massage - Need I say more!
10. GPS watch for runners - This is number one on my list. It uses satellites to let a runner precisely measure time, distance and altitude while running. With the right software, GPS watches can tell you how far you’ve gone, how long you have been going and how fast-all in real time.

Bonus - The Dallas Morning News also published a useful and amusing piece on 5 ways to work out while shopping. Full article can be found here. Number 5 made me laugh:

Bottoms up. Buy only products on the bottom shelf; do squats to retrieve them. So what if your gifts are covered with spider webs and the milkman gets a Cabbage Patch doll? Your thighs are tight; what else could possibly matter?

If you liked this post, please click one of the icons below or subscribe to my RSS feed. Thank you!