Have you noticed what time of year it is? The countdown has official begun to Christmas, one of the biggest and most expensive holidays of the entire year, and the number of days you have left to actually get some shopping done is dwindling. That said, we’re here to make your life a bit easier and offer up some healthy, fun and inexpensive gifts that can fill those stockings, pad the base of that tree and make the fitness freaks in your life abundantly happy. In the event they don’t exactly love exercise or fitness, heck, maybe this will be the key to their New Year’s resolutions!
These gifts range in price from about $10 to about $100, so no matter who you’re shopping for, or how much you want to spend, you’re going to be able to find a gift that will work. Try some of these on for size and I can almost guarantee that each and every person on your Christmas list will wake up happy on Dec. 25!
- Heart rate monitors
- Exercise balls
- Stainless steel water bottles
- Adjustable weight dumbells
- Yoga mats
- Gym bags
- Year subscription to a sports or fitness magazine
- Exercise headphones
- Wii Fit
- Exercise DVD programs
- Gym membership
Any one of these gifts will certainly put you at the tip top of the Secret Santa scale this year, and the best news is that they won’t break the bank. Do you have any other gift ideas that we failed to mention? Any fitness and healthy lifestyle stocking stuffers that will ensure that we’re not getting lumps of coal in return?
Sound off, we’d love to hear your “go-to” gifts that never fail to disappoint and always impress. Anything new and popular this year we shouldn’t overlook? Let’s hear what you’ve got!
Popularity: 6% [?]
DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.
In case it’s been awhile since you’ve taken a glance at the clock, Thanksgiving is close. We’re right around the corner from the holiday that brings more food to the tables, and more weight to our bellies, than just about any other. Recent studies have shown that 51 percent of annual weight gain for the average American comes between just before Thanksgiving and just after New Year’s. Surprising? Nah, not really…not at all.
That said, here’s one truth to cling to as tightly as Saran-Wrap over your pies: It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way. You don’t have to put on tons of unnecessary weight over the holiday season. You don’t have to stuff yourself like the turkey you slide into that oven. You can beat it, and it is easier than you think. Here are some pretty simple little ideas from Health.com to keep in your mind as visions of sugarplums dance in your heads this holiday season:
- Downsize Your Sweets - “You just got a two-pound tin of toffee? Put some in the freezer, store four or five pieces for yourself in the cabinet, and give the rest of away.”
- Use A Plate - “Don’t nibble while standing up at a party or decorating the tree. Sit down at a table with your plate so you can focus on your food and keep track of what you’re eating.”
- Mind Your Bites - “Slow down and savor the food’s smell and texture. Many people find they don’t have to eat so much with this approach.”
- Practice Partying - “A lot of people restrict what they eat before the holidays and then overeat when they hit the scrumptious buffet. Instead, eat mindfully for about a week before the holiday bash so you won’t feel deprived and go on a binge.”
Just keep those four simple ideas in your mind when you walk head first into a holiday party filled with bad sweaters and sugary fatty food and you can walk out unscathed. Another helpful tip that I have always lived by: Before you go to any party, of any kind, eat an apple and drink a full glass of cold water. Doing this helps keep your stomach tricked into thinking it needs nothing. That way you can get through the party without stuffing yourself like the turkey you just cooked.
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DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.
image via PolarUSA
When it comes to exercise one truth will always remain: It’s very easy to spend a whole lot of money. Unfortunately, there’s a bit of a secret that a lot of people won’t tell you, and even more people don’t want you to know: You don’t have to spend a lot, to get a lot. That’s right, while a gym membership or the most expensive equipment might work for some people, it doesn’t have to be that way for you, you can make a very simple upgrade to your workout that doesn’t have to cost a great deal of money, but will show great results. How, you ask? Simple, add a heart rate monitor.
While I’m sure just about everyone, everywhere has seen heart rate monitors in action, whether in a gym or on The Biggest Loser, or even using one themselves, a surprisingly few number of people actually own one. By adding a heart rate monitor to your workout routine, you’re making sure that you’re not only getting to your target heart rate, the zone in which your body is at its optimal fat burning and heart strengthening, but you’re staying there long enough to make those workouts actually work for you. There are a lot of different kinds that do a lot of different things but basically, I found this general primer on which to pick depending on what you need it for:
- “For Weight Loss: Try a HRM that tracks time spent in your heart rate zone and calories burned such as the Polar F6.
- For Athletes: Consider a HRM, like the Garmin Forerunner, that offers multi-sport support, workout feedback and advanced features such as GPS and downloadable data.
- For Techno-Phobes: Look for a basic model that offers your heart rate with one-button functionality like the Polar FS1
- For General Fitness: Try one that helps you improve fitness with information about intensity and training zones, like the Polar FS3.”
See, for under $100 you can add something that will help you for the rest of your life. There are simple steps that can be taken towards a healthier lifestyle, they don’t all have to break the bank. Monitoring your heart rate might seem too simple to see big results, but trust me, you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Popularity: 5% [?]
DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.
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