Holiday Fitness Gift Guide
Health related new years resolutions are popular, and there’s nothing wrong with that. While I don’t encourage putting your goals off until a certain date (like Jan 1st), it is easier to stay committed and consistent when so many people around you are starting in on their health related goals at the same time.
Taking action on your goal takes some planning and preparation - so let’s start that part now. One of the most fun parts of preparing is setting yourself up with great gear, plus these same items serve as great gift ideas.
My go to apparel:
Gyms can be intimidating places, especially if it’s all new to you. Having functional clothes that make you feel confident throughout your workout is a game changer. These are the items that I buy time after time.
Absolute favorite gym items. See my favorite leggings (both expensive -$98, and budget brand - $26 with frequent sales on top of that), training shoes, and more on this recent post. After the post, multiple people (of all different sizes) have bought the leggings and training shoes and are very happy!
Favorite athletic jacket. I don’t really shop around at Lululemon anymore, but I do have some classics that I go back to time after time. If you’re my client, you’ve seen me wearing this. I’ve had it for years and washed it so many times. It still feels like new and is so flattering on so many different bodies.
Favorite long sleeved shirt (expensive). It’s hard to get to the gym in the winter, having warmer full coverage clothes helps! I saw women wearing this classic Lululemon long sleeved for so long before I finally decided to spend the cash. Another item I wear and wash weekly that has held up.
Favorite long sleeved shirt (affordable). Want a long sleeved shirt but don’t want to spend $78? I might not either if it wasn’t my full time job. This shirt comes at the fraction of the price and I also wear it weekly. It’s held up well - I love all my stuff from this site.
Favorite luxury sweats. I have these in three colors. I’m wearing them now. My boyfreiend also borrows them. They’re an amazing gift for someone who still wears their college sweats around the house every weekend! The womens version looks great on men too, but they do offer them in a mens style (same amazing fabric!).
Favorite athletic socks. Maybe someone in your life is still wearing socks with worn out elastic that slide down their feet during every workout? These socks are on the pricier side, so they make a nice gift (compared to the 20 pack you buy yourself at target). The cushion is great! I grab these after a long day of sessions when my feet are tired and sore - immediate relief.
Favorite accessories
Apple watch. Get yourself or a friend a fitness tracker! These are 100% not mandatory, burt they can be motivating and fun for many people. Many of us tend to use our workouts as an excuse to be lazy for the rest of the day, but staying active throughout the day is actually more important for health than that hour at the gym. A fitness tracker is a great tool to help you (or a friend) stay consistent with stuff like step/mile goals. Plus, its kinda cool to be able to see your estimated heart rate during workouts! That said, please ignore the very inaccurate calorie burned estimates and don’t get this gift for anyone who might have had an obsessive past history with exercise.
Best yoga mat. Have you ever felt like you were slipping all over your yoga mat during a class (especially those heated classes?). This mat is made of a material that prevents that! Plus, it can double as a workout mat for those at home workouts.
Activities
So you have all the gear? Gift a place to put it to good use.
Gym membership. A lot of gyms offer an easy way to buy a gym membership as a gift. If you’re in SF, I’ve noticed that Fitness SF does this! Get your friend a month at the gym you go to so you can both get off to a good start.
Sessions with me. This is the best gift on here, clearly. This can be the start to a long term program, or just a few sessions to help a friend develop a good program to use on their own for months to come. Having a good plan when you walk into the gym is the most effective way to overcome gym intimidation!
All weather gifts
Some gifts I’ve been eyeing to help myself and others stay active outdoors through winter.
Active rain jacket. Do you have a friend who is saying they can’t get their walks in because of the weather? Maybe they just need to dress for the conditions. I don’t have one yet, but I am eyeing this one. It’s reflective, so I can bike safely, but it’s not neon so i’ll actually wear it. I’d love to see other people’s rain jacket recommendations before I commit! Comment below!
Comfy rain boots. Grab yourself or a friend some rainboots that are comfortable enough for long walks. I have these ones, I love them but they are a bit narrow. That’s great for my feet, but might be disappointing for people with wider feet. I’d love to see some other favorites (comment below!).
Waterproof socks. Ok this is bike specific, but it might be good for walkers and joggers too! Who wants to go out and walk with soaking feet? I really want some of these and I hear good things about the brand from serious cyclists.
A book of trails. I love Urban Trails: San Francisco. A client gave me this fun book that walks you through various walking tours of the city a few years ago. I’ve used it so many times! It breaks it down into trails that are good for walking, running, hiking, and pets so you can select one that fits your needs.
Home gym basics
One of the most common questions I get asked when people find out I’m a trainer: what’s the one piece of gym equipment that I should buy? I think they’re assuming I’ll recommend something very technical and specific, but that’s not the case. Grab these basics for a friend who wants to start exercising at home.
I’ll link to new items, but you can often find a lot of similar things on your local Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
Resistance bands with interchangeable handles. These are cheap, versatile, and take up no space. This is the first thing I recommend to everyone who wants to exercise at home. It’s a good way to test out whether or not home workouts will really happen before investing in pricier items.
8, 10 and 12 pound dumbbells. These are really versatile weights. As a beginner, one can put a full effective strength workout together with just these. Plus, as weights get heavier they get more expensive and harder to store. Start out with these light to moderate pairs.
Mat. If they don’t already have a yoga mat, an exercise mat will come in handy for any home gym exerciser.
Jump rope. The most space, money and time efficient at home cardio tool! I own this one and like it because its adjustable so it works for clients of various heights, and its thin so it will work if you get really into jump rope and try double-unders or other fancy tricks. That said, don’t buy this for your friend who intends to work out in a third floor apartment.
Home gym upgrades
Great gifts for your friend who already does workouts at home. These are upgrades/additions to the basics I recommend starting with.
Aerobic step. Step classes might seem dated, but the aerobic step is awesome. This classic aerobic step is great for a lot of bodyweight exercises as well as progressions to exercises like lunges, squats, and more. This step can also double as a seat and exercise bench for exercises like chest presses, lying triceps extensions and more. This is a more affordable one that will probably work fine for a home gym.
Adjustable dumbbells. Downside: adjustable dumbbells are a little annoying to adjust so you’ll want to do all the exercises that use the same resistance back to back, then change. Upside: a lot more options for resistance without taking up as much space in your home as a separate set for each weight. Also, traditional dumbbells come out to at least $1 a pound (more for known brands), so that can get pretty expensive ($80 for a set of two 40 lb weights!).
35 lb barbell. Ok this is not that relevant, unless your friend has a garage gym. But I really want one! This thinner bar is great for complex olympic lifts and overhead work, in addition to other stuff where the traditional 45 lb bar works just fine like squats and bench.
Smaller items
Upgraded hair ties - I love these popular coil hairties! There are a lot of knock offs now, some of which are alright, but the original ones are a safe bet for a gift. They actually keep hair up throughout a workout and don’t pull too tight or cause creases.
Lacrosse ball - great for self massage in those places that you can’t quite reach with a foam roller (feet, shoulders, traps)
See my favorite dry shampoo, water bottle, and more here.