Tuesday 24 November 2015

Christmas Gift Guide for Fitness

   I'm a fitness junkie - it's true I like my chocolate and my biscuits, and my crafts page is made up mostly of sugary recipes, but I love a good workout. But no one ever indulges that passion of mine when it comes to gifts unless I specifically ask for something in particular. I understand that because my dress size has dropped so far now (UK 16 to 10, booyah) that no one is quite sure what size to buy me, so the easy option of buying me workout clothes isn't really as safe a bet as it seems on first thought, and as for everything else, well, no one knows what I want or need. So it's too difficult for my friends and family to gift anything along these lines.
   Though I know that no one gifting me will see this wishlist, and I'm certainly not going to look up and say "hey there's a fitness gift guide on my blog you should take a look at" because I hate giving hints at all, let alone obvious ones, I thought that, at the very least, if anyone else wants to buy someone a fitness gift this Christmas, this guide might help them figure out where to start.


   Clothing. I know I said above that it's not necessarily the safest bet for someone who is losing weight unless you're prepared to ask them specifically what size they are, but it's something basic that everyone who works out, be it pounding the pavements, hitting the gym or dancing in their living room, needs. Non-restrictive, moisture-wicking, 4-way stretch clothing is ideal. Being a science nerd, too, I love these Northern Lights capris by Fabletics. They're fantastic quality, they look great, and the stars are all reflective. My only issue is that there isn't much in the way of the aurora borealis on it, just a starry sky, but they still look fabulous. So fitness clothing, if you've got the size right, is a fabulous and functional fitness gift.
   Alternatively, for those already strong on the fitness scene, this 'Things I Can Do' fitness notebook is great for recording their big achievements or little victories. Running a half marathon in record time, beating their personal best, or simply being able to hold a full eagle pose for 8 long breaths. That's my little victory! It's always a good idea to make a note of your victories - not everyone will be impressed by them, but if something was tough for you to achieve, you need to acknowledge it. It's available as hardback and spiral bound.



   Then there are fabulous little post-workout sets, like Trevarno's Post Workout Recovery Set or Athletic's stuff, perfect as a little post-gym pick-me-up to work alongside stretches in cool down recovery. They work to cool and soothe the muscles and the scents to calm your mind and reinvigorate you - not that the post-workout high isn't enough! But it's another functional and thoughtful fitness gift.
   Then there's the delicious but guilt-free indulgences, like Aduna's baobab! To me, baobab tastes like sherbet, which is wonderful to add to your porridge on a morning for a little extra kick, without the guilt. Baobab is fruit, after all! And Aduna have just released this lovely little gift set that includes a whole tub of baobab and all its wonderfully healthy properties for your body and your beauty, as well as a tub of moringa (great in omelettes), and a two delicious baobab and moringa bars. Like nakd, but their use of mango and baobab or moringa set them apart and give them an amazing sherbety taste. I adore them, and the Aduna gift box makes a great health and fitness gift. The powders can be added to anything - smoothies, porridge, shakes, ice cream, lasagne, and so on! Available as small and large gift boxes.


   And another gift for fitness foodies, a spiralizer. What is it? It's a spiralizer. It spiralizes food. In short, you can replace your spaghetti in your spag bol with courgette or sweet potato and sneak in 1 of your 5 a day without even realising it! Such a method of food preparation puts old carb-heavy and indulgent dishes back on the menu, as well as opening up new ways to use food. They can be quite pricey, but at £23, the Lurch Spiralo is a pretty basic but reliable option, great for new users.



   Gym bags, water bottles and headbands - the essentials for gym-goers. Bags with enough space for kit and clean clothes, water bottles for hydration, and a headband to keep away stray hairs. And Fabletics have you covered on all three with this convenient set and many designs to choose from, so there's something for everyone - these three are my picks!



   Protein! It's always best to have high quality carbs and protein after a workout to help your whole body recover - a chicken (protein) sandwhich (carbs) is a great option. But this isn't always easy. You might forget to bring one out to the gym with you, if you had any chicken on hand at home, or you might not be able to find one except something pre-packaged and full of additives - and after a successful workout, why would you want to load your body up on junk? So it's great to have protein and a shaker on hand. PhD Nutrition is my favourite brand for protein shakes. Diet Whey comes in at 20g per 100 calories and a great number of flavours. I particularly love the chocolate orange. A lot of protein shakes have poor consistency and don't taste like they claim, but PhD has always been reliable in both regards. PhD Woman has a great little 2-week PhD Woman gift set consisting of a 10-serving tub of post-workout protein, a meal replacement bar, gold shaker bottle and sachet of energy-rich greens and berries. It's a gorgeous little set and extremely useful for busy gym-goers.



NaBloPoMo November 2015



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