I love giving gifts, and I try to find excuses to do it throughout the year, not just during the holidays. It can be challenging to find the perfect gift ideas, but if someone on your list is a fitness or yoga lover, I’ve got you covered. I’ve been working on my 2016 Gift Ideas for Fitness Lovers for a couple of months, and here it is! I hope you can find something fun for the fitness and wellness enthusiast on your list.
(The links below are affiliate links. If you make a purchase via those links, I’ll get a small commission for referring you. This doesn’t change the cost of the item for you, but it does help me out! Thank you for your support.)
Fitness Equipment
If someone you know exercises at home, this FitDeck of bodyweight exercises is a great way for them to design different workouts every day. Warm up, draw a few cards, do what they say, cool down, and done!
Not only that, the people behind this company are super. That always means a lot to me. Get 10% off with code BODYBEST
I got my YogDev yoga wheel this year and I’m loving it! It’s great for backbends, sure, but it’s actually pretty versatile. I use it as a block in some cases and as a strap in others. I also like it under my feet for poses like bridge or plank to give a little (or sometimes a lot of) extra challenge.
These core sliders, also by Sport-it, are really versatile. Again, my photos will help you along in the process of figuring out what to do with them! You can use them on hard or carpeted floors, and they make you look at every-day exercises, like lunges and pushups, in a whole new light.
There have been a lot of articles recently about the benefits of rebounding, and this mini trampoline comes with resistance bands so you can create a full workout. Plus, bouncing is fun!
This year, I was lucky enough to interview Perry O’Hearn for Growth Advance magazine. Perry is the co-founder of PLUSgives, an incredible new company that makes these yoga mats. They’re eco-friendly, and 10% of each sale goes back to the artist who designed it. (In this case, that artist is Alloyius Mcilwaine.) They currently have seven designs, each representing one of our seven major chakras. (This is the third-eye chakra design.)
Most wonderfully, every time a yoga mat is sold, the company gives $5 to each of three nonprofit organizations battling homelessness, domestic violence, and malnutrition. They have an incredible vision, and their yoga mats are awesome.
Speaking of yoga mats, this is the cork mat I have and love. It’s another great alternative to the typical PVC mat. It comes with a cork block that is sturdier than the foam blocks I’ve used in the past. I wrote a full review on this mat a few months ago. The short version is: I love the eco-friendliness, I love the feel of it under my hands, and I use it as my daily practice mat.
I’m not personally familiar with the Manduka PRO yoga and pilates mat, but lately I keep coming across people who absolutely love it. The extra long one is REALLY long at 85″. It’s 6mm thick and comes with a lifetime guarantee. Several colors to choose from.
A lot of people have foam rollers, but the muscle roller stick is a handy addition because it gives you easier access to certain muscles than the foam roller does. Both make great gifts for people who exercise regularly.
Books
This is the best book I’ve read this year. It’s all about your dharma, or your calling, and it’s written about real-life people like Jane Goodall, Ludwig van Beethoven, and the author’s personal friends who have followed their calling to find fulfillment in life. Even non-yogis can appreciate it, as the urge to discover what we’re meant to do in the world is pretty great for most of us.
I read Born to Run last year, but it’s still on the list because it’s such an interesting story with interesting characters, and it sheds light on how we as humans may have evolved as the perfect runners. If nothing else, it’ll inspire you to hit the trail….but it will probably also make you laugh and cry, as it did me.
My friend Jill (aka Classy McGraceful) wrote this book. Aaaaaaand it’s wonderful. It’s full of her original comics and loads of insightful words that make you think, “Did she steal my life story?” and “She must be spying on me.” I saw myself on so many of these pages. It’s a unique gift idea that will delight the lucky recipient.
I started following Thug Kitchen on Facebook awhile ago, and if you’re okay with some rough language, they’re absolutely hilarious. Plus, most importantly, the vegan recipes are creative, fun, and healthy.
It’s easier than ever to go vegan with cookbooks like this and helpful ingredients in many stores both online and in your town. Even if you have no interest in committing to a vegan lifestyle, cooking a few vegetarian or vegan meals each week will help you get more vegetables in your diet–and get more creative in the kitchen!
Food
I tried these bars this year and am so pleased. My favorite flavor is the Maple-licious. 🙂 They taste great, they’re small (perfect for a snack), and they’re made from whole, healthy ingredients like dates and nuts.
Sunfood has so many delicious, healthy snacks: nuts, dried fruit, trail mixes like this one, protein bars, and cookies. Sunfood Superfoods is my go-to for organic vegan products. Great stocking stuffers or gift box addition for friends who like to snack well.
If it’s your first order, use my referral code Z4E2BWS3 to get 10% off.
Make your own kombucha! If you know someone who drinks a lot of it, he might enjoy making his own! I have a friend who regularly brews her own kombucha, and it’s absolutely delicious–better than any store-bought one I’ve had in three countries. 🙂 Great gift for the health-conscious do-it-yourself-er.
We all need a little chocolate for the holidays! Chocolove is made in Boulder, CO, and they’re committed to using non-GMO ingredients. I love the love, the packaging, and all the incredible flavors. This variety box lets your chocolate-loving recipient try a lot of them….or it lets you pick out a few favorites and then distribute the remaining ones in some stockings.
Protein pancake mixes in a variety of flavors! I love pancakes, but over the last couple of years I’ve been making versions with quinoa and coconut flours and bananas or apples to create a healthier breakfast. But, it’s always easier to use a mix than make them from scratch! Just mix with water and breakfast is ready. The back of the package also gives you ideas of how to make them with extra protein (adding an egg, for example).
Clothes
These are high-quality, comfortable leggings with a discreet pouch at the waistline so you can carry your phone, keys, and whatever else with you as you workout. They’re flattering and–best for me–they don’t show sweat! They also come in a full-length version. I have both.
These tie-dye yoga pants are just one of many unique yoga pants and shirts at Sivana. They have other yoga-lifestyle clothing, jewelry, and household items, too. I’ve got about 10 more of their things on my personal list.
When I walk into the prAna store, my head explodes a little bit. They’ve got great high-quality yoga and workout clothes, of which this shirt is one, as well as comfy lifestyle clothes, too. They’ve also got a line made out of hemp, which is so soft and lovely. I’m loving this shirt.
I bought this Under Armour tank top (in purple, of course) for a photo shoot this year, and it has become my favorite workout shirt. It’s flattering and it stays in place. I fully intend to wear it out, then get another one.
I bought my first VS sports bra this year, and I LOVE it! It’s the Lightweight, and you should definitely get it from www.victoriassecret.com where it’s only $25. (This photo is from Amazon, but the bra is ridiculously expensive there.) Colors change all the time, which keeps me wanting more, but I’ll make do with my two for now. This style offers medium support, which for me at a 34B has been plenty for everything (running, kickboxing, rumba, etc) I’ve tried with it.
For Fun
A yoga cookie cutter! This is the kind of simple pleasure I absolutely delight in. This would make a great addition to a wrapped package–you could tie it on there as part of the ribbon & bow ensemble.
These beautiful yoga greeting cards are hand-made with recycled cotton and pressed flowers. They’re blank inside so you can write your own message. They come in an assorted pack of three.
Another find at Sivana: the blooming lotus necklace. Delicate and pretty, and something a yoga-loving friend would enjoy having as a little reminder of her ability to rise above difficulty .
This tote is a fun idea for the marathon runner in your life–or maybe for someone who’s training for their first marathon. I try to use (and encourage others to use) reusable grocery bags as often as possible, and it’s more fun when the tote is significant to you.
What’s on your list this year?