9 Gift Ideas for Fitness Lovers:

This article is for two scenarios- either you have a fitness aficionado on your list this year, or you are one and people are asking you for ideas.

1. Fitness Bands. Seriously these are a wonderful alternative to machines, free weights and heavy objects. They are small, easy to store, often come in a 3-pack with different strengths of resistance. Most are about $15 for a pack. The fitness advantage to bands is that it feels like a cable machine and forces you to use your core to stabilize the movement. You also can just adjust your stance, angle, location of hand placement, etc. for modification. This causes the user to be mindful and aware of how they feel when doing the exercise to be sure it isn't too easy or difficult.

2. An item to balance on. These can be boards, halves of foam rollers, a squishy pad or other things. Every person that works out should have a few uneven surfaces. MANY exercises can be done on these surfaces, so someone who is actively working out at home should be incorporating this if they currently do not.

3. Kettle Gryp. For about $35 you can convert any hand weight into a kettlebell. Suddenly you can double the amount of workouts and strength exercises!

4. Hands Free Dog Leash. Who doesn't like to be on their phone while walking? (Not great for posture, btw) Have you ever tried it while walking the dog? It feels ridiculous and can be impossible! The SparklyPets brand hands free leash is on Amazon was $17 and it fastens around your waist.

5. Massage Rollers. There are so many of these out there now! Usually when active people buy things, they'll go for the practical equipment to aid their workouts first, not the stuff to aid in their cooldown. Help your loved one take care of themselves with something like this.

6. A Fancy Water Bottle. Again, sometimes this might be on our radar as something to get, but the idea is backburnered. Water bottles now can have "smart" technology with the ability to self-clean, to have reminders, have a wonderful ability to stay cold for a long time, have fitlers, etc. Just be careful that ALL parts can be cleaned! Or buy cleaning stuff as a stocking stuffer. Anyhow, this might be the perfect gift because most people bring their favorite bottle along with them each day, so you'll know if they have something like this or not!

7. Touchscreen running gloves. Oh yeah, these exist. And no, I think most people, whether you run or not, could use this now.

8. A Fitness Wearable or some fun wristbands for the one they already have. Ebay has tons at low prices. Just make sure you know the model they have or would want.

9. An assortment of healthy snacks. Pick the weird ones that look like they would be fun, if you dared to try them yourself! Again, people hesistate on new things unless they've tried them first, so if it was given for free, they'll feel less bad if they don't like it since they didn't purchase it themselves! Or they'll share and see if someone else likes it. Or it'll be the coolest discovery and you'll get the credit!

Hope this helps some of you out there! Certainly feel free to add good ideas if you have something on your list this year.