Get your fit friends what they REALLY want!
What better way to treat your sporty friends than to get something they’ll use! That or treat yourself! After you look at the list I bet all those gym goers will be salivating! Here is a list of some of the most useful and a few unconventional gifts to set your new year of fitness off right!
1. Gym Bag Potpourri/ Deodorizer!
Opening up your gym bag the next morning and realizing you forgot to take out your gym shoes to air out isn’t the most pleasant thing ever! After a while your locker at the gym can start to smell too. Yucky! Air fresheners or fabric fresheners don’t work very well in this circumstance so the best are actually drawer deodorizers. They last a long time and there’s no maintenance! Just throw one in your gym bag and one maybe in that specific pocket that you throw your runners in and voila you have a smell barrier. A favorite is this drawer deodorizer from Ever Bamboo. Natural, unscented & lasts for a year! There are other versions that have great scents as well for people who want their gym clothes smelling fresh and clean!
2. Meat! Protein of any sort!
This is a massive commodity to any fitness fan and is also one of the most important things on their grocery list. It’s always one of the most expensive things and also one of the first things to run out of in the fridge. Receiving some great protein especially if it’s hormone free and a large amount is like Christmas every day! *Be sure to wrap correctly so that it doesn’t go bad! A tip is to freeze it and only wrap in heavy paper such as you’d find in a butcher shop. Add a bow and there you go!
http://www.secondtononemeats.com/
(With three different convenient locations in Calgary).
3. Earphones!
Specifically wireless ones. By far the best thought of invention! No wires to catch on the weights and flying barbells (by flying I mean during cleans lol). They come in many different colors and styles but by far my favorites are the buds. Most fitness minded people could use a new pair of earphones every year anyhow.
Check them out here!
http://ca.beatsbydre.com/
4. Tupperware for food prep!
You can never have too much Tupperware when it comes to food prep. All shapes and sizes work well but most importantly durability. Durability can mean plastic Tupperware for some people but a healthy alternative to plastic is glass. Plastic can release chemicals into your food especially if you microwave a lot. Glass is just as easy to prep with and also comes in different convenient shapes.
These days you can find glass Tupperware at your local Walmart or Superstore!
5. Body spray!
Well we all know that sweat can lead to smells so why not cut down on the guess work and just throw on the spray just in case. When going from the gym in the morning to work right after or during your lunch hour body spray can be your savior. Even after a quick shower at the gym before returning you can still develop a certain distinct aroma that may not be all roses and sweet things. Just don’t expect the women to start crazily chasing you after spraying that axe! Make it your muscles they chase instead 😉
6. Gym Interval Timer!
For those HIIT days this timer is a priceless tool. You can set it to beep at any interval of your choice, for any number of rounds you want and the beep isn’t a harsh interfering sound. Focus on your sets and not on the clock! Our favorite in this category is by far the GymBoss. I’ve had my personal one for 4 years now and though the clip broke off a while ago, (I’m particularly hard on my equipment), it still works great!
http://www.gymboss.com/
7. Liquid Chalk!
For all the gyms out there that don’t allow standard chalk use this is a great tool for getting those pr’s in. A little of this on your palms goes a long way so don’t use it all at once! This is also a good way to reduce the chances of breaking your hard earned calluses and having to run to the first aid kit for a Batman band aid or having to fully sanitize the blood off that bar. All of which may seem like a great weightlifters adventure but trust me, the day after that burst callus isn’t really useful as a good grip! Not to mention painful!
http://www.popeyescanada.com/
8. Gift Cards!
As one of the easiest gifts to buy they also can be seen as not very thoughtful. To the right place however? Gold! To a fitness fanatic/weightlifter those right places can be GNC, Safeway, MEC or the ultimate in gift cards is Sport Chek. For any and all things fitness a gift card to this place is literally like winning the gift lottery.
http://www.sportchek.ca/giftCenter/index.jsp
9. Gift cards to services not shops!
Even better than a shopping gift card is when you know the person you are buying for goes to a certain gym, massage therapist, active release therapist, nutritionist or personal trainer and saving them money on these amazing things! Like the Sport Chek slogan this is giving the gift of health and sport performance to your friend’s life! You could even volunteer to partner with them on a workout and all of a sudden they have motivation, moral support and health!
https://endurance8health.com/gifts/
10. Magic Bullet!
The most convenient blender there is! You can make your shake prior to your workout and store it in the fridge prior to blending. This means you can store it at the office and never be without your perfectly blended shake. Get this for a co-worker and maybe they’ll store it where you can share it! With the cup sizes varying you get a choice and with the tight sealing lids you can be prepared! Any fitness fan would be super appreciative for this appliance even over a toaster. Do you remember what a toaster is? These days a toaster is an outdated appliance in the fitness world haha!
http://www.walmart.ca/en/appliances/small-appliances/blenders-juicers/magic-bullet/N-653+1021931?kid=kid_87998&gclid=CNWLhZ-olsICFQmRaQodXhEAGw
11. Gym towels!
A nicely sized gym towel is warmth and comfort to a sporty individual. Knowing that nobody else has ever used that towel before like when you need to borrow from the gym’s stock is one thing but also knowing you don’t have to sweat all over the place is another. There are some pretty high tech sweat wicking gym towels out there now too! Also why not gift it with your friends name embroidered on it? Or a cute slogan or nickname?
http://www.towelmate.com/
12. Travel size toiletries!
Having to lug around a gym bag from the field, the gym, to work, home and back again is often the hardest part of the gym. Especially when the hardest part about going to the gym is GETTING yourself there you don’t want to have to worry about carrying a heavy bag too. Toiletries can be heavy, bulky and cumbersome in the gym bag so why not have travel size of everything. Better yet get a little travel size bag to separate them from the rest of your bag in case of accidents! To buy this for a friend you would have to know intimate details such as which products they use but you could definitely get them started with a little kit!
Again good old Walmart has these in spades! Also there is still such a thing as a dollar store haha!
13. Chemical Free Spices!
Doesn’t it always come back to eating? When it comes to healthy eating sauces and spices can be hazardous if you don’t watch what you ingest there. Just like other foods most spices and sauces have unwanted additives, sugars and chemicals not to mention hidden calories. Salt free, soy free, chemical free are all things you should be considering. If you fitness bud has been stuck in a rut of only one spice, (Hello Mrs. Dash), you could try out a new amazing product called Huba Spice. Made with 100% organic herbs and spices, no salt or sugar these spices are a great pairing to any fitness minded individual! This is the equivalent of buying those peanut and chocolate packages you see all over!
A great new local business to support: http://www.hubaspice.com/index.html
14. Sweatbands/Hats!
Well we all sweat! No? Just me? A headband in the gym is a great way to keep your hairstyle intact and the sweat off your face! For a girl who has naturally curly hair that I like to straighten, I could never survive without these. Frizz everywhere! For your male friend a sweatband around the head? Not the style anymore though I’m all for freedom of expression! A nice ballcap is much better. What girl doesn’t like seeing a man in a classic ballcap. Plus it keeps the guy focused on the workout, the sweat is off the brow plus nobody need see you didn’t do your hair! Hey, maybe I need to switch to a hat??
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/store/musclepharm-sportswear-headband.html
15. Foam Roller!
This item is not always something your fitness friend may have. Most sport and fitness minded individuals underestimate flexibility, stretching and foam rolling. It is integral to a good fitness plan! A cheaper version you may want to buy as well is tennis balls or lacrosse balls, though you may need to explain what they are for, if it’s not the actual sport! Sore and tight muscles are an accident waiting to happen. Plus some of these are so cute! And ehem some are so manly too sorry guys!
http://www.sportchek.ca/family/index.jsp?categoryId=3873371
Written by: Lara Schamotta