With just days before my active present buying begins (always 1st December and never a day before!), I’ve started planning my Christmas gifts for workout lovers. Many of my friends and family enjoy a dedicated fitness routine, from a brisk walk to an adventurous cycle. So, I’ve carefully curated a Christmas gift guide for those people in your life who never skip a workout…
Low impact Christmas gift guide fitness ideas
If, like me, your friend or family member is an exercise devotee, they’ll always be looking for ways to add to their fitness repertoire. And, as the cost-of-living crisis continues, many of us won’t be forking out for expensive gym memberships next year. So, it makes sense to consider how your fitness lover plans to workout wisely in the future.
Here’s where I think a mini indoor trampoline could come in extremely handy. They are not only really good fun but they’re low intensity, which makes them highly suitable for all ages. Truth be told, even my father enjoys a good bounce around on his and he’s in his 70s!
Benefits of bouncing
Trampolining is a great way to firm and tone the muscles. It can also improve cardiovascular health and circulation and this form of exercise can improve mental health. There really are so many benefits – you’ll also find it helps to increase bone density. This is a low impact form of exercise so there will be less stress on the joints when working out. You could even add hand-held weights or resistance bands to this gift to help your fitness friend take their workout up a notch.
The Body Sculpture BB800 Mini Trampoline/Aerobic Bouncer measures 36 inches and it’s lightweight with a very stable base. Ideal for Christmas and beyond, I’m using my new trampoline on the carpet in my kitchen. However, this model has rubber-mounted feet, so it won’t damage a wood or stone floor either. I think this piece of kit makes a perfect Christmas gift because it’s affordable, sturdy and versatile. It has even got a foldable frame so you can pack it away when it’s not in use. It can also support up to 150kgs in weight and it spans 36 inches. With integral foam edge protection, your fitness lover will feel safe and they can max their bounce in every workout.
My Christmas gift guide for cyclists
The cyclist in your life should appreciate anything safety-related when cycling on the road. However, I’ve found it tricky to find any stylish kit for keen cyclists till recently. This was when I came across Caz Conneller, director at Cyclechic. Caz and her team sell stylish cycling accessories online, from bike helmets and panniers to jackets and gifts. She told me: “Our mission is to promote cycling as a desirable, accessible lifestyle choice. We believe cycling is a stylish pursuit with no lycra needed! And we work on finding outerwear and accessories that make women excited to get on their bikes. Most importantly, we want them to be able to express their own sense of style.”
Reflective silver jacket
I always used to wear a ‘builder’s style’ high-vis oversized vest on my bike rides with my father. It was doing absolutely nothing for my street cred but I’m also all about safety. And these days, I tend to cycle a lot more since I bought my own bike. This is a brilliant second-hand model and, who knows, maybe one day I’ll buy a new one. However, as I continued to wear that vest on my bike rides, I knew I was running the risk of being stopped by the fashion police. Then, thank goodness, I came across Cyclechic – the perfect place to pick up all your cycling presents this Christmas (for men and women).
Enter the Florence ladies reflective jacket by GoFluo from Cyclechic. As soon as I saw this gorgeous item, I knew it would be ideal for anyone who wants to look good when they’re on the road. A great present for someone special, this jacket is so versatile, it will suit all sorts of fitness activities, from walking to running. The fabric feels really soft and it’s water-repellent, too. The style is fitted, so the wearer will instantly feel more feminine, and it features a beautiful striped motif windbreaker. With zip pockets, it’s also fully reflective, front and back, so you’re bound to be visible in traffic.
Cool cycling helmet
If you’re looking for presents for cyclists, I also suggest you take a look at The Deco. I absolutely love this vintage-style glamorous helmet, which not only fits snugly on your head with adjustable foam pads but it looks good, too. You can choose from three colour-ways – I picked the deep blue aesthetic, which is such a lovely colour . Featuring a matt finish for a contemporary touch, Mint Green and French Grey versions are also available. With a super-stylish metallic gold logo, the Art Deco-inspired Cyclechic motif ties in perfectly with matching gold straps.
Safety-wise, with this helmet you’ll be pleased to hear your recipient will be fully covered. With a high-impact ABS shell, this has been EN1078 certified with 11 ventilation holes to keep their head comfy and cool. Price-wise, these helmets come in at just £40, making these a perfect present!
My Christmas gift guide for walkers
I absolutely love walking, whether it’s for exercise or fun – in fact I like to combine the two when I can. Thankfully, a lot of my friends enjoy this, too so we tend to meet up for long walks at weekends. Of course, this may involve a delicious lunch out somewhere, which helps to make the special day complete. So, this part of my Christmas gift guide is for walkers, who want to look good whenever they’re out and about. Here, I’m talking about walking boots and all the benefits the right ones will provide the wearer. If you know someone who enjoys walking, why not invest in a good pair of boots for them this Christmas?
Say goodbye to blisters
Apart from aesthetics, which I think should be key for any keen walker (it is for me!), having adequate support is also vital. This is why a mid-cut boot, as opposed to a shoe, could be your best present bet. This will provide the wearer with higher ankle support and bags of comfort. With the right pair, your walking partner should find blisters will be a distant memory.
These boots were made for walking
I’ve hand-picked the Salomon Crosshike Mid 2 gtx walking boots for my Christmas gift guide for fitness lovers. There are so many things I love about these, not least the fact that they are super-light. With a GORE-TEX membrane, this will keep the wearer dry and upright with a Contagrip® outsole for plenty of grip and hold on muddy ground. And, if you’re looking for cushioning and comfort, the Cross-Hike 2 Mid gtx has it all. There are three colours to choose from and they come in a standard width, which means this boot fits me like a glove. For the man in your life, there’s an equivalent version too – so everybody will be happy on Christmas Day morning.
Consider a fitness measuring device
Fitness lovers are bound to want the most accurate way to track their movements and reach their goals. I know I do! This is where you may want to feature a GPS watch in your present list if you’re buying for a loved one. I think what makes this sort of model so good is the ability many have to work for a variety of sports, from walking, running and Pilates to hiking, swimming and cycling. A GPS watch should also offer more secure sychronisation with satellites.
The ultimate GPS watch
I was recently invited to sample the new Suunto 5 Peak, £259, which is an incredibly lightweight GPS watch. To be honest, I almost forgot I was wearing this model during my trial. There’s no doubt it’s a beautiful design, which looks impressive, with an on-trend, soft silicone strap and smart circular face. However, I was keen to check out whether substance would match style.
With a battery life, which lasts up to one week, the Suunto 5 Peak works with a dedicated app to provide the wearer with GPS navigation and a whole lot more. I discovered there were more than 80 sports modes, a step counter, heart rate monitor and a sleep tracker. You can even get phone notifications through the watch face. But what sets it apart from a fitness tracker for me is its ability to analyse the real-time rate the wearer burns fat and carbohydrates while exercising, thanks to a dedicated Burner app. This is really good if the user wants to maintain a healthy balance between diet and exercise.
I found the Suunto 5 Peak fairly easy to get to grips with. I’m sure I would have found it easier to use and discovered even more features over time. I’m quite sure that whoever receives this fine watch as a Christmas present will love it.
My Christmas gift guide to fitness accessories
Bottle beautiful
Every fitness lover will know how important it is to keep hydrated so I’ve made sure drinks bottles feature in this Christmas gift guide. Good quality versions will make fantastic stocking fillers for friends and family. I personally prefer insulated bottles, where I can benefit from super cool water in sweltering temperatures. However, I can also enjoy a steaming cup of tea too when walking in cold weather. I use thermally insulated stainless steel bottles every day to keep hydrated in my studio and on walks. I also have one close at hand for my Pilates workouts and when I’m cycling.
If you’re looking for a high-performance bottle for your fitness friend, my favourite brand is One Green Bottle. I’ve been using them for years and I love everything about them. Their evolution bottles are brilliant as they’re made from triple layer technology stainless steel with a vacuum between. This helps to maintain your drinks at an ideal temperature for longer with up to 24 hours cold and 12 hours hot water.
Sustainability goals
Are you buying a present for someone who cares about sustainability? I do and One Green Bottle commits to recovering 25 plastic bottles from the ocean for every single bottle they sell. They are an Impact Partner of Plastic Bank, which helps to fund the infrastructure to manage waste properly around the globe. They use discarded fishing nets to make their sports caps, which use BPA/BPS free polypropylene. None of the packaging features plastic and these 100% recyclable bottles last for years.
Practical running vest
Now I have to hold my hands up to the fact I’m not a runner. But I know plenty of friends and family who love nothing better than a pavement, beach or park run. So this takes me to my next Christmas gift guide recommendation – a reflective run vest. The husband is a keen runner so he kindly trialled this one. The Stile reflective run vest is so practical, it comes with a phone carrier and LED rear lights. Perfect for night-time safety, I hear it’s easy to move in. Those handy lights on the back mean the wearer will also be visible up to half a mile, which is ideal on these darker nights. The phone compartment fits most standard and +size models, while a flip-down touch window allows the user to use the screen on the move. It’s water-resistant and ultra light-weight, too.
Strap it up
Last but by no means least, does your friend or family member already have a fitness tracker or smart watch? Then why not help them spruce it up? I think a replacement strap or wristband can transform a Fitbit, for instance, and my favourites are the metallic versions. This is because they help to make the tracker look more like a watch. Bang on trend, the recipient can then wear their fitness tracker, and still look good whatever their plans. This is a fabulous best buy for the perfect stocking filler.
AD: Huge thanks to the following brands who have joined me in this task with free products and have kindly contributed to this Christmas gift guide: Body Sculpture, Cyclechic, Salomon, One Green Bottle and 1000 Mile
How are you finding the colder weather? If you’re looking for cosy knitwear for winter warmth & style or another kind of Christmas present for a loved one, read my latest guide here.
