If you’ve hit a wall on what to get your friends or family for the holidays, then why not get them something that will help get healthier? My dad is almost impossible to shop for, but I have my eye on a few of these that might just fit the bill. Here is my official top 8 for 2008 last minute fitness gifts.

1.) A Foam Roller

If you’re like most people, you spend a lot of your day nailed to a desk. And when you actually do make the time to workout, you probably aren’t spending a lot of time keeping stretching.

Well that’s where a foam roller comes in. It’s a phenomenal corrective self-massage tool that will dramatically bolster injury prevention and improve performance. It’s ideal to use for at least five minutes post-workout to promote healing of the small micro-tears in your muscles that result from high-intensity training, which is a huge help to recovery. Plus, a foam roller both kneads out and lengthens your muscle and connective tissues thus alleviating, if not eliminating, nagging aches and pains in your back, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows.

If you’re going to get a foam roller, get a good one. The cheaper options tend to wear down into a limp noodle for larger individuals after just a couple of months. I have had great success with the foam rollers from Perform Better. My brand of choice is The EVA Premium Foam Roller (about $30), it has stood up to regular use for a long time! You can get it here http://www.performbetter.com?kbid=2610.

2.) Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are by far the most simple, convenient, and affordable equipment option in the fitness industry. They supply total portability for killer workouts that can be done anywhere. If you are a busy professional who does a lot of traveling, bands are the perfect lightweight training tool to take your workouts with you on the road as they can fit in the smallest of bags without a problem. If you are a busy Mom looking to workout in the comfort of your own home, bands can make this happen too. Bands provide the perfect compliment to your body weight circuit training workouts for added variety, allow for multiple levels of resistance with practically zero transition and set-up time, are easy on the joints, and are fun to use!

Dave “The Mighty Band Man” Schmitz is the world’s premier resistance band training expert. This guy is an unbelievable coach  who creates the most innovative workouts with bands that you’ll ever see. He has his own line of resistance bands that are virtually indestructible and I use them year round to crank it at home or on the road. To get the best bands in the business check out www.resistancebandtraining.com

3.) A Gift Card to a Sporting Goods Store

You can’t beat a sporting goods store like Dick’s Sporting Goods to get some great fitness equipment and clothing.. I always recommend going with a gift card here because everybody has their own preferences, particularly when it comes to clothing sizes and styles.

4.) A Gift Card to Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or Other Premium Grocery Stores

Rather then another gift certificate to an overpriced restaurant, why not give a week’s worth of groceries to a an organic grocer like Trader Joe’s? After all, everybody’s got to eat, but how many of us actually eat the right stuff to support our fitness goals? You’ll be doing your loved ones a huge favor by introducing them to the wonderful world of a quality supermarket

5.) A Gift Card to a Massage Therapist

Most of us are crazy busy and super stressed out during the holiday season and nothing eases the tension like a good massage. This is about as can’t miss of a gift as it gets, unless you know someone who doesn’t like to be touched. It’s nice to be pampered on occasion, and though the foam roller I mentioned above can do wonders for the majority of your body, nothing can alleviate tension in your upper back, neck, and head like a good massage therapist! If you are in our local area, give Amy a ring over at http://chichestermassage.com/

6.) Supplements that Work: Protein Powders, Fish Oil, Multi-Vitamin

Forget the fat burners and wonder pills!  In my journey, I have found only three supplements to be a mandatory part of the optimal fat loss program: protein powders, fish oil, and multi-vitamin supplements.

Protein powders provide great liquid workout nutrition and a convenient meat alternative for on-the-go snacking. For a protein powder, look for a brand low in sugar and carbohydrates and with a mix of both whey and casein (fast and slow absorbing proteins). In my opinion, the best protein powder out there is made by Beverly International. You can get more info on this great company here: http://www.cr8health.com/beverly-international/

Fish oil, or more appropriately entitled an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement, is critical to providing key omega 3’s to maximize overall health, performance, and body composition. Studies show that krill oil provides the most effective dosing of EFA’s.

A multi-vitamin provides keys vitamins and minerals that are tough to obtain unless your diet is near picture perfect. I don’t know about you, but I like to cover my bases when it comes to my health. Be sure to choose a multi-vitamin supplement that is made from whole foods rather than synthetic materials, in addition to being made specifically for your gender.

Check out VGF+25 and EFA Icon, both included in Prograde’s Health+ Package available at www.getprograde.com

7.) Sport-Specific Gift

This one’s pretty basic: if you want to give a great gift to an athlete then get them something unique that compliments their sport, whether it be fitness equipment, clothing, or both.

8.) A Gift Card to a Fitness Boot Camp

Boot camps provide a fun and exciting team environment that guarantee better results than one-on-one personal training for only a third of the cost… it’s a total no-brainer.

Look for a local fitness boot camp who wants you to take to current clients to be sure they have a solid reputation and a bunch of raving fans of people just like you. Plus, any good boot camp worth its weight offers free trials to all newcomers because they are so confident their program works that you’ll more than likely continue after a test-drive, This way there is typically no risk on your part… besides getting your butt kicked, in a good way.

So join a fitness boot camp with at least one other friend or family member or buy a boot camp gift card to give to your loved ones. As a boot camp instructor myself, I know firsthand that clients always get better results when they embark on a fitness journey with others.

And if you live in the local Concord area, come work with us for the best personal training in New Hampshire by visiting http://GetFitNHbootcamp.com. You’ll get the most effective, addictive, and fun workout you’ve ever had!

Have a safe and happy Christmas season, and make it your best year ever!

Fat Loss Forever,

Nancy