Healthy Giving Series 2: Fitness for Newbies and Athletes Alike

As part of our Healthy Giving series, we’re coming up with healthy ways to say “Happy Holidays” to the ones you love. Next up: the gift of fitness. What makes fitness such an ideal holiday gift? Well, it’s something everyone can benefit from, because when done right, it has all the hallmarks of the perfect gift: it’s personal, it’s thoughtful, it has long-lasting effects, and of course, it can add a great deal of value to the recipient’s life.

So, whether the people on your list are active, athletic types, or whether they’re new to fitness, giving them a gift that promotes physical activity will show them that you care.

Activity Trackers

Activity trackers – like Fitbit^®, Nike+^®, and Jawbone^®, to name a few – are great gifts for everyone. For those who want to increase their physical activity, it’s a way to establish a baseline for their current level and to provide a measureable, fun way to view progress. For those already active, these trackers can instill a sense of competition – either within themselves or with others.

An added bonus – have them connect their device to a free fitness app, like CDPHP^® InMotion^SM, for extra features, like goal-setting, viewing logged activity, route-mapping, and more!

Lessons and Classes

New hobbies and skills are exciting! And they make thoughtful gifts, too. They also offer some price flexibility, as you can give a single lesson or a whole series of lessons. Offer to come along, or give the gift of couples or family lessons. Some of the most popular types of lessons include swim, ski, scuba, golf, and dance.

Not sure you can afford a class? If you and your loved ones are both CDPHP members, consider a different kind of gift and join them for one of our free wellness classes. It’s easy on your wallet and a great way to spend time together.

Fitness Memberships

While they may be a little pricier than lessons or classes, fitness memberships are gifts that literally keep giving – for as long as the membership lasts. A gym or fitness center membership is an obvious choice, but you can also consider ski passes, golf clubs, and aquatic centers – any place requiring an annual membership or offering season passes is an ideal selection.

Equipment and Clothing

Fitness-related equipment and clothing offers the largest range of pricing options to fit your budget, from affordably priced items like hand weights and resistance bands to more expensive items, like golf clubs, tread mills, or bicycles. Plus, there are many items in between, like yoga mats, running shoes, kettlebells, workout DVDs, clothing, and accessories.

Buddy Up!

The best way to enhance any of these gift ideas? Include yourself! There are so many benefits to getting active with a friend, and there are so many ways to make friendship a part of your gift, like:

• Registering for a race together – Gift them the registration and better yet, agree to train for it together, as well!
• Giving “activity coupons” – Commit to doing activities together, like skiing, hiking, or walking.

From less stress to better sleep to increased stamina, the advantages of good physical health are plentiful. That’s why a fitness-related gift is so valuable – in more ways than one.

Looking for more healthy gift ideas? Check out Part 1 of our Healthy Giving Series, which takes a look at healthy gifts that you can make yourself!