12 Presents for the Fitness Focused Female

I see shopping lists come out each year with titles like “15 Things For Fitness Oriented Women” and “20 Presents For Women Who Run” and to be honest, half of the time the things on these lists are things that I look at and thing are either over priced, over extravagant or just unnecessary.

So to help you help your friends, family and significant others, I’m writing a list of things that I actually believe women like me would actually like to unwrap on Christmas morning.

Now let’s be honest this is for you ladies, because it’s the fitness focused gal that is reading and sharing articles like this with the people I mentioned above in hopes that you actually get something you want for Christmas instead of something that you’re highly unlikely to use.

So here is my list of 12 Presents for the Fitness Focused Female

A Fitbit – There are lots of other fitness trackers out there and receiving any of them would be a great present for fitness focused female. But my personal recommendation after trying a lot of them is the Fitbit. — I’m a big fan of both the Fitbit Charge HR and the Fitbit Surge. If the lady you are shopping for is a runner go with the Surge for sure.

Bamboo – There are lots of nice fabrics out there to exercise and run in. Lot’s of them. But in my personal opinion none of them beat bamboo. I’m a huge fan of working out and running in the bamboo shirts from RawThreads.com – their line includes lots of exercise themed shirts, tanks and hoodies. If you want to make this an even more special present include a gift card for their Club Membership This will cost you $100 but it will get them a $20 gift certificate, a custom shirt and the opportunity to purchase some of their race registrations through the Raw Threads Club Membership which often includes sold out races.

BondiBand – There is nothing more uncomfortable than sweat in your eyes. Whether you are in a group exercise class, lifting weights or on a long run. These amazing headbands are a no slip, no drip athletic head-wear. I swear by these wicking headbands. I try to never leave for a workout without one. They even offer a feature that allows you to design your own and put your own message on them to make them extra special and a more personalized present.

Gym Bag – I could never have enough of these. Really. I have one that goes to the gym with me. One that stays packed for a last-minute run in the back of my car. One that stays packed with extra gym clothes and an extra change of clothes just in case I need them. I even have one that serves as a sauna bag. As far as brands go, there are two that I’d really love to have under the tree this year, the Under Armor Watch Me Duffle and the Victoria’s Secret Sport Essential.

Cold Weather Sport Jacket – Whether your Fitness Focused Female is a runner, jogger or walker, getting that cold weather cardio in can be really unpleasant without the right gear. These three jacks, which I will admit were some of the few items featured on one of the other Christmas lists I read. Other lists will list them as three different items. I’ll list a cold weather jacket as one but give you a few ideas of ones this runner chick would pick if you were shopping for me. ( In the order I’d select to receive them ) New Balance Heat Hybrid, Saucony EXO Jacket, Brooks Seattle Shell

Sparkle Skirt – Lot’s of other lists will put other running skirts on their list. Here’s the thing, if you are going to buy someone a running skirt, skip the typical brand names that don’t offer anything special and unique and go for what runner chicks everywhere are in love with. The Sparkle Skirt. The Sparkle Skirts address the need for comfortable, FUN and efficient active wear giving you a great, no riding,no chaffing fit and the amazing addition of pocket room to carry everything you might need on a run in! If you order one of these amazing skirts please tell Sparkle Momma Leah Powell that Pandora sent you! If you want to buy me one I’m a size medium and really want the Big Bang, Haunted and Flitter Green and Red Queen versions.

Socks – I’m not kidding here. A Christmas without socks and an orange in my Christmas Stocking is a sad year for me. Really. And if you’re buying athletic socks, there is really in my opinion only one brand to be buying. Balega. They make lots of different styles but as a runner I am married to the blister resistant Hidden Comfort style. Though if you stuffed my stocking with anything by this company I’d find an exercise to wear them doing.

Shoes – Okay so if you’re talking about me there is only one running shoe that I recommend. I’m an avid Altra fan. You can’t get me out of them. I’m currently bouncing back and forth between 4 pairs of Intuitions ranging from 1.5, 2.0 and two pairs of the 3.0 model. I also have a pair of the Torins that I wear when I want a little more cushion for my run. But as a runner chick myself the last thing I want is someone buying me shoes I don’t want or getting me the wrong size. So here’s what you do. Look at the shoes your lady friend is wearing right now and jot down the brand and size. Now go buy THAT brand in THAT size. If you can tell the model stick with the same model. You can even take a picture of them and take them to the store with you to get an associate to help you. If you want to thank me for this list and buy me some shoes I’m a 9.5 in Altra Running Shoes 🙂

GymBoss – Whether you’re interval workout is Circuit Training, HITT Training, Kettlebell Workouts, Weight Lifting, Tabata or you are timing Running Intervals the GymBoss is where it’s at. I use mine (which I received as a present) all the time. This small, easy to set and easy to hear interval timer makes sure that I know when my work period is and when my rest period is when I am doing my Circuit Training and makes sure that I stay on track with my run times and walk times when I am out on the road doing a run. I recently broke the clip on mine so hopefully a new one shows up for Christmas!

Sports Bra – Okay so I always promise I will tell you the truth. Here is the truth. You probably shouldn’t buy your fitness focused female a sports bra. Even though she probably really needs a new one. So many women are wearing bad sports bras! But do you and her both a favor and make her go pick it out herself and try it on, bounce around, do some jumping jacks in the dressing room and make sure she likes it. Buy her a gift certificate to a store that carries the Moving Comfort brand ( owned by Brooks ) In fact, go to their website, click on shop local, find a store that carries their sports bras and go buy her a gift certificate. Get creative with the presentation on this. Maybe grab her a Starbucks gift card or a gift card for her favorite place to buy a drink ( Tropical Smoothie Cafe ) if you’ve got one is a great choice and make it a fun little day trip for her.

Water Bottles – I can’t go on enough about how much we love our water bottles. There are lots of different brands and lots of different uses. In the gym I like the Brita Sport Bottle that lets me refill it from a water fountain and have fresh filtered water. I’m also a fan of the Nathan Hydration Handhelds as well as the CamelBack 25oz Podium Insulated if I am on my bike for a long ride. If you are buying her a Sparkle Skirt like I mentioned earlier ladies that use them swear by the FredWater Bottles that fit in your pocket nicely because of the shape.

Pamper Products – So anyone that is really into fitness as days when they really could just use a relaxing hot bath to help soothe those muscles. If your lady isn’t a bathtub type girl maybe it is a long shower with some products that just make her feel special and pampered. Either way LUSH products is the way to go. I’ll tell you right now the way to my heart is with a bath bomb. Seriously. From bath bombs, bubble bars and bath melts to shower gels, shower smoothies, shower jellies and shower scrubs LUSH has got something that is going to make your fitness frenzied female feel pampered, spoiled and relaxed. Put together a basket of a mixture of products so that she has them on hand those nights she really needs a little tender loving care after pushing her body to be the best that it can be. She’ll appreciate it.

Don’t forget the stocking stuffers! If you’re shopping for stocking stuffers always think of things like gift cards for her favorite places, shoe strings, energy beans, energy gels, blister band-aids, anti-blister sticks, chap-stick, tissue packs and gum. These are things I’d love to find in my stocking Christmas morning and

There you have it. Twelve presents ideas that any fitness focused female would love to find under the tree Christmas morning and several ideas for stocking stuffers that say you thought about the things she enjoys and the things she might need when she was doing them.

The most important thing about Christmas presents is the thought that goes into them and any of these presents are sure to tell a fitness freak like me that you put a little thought into what you put into the box this year.