Best & Worst Holiday Fitness Gifts
The Worst
Shake Weight: Where do I begin to talk about the fail of this product? Saturday Night Live and South Park have had their fill of making fun of this worthless gadget.
Shape-Ups: see my previous article here about my thoughts on these rip-offs
Any “ab device” sold on an infomercial: While some of these might actually work the abdominals effectively, my gripe is how they market them as the sole solution to getting a smaller waist. Reducing belly fat takes more than just some fancy piece of equipment. It takes eating right while using a well-designed overall exercise program.
Spanx for Men?: Ok, so the male version isn’t called Spanx, but a clever someone decided that since many guys have guts these days, why not appeal to the desire for that slim waistline while still being able to down a few six-packs per week.
The Best
TRX: Portable, versatile and a time saver. Does it get any better? While it won’t make a well-equipped gym obsolete, this is one of the best holiday buys for that fitness enthusiast. Check out a video I shot last summer of me using one. 
Best of all, TRX’s are on sale for 20% off for the holidays and I never see them on sale. You can pick up one from here.
Gift Certificate with a Fitness Professional: Know someone who is spinning his or her wheels or whose workout could use a freshening up? Sport Fit offers gift certificates for personal training.
Gourmet Nutrition: By far the best cook book on the market for the fitness crowd. You can pick up a copy from here.
“From the creators of Precision Nutrition comes a cookbook for people who love to eat great food, but hate that after-dinner guilt. For those who love to eat with style, but hate to look “indulgent.” for those who love to entertain, but want to do it right. Enter Gourmet Nutrition: the cookbook for the fit food lover. We’ve taken the healthiest ingredients and whipped them into nearly 300 pages of delicious culinary creations that you can serve with confidence to the most discerning foodie — or the most nitpicky nutritionist. We’ve included detailed cooking instructions and ideas for improvisation. And we’ve even photographed every recipe in beautiful color to show you just how appetizing healthy food can be. Gourmet Nutrition is the cookbook that’s as friendly to your body as it is to your taste buds, and it’s equally at home on your kitchen counter and your coffee table.” –Amazon
Stability Ball: A must have for any home gym. It’s versatility, price, size and effectiveness make it one of the best overall pieces of gym equipment you can have. You can get one for about $20 at your local Wal-Mart or Target.