My attitude toward working out is that I want to eat a lot of cheese and butter, drink champagne and bourbon liberally, and not develop gout or die by the time I’m thirty-five. So I halfheartedly buy Groupons for barre classes and Bikram yoga, and I walk the dog to happy hour, and I call it good. Julie does not share this attitude. My wife is a fitnessy gal. She does the Crossfit. She loves yoga. She runs half marathons at a rapid pace. For fun. She’s also an avid consumer of knowledge, and gadgets, and other fitnessy products—and since she’s become a professional personal trainer, she keeps telling me that now it’s all a business expense.
So what do you get for a gal who wears her sports bra to a business meeting, and doesn’t need just need her work outfit to transition effortlessly from day to night, but from dead lifts to burger dates? Here are a few ideas. Sadly, bourbon and butter did not make the cut.
Fabletics is a subscription based clothing service that sends you new threads periodically—like Stitch Fix but for workout clothes. Julie likes the package that gives you a new top, bottoms, and a sports bra every month. She does warn that the sports bras are not the most supportive ones she’s ever worn, so your mileage may vary. ($25 to start)
Rogue Jump Ropes. Once upon a time, I was a college rugby player, and the most intimidating thing was when a girl stepped on the field in hot pink cleats, because you knew she had something to prove if she was going to tackle people in pink shoes—and she was probably going to prove it with your face. The badass fitnessy gal in your life can subtly put people on notice with some hot pink handles on her custom jump rope while she’s knocking out some double unders and her Muay Thai warm ups. ($42.95)
Bluetooth Wireless Headphones, because if she’s running for hours, she doesn’t need her hands getting tangled in her cords and ruining that nice endorphin rush she’s got going on. ($35)
For the most part, my fitnessy gal sticks to working out in the urban setting. Last year though, she decided to run a half marathon through Rocky Mountain National Park. While the event itself was safe and populated, training for it was isolated and a little more nerve wracking. I met some lady mountain bikers at the airport last week, and they recommended the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger as a handy safeguard for rugged workouts, where you might not be able to use your smartphone if you need some help. ($149.95)
This is my favorite kind of gift to get for someone you live with—something just for them… that can benefit you as well (shh). Julie extolls the benefits of her Foam Roller for sore muscles post-race or competition, but I think it works just swell when my back muscles are crying for help after I’ve been hunched over my sewing machine, or reading in one position for too long. ($45)
C9 Reversible Sports Bra or the Rebound Racer Bra. The Champion sports bras from Target are a go-to everyday favorite around here, but splurge-y lingerie is always a good gift idea, and a great sports bra totally counts. ($8.99 and $50)
If your world is anything like mine, at some point the fitnessy gal in your life is going to express interest in the Paleo diet. The Nom Nome Paleo book has some super tasty alternatives to the side of bison and steamed broccoli that I always envision when caveman cuisine comes up. ($20)
GU Chomps are one of my go-to stocking stuffers, because they remind me of candy. Or Gushers. The fitnessy gal can take them on a long run, or stash them in her backpack for a trail snack that won’t weigh down her backpack. ($31.75)
The Under Armour Storm Duffle is awesome for the fitnessy gal who might be teaching bootcamp in the morning, and trying to make it to her own kickboxing workout in the afternoon and needs to haul her gear for both. Tons of color options too! ($45)
Fit Radio. Any genre of music set to a heart rate increasing beat—fun for the fitnessy gal who likes Blake Shelton and Ellie Goulding (and didn’t even know she liked them simultaneously. Yet.). ($2.99 per month)
Feel The Beat Tank, by lucy. Supportive for yoga or barre class, cute enough that you can put some jeans and a scarf on and head straight to happy hour afterward. ($40.93)
Because even the fitnessy gal can’t always make it to the gym or a class, Reebok Kettlebells are a super-versatile option for working out at home. ($39.99)
Yoga Download. With classes you can download with your subscription, or longer, more involved classes you can purchase, this is especially great for holiday travel. ($10 per month)
