5 Great Fitness Gifts for 2009

Studio 5 Health and Fitness Contributor Melanie Douglass rounds up her top 5 ideas.


1) Garmin FR60 Running Watch and Premium Heart Rate Monitor

Why it’s great:

This watch offers the perfect combination of foot pod tracking (workout speed, distance), heart rate monitoring (workout intensity), and Garmin touch of high-end technology and sophistication. It lets you track time, heart rate, and calories, plus offers a special boost with workout alarms and Virtual Partner™ training (which helps improve performance by racing against a virtual competitor). The watch comes in a kit with a heart rate monitor, a foot pod, a chest strap, and a wireless transferring.

Where to buy:

www.roadrunnersports.com
Road Runner sports carries this watch for just $129.00 to $199.00 plus FREE shipping guaranteed by Christmas! It’s a win-win!

2) HydraCoach Intelligent Water Bottle

Why it’s great:

This unique water bottle automatically calculates a recommended daily Personal Hydration Goal based on your weight. It also displays your average amount of fluid consumed per hour, monitors the total amount of fluid consumed throughout the day, displays the percentage of fluid consumed relative to your goal, and displays the amount of time elapsed for the day to reinforce proper pacing.

Where to buy:

Retail Store: The Sports Authority ~$30.00

Online: Hydracoach on Amazon

3) Petra Kolber Bootcamp Boogie DVD

Why it’s great:

If you’re looking for a flat-out solid workout with an amazing instructor, try Petra Kolber’s Bootcamp Boogie! Petra Kolber is my personal favorite instructor. She has an infectious happy attitude that spills over into her workouts and makes you feel empowered and motivated to achieve your fitness goals. This specific DVD mixes cardio grooves (dance) and athletic bootcamp moves for a perfect, efficient workout that is fresh and fun. It’s truly a great workout for all fitness levels.

Where to buy:

www.amazon.com $19.95 approx. 60 minutes

4) Crazy for Cutups Workout Mix

Why it’s great:

This is a very unique workout mix! It’s literally got something for everyone. Cutups are what you get when you take 24 highly recognizable song “hooks” and weave them with progressive new dance tracks. This 24-track album of quick mixes, courtesy of the expert slice & dice production team at Yes! Fitness Music, is a masterful mosaic of sounds and beats. They’ve cut some amazing tracks down to their very best parts and wrapped ‘em up in one sweet package. This new twist on classic sounds is a “steroid-infused” iteration of their highly acclaimed Mashup CDs.

Where to buy:

http://www.yesfitnessmusic.com/store/product_detail/YES1037 $19.95 approx. 60 minutes
5) NordicTrack Incline Trainer

Why it’s great:

A bit more than a workout DVD, yes, but worth every penny. A solid, sophisticated piece of workout equipment — and the healthful habits it instills in your home — are an investment that will benefit you and your family for a lifetime. The NordicTrack Incline Trainer is a treadmill, but with the ability to hike up to an amazing 40% incline, which helps you burn up to 5X the calories (versus ordinary walking). Not only is incline training more efficient at burning calories, but the workouts can be shorter and have less impact on your knees and joints.

The Incline Trainer is so unique, even Jillian Michaels has endorsed it. Check out this quote from Jillian:

“Incline training is more efficient than other aerobic exercises. At just 25% incline, and 2 mph, you’ll burn 3 times the calories compared to walking on a level surface. When you increase the incline to 40% you’re burning 5 times the calories, just by walking. That’s why I use it with the contestents on TV. Incline training works, and it’s fast. And because all you have to do is walk, incline training is virtually zero impact. This means you’ll be able to work out longer and see the results faster.”

“I’ve made it my life’s work to help other people get in shape. So, if you’re serious about losing weight, about feeling great and about really making a difference in the quality of your life, put the NordicTrack Incline Trainer in your home today. ” — Jillian Michaels

Where to buy:

If you want an Incline Trainer by Christmas, call the friendly customer service reps at NordicTrack: 888-308-9616

www.nordictrack.com


You can ask Melanie questions through the “Ask an Expert” button on the Studio 5 main webpage.

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