holiday workout plan

Personal Trainer Top Fitness Gift Ideas for 2020

Curious about what to buy for the fitness enthusiast on your list this holiday season? Our SureFiz trainer shares her favorite gifts for 2020.

Personal Trainers Top Fitness Gift Ideas for 2020

Jenn Ryan, one of SureFiz’s trainers, shared with us her top picks for Holiday gift ideas. There is sure to be something on this list that would be perfect for the fitness enthusiast on your list! With a wide variety of price ranges, any budget level can find something that would work for a great price.

1. Fabletics Oasis High Waisted Pocket Legging $54.95 fabletics.com

Fabletics is Kate Hudson’s fitness inspired athletic apparel line and has been gaining a lot of momentum in the past few years. These leggings are by far the best leggings for running and activity. The high waist will keep them in place for your entire workout, no matter how long. The side pockets make it super convenient to keep your phone by your side and easily accessible. With many options for style and color, the choices are endless-you could buy a few to mix and match outfits. While you’re on the site, look around for some ideas for yourself-you can’t go wrong with anything at Fabletics!

2. Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 $120 nike.com

The lightweight and breathable quality in these running shoes make them a perfect gift for any runner on your list. Nike Air Zoom is a well rounded running shoe with react cushioning for the ultimate in running comfort. With adorable colors and attractive styling (my favorite is the champagne pink), even non-runners would love seeing these under the tree.

3. Lululemon Reversible 5mm Yoga Mat $78 lululemon.com

If you have a yoga enthusiast on your list, the Lululemon yoga mat is a classic. You can’t go wrong with the reversible mat and the array of options for style and color. The natural rubber base gives cushioning and a textured grip, while the antimicrobial additive helps prevent mold and mildew on the mat. These yoga mats are highly durable and will last a long time, while also being easy to clean and wipe down for a low maintenance yoga experience.

4. Apple Watch series 6 $259 amazon.com

Every fitness enthusiast needs an Apple Watch. Seriously. The Apple watch is versatile in so many ways-tracking movement, workouts, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels. With the added features of email, text messaging, phone capabilities and playlists for music, the watch is a crowd pleaser for sure. As a trainer, even the simple ability to set a timer, check weather, and create reminders is worth the price.

5. Lifeproof Lifeactiv Armband with quickmount $30.50 amazon.com

The Lifeproof brand is well known for its standard in phone cases-guaranteeing to protect the life of your phone no matter what happens. The fitness armband is extremely durable, and its quick-mount feature is great for a runner or fitness enthusiast, allowing the phone to stay readily available and easy to reach when needed. The mount works in both landscape and portrait positions and mounting is super simple-phone comes on or off with a simple twist.

6. Powerbeats high performance wireless headphones $149.95 amazon.com

Beats headphones are unmatched all around, no matter which ones you choose. If you’re looking for amazing sound quality, look no further. These headphones are also sweat resistant and boast 15 hours of listening time, which the average fitness enthusiast will only need to charge them approximately every 2 weeks.

7. Under Armour UA Sports Mask $30 underarmour.com

This face mask is all an athlete could ask for. High quality materials and strategic structure make this mask breathable and easy to wear for hours. Bonus features include antimicrobial treatment on the inside to keep the mask fresh and a water-resistant outer shell for maximum comfort. I would wear this all day if I had to. And that says a lot for a mask!

8. Tangram Smart Jump Rope $39.95 amazon.com

Jumping rope is one of the simplest, easy to accomplish yet effective workouts that most anyone can do. The coolest thing about this jump rope is its ability to connect to the smartrope mobile app via Bluetooth and track your workout data. The app tracks jump count, calories burned, and time spent jumping. Users can stay motivated by unlocking awards, doing interval training, and connecting with other smart rope users to challenge each other.

9. BeautyCounter Sheer Genius Conditioning Lipstick $32 beautycounter.com

Beautycounter is a revolutionary skincare company that is working to change the beauty market for good. They only use clean, sustainable sources for their makeup and skincare, making it a great choice for skin of all ages and types. The Sheer Genius is a lipstick that wears like a balm, which makes it the perfect gift for that runner who logs long miles in the cold and ends up with chapped lips. With a lightly sweet natural vanilla scent, this lipstick will brighten any workout.

10. SureFiz scale $99.89 surefiz.com

This is more than a smart scale. SureFiz offers users a multi-faceted fully interactive experience driven with AI to track weight loss, body measurements and set goals. With the SureFiz app, users have access to immediate feedback from trainers and health experts, a forum for quick answers to the biggest questions in health and fitness and accountability circles to connect with other users for greater chances of success. This system is not just for those who need to lose weight, but is very effective for any fitness enthusiast who loves to track their fitness statistics. It’s also available on Amazon.

11. LARQ Self Cleaning Water bottle $95 livelarq.com

The LARQ water bottle is the first of its kind. It is truly an all-in-one bottle, with self cleaning capabilities so that you don’t have to waste time trying to get your water bottle clean. The bottle “uses patented UV-C technology to purify your water and bottle at the touch of a button. The bottle intelligently turns on every two hours to purify both the water you put inside as well as the inside of the bottle. The UV-C light eradicates biological contaminants by destroying their DNA”.

12. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day dry shampoo $25.00 livingproof.com

Every fitness enthusiast and avid gym goer knows that a dry shampoo is necessary in a gym bag. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time after a workout for washing, drying and styling hair. But not all shampoos are created equally. The Perfect Hair Day dry shampoo by Living Proof is cruelty-free, paraben-free, silicone-free and safe for all chemically treated hair. It truly absorbs the oil and sweat after a workout and hair will look amazing for days!

13. All in Motion kettlebell, 15 lb $39.99 target.com

The kettlebell is an incredibly versatile workout partner, and makes a great gift for the workout-at-home enthusiast. This kettlebell is coated along the bottom with vinyl, which helps protect your floor and surfaces from scratches like a traditional steel framed kettlebell. The bright coloring makes for a cheery addition to a piece of workout equipment. A 15 pound kettlebell is a great medium weight size, but Target also offers others if lighter or heavier is preferred.

14. Ciele Athletics GoCap Century Running Hat $39.95 jackrabbit.com

The Ciele Athletics running hat is super lightweight, comfortable and moisture wicking. With a pliable brim and soft machine washable fabric, the hat can be easily stored and packed away. My favorite feature is the reflective detailing on the front and back, which really helps for those early morning or late night runs in the winter.

15. Trigger Point Grid Foam Roller $59.99 roguefitness.com

This Trigger Point foam roller is hands down the best foam roller! It has a hard, hollow core then wrapped in foam for a sturdy yet comfortable roll. With strategically placed grooves along the entire roller, you are sure to reach even the hardest to reach pressure points, making it seem closer to the feel of a massage. One bonus: if you want to travel with a foam roller, this hollow core makes it great for storing clothes in so that you can maximize space efficiently!

Benefits of Working Out First Thing in the Morning

Any workout is better than no workout when it comes to weight loss success. However, there are some benefits to getting in your sweat sesh first thing.

Working out is a vital part to success in any weight loss or weight management program. In our current society, life is busy-job or school, family, kids, sports, church and hobbies can consume daily life and make it hard to fit in a workout session. So whatever time of day it is, fitting in a workout is a good thing. If you are trying to figure out the best time of day and have some flexibility, working out in the morning can offer some benefits. Here are a few reasons working out in the morning can benefit you:

Better mood

Regular exercise has been shown to increase endorphins in the body. Endorphins are otherwise known as “feel good” hormones. By working out in the morning and releasing these endorphins first thing, you set the day off on the right track. The feeling of accomplishing a great workout will carry you through the whole day.

Less “life” distractions

As we mentioned before, life is busy. Often, as the day progresses, so does our “to-do” list and sometimes even unexpected things arise causing a later workout to be tougher to fit in. By working out first thing in the morning before the work emails or phone calls start flooding in, you will ensure that you can not only fit in a workout but that it will be an adequate length of time needed for your health and weight loss goals.

More energy through the day

Exercise is not only great for a calorie burn during your workout, but exercising at a high enough intensity during your morning workout creates a “post workout” elevation in heart rate and overall energy. This can also lead to more daily activity, as increased energy and awareness will help you want to move more throughout your daily activities.

Better sleep

Exercise at any time helps improve sleep quality, but those who exercise in the evenings risk the possibility of that increased energy we mentioned in #3 affecting their ability to fall asleep. People who workout in the evenings report that they feel increased energy after their workouts and have a harder time falling asleep at an early enough hour.

Better focus

Exercise has been proven to improve mental focus and clarity-any time of the day you do it. But by getting your sweat on early in the morning, you could help with some of that clarity throughout your work day. If you find yourself having trouble with focus and concentrating, try an early morning workout to help boost your brain. You might find that it’s just what you need for a mental start!

When considering early morning or first thing in the morning workouts, another thing to consider is whether or not to eat before your workout. The topic of fasted cardio is one that is highly debated and experts have differing thoughts on the concept. Our article Pros and Cons of Fasted Cardio in Weight Loss gives a look into more about what fasted cardio is and whether it will work for you.

Even though getting any workout at all is better than no workout, there can definitely be some benefits to getting up before sunrise and starting your day off on the right foot. If you’re finding it difficult to get up in the morning or you hit the snooze button too much, try and set your alarm for the same time each morning. Consistency in your sleep patterns will make it much easier for you to get up for that workout. And who couldn’t benefit from a little more time in the morning to get extra things accomplished on those non-workout days? No matter when you choose to work out, be sure you are using your SureFiz scale and app to help you track your goals and stay on track with your weight loss program.

Four Simple Tips To Have A Healthy Holiday

Holidays are no excuse to give up on your diet plan. You can still make progress in your weight loss and fitness journey.

The holiday is the toughest season for those who are trying to lose weight. Most people just give up and block these three months to not caring about what they eat. It is understandable though. It is not so fun to always feel cautious and anxious about the food whenever you try to enjoy holiday dinners with family. Refusing certain meals would be perceived as rude behavior in some families. There are ways to get away from that though. Here are the tips to have an enjoyable healthy holiday.

1.) Try intermittent fasting

4 Tips To Have A Healthy Holiday

Image source: intermountainhealthcare.org

This is optional because fasting might not work for everybody. Studies have shown the benefits of intermittent fasting for weight loss and blood sugar control. Intermittent fasting puts your body in ketosis. According to WebMD, ketosis is a process that happens when your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy. Instead, it burns fat and makes things called ketones, which it can use for fuel. In addition to helping you burn fat, ketosis can make you feel less hungry. It also helps you keep muscle. However, if you are interested in doing intermittent fasting, do not just do it on holiday months. Start a few weeks to a month before to let your body adjust to the changes due to ketosis. If you can, try to decrease the eating window to 8 or 6 hours. You can do it anytime in the day. Some people like to eat at night, some people like to eat in the morning. But make sure you have stopped eating heavy meals 2 hours before bedtime.

2.) Start with the soup

When the dinner starts, do not go heavy right away. Start with the soup. A Penn State study shows that eating low-calorie soup before a meal can help cut back on how much food and calories you eat at the meal. The results show that when participants in the study ate a first course of soup before a lunch entree, they reduced their total calorie intake at lunch (soup + entree) by 20 percent, compared to when they did not eat soup. The study tested whether the form of soup and the blending of its ingredients also affected food intake and satiety. Soups tested included separate broth and vegetables, chunky vegetable soup, chunky-pureed vegetable soup, and pureed vegetable soup. While researchers thought that increasing the thickness or the amount of chewing required may have made certain forms of soup more filling, the results of the study show that low-calorie soup is filling regardless of its form.

3.) Pick the high-protein food

When it is time to dive into the main course, go for high-protein food such as turkey breast, salmon, pork loin, meatballs, or beef steak. High protein foods make you feel full longer and satisfied so you will eat less and cut down on snacking. High protein foods not only help you build and maintain lean muscle mass, but also give you extra nutrients like B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium. You do not have to completely avoid your favorite holiday foods. One tip is to skip the foods you can eat year-round, like chocolate chip cookies. Instead, taste the special treats you can only get this time of year, like gingerbread. If you really want to have chocolate chip cookies, it’s also okay. Just remember, everything in moderation.

4.) Never stop moving

The holiday season is typically packed with a lot of free time. Make use of this free time by moving. You can do simple things like cleaning the house, preparing meals, decorating, or doing laundry. Walk the dog (if you have one), or just go for a walk or a run in the neighborhood. Do our recommended free Youtube workouts or you can try our stairs workout if you are not in the mood of going outside.

It is a little tricky but definitely doable. Do not let the holiday season set you back. A little set back is okay but do not settle there. Get up and work on it. The weight loss journey is never easy. You will have some setbacks. But believe in yourself. You will get there. Be strong and keep on going.