Stocking Stuffers

As I was putting up my Christmas decorations this weekend, I was thinking about stocking stuffers & which ones would be geared towards athletes. In my family, we’ve always had the tradition of candy being one of our big stocking stuffers, particularly the big movie boxes of candy. Now, obviously, I wouldn’t mind keeping this tradition alive because I love candy (seriously – it’s a big problem) but with everyone trying to eat healthy over the holidays & stay on track with their fitness routines, I thought coming up with a list of gifts that are sensible, motivating & just help with recovery in general would be great for your fitness friend/family member. My list is as follows:

Smart-Temp Ice Pack - I use this daily. After a long training session, I put this on when I go to bed to help with recovery. Sometimes I don’t even wait for bed, I’ll strap it on while I’m making dinner or finishing up laundry. Tip: I bought mine at Wal-Mart.

Tiger Balm - Completely awesome for sore/stiff muscles. Easy on the application process, a little goes a long way – this stuff gets super hot. Tip: Don’t touch eyes, nose or mouth until you’ve washed after application (I know, I know - common sense right?), I made this mistake once!

Rip Fix – This is actually on my wish list this year. I found them on Instagram (@winnies-ripfix) & I’ve been wanting to try it ever since. The before & after photos are pretty amazing, I’m pretty sure you’ll be intrigued once you see them.

Pumice stone – The greatest invention on earth. If you don’t have one of these, you’re missing out. Great for hands & feet. Tip: I bought mine at Target for $1.00 – You’re welcome.

Quest bars – If you follow me on any social media websites, you know how much I love Quest bars. They give me the option of cheating clean, but still satisfy my sweet tooth. If you haven’t tried them before, I highly recommend the Strawberry Cheesecake or Oreo flavors….yum. Tip: If you’re a Vitamine Shoppe club member, they have great sales on these bars regularly.

Working Hands Lotion – I’ve posted about this lotion before back on my previous blog because I was in love with it from the second I bought it. This is another product I use daily – actually, nightly before I go to bed. The great thing about it is that it has no smell & any cuts, splits, blisters, etc. that you have on your hands won’t burn during/after application. They also have foot lotion now. =) Tip: I bought mine at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Gloves – I bought myself a pair of the Athleta “touch screen” gloves a few months ago when the weather started to get cold. The fingertip friendly patches were the big selling point for me. If I was still an avid runner, I would be using these on my runs to make navigating my music much easier. To give you an idea, here’s the link to Lululemon’s Brisk Run Gloves.

Socks – If you’re anything like me, which is a fan of bright colors & funky patterns, I’ve purchased & recommend the following brands: Under Armour & Reebok.

Hopefully the above list gives you some ideas & if you’re still looking for a Christmas gift to buy me, I’ll take any of the above. =)