3 Last Minute Christmas Gifts for Fitness Geeks

It’s December 21…and you don’t have a Christmas gift for the Fitness Geek on your list.

Have no fear….All three of the following items are sure to please even the pickiest athlete on your Xmas list.

Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights? 

There’s plenty of conventional wisdom on health and fitness – but how much of it is scientifically sound?

The truth is: less than you’d think.

In Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?, physicist and award-winning journalist Alex Hutchinson tackles dozens of commonly held beliefs and looks at just what research science has – and has not – proven to be true:

Should I exercise when I’m sick? · Do I get the same workout from the elliptical machine that I get from running? · What role does my brain play in fatigue? · Will running ruin my knees? · To lose weight, is it better to eat less or exercise more? · How should I adapt my workout routine as I get older? · Does it matter what I’m thinking about when I train? · Will drinking coffee help or hinder my performance? · Should I have sex the night before a competition?

This myth-busting book covers the full spectrum of exercise science and offers the latest in research from around the globe, as well as helpful diagrams and plenty of practical tips on using proven science to improve fitness, reach weight loss goals, and achieve better competition results.

And unlike many fitness books, this one is good for both beginners and experienced jocks alike.

Paleo Comfort Foods

Unlike all of the other Paleo cookbooks I bought in the past few years,  Paleo Comfort Foods has found a home on my kitchen counter instead of gathering dust on the bookshelf.

At least twice a week, I try out a new recipe from this cookbook.

And so far, every recipe has been a winner with even my non-Paleo dinner guests.

In Paleo Comfort Foods, Charles and Julie Mayfield provide you with an arsenal of recipes that are healthy crowd-pleasers, sure to appeal to those following a paleo, primal, gluten-free, or “real-food” way of life—as well as those who have not yet started down such a path.

Implementing paleo guidelines and principles in this book (no grains, no gluten, no legumes, no dairy), the Mayfields give you 100+ recipes and full color photos with entertaining stories throughout. The recipes in Paleo Comfort Foodscan help individuals and families alike lose weight, eat healthy and achieve optimum fitness, making this way of eating sustainable, tasty and fun.

Sony NWZ-W262 MP3 Player

I can’t tell you how many times I have caught the cord of my MP3 headphones on some piece of fitness equipment and jerked them out of my ears.

In fact, the reason I bought this MP3 player is because I broke the headphone connection on my BlackBerry a couple of months ago.

And while I was searching for a pair of cordless headphones I came across this beauty from Sony.

It’s a wire-free, water resistant MP3 player designed to hold up to intense workouts and even the elements, in case a sunny day turns to showers before your run is over.

My only concern prior to purchasing was whether or not the unit would stay in place while I was running. And during my first run…the darn things kept coming loose. They never fell out, but they wouldn’t stay plugged in tight.

So when I got home, I switched out the medium sized earbuds that came installed for the large size…and just like that…problem solved.

No more slippage.

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Well, there you go. Three last minute fitness gifts to complete your shopping list.

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Have a happy holidays everybody.