Five Healthy Holiday Gifts for Under $40

I want to give the gift of fitness this year but everything I see costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Are there any cheap exercise gadgets that actually work? – Felcia Bennis – San Diego, CA

Yup. Here are five I like that can actually help you get in as good, if not better shape, than any fancy, break-the-bank contraption. Nothing costs more than $40.

Sportline 343 talking calorie counter pedometer: By some estimates, if you walked an extra 2,000 steps a day, you could avoid gaining weight. If you walked an additional 10,000 steps a day, some research shows this could be just as effective for losing weight as a formal exercise program. Of course, it would by mighty distracting to go around counting your steps all day ("Wait, was I on 842 or 843?"). That's where a pedometer – a cell phone-sized device that you clip onto your waistband – comes in handy. I like the inexpensive Sportline 343 talking calorie count pedometer. It monitors calories burned, number of steps, distance traveled, and the time you actually spent walking in daily activity. The voice announcements give you the skinny on all your stats at various intervals as well as goal reminders so you always remember what you're walking towards. You can order it at www.sportline.com for only $13.99.

Weider alpine tech jump rope: I'm a big fan of skipping rope. It's an effective way to burn fat, increase stamina, improve coordination, and firm up muscles, especially the ones in your shoulders, arms, and legs. It's a speedy calorie burner too: jumping at a moderate speed of 70-120 turns per minute for 15 minutes burns 150-200 calories, as much as running a ten minute mile but with half the impact on your knees and ankles. Best of all, it's an affordable fitness tool. The Weider alpine tech jump rope – one of my absolute favorite jump ropes -- turns smoothly and makes a satisfying smack each time it hits the floor. And it's only $11.99 at http://www.weiderfitness.com/.

Spri Total-body resistance: If you think you can't get a decent workout by pulling on a strip of latex rubber, think again. Even serious weightlifters can challenge their muscles with exercise tubing and bands. It's not that bands offer a tougher workout than weights but you can get a great workout because you're using your muscles in different ways than you do in the weight room. The new SPRI triple braided tubing series is three times as strong as the average band and delivers a totally new feel to rubber resistance training. Love em! At only $24.99 a pair at http://www.spri.com they are a healthy bargain.

Exercise videos: I love exercise DVDs! There is no other fitness tool that allows you to get in rock star shape using the boob tube and like four square feet of your living room. Plus you can buy a whole library of them for less than the cost of an exercise ball, aerobic step or a month's gym membership. There are so many good ones to choose from it's hard to know where to start. This season I especially love Chris Freytag's new 2 DVD set, The Two Week Turn Around Program and Tamilee Webb's Best of Abs, Arms & Buns. Both cost under $20 (depends on where you buy them from.) I order all of my fitness dvds from http://www.collagevideo.com/. The people who write up the titles for the website and who answer the phones have actually done all of the workouts so they can talk you through the ones that will work best for you (or the person you're buying for). They also have a liberal return policy.

Mat-a-line: The cushy, non-slip surface of the MAT-A-LINE is like a giant piece of graph paper. The lines ensure that you're properly aligned and help prevent injuries during your workout. They also help you measure your progress during stretching, yoga and Pilates. Seeing you can reach one line further than when you first started stretching is a very good feeling. You can buy the mat at www.mataline.com or on www.spri.com – the price of various mats vary but the basic mat is around $35.

If these five picks aren't enough to choose from, check out That's Fit's full gift guide.

Also, do you have a question you'd like to ask or a myth busted that's related to health, exercise, diet or fitness? If so, tweet me, twitter@lizzyfit. I'll be answering all of your questions in the New Year.