That's Fit

I'm a sucker for a good motivational quote or phrase to get me exercising or bring me up out of a bad mood, and with today's stresses what better phrase than the 1939 classic "Keep Calm and Carry On?" It was originally created by the British as a way to calm people during the outbreak of a war with Germany, but the simple phrase is catching on all over again and people are applying it to all kinds of situations. Stress is a known health hazard, so use this phrase to keep calm and you really will be able to carry on a lot longer.

Via Retro to Go

Are you still looking for a few last minute gifts? I'm usually pretty good at getting the big stuff out of the way fairly early, but it seems for small items and stocking stuffers I'm always scrambling at the very end. If that's you then Natural Health has a whole list of ideas that will fit the bill perfectly for the exercise nut in your family (and if you're like me you might get a few ideas for yourself in the future -- birthday coming up maybe?).

Happy shopping, and Happy Holidays!

With so many people trying to make healthy choices, it's no wonder vegetarians and flexitarians are popping up everywhere. Chances are there's one or two on your list, and this Christmas is a great time to help them adapt to or maintain their eating habits:

• A vegetarian cookbook. As a flexitarian, I'm constantly looking for recipes that will satisfy my appetite and liven up boring veggies.
  
• A juicer. Sometimes when cooking seems like too much of a task, it's nice to be able to whip up a fresh, nutrient-rich drink. I'll tell you from experience that a cheap blender doesn't cut it -- it's worth it to go all out and splurge on the juicer.
  
• A herb garden. The healthiest way to liven up a bland dish is with fresh herbs. DIY herbs is the gift that keeps on giving -- literally! You can get an easy-assemble herb garden at many of the home stores
  
• A gift card for a natural foods store. Natural and organic foods can be expensive! A gift card will be much appreciated.
  
• A Tshirt. There are some really cute vegetarian t-shirts out there -- click here for some examples.

See more fit gifts!

Edible gifts are ideal for someone you don't know very well -- they're good as a hostess gift at a party or even to give to your second cousin who've you only met once at the family reunion. But you have to be careful when giving food -- with so many people dieting these days, it's hard to know if the gift will be well-received or not. And even if they're not dieting, you don't want to encourage unhealthy habits in someone else by giving them something that you yourself shouldn't be eating.

So, a box of caramel covered bon bons is out. So is a bottle of cream liqueur. What can you get instead? Here are some suggestions:

While shopping online for friends and family, I found this interesting article about healthy stress-reducing gifts for the holiday season. Some of them are kind of pricey, but the tips also include thrifty alternatives that are still really neat! You never know, you may find one of these ideas perfect for a gift to yourself. Here are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing.

Giving the gift of nutrition can take many forms. Apples in the stocking (just kidding) or that popular waist-management book You: On A Diet make great presents. But what about giving the gift of a registered dietitian? Your loved ones start out by weighing in and getting a full medical history. Body fat percentages and metabolic rates are all tallied. The big payoff is a personalized menu and plan for weight loss that includes realistic targets, gains and goals. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving!

It's not cheap though. The initial consultation could run you up $125 an hour. A less-expensive alternative, however, could be even more personalized if you put effort into it. Why not create a custom healthy cookbook? I can speak from experience, because sites like Lulu.com help by putting together and publishing a really professional-looking product. You could include some of your own healthy recipes or find new ones off the Internet. Be creative!

It's long been customary come holiday season to tip hairdressers, housekeepers, child care providers, and those trusty souls who deliver our mail. But with each passing year, it seems the tip recipient list grows and grows. So does the amount necessary to properly express gratitude.

Dog walkers, spa attendants, elder-care workers, anyone who offers any kind of service is worthy of a tip. Fitness trainers included.

So what's an appropriate tip nowadays? I mean, we don't want to under-tip and insult someone. And we don't want to over-tip either.

We're all about health and fitness and nutrition here at That's Fit. That's they way it goes -- it is a fit blog, after all. Certainly, there's a time for a little indulgence, though. If you consider that time to be now, I've got quite a sinful selection for you.

When I was knee-deep in treatment for breast cancer a few years ago, a friend sent me a delightful box of assorted brownies. Fairytale Brownies they were called, and magical they were. My Fairytale Dozen came complete with plain chocolate brownies, mint chocolate brownies, chocolate chip brownies, coconut brownies, caramel brownies, and toffee crunch brownies -- to name just a few. They were enchanting, my brownies. And they were some of the best medicine I'd received during that dark time in my life.

I'm no longer eating brownies -- I've determined that sweets, along with excess fat and calories, don't do me any good as I fight to keep cancer away -- but I'm completely non-judgmental of those who partake in the periodic consumption of sweet treats. That's why I'm sending you here, to the website of Fairytale Brownies, so you can browse through the joyful products that will surely cause your mouths to water.

Can't come up with ideas for those hard-to-buy-for people on your Christmas list? Does the mere thought of what to get them leave you scratching your head? Don't fret -- That's Fit wants to help. From now until boxing day, we'll be doing the brainstorming for you and coming up with healthy gifts for you to get for your friends and family. And don't worry -- they'll be reasonably priced too. They're called Fit Gifts.

What can you expect to see on the list? Gifts that will inspire to get people off the couch and start living a fit and healthy life. What you won't see? Well, let's just say that a box of caramel-filled chocolates or a gift certificate to Burger King is out.

Have an idea that you'd like to share? Send us a tip. Want to see a certain idea covered? Send us an Email -- we'll do our best to come up with something for you.

When you're trying to raise a healthy child, you have to start early. So this Christmas, instead of buying your little one something that keeps them sitting in one spot, why not buy them something interactive that will them moving today and hopefully for life too?

Fitsugar has some great suggestions:

• YogaKids 2: ABC by Gaiam will introduce them to the basics of yoga
• Hullabaloo gets them spinning, dancing, twisting and more.
  
• The Smart Cycle is like an exercise bike but more fun and for kids.
  

The best gift my brother and I got as a kid was a little car that we had to peddle ourselves -- we spent so much time on that, both in the house and outside. What fit gifts are your favourites?

Anything that can make life easier, healthier, and less stressful is definitely worth having as far as I'm concerned. And this 'Apple Jacket' by Jacqueline Dufresne will not only make your life a little brighter by being so darn cute (it's even got a little knitted leaf sticking off the side!) but it will also make it handier to bring a healthy snack along with you in your purse or bag. It offers just enough protection to keep an apple from getting bruised up (or impaled) by your car keys, or an orange from getting everything all sticky with its oily skin.


Via CribCandy

Giving anyone a fitness-related gift is always a little risky. It could mean, "I care about you, and therefore want you to be in good health." Or, it could also mean, "I think you look awful and could lose some weight."

Thus, with Mother's Day coming up this Sunday, it's something you might want to consider. Fortunately, your friends at FitSugar give us some helpful reminders on what -- and what not -- to buy mom on her special day.

Unless an interest has been stated, giving exercise equipment is worse than giving a mom a toaster ... Now, if your mom has mentioned in passing that she would like a TreadMill and you have the dough to buy her one, go for it ... If your mom has expressed interest in trying yoga, Pilates, or a personal trainer, by all means give her a gift certificate for some classes or private sessions.

Ok, so are we all clear? If you know, for certain, that you mom is in the market for something fitness-related, you're probably in the clear. But if she doesn't seem bothered about her weight/body mass index/etc, then you shouldn't be either. Besides the fact that you're likely to offend her, the chances of her using a piece of equipment or a set of classes she wasn't interested in are slim.

If she wants chocolates, get off your high horse and buy her chocolates -- it's Mother's Day, after all.

Now here's an interesting idea: People who are carrying around excess weight (according to this doctor, specifically those who are 50 pounds or more overweight) are really just extraordinarily talented people that are repressing and suppressing their unique gifts. He says that by realizing your true potential you can change your body and your life.

I will agree that overeating definitely has an emotional element to it, sometimes. His idea makes some sense, but I don't know that it's as simple as he makes it sound. Seriously, sometimes those French fries are just too good to resist -- no matter how talented I may be! I will say, though, that this is very motivating in positive way.

So, then, following this logic -- if America is one of the fattest countries in the world, that makes us one gifted bunch of underachievers!

Ok, so it's Christmas morning. If you still haven't purchased all of your gifts, than what you really need is a planner, but just in case you have time for a quick pit stop on the way to your relatives' house, you might consider getting yourself a present that the whole family will appreciate: a fitness journal.

Fitness journals make it easier to form new eating and exercise habits, and a healthier parent or spouse is a present with far greater value than sweaters, sweets, or that new Wii you scored from Wal-mart.

A fit parent causes his or her family less worry, less financial strain from lifestyle-related illnesses, and is a better role model for the kids. Sounds like for $15.99, this might just be the perfect Christmas present, last-minute and all.

Nobody wants to give pain for Christmas (well, unless you're the Grinch) but researchers and doctors say that that's exactly what might be sitting under the Christmas tree, this year more than others. High-tech games and fancy gadgets are more popular now than ever, but with them comes the risk of sore thumbs, inflamed elbows, stiff shoulders...and the list goes on.

Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) used to be fairly uncommon, affecting only people who had reason to perform the same movements over and over -- such as heavy computer users and jackhammer operators. But now that electronics are so popular, and getting smaller and smaller everyday, RSI's are making a much bigger appearance in the mainstream population. Some popular gifts, like the Nintendo Wii, now come with health warnings suggesting users take frequent breaks and pay attention to their posture while playing.

Good news is that RSI's are easy to avoid -- simply pay attention to your body and take a break if you start to feel tense or strained. Moderation (yep, that one again!), stretching, and proper posture are the keys for keeping those gadgets fun, and not painful!

Are you at a loss trying to figure out what to get someone for Christmas? What about getting them something edible? Usually, food-related gifts are not the healthiest idea, because they're usually loaded with sugar or fat or both, but there are healthy food items that you can give and feel good about. Nuts, calorie-reduced whole grain baked goods, fancy condiments like age balsamic vinegar -- these are all items that are tasty and good for you, in moderation of course. Check out this article for further inspiration and recipes.

One this to consider when buying or making someone an edible gift is that it should be fresh. How did you feel when that rock-hard piece of fruitcake that has been passed around your circle for years ended up0 in your stocking? And who wants a tin of stale popcorn? Not me -- I'll take a small piece of reshly-made fudge any time.

What edible gift ideas do you have?