Transcript: 17 Fitness Gifts That Actually Get Used | Expert Recommendations for Every Budget

What's up, you guys? Famous Ashley Grant here.

Welcome to More Movement, Please, the podcast

where I hope to inspire you to move your body

more by sharing my story and occasionally the

stories of others. Let's get into it. So the

holidays are coming up fast, and I know a lot

of you are probably scratching your heads trying

to figure out what to get for that fitness enthusiast

in your life. Maybe it's your workout buddy or

your spouse who's always at the gym, or maybe

it's something that you want to drop hints about

to other people that you want to get for yourself.

I get it. I've been there. Well, I've got you

covered today because I reached out to fitness

experts and thought leaders and asked them what

their favorite fitness related product was that

someone should purchase for a fitness enthusiast

this holiday season. And you guys, they came

back with some pretty solid recommendations.

So here's what they said. First off, I have to

say, if I say your name wrong, I'm so sorry about

that. But these were things that were sent to

me via text. So I don't actually know the correct

pronunciation of all these names. So I'm going

to do my best. Bear with me. First up is Julio

with Invigor Medical. He suggested the Polar

Loop. And here's what I love about this recommendation.

Julio says it's a simple band that tracks your

steps, activity, calories, and sleep. But here's

the kicker. Unlike some other devices like Whoop,

you don't need a monthly subscription to get

your own data. You pay once and you're done.

No recurring fees eating into your budget. The

Loop. It gives you a clear picture of how much

you actually move in a day, and Julio says it's

comfortable with solid battery life, and it has

an app that shows if you're really as active

as you think you are. I mean, that reality check

alone might be worth it, right? Next up is Brian

with Motive Training. He recommends the Soulmate

Kit from the Foot Collective. Now, this one's

interesting because foot strength and mobility

are things most of us completely ignore. But

Brian says they influence everything, how you

stand, how you lift, how you walk, and how your

body manages force. The Soulmate is simple, effective,

and fits right into your daily routine. It helps

wake up those small muscles in your feet and

improve balance and control. And Brian says that

Heidi from that barefoot coach introduced him

to it, and it's been a game changer for him in

his training. If you want to give someone something

that actually improves how they move and feel,

this just might be it. Next up is Hans with Happy

V. He suggests a compact massage gun for recovery.

And y 'all, I can definitely attest to this.

I love my massage gun. I cannot stress enough

how important recovery is. And Hans says that

these percussive therapy devices, they work like

mini massage guns. And his team has actually

observed that consistent recovery practices lead

to decreased muscle pain and better long -term

commitment to fitness programs. The compact design

makes them easy to carry, so you can do recovery

sessions anywhere. Hans does mention it's best

to use these under the guidance of qualified

trainers or clinicians, since proper targeting

requires some expertise. But for recovery, quickly,

for me, it's a solid pick. I absolutely love

my massage gun. Next up is Nick Rogers with RealRecall

.ai. He has a pretty cool suggestion, in my opinion,

and that is a 360 -degree sports camera. Why

in the world would you want to give someone who's

working out a sports camera? Well, Nick says

that this changes how you record your workouts.

You can film your entire training session and

check your form, cut cool clips for TikTok or

Instagram, all the things. And if you're tracking

progress and making content, this could end up

being your most used gift. I mean, how many times

have you wanted to see what your form actually

looks like during a workout? Please just do me

a favor. Don't be that guy or girl that records

yourself whenever you're around other people

at the gym because there's nothing more annoying

than someone who's filming themselves in front

of other people because nobody wants to be in

your video. They just don't. So please don't.

Anyway, for someone who actually wants to film

themselves, it could be a great gift for that

person. Next up is Chad with North Shore Sauna.

He recommends something that I actually wasn't

expecting, and this is recovery sleepwear. It's

one I've never really thought about. But he talks

about sleepwear that's made from infrared and

moisture -regulating material that actually supposedly

helps your body recover from long training days.

He said that he found a tensile sleepwear set

in Japan and was surprised at just how much deeper

his sleep seemed after those intense strength

sessions. Chad says that people invest in gadgets

such as trackers and massagers and supplements,

but they often will overlook the one thing that

actually makes a difference over time, and that

is quality recovery. Good sleepwear regulates

your temperature and minimizes that toss and

turn cycle. You wake up, supposedly, without

stiffness. I kind of think that's brilliant,

and if anybody wants to get me a set of this

sleepwear, I'll give you my address. Hit me up.

Next is Mimi Nugent with Caffe Lee. She is all

about the soft foam roller from OPTP. Now, there

are lots of soft foam rollers that you can get,

but Mimi says that she uses hers for Pilates,

warm -ups before running, and yoga. She initially

thought about suggesting just giving someone

a massage gift certificate, but she says a foam

roller is more convenient in the long run because

you can use it at home, on the go, or even at

the gym. Both provide muscle recovery benefits

and improve blood circulation, but with the foam

roller, you create your own kind of muscle care.

Mimi typically targets her lower body after high

-intensity workouts, or she'll use it to massage

her calves for better running performance. And

I should probably check this out for myself,

because y 'all, I know I've complained about

it before, but I get the worst, the worst calf

pain after some of my workouts. Next up is Runbo

Lee with Magic Hour. He also recommends getting

a 360 sports camera. He said that it showed him

how capturing a move from every angle helps sports

athletes and just fitness peoples in general

spot small details that they would otherwise

miss. Plus, he says that it lets you create videos

that get your community excited. It's not just

about improving your skills. It's all about sharing

your full picture. Next up is Josiah with Plasthetics

Plastic Surgery Marketing. He gave a client a

Fitbit charge over the holidays and said that

it got them thinking differently about their

health. The EDA sensor doesn't just count steps,

it shows how your body reacts to stress. That

one feature started new habits for their client.

Josiah says that it's sleek enough for everyday

wear, but it's not like some bulky sports watch.

If you're looking for something that handles

both fitness and stress management, Josiah says

that this one actually does the job. It's specifically

the Fitbit Charge 6. And I'll leave a link in

the show notes to everything that I'm talking

about here in this episode. Next is Rob with

Osprey. And y 'all, I have to first tell you,

full disclosure, I love my Osprey backpack. I

used it whenever I backpacked through Europe

a few years ago. It was absolutely fantastic.

I absolutely love my Osprey backpack. And Rob,

I'm going to hit you up because I would love

to get some more backpacks. It is a fantastic

quality backpack. And he says it's the ultimate

gift for any fitness lover who enjoys the outdoors.

And he does admit he's biased because, hello,

he works there. But whether it's hiking, trail

running, or a weekend in nature, a properly fitted

backpack, it really can make a world of difference.

It distributes weight evenly, and it makes it

easier to stay hydrated and prepared. If the

outdoors and staying active are important to

the person that you're giving a gift to, a quality

backpack that will last a lifetime is truly a

great choice. And again, I got to say, whenever

I used a backpacking through Europe, it was really

helpful. The way that it felt on our backs, it

didn't feel so much like we were carrying something

heavy. It was absolutely wonderful. Next up is

Jan with Camping La Salle. He runs a campsite

by the GR 34 trail, and he sees it constantly

that there are guests with hydration packs, and

they have a much better time when they have a

hydration pack. They can pull out their camera

for a photo without stopping to dig for a water

bottle, and it just keeps the day flowing. So

he highly recommends getting a hydration pack.

And hey, you can even put it in your Osprey backpack.

Rob, seriously, you got to hit me up. We got

to talk. And here's the thing. If you're looking

for a gift for a hiker, having a hydration pack

could be something that... the hiker in your

life will actually use every single time they

go out. Next is Brandon with Cellphones .ca.

He says that the Apple Watch Ultra is the one

he'd actually buy for himself. He's tested out

all kinds of different tech for years, and this

one, he says, tracks his heart rate and his sleep.

Plus, you can see text without pulling out your

phone. The setup was a bit of a headache, he

admits, but... Now it works so well with his

iPhone that he says he doesn't even take his

phone on his runs anymore. If you want to get

serious about fitness without going off the grid,

he says this is the watch to get. Next is Andre

with Medicaid. He goes with the Garmin Fitness

Watch as his top pick. He uses the Garmin wearables

and he finds that their health insights are valuable

for tracking training and recovery. And he also

feels confident in their data handling as a regulated

company. And this really matters whenever you're

worried about privacy and data security. And

honestly, that's something we should all be thinking

about more. And P .S., I know this episode is

a little bit longer than most of the normal episodes

that I've been sharing, but I kind of feel like

because it's, you know, it's about the holidays,

right? We got to talk about all these fun Christmas

presents. That's why I'm still sharing it. Next

up is Amy with Interactive Counseling, and she

keeps it simple and says that you should get

a really good yoga mat. Amy works in mental health,

and she's seen it so many times that people with

a new mat, suddenly they're getting excited about

doing their morning stretches at home. It helps

them unwind. And if you find one that's just

comfy and won't let your feet slip, it can be

something that will really help you do more than

just get your stretch on. Next up is Tlaib with

Same Day Supplements. He is an NASM certified

nutrition coach, and his favorite gift for any

runner is a Garmin 4Runner. He says that it's

the one tool that actually changed how he trains.

The GPS accuracy, heart rate tracking, and recovery

insights make every run more intentional. And

he says it's not just about go out and hope it

feels good. When he travels and switches routes,

the 4Runner actually keeps his pacing honest

and helps him stay consistent even on the days

that he has low motivation. He also says that

the battery life, it's so much better than most

smartwatches. So you're not having to charge

it before every single run that you do. Next

is Rory with... Equipoise coffee. I think that's

right. I think that's how you say it. I'm not

actually sure. But anyway, this coffee company,

he recommends getting a durable insulated water

bottle with tracking markers for daily hydration

goals. And I actually really agree with this

one because I've talked about it in previous

episodes. You've got to stay hydrated. It supports

your energy, your recovery, and your overall

performance. And for fitness enthusiasts that

have a high quality portable water bottle, it'll

actually encourage you to be consistent and mindful

throughout your workout. And giving someone a

tool that actually promotes healthy habits, it

shows thoughtfulness and it helps recipients

maintain both fitness and daily wellness routines.

Okay, two more and then we're done, I swear.

Next is Paul with Higher Fitness. He swears by

resistance bands. He says that the good resistance

bands are the game changers. They're what people

use when they can't get to the gym. And I can

attest to this. I've actually used resistance

bands everywhere from, you know, While I'm standing

in my kitchen to in a hospital room whenever

I was watching my mom recover from surgery. So

he says that resistant bands are really important

because it's the one thing that you can actually

stick with because you can use them anywhere

and get a full body workout. They're a great

starting point for anyone who's serious about

working out at home. Finally, last but not least,

is Dan with Tress Wellness, and he picks adjustable

dumbbells like the Bowflex Select Tex. Dan says

consistency usually breaks down when schedules

tighten and the gym feels like a trek. But these

weights, they bring an entire dumbbell rack into

your home or your office while occupying almost

zero floor space. You get a full range of resistance

without cluttering your living space, making

it easy to get some quick reps in between calls

or other tasks. They ensure that you'll never

miss a small weighted workout. So there you have

it, guys. 17 incredible recommendations from

real fitness experts. Everything from wearables

and recovery tools to simple but effective equipment

that can transform someone's fitness journey.

Whether you're shopping for a seasoned athlete

or someone who's just starting out on their fitness

journey, there's something for everyone, in my

opinion, on this list. And the thing is, the

best fitness gift is the one that's actually

going to get used. So think about the person

that you're shopping for. What would make their

fitness journey actually easier? What would help

them stay consistent? And what would they actually

be excited to use? And hey, if you're that fitness

enthusiast that's dropping hints for your own

wish list, there is no shame in that game. I

do it all the time. Onwards and upwards, my friends.

Have you worked out today?