Every Year at Christmas, men and women in the western world ask for fitness products as gifts in the vain hope that they will turn them from couch potatoes into beach bodies. many seem to expect that just having them in their house will bring about some miraculous change, whereas other, more sensible humans, realise that you actually have to use them on a regular basis to see some improvement in physical fitness and body shape. Eventually the lure of these shiny products fade and they become nothing more than expensive towel rails or clothes racks.
Before I started my fitness business I used to rent out exercise bikes and rowing machines to individuals along with an exercise programme. I would deliver the product to the excited customer who would tell me all about their plans to lose weight, working out every day until they could fit into the LBD or the size 32 waist jeans that they used to wear 10 years ago. 2 months later I’d return to collect said fitness product. Usually the same person would greet me at the door. By this I mean exactly the same person, not just in name, but in body shape waist size etc. Two months and no sign of any change at all in body shape. Next would follow a 10 minute hunt around the house until the exercise bike, in exactly the same place as I had left it, was finally located under a pile of coats, washing and towels!
No wonder they hadn’t been able to use it; I forgot to leave them a map along with the fitness programme!! This is exactly the same fate that will await 99% of the fitness gifts this Christmas.
So, if you really want to get value for money from giving a fitness product this Christmas, based on 17 years of personal training, fitness coaching and human observation, here are my top 3 choices, which I’ll be unveiling in the traditional reverse order;
The number 3 Best value fitness gift for Christmas 2009 is ….an allotment
OK, so you may have to wait a bit longer for one to come up in your area (and it might cost you up to £1 per week in rent!!) but having your own allotment has many benefits. The obvious benefit is that you have to work on the allotment. Assuming a body weight of 150lbs (10st10lbs or 68kg) for every hour of allotment work you’ll burn 272 calories, so with 2-3 hours per week you’ll burn the same 700 calories as you would walking the dog and lose the same 10lbs per year. You may find that because you have a task to complete rather than a workout, you’ll keep going for a lot longer than in the gym and have much more satisfaction upon completion. Of course there are other benefits. Growing your own vegetables will save you money at the supermarket and you’ll probably be eating healthier food as well as spending more time outdoors breathing healthy fresh air!
Ignore the Wii Fit, Ab Cradle, PowerPlate, the number 2 Best value fitness gift for Christmas 2009 is ……..a dog!
Yes that’s right, a dog! They need walking at least twice a day, every day, come rain or shine. They won’t let you hide them under a pile of coats. They’ll live for years, be extremely loyal and give you and hours of pleasure and company, for years to come. In terms of calories burned, assuming a body weight of 150lbs (10st10lbs or 68kg) for every hour of dog walking you’ll burn 204 calories. So if you walk your dog for just 30 minutes every day you’ll burn 100 calories per day or 700 calories per week.
There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat so even if you don’t change anything about your eating habits, every 5 weeks you’ll shed 1lb(0.5kg) of fat. So in 1 year you’ll lose 10lbs (4.5kg) just from walking the dog!
And finally my number 1 Best value fitness gift for Christmas 2009 is, and you would expect me to say this…a personal trainer.
For most people gym membership just isn’t enough. After the first few weeks of enthusiasm, getting to the gym will become just another hindrance in an otherwise busy week. A personal trainer on the other hand is someone you make a commitment to. Not turning up is like letting down your best friend and in most cases a lot more expensive than not turning up at your gym. Alongside this commitment, you’ll have constant attention for your whole workout as well as an experienced eye making sure that you perform the exercises with the right technique and with the right amount of weight. It may seem a big investement but it will be worth it. £3000 per year with your trainer will yeild (if you follow their advice to the letter) at least £3000 worth of fitness benefits. I guarantee that the results of 12 months training will be longer lasting than the same money spent with your plastic surgeon!
Hopefully you’ll agree with my recommendations but if you don’t then please leave your comments at the bottom of this posting. In themeantime have a happy Christmas walking the dog down to the allotment after an hour with your PT
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