EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT! BY THADDEUS REICHLEY
It’s that time of year again. The calendar reads December, which means it is about time I start thinking about getting my butt back in shape after “Lazy November.” It also means that Chanukah and Christmas are right around the corner and along with the workouts I need to get in, there is some serious shopping that needs to be done.
Living in LA, chances are that at least one person on your list is a fitness junkie. Knowing that like me, many of you put shopping on the same level with ten-donitis, I have put together a list of five gifts that are sure to satisfy all of those hard to shop for “health nuts.” Pay attention, and you just might be able to spend this weekend spinning up the coast on your bike instead of fighting the holiday crowds on the Promenade. 1. Coffee cards. When was the last time you did a workout that did not start or end with a cup of coffee? If you cruise into any local java hub at almost any point in the day you are bound to see happy, caf-feinated people in workout gear. The added bonus with coffee cards is that you can pack them along on rides, runs, or even to yoga and you never need to worry about having cash. If you get a flat tire on the PCH, you may have to walk home, but at least you’ll have coffee. 2. Socks. I know, it seems like a really lame gift but have you checked out the price of socks these days? A pair of athletic socks can run as much as a decent bottle of wine. Though the wine might be slightly more fun, the socks will last longer. You should never skimp on your feet, but I know that I often buy the cheapo socks by the dozen and suffer through blisters because I am too cheap to spring for good ones. This year, fill somebody’s stocking with … stockings. 3. TCBY gift certificates. This might just be a personal vice, but I am sure there are other closet addicts out there. Even though I am sure the calories are equal, somehow yogurt just does not seems as bad as ice cream. I mean, it’s just yogurt. Justify it any way you like, but the bottom line is that a coffee and vanilla yogurt with Heath Bar at the end of a long day tastes pretty darn good. 4. Lights. No, not the kind you put on old tannenbaum. The kind you wear on your body walking, jogging, or biking around town after dark. Seeing as how it is dark now by 4:30 p.m., most of us are trying to squeeze in workouts, at some point in the week, after dark. LA drivers are dangerous enough in the daylight hours when they can see you. If you are working out without lights at night, you are basically a speed bump. 5. A massage. Every time I get a massage I tell myself that I need to get them more often. They are great for your body and help relieve stress, align muscles and reduce soreness. The problem is that they are not cheap. Nothing says, “I love you” like paying someone else to touch the one you love.
Armed with this list, you will surely cut time off of your previous holiday shopping marathons, and you will undoubtedly make the athletes in your life very happy. And in case you need to know I prefer Peet’s to Starbucks, I wear a size 11, and I really like deep tissue. Happy shopping. (Thaddeus Reichley is a teacher and fitness nerd who lives and trains in Santa Monica. Look for his column on the weekends, and send questions, comments, and gift ideas to)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 17, 2005. Read the original PDF.