It’s that time of the year again. And even though we have no snow or Christmas trees, you’re probably already feeling a little of the Christmas spirit, thanks to all the malls being decked with boughs of holly and 6-storey tall Christmas trees.
Christmas is probably one of our favourite holidays, not because of the presents (ok, maybe a little because of the presents), but also because it signifies the end of a great year, and preps you for the next big celebration — New Year’s!
If you’re racking your brain for a good present for whoever you’re looking to please this festive season, perhaps our roundup of health and fitness gifts would give you a few ideas:
1. Veggie Spiral Slicer
Zoodles (zucchini noodles) are all the craze these days, so you’ll definitely need one of these in your kitchen if you want to keep up with the healthy eating trends. This device allows you to have “spaghetti” bolognese without all the guilt! It’s priced at RM29 on lelong.com.my.
2. Fitness Tracker
There are so many fitness wearables on the market right now that it’s kinda hard knowing which one to get. But we’ve picked out the two best ones in two different budget categories so you can get the fitness fanatic in your life something special:
Splurge: TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio
The TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio has been rated the top fitness gear of the year by quite a few magazines and websites, and has performed superb in several reviews. It can go running, cycling, and swimming (yup, it’s waterproof), as well as handle your time on the treadmill and other outdoor activities. Priced at RM1,359 (at Lazada), it’s definitely not the cheapest, but it is the best in the market at the moment.
Best Buy: Garmin Vivofit Fitness Band
Reasonably-priced but with a slew of features, including an outstanding battery life (you can go one entire year without recharging it!!!), water-resistance (yay swimming!), as well as the usual — tracks your steps, calories, distances, sleep and heart rate, this is the best you can get in this price range. It also learns your activity level and gives you a personalised daily goal to get you moving! Priced at RM395 on Lazada.
3. Electric Toothbrush
Let’s face it. Most of us seldom hit the minimum twice-a-day teeth brushing recommended by our dentists, and when we do brush our teeth, it’s a 20-sec afterthought rather than a vigorous scrubbing to rid our gums and teeth of stray food. This Christmas, give someone the invaluable gift of clean, healthy teeth with an electric toothbrush! These make the job easier and it’s also more effective than traditional toothbrushes at getting rid of plaque and reducing gingivitis. Below are two of our top picks:
Splurge: Braun Oral-B Black 7000 Electric Toothbrush
“The Ferrari of toothbrushes” as stated by a reviewer, the Oral-B Black 7000 is designed by German engineers who have zero tolerance for plaque. It comes in several different modes, from daily clean, deep clean, to massage (oooh!), sensitive and tongue cleaning. The best bit? It basically guides you through the entire brushing process, letting you know if you’re brushing too hard, and keeps track of your brushing duration with smiley faces on a display (see pic above) to tell you if you’ve done a good job. It goes for RM684 on the Lazada website.
Best Buy: Panasonic Sonic Vibration Electic Toothbrush EW1031
Instead of oscillation, this electric toothbrush uses sonic vibration along with a V-shaped brush which works pretty well to clean out the plaque from your teeth for a fraction of the price at RM158 (on Lazada).
4. Lunch Subscription Plan from DahMakan
Give the gift of good nutrition to your mate at work or a loved one. With the DahMakan subscription plan, they no longer have to stress about finding a good, healthy lunch but will have something exciting delivered to the office in time for a gourmet lunch! The menu is exciting, and changes daily, so no more boring lunches and conversations revolving around “what to eat lah?”
DahMakan has Christmas gift subscriptions up for sale that includes a handwritten personalised note with each lunchbox, a welcome trail mix, as well as complimentary cold-pressed juice! The packages range from RM180 to RM900, depending on how many lunchboxes (and cold-pressed juices) you’re planning to spoil your loved one with. Check out dahmakan.com to purchase.
5. Oster MyBlend Personal Blender
The powerful 250-watt motor blends fruits and ice directly into your to-go tumbler, making it easy to take a quick smoothie with you when you’re on your way out. A great gift for those who are always on the run. Retails for RM138 on Lazada.
6. Capdase Sport Armband Zonic Plus
Great for runners, bikers, and anyone else who wants their phones out of their hands, but still require music to survive. The case is designed to be slim and comfy to wear, but still comes with plenty of compartments where you can stuff some extra cash and cards. You can pick it up from most shops that sell mobile accessories, but if you’re lazy, it retails for RM108 on Lazada.
7. Lunch Box
Homecooked food is always the best if you want to stay healthy and not let your workouts go to waste. Lunch boxes are probably the one gift they’ll enjoy using each and every day! We’ve chosen a few of our favouites and arranged them according to budget below:
Splurge: La Gourmet 4-piece Sakura Set
Retails for RM139 at most deparmental stores, but you can also find it at lazada.com.my
It’s a steal!: Tupperware Reheatable Divided Lunchbox Set
It normally retails for RM64.50 but we saw this going for RM42.40 on lelong.com.my with free shipping!
Cheap and cheerful: Bow-tie bento box
Japanese bento box that looks awfully cute and is microwaveable too! Retails for RM25 from lazada.com.my
8. Sony Walkman Waterproof Music Player
This awesome device allows you to take 4GB worth of music with you while you swim. It fits snugly onto your ears so even if your workout is intense, it stays put. A full charge gives it 8 hours of battery life, and you can use it not just in the pool, but also when you’re on a run, cycling, and any other activity where you’re prone to sweat a lot. Retails for RM370 on Lazada. There’ also a promotion for a 16GB model available at the Sony store for RM499 until 31st December (usual price: RM699).
9. 1-Month Rebel Bootcamp Membership
If your loved one has been talking about getting active but hasn’t been doing anything about it, this gift will get them off their butt for sure. Rebel Bootcamp is a results driven and energetic fitness and fat loss workout program led by experienced trainers who are there to help you burn the maximum amount of fat in the minimum amount of time. A 1-month membership gives you unlimited sessions at Rebel Bootcamp’s 6 locations in the Klang Valley as well as a free Rebel Bootcamp T-shirt. Get it here for RM49.
10. Veggie Box Subscription
For the chef or veggie lover in your life, this veggie subscription is probably a dream. You’ll get a selection of freshly harvested organic veggies delivered to your doorstep once a week for 2-6 people so you don’t even have to step out of your house for the freshest crops! Prices range from RM180 per month (from Little Green Planet) to RM250 per month (from TM Organic Farms) for 2-3 people’s worth of veggies.
11. DIY Green Tea Sugar Body Scrub
Nothing says “I care about you” more than something made with your very own hands. If you have some time on your hands and want to give something personal, get a pretty jar (or mason jars would work too!), and fill it with this green tea sugar body scrub that’s super moisturising and exfoliating! (we know because we’ve tried) The best thing is, a batch is a good for at least 3-4 jars! How-to here.
12. Massage Coupon
A massage is always a good gift for athletes and those who are often stressed out at work.You can pick up massage coupons from most massage parlours but make sure it’s a legitimate spot so you don’t send your friends to a bad massage. Alternatively, you could also deliver a massage over to your loved one’s place! Footloose At Home Spa is a mobile spa that goes to your home or office! At-home massages begin at RM80, but you could also get packages. Check out their website here.
13. GoGirl
For the traveller girlfriend or sister in your life, this is the perfect gift! Save her from disgusting toilets and camping trips with the GoGirl, a device that allows females to basically pee standing up. Besides being a breeze to use, the GoGirl is also compact, made of medical-grade silicone, durable and easy to clean. It retails at RM44 on HealthWorks.my. See our review of the GoGirl.
If you find gift-giving stressful, you’ll be glad to know that research has shown that giving to others actually make you happier than buying something for yourself. So have fun picking out your holiday gifts and don’t worry too much about it! After all, it’s the thought that counts at the end of the day.
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