Gifts for your fitness lovers in the New Year

Fitness and healthy living should be on your wish list for your loved ones in the New Year.

Now is the time to present the best thought out gift for that sports and fitness lover that will motivate and ignite their interest in working out throughout the year.

There is also the idea of offering a gift that will not only motivate them but also offer them a unique experience to cherish throughout the year. Here, we list a variety of befitting gifts through ideas from a few sports people and dealers:

Gym bag

A gym bag can carry all one’s essentials such as towels, water bottles, clothes, shoes and deodorants among other things used before and after training. This means it has to be more spacious.

Besides, a gym bag should be durable enough to withstand the heaviness of the items it carries.

Namanda says most people prefer leather gym bags since they are water-resistant.

“Leather gym bags are a bit expensive but are easy to clean and are not penetrated by water. They will hence keep your items dry even when you are caught up in the rain,” she says. The price of a gym bag ranges between Shs50,000 and Shs500,000 or more, depending on the make and distributor.

Classic sneakers

Sneakers are a suitable gift for that friend who spends time on the pitch or gym as it is one of the basic necessities. For those who jog, sneakers are a must.

However not all sneakers will impress. You have to go an extra mile to find those suitable for what your sports lover does.

For example, for the runner, one has to consider a lightweight sneaker as well as one with good cushioning, support as well as a comfortable fit.

Shamim Nagawa, a dealer in sports wear in Kikuubo, Kampala, says for gifts, one should also consider the colour.

“Women prefer bright-coloured sneakers while men will go for dark colours. White can work for both,” she says.

She also emphasizes always getting the size right as non-fitting shoes cause a number of health issues such as ingrown toenails. In Uganda, sneaker prices greatly differ, depending on the make as well as the distributors. Nagawa says one can also consider buying second hand sneakers which are relatively cheaper than brand new ones.

Customised jersey 

Customised jerseys often come in any size or colour with a person’s name or initials at the back or anywhere else.

Apart from training in it, it can be won during other occasions such as weekend outings and during sports events. Jida Kaggwa, a graphics designer at D’s Designs in Kireka, says one can share ideas with them on the design, colours, inscriptions and features of what they want which will help them come up with a befitting gift.

“For such jerseys, one should also use the best designers as well as pick the best materials for it to look genuine and exquisite,” she says.

Kaggwa adds that a customised jerseys costs between Shs150,000 and Shs200,000, depending on the designer’s price and materials used.

Gym mat

Gym mats are used for safety and in practice and drill sessions. Pushups, sit-ups, yoga, gymnastics and other forms of exercises can be practiced on gym mats in a safe manner, even at home. 

A mat is a great surface to stretch, rest and perform certain exercises, hence a necessity for many fitness lovers.

Joan Namanda, a gym attendant at Be Strong Gym in Kawempe, says a good gym mat should be durable as well as easy to clean.

“Therefore, avoid materials that can easily get damaged or even permanently soiled,” she says.

Gym mats cost between Shs50,000 and  Shs65,000.

Fitness journal or log

In the pursuit for fitness, people have unique goals, hence different ideas that have to be followed with persistence to achieve what they are yearning for. With a journal to record your goals and how to fulfill them, you will have your work cut out. 

With a journal, one can set different goals for varying lengths of time such as daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly.

Felix Kalungi, a fitness trainer, recommends a fitness journal to make it easy for your favourite athlete or sports and fitness lover to monitor their progress.

A fitness journal can be bought from shops selling sports equipment or can be ordered from different online sellers and it ranges between Shs45000 and Shs75,000.

Durable water bottles

With workout and exercise comes dehydration, especially for those who train for longer hours. 

A water bottle should not be left behind when you go for a workout as it is essential for keeping you hydrated.

Now that the use of disposable and non-recyclable plastics is being minimised, mineral water bottles and plastic cups are not the right option, hence the need for a durable water bottle.

Tracy Luwooza, an athlete, says non-disposable water bottles are cheap and some even have properties that keep your water chilled. A water bottle costs between Shs30,000 and Shs50,000 in different supermarkets in the country.

High-quality headphones 

Music enhances workouts, the reason high quality headphones will motivate one to push harder and achieve the desired effect when it comes to fitness. 

John Mugume, a dealer in sound equipment, says good quality headphones should have a good design, quality sound, noise-cancelling performance and voice calling performance.

“You have to go for comfortable headphones. When it comes to earbuds, we also look at water- and dust-resistance,” he says.

Mugume adds that the price of head phones and ear buds is determined by their function, hence professional guidance may be needed when buying the right kind.