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Ring In the New!


Once the holiday gluttony ends, New Year's resolutions begin. Give your loved ones the gift that will keep them honest - and healthy - in 2010

By Dawn Klingensmith
CTW Features

Chances are, the folks on your list already have some New Year's resolutions in mind, because - let's face it - this time of year is a test of willpower that most of us fail. Extra helpings of mash potatoes, year-end work projects that cut into family time, skipping workouts and blaming the "holiday rush" - all these behaviors, not to mention a shift in priorities due to the recession, have us thinking about quality of life and self-improvement. If you know what your loved ones' goals are, why not choose gifts to positively reinforce them? "Whatever a person resolves to do, if there's a feeling of eagerness about it, the resolution is more likely to stick," says behavioral psychologist Dana Lightman, Abington, Pa.

Get Fit: While giving someone a Thigh Master might hurt her feelings (and earn you a fat lip), a cool gadget that monitors her workouts and tracks her progress will strike the right chord. "People are motivated by immediate, objective feedback," says Fitness by Phone coach Tiffany Crate, TLC Fitness, Chicago. The Polar F6 Diamond women's heart rate monitor ($110), worn on the wrist, establishes her personal target heart-rate zones, and tracks the number of calories and percentage of fat she burns.

Looking cute and feeling comfy are confidence boosters, so a gal with a new gym pass might be more likely to go if she's outfitted in Champion's adorable empire workout top ($36). It's tag- and seam-free, and has a built-in bra and figure-flattering cut. Available in colors like Rich Berry and Pink Kiss (or plain ol' gray if she wants to "blend in"), the non-chafing fabric wicks sweat away from the body. Matching workout pants in two different styles also are available.

Can you fit a weight room beneath somebody's tree? Unless you're David Copperfield - or the tree is a California redwood - you'll have to give the next best thing. A pair of Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells ($500) takes the place of an entire, space-hogging set. A turn of a dial adjusts the weight of each dumbbell from 5 pounds on up to 52.5 pounds for a strength-building program that works like magic (or close to it).

Relieve stress: Make a nice, long soak even more relaxing with Umbra's Aquala bathtub caddy ($42), an ingenious tray with a built-in wineglass holder, fold-away book stand and draining soap dish for the ultimate, self-pampering experience. Made from sustainable bamboo, it expands to fit most tubs and has places to hang a bath puff and other accessories. You can round out this gift with some bubble bath, candles, French-milled soap ... and maybe a butler for wine refills.

Ultra Lounge house slippers ($80) by FitFlop offer an antidote to everyday aches and pains. Plush shearling on the inside and suede on the outside, they feature a shock-absorbing "microwobbleboard" midsole that realigns posture to relieve sore backs and stiff joints in the lower body. And there's a huge bonus: Padding around in these slippers actually tones the calves, thighs and buns, because the midsole increases leg muscle activity by about 10 percent with each step.

More Family Time: "Family rituals are important. That's what memories are made of," Lightman says. If pizza night is getting harder to convene, put a new spin on it with the Presto Pizzazz revolving pizza oven ($60). There's no preheating, so this countertop appliance cooks faster for hungry kids, and it also cooks more evenly. Rotating pizzas are mesmerizing to watch; plus, nothing cements a ritual like Canadian bacon.

Perfect for family outings to the amphitheater, beach or hiking trail, REI's rugged picnic backpack ($85) comes with four place settings, including melamine plates, plastic wine glasses (juice for the kiddos) and cutlery. A cutting board and corkscrew also are included. An insulated beverage compartment holds two bottles of wine or water, and there's a blanket attachment and a bottle opener built into the outside pocket's cinch strap. The lining of the food compartment is waterproof and removable for cleaning.

Eat Healthy: A colorful, insulated lunch kit by Subzero ($20) will help a weight watcher maintain healthy eating habits. "Chances are, they'll not only eat less but will eat more nutritiously if they pack a lunch instead of eating out," says Elisa Zied, author of "Nutrition at Your Fingertips" (Alpha, 2009). Subzero lunch totes come with stainless steel water bottles and also make great gifts for the "green-minded" - so long, disposable brown bags and plastic water bottles!

Another gift that promotes both earth-friendliness and healthy eating is RSVP's Endurance indoor composter ($39 for the one-gallon model) with odor-absorbing filters. This shiny, stainless steel pail is spiffy enough to leave out on the countertop, and is dishwasher-safe. Also a good pick for the gardener on your list, the pail converts kitchen scraps into compost - a natural, effective fertilizer for growing healthy vegetables.

There's no excuse to skip breakfast - or scarf a Pop Tart on the run - when Hamilton Beach's Single-serve Blender ($20) with travel lid makes it a cinch to prepare healthy smoothies or protein shakes for the rush-hour commute. The blender jar doubles as a to-go cup and fits in most drink holders. The unit is compact enough to leave on the countertop, so folks are more likely to give it a whirl, verses a big, bulky, hard-to-clean blender.

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