Last Christmas, one of my favorite gifts was an exercise ball from my husband. I know it sounds crazy that I'd be thrilled with a big, inflatable ball. Some people might have been offended by such a gift. ("So, are you saying I need to work on my abs?!") But, for me, the gift was thoughtful. A couple of months earlier, I had casually mentioned something about wanting to get a fitness ball (for postpartum exercise) and then forgot about it. So I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the gift and realized that he had listened to me and really thought about what I wanted.
Giving fitness gifts can be a tricky area because you don't want the recipient to read too much into it or be disappointed by a "practical" gift. I like to think of fitness gifts the same way I offer fitness advice. If someone asks me about running, I'm happy to answer all their questions, give them some training advice, and support them however I can. But I don't like to force running on someone who shows absolutely no interest.
The same goes for fitness gifts. If someone has never mentioned running to me, I'm not going to give them a book about running. But, when someone shares your love of running, it can be fun and satisfying to give them running gear or clothes. For instance, I recently gave my friend Kerri, who just completed her second marathon, a long-sleeve running shirt for her birthday. She loved it and said it would inspire her to run outdoors more in the colder weather.
Do you have advice about when running or fitness gifts are appropriate? Share your tips in the comments section.
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I agree, as long as the fitness gift isn’t unsolicited it’s fine. But if you give someone who has no desire to workout or lose weight a diet or exercise gift they are just going to be pissed at you.
Most receipient would be grateful if we all would abide by your Practical gift giving rules. However, there is another side and questions.
On the flip side, what is going on in the persons head who is giving the gift. If they are true to their intentions (wanting the recipient to work-out) then they should give the recipient the practical product stating that it is not a gift and request that they work-out.
Are practical products appropriate for gifts?