Fitness Gifts

When you give gifts you hope that they are appreciated. You certainly don't want to cause offense.

But giving sports clothing and exercise equipment can be touchy. You don't want to make it look like you are implying that someone you care about is fat or out of shape.

So what do you do? Here's some advice from Christine Luff:

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.

I think she gives good advice. If someone is already interested in a sport or activity, then a related gift is a great idea.

It could be a new racquet or glove for a racquetball player. Or a new basketball for a basketball player. The possibilities are endless.

But you probably want to hold off on exercise clothes or equipment for someone that is struggling with their weight but is not ready to start exercising yet. It can just upset them and create a problem in your relationship to them.

It is similar to buying "thin" clothes for someone that is overweight, clothes that they can't wear until they take the weight off. It can be embarrassing and painful -- and that's the last thing someone needs when they are already concerned about the way they look.

via http://running.about.com/b/2009/12/04/when-are-fitness-gifts-appropriate.htm