The holidays are synonymous with many things, including get-togethers with family and friends,shopping and, at the tail end of the season, resolutions. One of the more common New Year’s resolutions is a commitment to getting healthier. This year, holiday shoppers can combine the tradition of gift-giving with the tradition of making New Year’s reso -lutions by giving a loved one who wants to improve personal health a gift that can make keeping that reso -lution that much easier.

When holiday shopping this sea -son, consider the following gift ideas for that health-conscious friend or family member who’s looking to turn over a new leaf in the new year byadopting a healthier lifestyle.

• Gym membership: Fitness cen -ters tend to see a spike in enrollment at the dawn of a new year, as men and women who want to get healthier take the first step by signing up for a gym membership. The holiday season can be a great time to sign up for a mem -bership, as many fitness centers waive their initiation fees in an effort to attract more customers. When trying to help a friend or family member get back on a healthy track, offer to pay a portion of their membership fees or, if their preferred club is charging an ini -tiation fee, offer to pay that instead.Recipients might feel more obligated to go to the gym if they know a loved one helped pay for it.

• Cardiovascular machine: Manypeople cite a lack of time as the pri -mary reason they don’t exercise enough. Getting to and from the gym takes time, but having a cardiovas -cular machine, whether it’s an ellip -tical machine, an exercise bike or a treadmill, at home removes this hur -dle, increasing the chances that peo -ple will exercise more often. And the

Great gifts for menand women hoping

to get healthier

potential benefits of routine cardio -vascular exercise are considerable.According to the American Heart Association, as little as 30 minutes of daily cardiovascular exercise each day can significantly reduce an individual’s risk for heart disease.

• Bicycle: Few activities are more enjoyable and simultaneously bene -ficial as riding a bicycle. Many people still enjoy riding a bike just like theydid when they were children, when they might not have known just how healthy riding a bicycle was. Cycling improves cardiovascular fitness, low-ering a person’s risk for heart disease while helping to build and tone mus -cles. In addition, men and women with preexisting joint conditions often find riding a bicycle is a great low-impact exercise that encourages them to get off the couch in a way that doesn’t aggravate their conditions.Many adults received a bicycle as a holiday gift when they were children,and those looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle might be just as excited to receive a bicycle once again.

• Cookbook: Adopting a healthier lifestyle does not have to be all about exercise. In fact, eating healthier is just as important as exercising more. A common misconception about eating healthy is that healthy foods don’t boast the flavor of those irresistible,yet ultimately unhealthy, foods wecan’t get enough of. However, a healthy diet can be flavorful, so help health-conscious men and women get started with a cookbook filled with healthy and delicious recipes. Before buying a cookbook, find out if the book’s eventual recipient has any spe -cific dietary restrictions, including if he or she needs to eat gluten-free or has been told to avoid red meat. Then find a cookbook that suits them but does so in a way that allows them to embrace healthy eating.

Subsidizing a loved one’s gym membership is a great way to help him or her realize a resolution of living healthier in the year ahead.

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CITIZEN’S NEWSFriday, November 30, 2012 13

The holiday season is filled with tradition. Manyfamilies have their own unique customs, and those traditions create lasting memories for adults and children alike.

One such holiday tra -dition is shopping for gifts for family and friends. Manypeople enjoy holiday shop -ping, anxiously anticipating the look on their loved ones’ faces when they open their presents. But holiday shop -ping is even more enjoyable for shoppers who can save a little extra money. The fol -lowing are a few tips for shoppers who still want to give the perfect gifts but don’t want to break the bank.

• Stop paying for shipping. Manypeople now do their holiday shopping online. Online shopping can be more convenient and give consumers more options. But some shoppers still shy away from online retailers for fear of high shipping costs. However, some retailers offer free shipping to con -sumers who spend a certain amount of money. In addition, savvy shoppers can scour the Internet for free ship -ping codes they can use at checkout.Some retailers even offer free ship -ping during the holiday season (last minute purchases might not be eli -gible) to entice customers.

• Empty your wallet of gift cards.Gift cards are popular gifts come the holidays, but many gift card recipients fail to use their cards prior to their expiration dates. Many cards expire 12 months after their initial purchase date. If your wallet is filled with gift cards you received last holiday season,use them to buy gifts for friends and family now before they expire.

• Make a list. Santa Claus is renowned for making a list come the holiday season, and holiday shoppers should follow his lead. Prior to your first holiday shopping trip, make a list that includes the names of friends and family to buy for and what you want to buy for each one of them. Doing so decreases the chances you’ll forget someone and be forced to drive backto the mall. Reducing the number of shopping trips you have to make will conserve fuel and save you a substan -tial amount of money and time.

Save when shoppingthis holiday season

• Pay in cash. If you’re not a fan of online shopping, then use only cash when shopping at brick-and-mortar stores. Paying with cash eliminates the risk of overspending with credit cards,which will come back to haunt you in January when the bills are due. Take a predetermined amount of cash with you when shopping, and once that money is gone, then it’s time to go home.

• Don’t be tempted by retailer credit cards. Retailer credit cards can be very tempting, especially when the cashier offers an immediate 20 per -cent discount if you sign up for the card at the register. But that discount comes at a steep price down the road.Not only will you be receiving a bill after the holiday season, but that retailer credit card will most definitelyfeature a high interest rate that can negate the initial discount at the reg -ister – unless you pay off the balance in full.

• Create spending parameters with your immediate family. The econ -omy has yet to fully recover from the downturn that began nearly half a decade ago. As a result, many people still approach the holiday shopping season with a degree of trepidation.Get together with your immediate family and establish spending parameters so no person feels like he or she has to spend too much money on holiday shopping. Agree that no gift should cost more than $25.Everyone will still enjoy the holidayseason and one another’s company,and they won’t be forced to deal with the stress of overspending.